Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Chapter 543: The Truth Hearing that carefree, reckless laugh, Aurora couldn't help but smile. Candy always had a knack for scaring people half to death.

"Candy, pulling tricks onthis early? Don't you think that's a bit much?" Aurora teased, feigning annoyance. Candy chuckled, unapologetic. "I'll admit, I wanted to give you a little scare. But I also needed to remind you-be more careful about who you work with. If it hadn't beentoday but someone else, you'd be in real trouble. Not only would your press conference have been a disaster, but you'd be looking at a hefty compensation fee, too." Her tone shifted, firm but sincere. "Lucky for you, I'm sharp. I saw through her little stunt and didn't fall for it. Otherwise, I might've actually ended up in the hospital. Miss Montgomery, your designs are brilliant, but your judgment of people? That could use swork. Someone like Gemma shouldn't have been hired." Aurora sighed, the weight of Candy's words settling on her. "Candy, I get it now. Thank you for the heads-up. I'm just relieved you're okay." The truth was, Gemma's hiring had been an unfortunate accident. Near the end of the recruitment process, Aurora had to leave early for an important meeting with Julian. Mona, noticing that Gemma's resmentioned their shared college history, assumed they were close friends and gave her an edge in the interview process.

That small act of goodwill had turned into a ticking tbomb. When Aurora later saw Gemma at the office, she didn't make a fuss. Gemma hadn't done anything wrong at the time, and Aurora wasn't the type to fire someone without cause-especially not a new hire.

Shortly after, Aurora left for New York. She'd been back for only two weeks, fully immersed in preparations for her new perflaunch. If Candy hadn't mentioned Gemma, she might have forgotten about her entirely.

But now that Gemma had caused trouble, Aurora knew she couldn't let it slide.

Determined, she headed to the dressing room, where Heather was waiting, her nerves palpable.

"Miss Montgomery, I'm so sorry," Heather said, wringing her hands. Though the situation had been resolved, she still looked shaken. If Candy hadn't acted quickly, Heather felt the blwould've landed squarely on her.

"It's not your fault," Aurora reassured her, her tone calm. "You've done a great job- don't let this get to you." Heather nodded hesitantly as Aurora stepped further inside. Candy was in the middle of her hair and makeup, her bright smile immediately lighting up the room.

"Hello, Miss Montgomery. We meet again," Candy said cheerfully.

Aurora settled into the seat beside her. "Yes, it's been over a year, hasn't it? I never imagined you'd one day be the face of my perfume." Candy grinned. "Life's funny like that. And you-you're incredible. Launching a new company and breaking into the perfindustry? That's no small feat." Aurora smiled modestly. "I'm just trying my best. Who knows how it'll turn out?" Candy's expression turned serious. "Don't sell yourself short. I don't just sign on to any endorsement, you know. A bad product can ruin my reputation. I'm picky for a reason. You sentthat custom perflast year, remember? I loved it-it's the only thing I've been wearing since. My friends in the industry are obsessed with it, too. When they found out I'd be endorsing your new line, they were all like, 'We're buying it the second it drops.' We're used to the best, Aurora. If we love it, trust me-others will, too." Aurora felt a wave of relief at Candy's words. "That's good to hear. After the press conference, why don't you stay a few days? I'd love to show you around the city." Candy hesitated, smiling apologetically. "I wish I could, but my flight's this afternoon. I've got a shoot tomorrow. Next time, though! When I finally take a vacation in Clothville, you'd better not finda bother." "Never," Aurora replied with a laugh. "Safe travels, then. If you need anything, just let Heather know." "Got it," Candy said, her cheerful demeanor as refreshing as always.

Stepping into the hallway, Aurora gestured for Mona to join her. They moved to a quiet corner, where Mona looked at her with a mix of curiosity and concern.

If you're loving the book, nel5sis where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! "What's up? Is something wrong?" Mona asked.

"Mona, I only asked Heather to pick up Candy. How did Gemma end up tagging along? Did you approve it?" Aurora's voice was calm but firm.

Mona nodded, frowning slightly.

"Gemma cto me, saying she'd The Saying she'd I go with Heather to help out, just in case. It sounded reasonable, so I said yes. Why? Did something happen?" Aurora took a deep breath. "Mona, this could've been a disaster. And it's partly my fault-I didn't explain things to you clearly before." Mona tilted her head, confused. "Is there something wrong with Gemma?"

Aurora leaned against the wall and began explaining everything. The m petty college s, the subtle but persistent tension between her and Gemma-all of it. By the tshe finished, Mona was wide-eyed. "So... she wasn't your friend? I thought you two were close! That's why I made an effort to look out for her." "I should've clarified earlier," Aurora admitted. "But it's clear now-Gemma can't stay. She's a liability."

Mona's expression hardened. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it. You focus on the press conference-I'll make sure this doesn't happen again." Relieved, Aurora nodded. She trusted Mona to handle it. And this time, she wouldn't let her kindness or oversight put her company at risk.

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