Mrs. Sterling stared in disbelief at Aurora Sterling, who was now snuggling up to her. Ever since her older granddaughter—Aurora's twin sister—had passed away, Aurora's personality had started to change. She had grown distant from her grandmother, and this kind of affectionate behavior hadn't happened in a very long time, leaving Mrs. Sterling momentarily at a loss.
"Are… are you all right?" Mrs. Sterling finally asked after a long pause.
But Aurora just blinked innocently. "I'm fine. Why do you ask, Grandma?"
"Miss, when did you get back?" the butler asked.
"I've been back for a while," Aurora said with a smile. "Since Grandma is hosting a luncheon today, I came back early to get ready so I could accompany her."
Only then did Mrs. Sterling notice the pink dress Aurora was wearing. Paired with her delicate makeup and professionally styled hair, her overall look was not only cute and charming but also radiated a captivating beauty.
Seeing Aurora dressed so appropriately and beautifully only made Mrs. Sterling more suspicious. In the past, Aurora had always dressed specifically to annoy her. She often wore heavy, garish makeup and flashy, tacky clothes, utterly lacking the poise and grace expected of a young lady from a prominent family.
They had argued countless times over it, and their relationship had once dropped to a freezing point.
'What's gotten into this girl? Why the sudden change in style?'
Sensing Mrs. Sterling's suspicion, Aurora lowered her gaze and said with great sincerity, "Grandma, I know I used to be immature. I did many things that hurt and disappointed you, and I know I was wrong. I'll never make you angry again. Can you forgive me?"
At Aurora's sudden apology, Mrs. Sterling's eyes widened. "Child… what's happened to you?"
Mrs. Sterling was truly unaccustomed to her granddaughter no longer defying her.
Aurora shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. I just want to be a better person. So please, Grandma, let me stay by your side at the luncheon today. I promise I won't do anything to embarrass you like I used to."
Mrs. Sterling was still finding it hard to believe, and the butler was surprised as well. However, he spoke up on Aurora's behalf. "Madam, weren't you just complaining that the young miss wasn't here to keep you company? Now that she's back, you should give her a chance. After all, she's your only true granddaughter."
Hearing the butler's words, Mrs. Sterling nodded. 'Aurora is the only child left in the Sterling family. If she has truly changed for the better, then I should let everyone see it.'
"All right. Aurora will stay by my side today."
When Mrs. Sterling said this, Aurora immediately smiled and gave her grandmother a kiss on the cheek. "You're the best, Grandma!"
Mrs. Sterling froze, taking a moment to process before a smile finally broke across her face. She reached out and tapped Aurora's nose. "You silly girl!"
Elders are often like that. They may have a long list of complaints and scoldings, but deep down, what they want most is to be close to their children and grandchildren.
Just as the ice between Mrs. Sterling and her granddaughter began to break, Sharon Dalton approached with a smile, Nanny Vaughn at her side.
But when she saw the doll-like Aurora Sterling standing beside Mrs. Sterling, the smile on Sharon Dalton's face instantly froze. She stood rooted to the spot, her expression one of utter shock, as if she had just seen a ghost.