Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

As soon as Julian left, Gore smirked and said, "I never thought I'd live to see such a sappy side of you. This is truly rare." "Before I met him, I didn't know I had this side of me," Aurora replied without hesitation. She had no intention of hiding her feelings for Julian.

"Alright, if I'd known I was coming here just to watch you show off your relationship, I must've been crazy to come." Gore looked exasperated. Today, he had truly witnessed Aurora's softer side.

To outsiders, she was always cold and unapproachable. Only when she was with Julian did she act like a gentle, affectionate woman.

"My dear boss, you've got plenty of fans who adore you. If you're feeling hurt, why not go find one of them to comfort you?" Aurora teased.

"Why do I sound so shameless when it comes out of your mouth?" "Because you are shameless." Aurora chuckled lightly. "Handthe car keys. You've been drinking, so I'll drive." Gore caught the fleeting smile on Aurora's lips. She had changed so much. The Aurora he used to know would never have smiled like that in front of others. Back then, he'd prepared countless jokes to try and make her laugh, only to receive her cold, disdainful stares in return.

But now, she could smile so easily. Aurora noticed his gaze and turned to him. "Why are you staring at me?" "You just smiled." "I'm human, of course I smile. What's so surprising about that?" Aurora said as she slid into the driver's seat, buckled her seatbelt, and expertly started the car.

There was something captivating about a woman driving, especially someone like Aurora-a strong, independent woman.

"Maybe you haven't realized it yourself, but you rarely smiled before. Even when you did, it was always a cold smile. You were like someone carved out of ice and snow. Not just your demeanor, but your heart was frozen, shutting everyone out. But now, it's different. The ice in your heart has melted. This is the real you." Gore's tone was unusually serious. Aurora, focused on driving, didn't have tto look at his expression. "Is it really that serious?" she asked.

"Of course it is. You used to be like a block of ice. I even thought about trying to melt you myself. But clearly, you've found the right person for that." Gore thought of how Julian had cared for Aurora so tenderly. If he was like that in public, it was impossible to imagine how affectionate they were in private.

That's why Gore had to admit Aurora had chosen well. Neither he nor Asher had ever been able to break through her emotional barriers, but Julian had done it effortlessly. Gore had no choice but to admire him.

"Of course," Aurora said, a spark of pride lighting up her face. "He's the best person in the world to me." "You really are different now," Gore sighed softly.

"People change, big boss. You're no exception." "Alright, didn't you say earlier you wanted to talk business with me? If I don't bring it up soon, I'm afraid you'll dragaround the city all night." Aurora, caught red-handed, didn't deny it. "There's nowhere else to go anyway. Might as well enjoy the view and chat." "That depends on what kind of chat you're looking for." "Gore, I want to enter the European skincare market. You and I could work together." Aurora didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

"I've looked into your perfume. Based on its pricing, it's clear you're not content with just the Clothville market. You're aiming for the international stage. But your company is still in its early stages. You haven't even secured a foothold in Clothville yet, and you're already thinking about Europe. Don't you think you're being a bit too ambitious?" Gore's sharp insight was undeniable. Aurora was well aware of her impatience, but she had no other choice. She wanted to grow quickly, to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Julian, not just watch his back from afar. She had no option but to push herself to grow.

"I'll admit I'm inexperienced in this field, but I have my reasons." "Let's hear them. If I were you, I'd just stay home, pamper myself, and binge-watch sshows. The business world is cutthroat. Most people are desperate to get out of it, and here you are, throwing yourself in headfirst. Are you short on cash?" The idea of Aurora being short on money was laughable to Gore. Judging by the major deals Julian had been closing recently, it was clear that man was wealthy beyond imagination. Given how much Julian cherished Aurora, he'd probably pluck stars from the sky for her if she asked.

Not to mention, Aurora herself was a wealthy heiress with her own company. Gore couldn't think of any reason she would need more money.

"It's not about money. I just feel too weak right now. I want to grow stronger."

"My princess, how can you call yourself weak? What does that make other women? I've heard your m company in New York is thriving, and the one in Clothville is doing quite well too. For a startup, you've achieved so much, yet you still think you're weak? Do you even hear yourself?" Aurora cleared her throat awkwardly. "That's not what I meant. I just feel like I'm too far behind Julian. I want to catch up to him, so I have to becstronger." Seeing Aurora's determined expression, Gore was speechless. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you so set on chasing after him?" He was starting to think he'd never won Aurora's heart because he couldn't understand her logic.

"Because I don't want to be a woman who only lives under his protection. I want to stand beside him as his equal. Right now, I'm far from that." "Alright, fine. But letbe blunt-your company has only released one type of perfume. Your product range is too narrow, and your experience is too limited. To be honest, your company isn't qualified yet."

"I know that. But our company is about to launch a new skincare line. As for other types of perfumes, I'm already researching and preparing them. Right now, I'm just discussing the idea with you, not rushing to take action. Givesix months. By the tI graduate next year, I'll give you a satisfactory answer. Then you can decide if I'm worth partnering with. This trip is partly for vacation and partly for research."

"Alright, six months it is. Let's see how much you can grow by then and whether you'll be worth myinvestment." Gore looked at Aurora with a hint of admiration. Perhaps what had always drawn him to Aurora was her determination and resilience. mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1