Bones Learn To Listen When Silence Speaks by Ryn Miles 145

The next morning, Aurelia’s phone buzzed with a call from Arturo as soon as she stepped into the office. 

He wanted to know if she was free to grab a bite together. 

Aurelia could guess what Arturo was getting at, so she agreed to meet up for a meal. 

She gave Miranda a heads–up and asked her to postpone her afternoon appointments. 

Miranda hurried after her, asking, “Is it a business dinner with drinks? If it is, I’m coming with you.” 

“It’s just a regular meal. Why would you need to come to a drinking event?” Aurelia replied. 

“To drink on your behalf! From now on, I’ll be your drinking shield at every business dinner. I won’t leave your side, to make sure that nothing like last night happens again!” Miranda insisted. 

Aurelia couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, I’ll bring you to all the drinking events from now on, but today’s just a meal, so you don’t need to come.” 

When Aurelia got to the parking garage, she bumped into the same middle–aged guy she’d seen outside the 

office entrance before. 

He looked like he was waiting for someone. 

Daniel looked surprised when he saw Aurelia. He paused for just a second, then headed her way. 

Aurelia barely glanced at him before heading straight for her car. 

Daniel was just about to call her name. But, at that moment, Ewan came down to the garage with Tessa. 

As soon as Tessa spotted Daniel waiting for her, she called out, “Dad, when did you get here? Have you been waiting long?” 

Daniel had no choice but to stop and turn around, his face softening with affection. “I just got here. Are you done for the day?” 

“Yeah,” Tessa replied, then introduced Ewan, who had walked her down. 

Aurelia was just about to start her car when she heard Tessa call out, “Dad.” She froze for a split second. Then her brows knitted, 

Sometimes, your dislike of someone was simply written in your genes, and your body knows before you do. It looks like Aurelia’s body was right this time. 

Aurelia hit the gas and sped out of the parking garage. 

Aurelia hadn’t seen Arturo in ages, and when they finally met up, she barely recognized him at first glance. 

Arturo had changed so much. He was now much tanner and skinnier. His hair was also unkempt. But he was 

15:07 Wed, Dec 24 

Chapter 145 

: 

smiling way more, and he just seemed so much brighter. 

“Did I scare you?” Arturo asked as he poured Aurelia a cup of water. 

“Not really, just…you’ve changed a lot,” Aurelia said honestly. 

Arturo started telling Aurelia what he’d been up to recently. 

55 vouchers 

He said that after quitting his job, he took a trip and explored a ton of famous landmarks and ancient ruins. All those experiences gave him so much inspiration, he couldn’t wait to come back and talk to Aurelia about his ideas. 

Aurelia could see the excitement in his eyes as he spoke. Only real passion could make someone shine like that. 

Arturo was so eager to share that he didn’t even have time to put together a presentation. He just had to talk it 

out. 

Arturo talked nonstop the whole time, while Aurelia just listened. 

By the end, Arturo realized he’d been rambling and scratched his head sheepishly. “Did I talk too much?” 

“Not at all,” Aurelia said, pouring him another cup of water. “I think it’s really cool. Blending those famous landmarks into the game is such a fun way to keep the culture alive and make things fresh.” 

“Yes! That’s exactly what I was thinking!” Arturo felt like he’d finally found someone who truly got him. 

He’d noticed it before, too. 

He always felt like he wasn’t the best at putting his thoughts into words, but Aurelia always seemed to get what he was trying to say. 

Even Ewan, his college roommate and longtime partner, had never managed to understand him like this. 

“Go home and flesh out the whole concept, and then we’ll talk about what comes next,” Aurelia said, giving him the green light. 

Arturo’s confidence shot through the roof, wiping away all that gloom from when he quit his job. “Alright!” 

After the meal, since it was still early, Aurelia decided to go see Tyson at his office and gave him a heads–up. 

Tyson was still at work, and when he heard Aurelia was coming over, he asked her to stop by Ascend Group and pick up some documents for him. 

So Aurelia dropped by Ascend Group on her way, and sure enough, it was that gossipy vice president who greeted her again. 

Aurelia asked about Murel. 

The vice president said, “Mr. Abbott’s on annual leave and hasn’t come back yet. Ms. Rowe was running things here, but then Mr. Locke got into a car accident, so she’s at the hospital looking after him. Now it’s just me 

15:07 Wed, Dec 24 

Chapter 145 

holding down the fort” 

The vice president was still as gossipy as ever. 

F:. 

Aurelia didn’t care much about Cassian’s car accident. She simply took the documents and let 

27.00 

56 vousters 

When Aurelia arrived at Tyson’s office, they finished discussing work before she finally brought up what happened that night. 

Miranda had told her that Tyson was the one who took her home. That meant that it was Tyson who picked her up from the club. Maybe he knew something that Aurelia did not. 

But Tyson looked just as confused, “Wasn’t it you who told the club staff to call me and ask me to pick you 

“קווי 

‘Did I really do that?‘ Aurelia wondered, 

She’d totally blacked out from drinking. There was no way she would remember any of that. 

‘Whatever, it doesn’t even matter what really happened, Aurelia thought. 

T’ll just take it like I let myself go just this once, Aurelia thought, but I really need to keep my guard up from 

now on. 

***** 

Early the next morning, Aurelia got an invitation from Breon for the annual NaviTech anniversary party. 

It was NaviTech’s biggest event of the year, and they always invited all their partners to attend. 

This year, both InquireMind and Regal Investment were on the guest list. 

Of course, Honoria Capital was also one of NaviTech’s partners, so they got an invite too. 

It’s just how it goes in this business. No matter where you turn, you end up running into the same crowd again and again. 

Aurelia was representing Regal Investment, so she had to get all dressed up. She headed over to Vanvelle Studio early to pick out an outfit. 

She invited Tyson to join her, and they arrived at Vanvelle Studio almost at the same time. 

Tyson was clearly out of his element and looked a bit anxious. 

Aurelia reassured him, “Don’t worry, I’ll help you choose.” 

She was a pro at this. 

‘Honestly, all this experience just comes from all those times I had to pick out suits for Cassian, Aurelia thought. 

15:07 Wed, Dec 24 

Chapter 145 

When Cassian walked in, Aurelia was helping Tyson adjust his suit. 

467 

67 

55 vouchers 

“This color tie looks great on you,” Aurelia said, holding up a brownish–red tie with a subtle pattern to Tyson, sizing it up against him. 

Tyson just smiled. “Whatever you say, I’ll wear whatever you pick.” 

“Let me tie it for you,” Aurelia said, smiling gently as she tied his tie. 

Her smile was gentle and soothing, like a soft breeze that could lift everyone’s spirits. 

Tyson was so mesmerized by her that he completely lost track of everything else. 

The salesperson remarked to Tyson, “Your girlfriend has great taste. That tie looks perfect on you.” 

Tyson’s face turned bright red. 

At the entrance, Cassian stood frozen, just staring at the two of them, his face unreadable. 

He watched as Aurelia picked out a suit for Tyson and even tied his tie. 

When the salesperson called them a couple, Aurelia just let it slide and didn’t deny it. 

Cassian lowered his gaze, unfazed, then strolled inside. 

The salesperson hurried over with a bright smile. “Mr. Locke, did you come alone today?” 

“Yeah,” Cassian said, heading straight for the suits. 

Aurelia shot Cassian a quick look. 

It wasn’t like she was trying to check him out. There were only a few people in the shop, so it was impossible not to notice. 

Cassian had a bandage stuck to his forehead, and a healing scrape on his right cheek. 

‘So he really did get into a car accident. But judging by how he looks, it can’t have been that bad,‘ Aurelia thought. 

Aurelia turned her attention back to Tyson. “This is the one. Please pack it up for us.” 

The salesperson showed Tyson to the fitting room so he could try it on. 

Now, it was just Aurelia and Cassian left in the men’s section. 

Cassian skimmed past the suits and headed straight for the ties. After a moment, he glanced at Aurelia and said, “Aurelia, help me pick a tie.” 

15:08 Wed, Dec 24 

Chapter 146 

Chapter 146 

:.. 

For a split second, Aurelia thought she was hearing things. She looked at Cassian in confusion. 

Cassian repeated the words she thought she’d imagined. “Aurelia, help me pick out a tie,” he said. 

Aurelia grinned. ‘What? Did Mr. Locke just get dumped by his first love?” 

67 

55 vouchers 

Cassian acted like he hadn’t heard her. He picked up a dark blue tie from the rack and asked, “What do you think of this tie? I remember most of the ties you used to pick out for me were this style.” 

Aurelia’s gaze shifted from the tie in his hand up to the cut on his forehead. After a brief pause, she teased, “Looks like that car accident scrambled your brains, Mr. Locke. You really ought to get yourself checked out at the hospital. Wait too long and it might become irreversible.” 

Tyson came out after changing, and Aurelia didn’t give Cassian another look. Tyson glanced at the time and said to Aurelia, “It’s almost time to eat. Want to grab something together? Didn’t you say you wanted to have warm soup the other day?” 

Aurelia didn’t even remember saying that, but Tyson remembered. However, she still turned down Tyson’s suggestion. 

“Let’s hit that spot in Brightview Plaza for some chicken soup. Your stomach’s been acting up lately. Something light should do you good,” Aurelia suggested. 

“I’m good with whatever,” Tyson replied. He always put Aurelia first. If Aurelia said it, Tyson was on board. 

The salesperson brought over the packed clothes, and Tyson grabbed Aurelia’s things along with his own, then walked out of Vanvelle Studio with her. 

The salesperson watched them leave and couldn’t help but murmur admiringly, “They’re such a cute couple.” 

Cassian tossed the dark blue tie back onto the rack, and for a split second, a flicker of emotion broke through his usually stoic expression. 

The salesperson hurried over at the noise. “Mr. Locke, would you like me to help you pick something out?” 

Cassian stared at the tie for a long moment, then quietly asked the salesperson, “Compared to him, where do I fall short?” 

After some chicken soup, Tyson’s stomach felt a lot better. He said to Aurelia, “Once my stomach’s back to normal, we’ll go to that barbecue place you’ve been craving.” 

“Sure,” Aurelia said. 

Behind the plant divider, Cassian sat quietly, catching every word as Tyson and Aurelia looked out for each other. He kept his face calm, but his palm stung with pain. His nails dug into his palm, making it go numb and tingle. 

Still, he didn’t loosen his grip. He just kept clenching his fist. His throat felt clogged, as if stuffed with cotton, and his chest was suffocated. He sat the whole time, not touching his food, even after Aurelia and Tyson 

15:08 Wed, Dec 24 

Chapter 146 

finished eating and left. 

Ş(67) 

E55 vouchers 

When Tessa called him, Cassian’s emotions were instantly buried the moment he saw her name on the screen of his phone. He answered, his tone flat and calm. “What’s up?” 

“Yeah, just grabbing dinner out,” he said. “Just me.” 

Tessa asked, “Why didn’t you call me? Should I come over now and keep you company?” 

“Don’t bother, I’m almost finished,” Cassian replied. 

After hanging up, Cassian picked up his utensils and began eating the cold food absently, forcing it down bite by bite. He couldn’t taste a thing. 

** 

On the day of the NaviTech anniversary celebration, Aurelia and Tyson arrived on the dot. No surprise for one of the country’s leading tech giants, the whole thing was a grand affair, packed with heavy hitters from the investment scene. 

Whenever this kind of thing rolled around, Aurelia was always swamped. Hence, Tyson stuck close to Aurelia the whole time. 

Tyson couldn’t hold his liquor, but he blocked Aurelia from those drinks. All he did was shadow her every move, looking out for her and making sure she was safe. 

Unlike the other women at the event, Aurelia stood out in a tailored dark green velvet suit. She looked both professional and carried an undeniable commanding presence. 

Cassian arrived at the event with Tessa by his side. Tessa was dressed to the nines that night. 

She rocked a custom–made designer gown, but what really turned heads was the set of jewelry she wore. It was worth over $7 million. 

Of course, it still couldn’t hold a candle to the Kashmir sapphire set Aurelia had worn last time. But Tessa was pretty sure Aurelia wouldn’t show up in that sapphire necklace again. 

As it turned out, she was spot on. That evening, Aurelia showed up in regular clothes, nothing special at all. For all anyone knows, Aurelia may have just rented that insanely pricey sapphire necklace to look impressive. Once the rental was up, her true nature showed. 

‘She’s got some skills, I’ll give her that. After sticking with Cassian for so long, she must’ve picked up a thing or two. That’s probably how she managed to land the InquireMind and port renovation gigs. 

‘But so what? In investment banking, it’s all about connections and resources. For resources, Cassian’s got her covered. She’s got an endless supply thanks to him. 

And when it comes to networking, she can always count on her dad to open any door she needs. That’s how she got that job at Strive Bank in the first place. 

‘International investment banks and the whole finance industry love hiring nepo political babies. Those kids 

15:08 Wed, Dec 24 

Chapter 146 

420 

ER 55 vouchers 

have all the connections and family background anyone could want. Doors always swing open for them 

In Tessa’s eyes, Aurelia didn’t even qualify as her rival. She looked away, not even sparing Aurelia another glance. She acted like Aurelia was old news, totally off her radar. 

Looking so glamorous, Tessa was soon surrounded by people coming over to greet her. But most of the people who approached her were women. 

Cassian excused himself, telling Tessa he needed to mingle. Truth was, he had no intention of socializing. He just found a spot closer to Aurelia, quietly watching her from a distance. With the crowd so thick, he could sneak glances at her whenever he wanted, and nobody would notice. 

Cassian watched Tyson always sticking close behind Aurelia, moving with her like he knew exactly what she needed, Tyson would always step in if someone got too close, making sure no one bumped into her. 

He’d grab her empty glass and hand her a new one without missing a beat. Whenever Tyson got the chance, he’d give her something to eat, making sure she never went hungry. 

She hadn’t changed one bit. When she worked, it was like she didn’t care about burning out. She just kept tossing back drinks, barely pausing between rounds. 

‘Figures that’s how she wrecked her stomach, Cassian thought. He flagged down a waiter and had him deliver a glass of juice to Aurelia, making sure she knew it was from him. 

“Cassian, Cassian, what’s up with you? I’ve been calling you for ages and you didn’t even notice,” Jasper said. He and Liam showed up late. 

As they walked over, Jasper gave Cassian a puzzled look, then glanced in the same direction Cassian was staring. “What are you staring at so intensely?” 

Jasper followed Cassian’s gaze and instantly spotted Tessa in the middle of a crowd. He clicked his tongue and joked, “Man, aren’t you two sick of each other yet? You stare at her every day and still aren’t bored?” 

“Not at all,” Cassian said, still watching her, nodding without looking away. 

“Is she really that good–looking?” Jasper asked. 

“Yep,” Cassian replied. 

Liam nudged Jasper. “Seriously, are you here just to get hit with all this lovey–dovey stuff? Nothing else to do?” 

“What lovey–dovey stuff?” Jasper asked. 

Just then, Gideon showed up. Jasper looked surprised. “Gideon, when did you get back?” 

“Last Wednesday,” Gideon replied. 

Jasper looked even more confused. “Why didn’t you say anything? Tessa invited us out for drinks that day!” 

“But we didn’t get to go after all. Cassian got into a car accident,” he added. 

15:08 Wed, Dec 24 

Chapter 146 

55 vouchers 

Gideon glanced at the cut on Cassian’s forehead and explained, “Something came up at the last minute. I landed in Ashmont unexpectedly and had to fly out to Vireston that same night, so I didn’t get a chance to tell 

you guys. 

Meanwhile, the waiter brought Aurelia a warm glass of juice. She looked confused and asked, “Who’s this from?” 

The waiter pointed over. Aurelia glanced in the direction, and across the crowd, her eyes met Gideon’s. 

田