Bones Learn To Listen When Silence Speaks by Ryn Miles 127

Chapter 127 

Watching Aurelia swagger off, Karlie was so mad she started crying. “Tessa, just look at her!” 

“Don’t worry, I’ll get even with her for you,” Tessa replied, just as pissed. 

But Tessa was a bit more clear–headed than Karlie. She knew this wasn’t the time or place to start a fight, so she forced herself to hold back her anger. 

With Tessa backing her up, Karlie felt a little better. 

When Benjamin saw Aurelia come back, he noticed a faint smile on her face. She looked pretty pleased with herself, and his own expression softened without him even realizing it. “You didn’t drink, did you?” he asked. 

“Nope,” Aurelia replied. 

Back in the day, whenever Aurelia showed up at events like this, she was always expected to drink. 

But tonight, since she was with Benjamin, no one really had the guts to ask her to drink. 

Besides, she had to drive Benjamin home later, so she didn’t touch a drop. 

By now, the party was in its later stages, and people were gradually starting to leave. 

Just as Benjamin was leading Aurelia over to say goodbye to the host, Cassian walked in. 

He wasn’t dressed up in formal wear, so it looked like he’d just decided to drop by at the last minute. 

As soon as Cassian walked in, Tessa finally relaxed, her spirits lifting. 

After all, the person who always had her back was here now. 

Even Karlie straightened up, finally feeling confident as she stuck close to them, following them around. 

With Cassian there, Tessa was back in the spotlight, and this time, she was getting even more attention than before. 

People were eager to chat with her, and that old sense of superiority came rushing back. Whether she realised it or not, she shot Aurelia a haughty, almost smug glance. 

Noticing Aurelia wasn’t even looking her way, Tessa turned to Cassian and said, “Cassian, Mr. Locke is here too. Let’s go say hi.” 

This time, Cassian didn’t refuse, and Tessa was over the moon. 

“Dad,” Cassian greeted Benjamin as he walked over, but his eyes stayed on Aurelia a beat too long. 

That made Tessa instinctively tense up. 

Fortunately, he only looked at her for a moment before glancing away. 

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Chapter 127 

Benjamin barely glanced at him and asked, “Are you heading home tonight?” 

Cassian stopped for a beat before replying, “No. I just returned from a business trip. Haven’t even had time to change yet.” 

He really did come straight from the airport. It seemed like he knew Tessa was getting slighted at the and dropped everything to back her up. 

party 

When Benjamin heard Cassian wasn’t going home, he didn’t say anything else. He just took Aurelia and left. 

Tessa couldn’t help but feel a pang of bitterness. He hadn’t looked her way even once. 

Cassian turned to Tessa and said, “Let’s head out too.” 

Tessa really didn’t want to leave so soon. Aurelia had totally stolen her thunder today. 

Now that Cassian was here and she was finally back in the spotlight, she wanted to stick around a bit longer. She wished everyone in Ashmont could see them together and know for sure they were an item. 

But then she remembered that Cassian had just returned from a business trip and was probably exhausted, so she did her best to appear considerate and went along with what he wanted. 

At the entrance, Benjamin ran into the Minister of Commerce, someone he knew from back in the day, and stopped to say hello. 

“Mr. Locke, you’re really blessed. Your son and daughter–in–law are both so capable. It’s honestly something to envy,” the minister said. 

Benjamin paused, clearly confused. ‘Daughter–in–law?‘ 

“Ms. Rowe, of course. She’s been working with me on the port renovation project lately, and she’s really impressive. And her credentials are top–notch. She’s got a PhD in finance from Whitvale School of Management. Who wouldn’t be jealous of that kind of education?” the minister said, his voice full of admiration. 

“Your son’s a rising star in finance, and your daughter–in–law is a real powerhouse. The Locke family is definitely going to reach even greater heights,” the minister added, sounding genuinely envious. 

All that praise from the minister had Tessa feeling smug, and she gave Aurelia a dismissive, almost mocking glance. 

But to her surprise, Aurelia didn’t seem fazed by all those credentials at all. She didn’t look the slightest bit insecure. 

Tessa scoffed to herself. ‘Aurelia is such a faker! 

‘Does she really think acting like she doesn’t care means she actually doesn’t?‘ 

‘It’s not about family or parents, Tessa thought to herself. 

Chapter 127 

‘Not even leaning on a guy!‘ 

Just having my PhD from overseas is enough to keep Aurelia feeling second–rate for the rest of her life!‘ 

By now, Tessa had stopped caring about Aurelia altogether. All she cared about now was what Benjamin thought of her. 

She was convinced that Benjamin had only ignored her before because he didn’t know about her academic, credentials. 

He probably just saw her as another woman trying to latch onto Cassian, which was why he never gave her a second glance. 

But now that the minister had basically said everything she wanted people to know about her, she was sure Benjamin wouldn’t ignore her like before. 

“Are you in charge of the port renovation project?” Benjamin asked, his attention clearly elsewhere. 

“Yeah, I’ve been overseeing it from the start. Honoria Capital has a good shot at winning the bid, and Ms. Rowe’s proposal is really impressive,” the minister replied. 

But Benjamin just said coolly, “Got it. I’ve got something else to take care of, so I’ll be heading out.” 

He didn’t say a single nice thing about Tessa and didn’t even spare her a glance. 

As Benjamin was about to leave, Tessa called out in a panic, “Mr. Locke…” 

He was standing right there. There was no way he didn’t hear her. 

But he just brushed her off, letting Aurelia take his arm and lead him out. 

Not once, from beginning to end, did he ever look her way. 

Tessa looked at Cassian, feeling a little wronged, hoping he’d say something for her. 

But Cassian kept silent, just heading to the parking lot with her. 

Aurelia’s car was parked in the lot, too. By the time Cassian and Tessa showed up, she was already pulling out, about to drive off. 

Karlie didn’t get in Cassian’s car. She just grabbed a cab and left, not wanting to be the third wheel. 

Cassian’s car and Aurelia’s car pulled out of the parking lot one after the other. 

It was already so late, and Cassian still showed up to pick Tessa up. “They’re probably living together,’ Aurelia thought to herself. 

When Aurelia brought Benjamin home to the Locke family estate, Abigail was still awake. 

Upon hearing someone at the door, she quickly came to open it. Seeing it was only Benjamin, she asked right away, “Cassian didn’t come back?” 

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Chapter 127 

“No,” Benjamin said, with a cold look on his face as he made his way inside, cane in hand. 

Cassian rarely came by the estate, but tonight, both Benjamin and Abigail had brought up his absence. 

Aurelia couldn’t figure out what was going on, so she checked her phone. 

That’s when it hit her. It was Benjamin’s late wife’s birthday. 

Back when she was Cassian’s secretary, she never missed any of those special days that mattered to him. 

But after leaving Honoria Capital, she deleted every reminder about Cassian from her phone. 

Then she started her own business and got so busy she barely had time to breathe. Those special days that used to mean the world to Cassian just slipped her mind completely. 

‘No wonder Benjamin asked Cassian about coming home tonight at the party, Aurelia mused, finally piecing things together. 

‘Cassian really is something else… Aurelia thought, a mix of exasperation and disbelief swirling inside her. 

‘Honestly, he’s just… impossible to figure out,‘ she sighed inwardly. 

‘He doesn’t even bother coming home for his late mother’s memorial, but he’s got all the time in the world to play hero for his precious Tessa, acting like every reunion is a honeymoon,‘ Aurelia griped to herself. 

‘How can someone just forget where they came from?‘ Aurelia fumed inwardly. 

‘Is Tessa really all that to him?‘ Aurelia scoffed in disbelief. 

‘Is she really more important than the parents who brought him up?‘ Aurelia thought, her irritation mounting. 

‘This isn’t just being lovesick. He’s caught a terminal case of lovesickness!‘ Aurelia snarked to herself. 

‘Some people would even have to call him senior when it comes to being hopelessly lovesick, Aurelia thought, rolling her eyes. 

***** 

On Monday, as soon as Aurelia arrived at Regal Investment, Miranda hurried over, barely able to contain herself. “A guest is waiting for you in the reception room,” she said, her expression full of mystery. 

Miranda looked all secretive, and no matter how many times Aurelia asked who it was, she just kept saying, “You have to go see for yourself.” 

When Aurelia finally walked into the reception room and saw who was waiting, she instantly understood why Miranda had been acting so mysterious. 

Because the person waiting for her was someone even Aurelia never expected to see.