Bones Learn To Listen When Silence Speaks by Ryn Miles 2

Chapter 2 

Jasper just wouldn’t stop gossiping. The other people in the room kept cheering and making noise. It was 

loud. 

Aurelia couldn’t make out what Cassian said. All she could feel was a sharp, twisting pain in her stomach. 

But that pain was nothing compared to the ache in her heart. 

October 10th–that was the day she had alcohol poisoning and suffered a miscarriage. 

While she’d been lying there alone, fighting for her life, Cassian was with his old flame. 

“Ms. Corin, what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?” A passing waitress was frightened by the sight of Aurelia squatting on the floor, her face as pale as a ghost. 

Aurelia asked the waitress to call an ambulance for her. 

As she lay in the ambulance, sweating from the pain, a call came from Cassian. 

Any other time, no matter how tired or sleepy she was, she would have answered his call right away. 

But today, she was in so much pain that she didn’t want anything or anyone–not even Cassian. 

***** 

Aurelia stayed in the hospital for five days with severe stomach inflammation. It was caused by not recovering properly after the alcohol poisoning and miscarriage. 

During her time in the hospital, Cassian never once tried to contact her—not even a single text message. 

Maybe, from the very beginning, she had never really mattered in Cassian’s world. It was just that she had never noticed it before. 

On Monday, Aurelia went back to the office. Her assistant, Miranda, came to her with some secret gossip. “Aurelia, have you heard? Our company is bringing in a woman from the outside straight into a top position. 

A woman.” 

“Seriously?” Aurelia frowned. She doubted it. 

Cassian was always extremely strict when it came to hiring. Even Aurelia herself had started as an intern at the very bottom. The company had never placed an outside hire directly into a senior role before. 

But Miranda insisted, “It’s true. I even saw the official letter signed by Mr. Locke. He’s appointing her as the director of Strategic Division Three.” 

Aurelia’s heart skipped a beat. That was the position Cassian had promised her. 

Everyone in the company had seen how Aurelia had worked herself to the bone for Honoria Capital all these 

years. 

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According to the company’s rules for promotion, Aurelia was more than qualified to be a director and lead her own projects. 

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But Cassian had told her he was used to her being his secretary and couldn’t find anyone to replace her. That was why she had stayed in the secretarial department. 

He had also told her he would always keep the director position of Strategic Division Three open for her. 

He said that once Honoria Capital went public, he would personally sign the papers to promote her. 

“Is that so?” Aurelia asked, trying to sound calm as her eyelid twitched nervously. “What’s her name?” 

“I think it was Tessa something.” Miranda had only glanced at the paper and didn’t get a clear look. 

Aurelia’s fingertips trembled. The cup in her hand fell to the floor, and hot water splashed everywhere. 

Miranda jumped. “Aurelia, did you get burned?” 

“No.” Aurelia shook her head. The water wasn’t that hot, but she felt a burning pain that was much worse. 

“Tessa Rowe,” she said, finishing the name. 

Miranda was confused. “What?” 

Aurelia took a deep breath. “The person’s name is Tessa Rowe. The new director of Strategic Division Three.” 

“Oh, right! That’s the name. Aurelia, do you know her?” Miranda asked. 

“No.” Aurelia picked up her cup and went to get more water. 

The news of the new hire spread through the company quickly. Many people came to Aurelia to ask if it was 

true. 

Aurelia grew tired of giving the same answers. Her patience wore out, and she finally snapped. “If you’re all so curious, why don’t you just go ask Mr. Locke yourselves?” she shouted. 

As her voice faded, the entire office fell silent for a few seconds. Then, a soft female voice sounded. “Cassian, your employees seem to have quite a temper.” 

Aurelia looked toward the source of the voice, and her eyes stung at the sight of a man and a woman standing side by side. 

It was the first time she had seen Cassian in days. His eyes passed over her, cold and distant, as he introduced the woman next to him to everyone, 

“Everyone, I’d like you to meet Ms. Rowe, the new director of Strategic Division Three. From now on, she will be in charge of all projects for that division.” 

Everyone greeted Tessa one by one. 

Tessa looked gentle and smiled warmly at everyone. “I look forward to working with all of you.” 

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She even brought small gifts for everyone. Cassian stood beside her, helping her carry the bag. 

Aurelia let out a bitter, self–deprecating smile. 

In the past, when she and Cassian went anywhere together, she was the one running around carrying everything. He never offered to help. 

But when it came to Tessa, he was the one carrying things for her. 

She knew then that there really was a difference between being loved and not being loved. 

Tessa also gave Aurelia a small gift: a cartoon mouse pad and wrist rest set. 

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“Oh, what a coincidence. They match,” Tessa said, surprised as she looked at the set already on Aurelia’s desk. 

Then she turned back to Cassian. “Cassian, it looks like you two have the same taste.” 

She smiled apologetically at Aurelia. “Cassian helped me pick out all these little gifts. I had no idea they would match. If you mind, I can get you something else later.” 

“No need to trouble yourself. I don’t mind,” Aurelia said, accepting the gift. 

Cassian then ordered her, “Ms. Corin, show Ms. Rowe around and help her get familiar with the office.” 

Aurelia had no reason to refuse. One of the rules in the Honoria Capital secretary’s handbook was that the president’s orders came first. 

She could see that Tessa had a great personality. She was polite and gentle with everyone she spoke to. And her looks were flawless–she had a perfect face. 

After all, if she was the woman Cassian still couldn’t get over, she obviously had to be someone special. 

After Aurelia gave her a tour, Tessa said she wanted to see her new office. 

That office had just been finished two weeks ago. Aurelia had personally supervised the decoration. The furniture and layout were all designed exactly to Aurelia’s own taste. 

She had looked forward to sitting in that office more than anyone—just as she had always longed to marry 

Cassian. 

But now, she ended up with neither love nor her career. 

“I love the style of this office. It feels warmer than I imagined. And it’s very close to Cassian’s office,” Tessa said, looking very pleased. 

She was eager to share her happiness with Cassian, so she left Aurelia and hurried next door to find him. 

Aurelia stood alone in the office, feeling like a joke, 

Looking around the office she had so carefully designed, she felt her chest tighten, as if something were crushing her heart. She couldn’t breathe. 

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The midday weekly meeting was the most important meeting of the week at Honoria Capital. It was the time when everyone in the company was on high alert. 

No one dared to be late, and Aurelia was no exception. But Tessa was. 

Even though she was just a new employee, she dared to break a rule that Cassian himself had set. 

Aurelia thought Cassian would be angry. At the very least, he should scold Tessa a little. 

But he said nothing. He didn’t even say a single harsh word. He just calmly told Aurelia to pass out the meeting documents. 

In that moment, Aurelia felt a little dazed. 

She suddenly remembered when she was an intern. She had once been late to the meeting because she had a fever from the flu, and Cassian had called her out and criticized her in front of the whole company. 

He had completely forgotten that she had caught the flu from taking care of him when he was sick. 

Afterward, she had felt wronged and complained to him. 

Cassian explained that the company was just starting out, and he had to set a firm rule–to make an example of someone to warn the others. 

And she had been the one he used to show everyone he was serious. 

She told herself it wasn’t personal; Cassian was just being professional. 

Now, years later, this scene was like a loud slap across Aurelia’s face. 

She finally understood that Cassian could mix business with his personal life. It was just that she wasn’t the person he would do it for. 

There was a difference between people–just like the difference between being loved and not being loved. 

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