Chapter 6

“Aurora, watch out!”

Julian’s pupils constricted. Just as it fell, he rushed forward without hesitation, shielding me in his embrace.

The chandelier crashed heavily onto his shoulder with a muffled thud.

Fragments shattered, and the scene instantly erupted in chaos. Guests screamed and scattered.

Vivian ran over, crying, her voice trembling, “Julian, are you hurt? Does it hurt? We need to go to the hospital!”

Julian looked at me, trembling in his arms, and tried to control his tone.

“No, it’s just a minor injury.”

Vivian insisted, “No, we must go to the hospital!”

Julian, helpless, had his assistant drive him to the hospital.

At the same time, he instructed Vivian, “Vivian, take Aurora home. I’ll be scared alone.”

Vivian’s face instantly fell.

“At a time like this, you’re still thinking about her?”

“Just do it.” Julian’s face was slightly pale from the pain.

“After all, I raised her since she was a child.”

Vivian bit her lip, then reluctantly grabbed my wrist, pulling me into the car.

My mind was a blur; I could only mechanically follow Vivian.

Who would have thought that halfway through the drive, Vivian suddenly told the driver to stop, glaring at me through gritted teeth.

“I have something else to do, I’m not going home. You can walk back yourself.”

The driver couldn’t help but advise, “Miss Sinclair, it’s very cold outside…”

Vivian interrupted him sharply, “Who is going to be the mistress of the Blackwood family? Don’t you know whose orders to follow anymore?”

The driver dared not say anything more, only watching helplessly as I got out of the car and walked alone into the boundless darkness.

I walked for a full five hours before finally reaching the Blackwood family villa.

Midway, because it was too dark to see, I accidentally fell into a puddle. By the time I returned, my clothes were soaked, my hair plastered to my face, and I was utterly disheveled.

However, before I could even catch my breath, I saw that the entire villa had caught fire at some point, flames reaching into the sky.

I froze, and before I could react, several bodyguards rushed over, grabbing my wrist.

“Miss, you set the fire that caused Miss Sinclair to suffer third-degree burns. She’s currently in the hospital, fighting for her life. Mr. Blackwood wants us to take you to the hospital.”

I was stunned, shaking my head blankly. “I didn’t…”

The bodyguards dragged me into the car without explanation and drove me straight to the hospital.

At the hospital, Julian’s left shoulder was still bandaged.

He held a black suit jacket in his left hand, leaning against the hallway, his waist lean and legs long.

His face was terrifyingly grim.

Seeing me being brought in by the bodyguards, he coldly looked up, his voice laced with suppressed fury.

“Are you restless if you don’t cause trouble for a day? What did Vivian do wrong for you to set her on fire like this?!”

I frantically shook my head. “It wasn’t me, I didn’t…”

Julian cut me off abruptly, his voice icy cold.

“Enough! The evidence is conclusive. If it wasn’t you, then did Vivian purposely set herself on fire just to frame you?!”

I was about to explain, but just then, the operating room doors burst open.

A doctor hurried out, his tone grave.

“Mr. Blackwood, Miss Sinclair’s injuries are severe. She’ll need skin grafts. Before she lost consciousness, she left a message for you, saying that you spoiled Miss Aurora too much, and that it’s unacceptable. This time, the injuries she sustained, Miss Aurora must personally pay for them.”

At these words, everyone understood—

Vivian meant she wanted *my* skin for the grafts!