Chapter 626 She Became the Target of Public Criticism
"Aurora, I'm so sorry," Kelly said, smacking her hand for emphasis. "Look at my shaky hands, I spilled it all over your clothes. I'm sorry."
As she spoke, Kelly reached for a napkin to wipe Aurora's clothes, but Aurora quickly stepped back. "No need," she said.
"How about I buy you a new outfit? This red ink looks like blood on you; it won't come out. You can't wear this anymore."
Aurora shot her a fierce glare, her eyes twitching slightly before she turned away and walked off quickly. She ran straight to the restroom, took off her stained clothes, and tried to wash the red ink under the faucet.
No matter how hard she scrubbed, the ink wouldn't come out. The red ink looked disturbingly like blood, just like the blood from that night when Cormac's sister died.
Realizing the ink was permanent, Aurora threw the ruined clothes into the trash. As she was about to leave, she heard Kelly and Jade talking loudly with a group of classmates just outside the restroom.
"What's up with Aurora? Wasn't she the model student? How did she suddenly become the daughter of a murderer?"
"I did some digging. I have a relative who works as a prison guard in Arizona City. I asked him about it."
"Aurora's dad was a murderer. He had a terminal illness and was paid to kill someone. He staged a car accident to take the victim down with him."
"And get this, the most dramatic part—like something out of a TV show. You know who her sugar daddy is? Cormac Nash, a big shot in the talent agency. Aurora's dad killed Cormac's sister!"
"What? Aurora's dad killed Cormac's sister, and then Cormac took care of her for years?"
"Yeah, I heard Cormac treated her well."
Jade's voice grew louder. "This is so dramatic. Her dad killed his sister, and she still had the nerve to let him take care of her for years? How shameless can you get?"
"Exactly," Kelly sneered. "That's just too brazen."
"Her dad killed his sister, and she still let him take care of her? That's just shameless. If it were me, I'd be too embarrassed to show my face. I'd want to find a hole to crawl into and die."
Outside, the voices continued, each one more cutting than the last.
For the first time, Aurora felt the sting of public shaming. Those cruel words were like sharp knives.
She had been a top student, on track for a bright future. But suddenly, she was the daughter of a murderer, the target of ridicule and exclusion, both online and in real life.
Her label had shifted overnight from "model student" to "murderer's daughter."
Aurora emerged from the restroom, now wearing just a tank top since she had thrown away her outer clothes. Her eyes were red, and she looked disheveled.
She stared at the group of people who had been cursing her.
"Let's go, don't bother with the murderer's daughter. She might latch onto you and make you take care of her, too!"
Seeing her like this, Mira called out to her, but someone pulled Mira back. "Don't go near her. You'll get tainted by association!"Even Mira, her closest friend, was pulled away. Back in the classroom, Aurora sat down, but everyone around her moved away like she had the plague.
Rumors spread like wildfire, twisting the truth and painting her as the villain. People whispered that she had shamelessly climbed into Cormac's bed, selling herself to him, which was why he had taken care of her for so long.
In the big classroom, everyone sat together, except for her. The seats around her were empty.
Growing up, she had always been a good student, low-key and trouble-free. She had a few friends and never bullied anyone, nor was she bullied.
It wasn't until college that she experienced isolation and exclusion. In the classroom, cafeteria, or on the field, her classmates avoided her, whispering behind her back.
Over time, she stopped talking, stopped eating in the cafeteria, and went straight back to her apartment after classes, often crying when she got there.
'Her dad killed his sister, and she still let him take care of her? That's just shameless. If it were me, I'd be too embarrassed to show my face. I'd want to find a hole to crawl into and die.'
Lying in bed, those words echoed in her mind, causing her immense pain. She looked around her luxurious apartment, which Cormac had insisted she live in.
As a student, living in such a fancy place always felt wasteful to her. Now, she felt unworthy of it.
The next day, which was a weekend, Aurora went to see the landlord.
"You want to move out?" The landlord was shocked. "You're only a sophomore. Why move out now?"
"I just don't want to live here anymore. The contract clearly states that if I move out, the remaining rent will be refunded," Aurora said.
"That's true," the landlord said reluctantly. "But your uncle paid four years' rent upfront. You're only in your second year, and you want to move out already?"
"Regardless, I need to move out. Please refund the remaining two years' rent as per the contract. If you refuse, I'll have to take legal action."
The landlord was annoyed. "I'll refund the rent. No need to threaten legal action. Young people these days, always ready to use the law. Did I say I wouldn't refund the rent?"
Throughout the process, the landlord was visibly upset, but Aurora didn't care.
With the money in hand, she left. The campus had become a nightmare for her. After classes, she just wanted to escape, so she wouldn't stay in the dorms. She needed to find another place to live.
She calculated how much money she had spent over the years, especially after her uncle's career took off. He had bought her the best clothes and supplies.
It added up to a significant amount, but no amount of money could make up for his sister's life.
As night fell, Aurora found the cheapest place near the school.
"Young lady, you look like a college student. This place is run-down. Are you sure you want to live here?"
"It's fine. There's no place I can't live."
She had spent years in a tiny, rundown house with her dad. There was no place she couldn't live.
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