Menantu Pahlawan Negara by Sarjana

Chapter 4

Aurelia arrived early at the Civil Affairs Bureau, finishing her bread just as Linda unexpectedly showed up.

“Ms. Linda, what brings you here?” Aurelia inquired.

Linda smiled as she spoke, “I couldn’t bear to miss such a significant

With that, she reached into her bag and handed Aurelia a carefully wrapped gift, emphasizing the importance of the occasion.

“Aurelia, going forward, Leslie will lean on you quite a bit. Consider this a small gesture of a mother–in–law’s affection,” Linda conveyed, her eyes radiating warmth.

Perplexed, Aurelia opened the gift to find a five hundred–thousand–dollar cheque.

She looked at Linda with disbelief, saying, “This is too much. That’s not necessary.”

Linda stopped Aurelia from returning the check. She smiled and said, “It’s not too much. You deserve it.”

“Me… Deserving?”

Aurelia widened her eyes. Lately, she had been bombarded with words like, “You’re about to be an orphan, who would want you? Who would still like you? Who would protect you?”

Her boyfriend of three years betrayed her, and even the caregiver bullied her.

She had thought she was about to be abandoned by the world, but at this moment, she felt a long–lost warmth.

Aurelia, who had been holding back for a long time, teared up.

There were too many words in her mind, but she didn’t know where to start.

“Ms. Linda, thank you.”

“Silly child, I know you’re going through a tough time. I understand you may be reluctant to ask me for help. Soon, we’ll be a family, and you don’t have to pretend to be tough in front of me. Accept it with peace of mind,” Linda said, gently patting Aurelia’s head.

Aurelia felt a warm sensation in her chest.

No matter how much they gave, those who truly loved you never seemed enough, while those who didn’t love you felt like they took too much.

Such an example was the Martinez family.

Unwilling to give and wanting even more from her.

As Linda spoke, she suddenly leaned closer to Aurelia’s face.

“You’re getting married today, and you’re not wearing makeup?” she asked.

Aurelia shook her head and asked, “Isn’t makeup not allowed for ID photos?”

Linda chuckled heartily, “Why are you such an honest child? Something as important as a lifetime commitment can’t be taken so casually. Luckily, I brought some makeup. I’ll give you

a makeup look that enhances your natural beauty.”

Upon hearing this, Aurelia couldn’t suppress a wry smile. Linda was familiar with the concept of pseudo–natural makeup

Before Aurelia could refuse, Linda’s foundation had already been applied to her face. She had no choice but to let Linda do her makeup.

A few minutes later, Linda looked at Aurelia with satisfaction.

“Aurelia, you’re naturally beautiful. Why don’t you dress up more often?”

“Ms. Linda, you don’t have to comfort me.”

of Linda’s words as

wasn’t considered particularly beautiful, at least not in

had complimented her on her looks, but things changed after getting together with

on her lack of skill in applying makeup. As her workload increased, she gradually abandoned the practice, at most opting for a touch of lipstick for a hint of

when a black

figure stepping out of the

It was Leslie.

dressed in a black shirt and trousers with a couple of buttons undone

breeze tousled his smooth hair, and his deep, handsome features

staring for too long as Leslie turned his head and

self–conscious, she quickly lowered her head and nervously tugged at

face, showing no sign

she the same woman from

fair, with only a few

on, Aurelia’s face lit up with a gentle, rosy glow in the sunlight, presenting a delicate allure that starkly contrasted with her pale and weary

day.

sight of the fifty–thousand

was asking for

and approached to greet him. “Hi,

need to get back to

straight into the hall.

a meeting. Hurry up,”

truly harbored no favorable feelings toward her. Even

refrained from saying anything for Linda’s sake and followed Leslie

The

getting married that day was

out forms and taking photos, the entire process took around twenty

and looked at the

went blank before

that Leslie appeared

she didn’t look bad either. She hadn’t expected the civil

admire the couple’s

beautiful couple. My judgment

a round of compliments, Linda took a key from her bag and handed it to

today, cultivate your relationship, and let me have my grandchildren

Aurelia hesitated, feeling too embarrassed to look at

Call me

don’t tease me like

Aurelia felt awkward.

mother–in–law who pressures her daughter–in- law to have two kids in three years. But since you’re already married, are you planning to live separately? What do

pleading for her to agree to

Linda’s kindness to her,

certificate now, and legally married couples living separately

the money without fulfilling

thinking about taking things one step

move

and piercing

She looked back.

What’s he looking at?

he having second thoughts about Aurelia moving in and planning to

eyebrow in mild

scrutinize him so boldly. She indeed had quite the

about moving in

and said coldly, “I’m heading back

displeased, caught hold

company collapse

Leslie nodded indifferently. “Yes.”