Chapter 5
Mr. Brooks entered with Auralia, causing Cassian to look surprised. He was praising Cassian and Clara when she offered Auralia a glass of wine, claiming it was an apology and urging her to accept it, saying it was a mistake at the party. However, she doesn't drink wine, and it could trigger her allergies, but Clara thought she was being stubborn and kept pushing her. Feeling she had no choice, she drank it, but Cassian took it from her, advising her not to force herself if it was uncomfortable. Auralia then excused herself and went to the washroom.
In the bathroom, Cassian found her and questioned why she had been resisting him and rejecting his advances, especially with Mr. Brooks present. He told her she should end whatever she had with him or she would regret it. Cassian then kissed her and told her to be with him. She pushed him away and returned to the club room. After Mr. Brooks and Auralia left, his PA told him that Cassian was willing to sign the contract, but after visiting the washroom, he claimed the contract wouldn't work. Mr. Brooks asked his PA to review the terms again and said he would speak to Cassian personally next time. He then informed Auralia that he would be going to South City tomorrow. She asked to go with him to visit his brother, who was hospitalized there, offering to pay for her own ticket. However, Mr. Brooks told her not to worry he would handle it, considering her like a little sister. He also questioned why she was always so formal with him. Auralia explained it was what his brother had taught her: not to exploit others' help, and she thanked him.
The next day, upon arriving, she told his brother how her uncle had sold their house and disappeared without a trace. She said he needed to get better and help her because she had fought for their belongings alone. When Mr. Brooks entered, he comforted her, telling her to stop crying and to rest. Auralia noticed Mr. Brooks talked to her brother's doctor and wondered how he, who had just returned, knew him. Auralia got a call from school about her not coming to school. After paying her tuition fee, she proceeded to say she already filed the absence leave. If the school called again they wouldn't answer. She told her brother about Cassian, who was her brother's rival at school, asking if he would be mad at her if he found out she had a one-night stand with him, and if he got angry enough to wake up from his coma. The doctor then came in with a file, telling Auralia that several coma patients woke up after going through their latest treatment here in the South City. He believes her brother will be fine too, in the pictures of people the doctor claimed survived without any side effects, so they have to try it on her brother as well. She accepted and asked the doctor to proceed after Auralia asked Mr Brooks if he could help her. Mr Brooks told her, " Let me guess, your brother needs a new treatment plan to recover, and she needs money. " She continued to say she hasn't decided whether to go through with it because she doesn't have. Hech, he has been in a coma for two good years. Mr Brooks told her that he sincerely hopes he will wake up. They have to try and Auralia shouldn't worry, he will do it with one condition, if only she is willing to fake act like his fiancée to stop hfiancée from worrying him. She agreed without any thought to meet her next week. Later that day, Mr. Brooks delivered an expensive ring to her, but she tried rejecting it, but he insisted. She was heading back to her hotel room when Cassian's P. A came and told her his boss wants to meet her and then she followed him. She asked if he was following him around, but told her he has an audition he will be attending here, which is why. Cassian asked her for a favor to escort him to meet someone, but she refused and told him she would be going to XC city to meet someone, too. Cassian knew that was Mr Brooks' hometown. Isn't your brother sick? How does she even have time to go there? He asked her, and Auralia asked him how he was able to know about her brother. Cassian's P. A answered that her counselor called them to explain that on that day, Cassian paid for her tuition fee. He asked her to go back to school, and that he would pay for her brother's expenses. She broke down and started telling him how he messed with his job and left her with no option but to accept Mr Brooks' offer. After she leaves Cassian asks his P. A Sterling to investigate what really happened because he is lost. At the apartment, Auralia made some dishes, asking Mr Brooks to join him whilst eating. He asked her if she met Cassian today. She said yes and told him about the conversation they had. Mr Brooks asked Auralia to stay away from Cassian, claiming he is very dangerous. He may be a CEO, but what she doesn't know is that he's involved in some illegal businesses, Auralia said she is aware of and won't see him again. Mr Brooks noticed she was not wearing the ring and asked her to wear it. The next day she went to see her brother and asked his doctor to start the treatment, and believed it was the right decision. He left to go prepare as soon as possible. Auralia was about to leave the hospital when she met one of the clients the doctor claimed to have cured and asked to be informed more about the procedure when the lady disclosed to her that the Doctor's treatment was rejected by the medical association a year ago but he doesn't want to give it up he kept looking for test subjects, he even approached her just a month ago of course she refused. Then she realized he was trying to use her brother as a test subject. At home, she researched more and found out his treatment was actually rejected a year ago, and told Mr Brooks about it, so they had to transfer her brother, but he brushed it off, saying her brother's body can't take any more torment and should not worry. Mr Brooks said the Doctor is the South City's leading expert in neurology, so she should put her trust in him. She is overthinking things