Billionaire’s Regret After Losing Her (Aurelia) novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17 Force Her Home

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Just as Aurelia expected, while she sat enjoying a quiet, relaxing meal, the entire Hawthorne family was on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

Especially Dominic.

After Lauren’s scandal dominated headlines all morning, Jason delivered the crushing news. “Mr. Hawthorne, we can’t suppress the reports about Mrs. Lauren Hawthorne.”

Dominic’s expression darkened instantly. His eagle–sharp eyes pinned Jason in place with a dangerous intensity.

“What did you just say?”

His voice was low, laced with unmistakable threat.

What did Jason mean they couldn’t suppress it? In New York, was there anything the Hawthorne family couldn’t handle?

Reading Dominic’s thoughts, Jason explained, “We’ve shut down all the accounts based in New York, but the accounts driving the trending topics all have overseas IP addresses.

“When we try to reach out to them, they ignore us completely.”

Jason’s tone was grim.

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It wasn’t just Dominic; Jason was getting frustrated, too.

In all his years working for Dominic, handling countless. matters big and small, this was the first time anyone had so openly disrespected the Hawthorne family.

He laid it out plainly. “This time, Mrs. Aurelia Hawthorne means business, and she came prepared.”

By exposing her marriage to Dominic, she put Lauren in the worst possible light. She was clearly targeting Lauren.

At those words, Dominic’s hand holding his cigarette froze, and the light in his eyes turned colder by the second.

“Still haven’t found where she is?”

When it came to Aurelia’s whereabouts, Jason’s expression grew even more serious as he shook his head. “No.”

He quickly added, “She hasn’t gone back to Evergreen Residences, and she hasn’t stopped by Ms. Taylor’s place

either.”

Dominic frowned.

Evergreen Residences… She’d actually bought that property after Adrian’s death.

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Flas she been planning to leave even then?

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If that’s the case… she’s serious about the divorce?

Dominic’s expression grew darker. He picked up his phone and dialed Lucas‘ number.

Lucas answered quickly. “Hey, Dominic. What’s going on?”

Dominic ground out, “Where is she?”

Just moments earlier, when Dominic had come up empty in his search for Aurelia, he’d asked Lucas to give her a call.

Lucas replied flatly, “Are you forgetting something?”

Dominic stayed silent.

Lucas went on, “I’m on your side, remember? She won’t even speak to me right now.”

Dominic shot back, “Cut the crap. Get to the point.”

The point being, exactly where Aurelia was hiding.

Chloe wasn’t cooperating at all, and Lucas was the person closest to him who also had the best relationship with Aurelia.

Lucas sighed, “Every time I ask where she is, she asks if you told me to check. When I say no, she doesn’t believe me and just hangs up.”

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Dominic’s breathing grew unsteady again.

Aurelia was even hanging up on Lucas now? She really was determined to cut ties with everyone on his side of things.

Lucas added, “Uh, you really ticked her off this time. She’s not going to be easy to win back.”

It wasn’t just that she’d be hard to win back–Dominic couldn’t even find her to try. He had no clue where she was.

Dominic pinched his throbbing temples.

Lucas was still rambling about something, but Dominic was so frustrated he just hung up.

As soon as he ended the call, Jason stepped forward.

“Mr. Hawthorne, your mother just called asking why we haven’t gotten the media under control yet. She says Mrs. Lauren Hawthorne hasn’t eaten a thing all day.”

Dominic felt his irritation spike even higher. “Tell her to keep Lauren away from those posts for now.”

Jason replied, “Well, she says she can’t stop her. And if we don’t suppress this soon, Mrs. Lauren Hawthorne won’t be able to handle the stress.”

4/8

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Since that morning, what had started as a single trending topic had exploded across every platform.

Lauren was being branded a “homewrecker” in the public eye.

Jason knew this media firestorm was Aurelia’s doing, and she was pulling out all the stops.

But Eleanor had made her stance clear on the phone: if they couldn’t quash the story, Lauren might have another breakdown.

Just then, Eleanor called again.

She shouted through the receiver, “You need to cancel all her credit cards immediately! She must have spent a fortune buying these trending topics.”

While the Hawthorne family was no stranger to media attention, the intensity of today’s coverage meant serious money had been poured into amplifying the chaos.

Eleanor’s anger flared.

How dare Aurelia!

After all these years of living off the Hawthorne family’s wealth, she’s using Dominic’s money to attack us?

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At the mention of “buying trending topics,” Dominic’s brow

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furrowed deeply.

Eleanor went on, “Are you listening? Cut off her finances first so she can’t keep throwing money at this media campaign.”

Dominic closed his eyes. “Got it.”

He hung up, taking a long drag from his cigar.

Jason stood respectfully at his side.

After another puff, Dominic asked, “She paid for today’s media coverage?”

Jason considered it. “Most likely. This level of trending activity looks like paid promotion.”

Dominic fell silent.

Spending money to buy trending topics… She’s way out of line

now.

He took another drag of his cigar, then told Jason, “Cancel all

her cards.”

Jason hesitated, “All of them? But if she’s out there,

she’ll definitely need money. Since she’s not at Evergreen Residences, she’s probably staying at a hotel.”

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Bominic replied firmly, “Perfect. When she runs out of money,

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she’ll know to come home.”

This whole disappearing act was really pushing his buttons.

If they were going to fight, they should do it to each other’s faces. If there were problems, they should talk and fix them. What was the point of hiding and scheming from the shadows?

Jason clamped up.

That… actually made sense.

They’d had people checking which hotel Aurelia might be staying at, but if they cut off all her cards, she’d probably be back home on her own by tomorrow.

Still, Jason tried to warn him, “But… Mrs. Hawthorne will definitely get angrier.”

Aurelia already seemed next to impossible to placate. If they cut off all her cards now…

Dominic cut him off, “Angrier? Right now I can’t even find her. How am I supposed to calm her down?”

He had to use this tactic to force her home so he could slowly

win her back.

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Hearing that logic, Jason didn’t argue further and nodded. “I’ll 748 call the bank right away.”

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