Married First, Love Later with The CEO Who Secretly Loves Me

Episode 1

After completing high school, Aurora thought she wouldn't be able to attend college. She worked at various jobs to earn her own money and often contemplated the profession she wanted to pursue. She lived with her maternal grandmother, Emanuela, and her grandfather, Joao.

Aurora's mother, Sophia, was still alive. She had Aurora at a young age, when she was only 18. Aurora's biological father didn't want her once he found out about the pregnancy. Sophia went through a lot during that time and almost got expelled from her home. She was still finishing high school, so Aurora's maternal grandmother took her in so that Sophia could study. Eventually, Sophia ended up leaving Aurora in the care of her mother, Emanuela, as if she were her own daughter.

However, they kept this information from Aurora, hiding who her father was and what he did.

Aurora was always excluded by her relatives and constantly humiliated by her aunts and cousins. Her mother didn't pay attention to her either, which is why even as she got older, Aurora never wanted to live with her mother and stepfather, especially after her mother had another child named Gabriel.

A girl who smiled on the outside but was sad, cold, and somewhat lonely on the inside, Aurora grew up wanting to change her life to show that she could be better than all those who had humiliated her.

She was a calm, studious girl who kept to herself. During her high school years, she wasn't popular and was considered an ugly duckling. She suffered through high school and never sought out a boyfriend.

But as the years passed, when she turned 19, she looked different. She had fair skin, straight brown hair, and was slim yet curvy, attracting attention but not wanting anyone. She only cared about her studies and becoming successful.

She didn't pay much attention to how she dressed, as long as she was comfortable.

Aurora often pondered her future, thinking that she would spend another year without going to college until her grandmother called her to the kitchen.

"Grandmother" Aurora, my dear, come here to the kitchen.

Hearing this, Aurora left her room. It was already night, and she was exhausted from work. She worked as a monitor at a daycare.

"Aurora" Hi Grandma, did something happen?

"Grandmother" My child, I've been thinking a lot and after talking to your grandfather, I think you will finally go to college. But have you decided what you want to study?

"Aurora" I was thinking about medicine, Grandma, but it's very expensive, and I'm not sure if I'll enjoy it that much.

"Grandmother" Decide, my love, and let me know tomorrow so we can start working on everything.

Aurora hugged her grandmother and thanked her for everything she was doing for her.

The next day...

Aurora woke up excited, turned on her computer, and started taking vocational tests to see if anything caught her interest. It was Saturday, her day off, and she wanted to start college on Monday.

After taking the test, she realized that the healthcare field suited her very well. She also considered administration and engineering but gave up on chemical engineering after researching more about it.

After much searching, Aurora finally found something she identified with. She wanted to study biomedical science. Every time she researched and imagined herself doing research and participating in surgeries, it excited her even more.

And then Monday arrived.

Aurora and her grandparents went to the college and took care of all the enrollment details. She was super happy and content knowing that she was starting a new phase in her life that would distance her from those who had made fun of her, or at least keep her busy enough to not pay attention to them. Her grandparents assured her that she could quit her job and focus on her studies because they saw her potential.

So, Aurora made an effort every day to study and be the best in her class. She made only a few but essential friendships in her life. Every day, she used all her free time to focus on herself and make her dreams come true.

(...)

After three years of college, Aurora was in her final year with two more semesters to go. She was excited to finish her internship and continue with her career, but she was also anxious because she had to produce a thesis.

At home in her room, lost in thought about a topic for her thesis, her relatives arrive at her grandparents' house.

"Uncle" Mom (Emanuela), isn't Aurora working? She's always in her room, she probably doesn't even study, just lazy.

"Grandma" Don't speak like that, she studies a lot, she has the best grades in college.

"Cousin" I think she's lying to you, Grandma. Aurora isn't that smart, she doesn't even look intelligent. I think she must be doing other things.

Aurora, filled with anger, cried in her room upon hearing these things, since they always made a point to come over and humiliate her. It was in moments like these that she wondered who her father was and if she could escape from that place. She believed that her father could take her in and put an end to all this humiliation, but it was only a dream that she felt was far from becoming a reality.