"Do you think I'd believe that?" Matteo Quirke said, "Do I look that gullible?"
"It's not that I wanted to deceive you, but the truth… maybe, it's too much for you to process all at once."
"So, what is the truth?"
Aurora Dupont glanced at him: "Matteo Quirke, why are you so serious? It's rare to see you like this, I'm kinda… uneasy."
"It's because you're injured, and it's your face that's hurt." Matteo Quirke replied seriously, "Aurora, you have to understand that this is not a small matter for you, nor for me. It's not something to joke about, it concerns you."
"You care."
"Yes."
"Then I'll just tell the truth." Aurora Dupont answered, not intending to hide any longer. "I got into a fight with Riley Dupont, and the scratches on my face… were from her."
"You? Got into a fight?" Surprise passed over Matteo Quirke's face, "What did Riley Dupont do this time?"
"It's a long story, but… that's essentially what happened."
Matteo Quirke asked, "What prompted it?"
