After the patriarch returned from Portcove, he did indeed transfer some of Liam Valerius's projects to Damien Valerius, creating a mountain of work to be handed over and managed. Damien had left Joanna Jacobs behind in Imperia, so the task of handling the transition naturally fell to his capable right hand.
"Oh my, Joanna, you're just so competent. Damien is so lucky to have you," the aunt blurted out.
Aurora thought, 'Sylvia must have inherited her mother's habit of speaking without thinking.' She didn't consider herself a petty person, and she was certain there was nothing going on between Damien Valerius and Joanna Jacobs. If there were, hearing the aunt's remark would have definitely made her very uncomfortable.
Sure enough, just as the aunt finished speaking, she saw Scott and Yvonne Vaughn both glance uncomfortably at Aurora. Only then did the aunt realize her blunder and look sheepishly toward Aurora. "I just meant... Joanna is very capable. She's a great help to Damien."
