Lena wasn’t a stranger to Aaron’s place. He’d bought this penthouse before moving abroad, and honestly? The whole thing had been her idea. She’d told him she loved homes that were spacious, open, and calming. And Aaron? He didn’t even blink—just handed her the reins to design it however she wanted.
But now, standing here again, it felt…different.
“You remember which room is yours?” Aaron’s deep voice snapped her out of it.
Lena pressed her lips together lightly and glanced at the far-left room—the one with the floor-to-ceiling windows. The master bedroom. Back then, she hadn’t even hesitated before claiming it as her own. And Aaron? He’d just nodded like it was no big deal.
Now, the memory made her cringe. The audacity of her younger self. “I don’t remember,” she lied.
“Come on, I’ll show you,” Aaron said. He grabbed her luggage, heading toward the master bedroom.
“Uncle Aaron,” she said, stopping him mid-step.
He turned, his expression calm and steady, as always. Lena swallowed, hesitating. “I’ll just stay in the guest room. It’s fine.”
“There isn’t a guest room.”
Lena blinked. “What?”
He wasn’t joking. This penthouse, massive as it was, had only two bedrooms: one for him, and one for her. His place was never meant to host anyone—except her.
She took a steady breath. “It’s not really appropriate for me to stay in that room. I’ll take the other one.”
“The other one’s mine,” Aaron said, setting her luggage down. “You sure you want to stay there? If you don’t believe me, come see for yourself.”
The last thing she needed was to investigate a grown man’s bedroom, but for some reason—maybe sheer curiosity—she followed him anyway.
Aaron pushed open the door, revealing a room straight out of a minimalist catalog. Black, white, and gray everywhere. Even the bedding looked cold and uninviting. If she stayed here, she’d feel like she’d been dropped into an icebox.
In her mind, she compared it to the master bedroom—soft cream tones, warmth, comfort. She’d decorated it to feel like a hug. Yeah, Aaron in that room? It never would’ve worked.
Sizing up his current room, she noted that while it wasn’t as luxurious as the master, it was still more than good enough.
“I’ll go back to my room,” she said, grabbing her luggage before he could argue.
Pushing open the master bedroom door was like stepping into a time warp. Everything was exactly as she’d left it years ago—her dream room brought to life.
She stood frozen, caught in the nostalgia. Aaron’s voice broke the silence behind her. “Take a look around. If you need anything, let me know. We’ll go grab it.”
“Uncle Aaron,” Lena said, turning to face him. He’d taken off his coat, leaving him in a gray shirt with the top button undone and his sleeves rolled up. Casual, effortless, and somehow even more composed than usual.
“Hm?” he responded.
“Thank you,” Lena said softly.
The words caught him off guard. Something flickered in his eyes as he stared at her. “Now you’re acting like a stranger, Twinkle.”
“It’s not that,” she said earnestly. “I just… I want to thank you for still remembering me. Lena never lacked love in her life, but she never took it for granted, either.”
Aaron wasn’t just her uncle by name—he was her closest companion growing up, the one person who had always been there. When they’d gone their separate ways, she’d assumed time and distance would erode their bond, leaving behind something polite but distant.
But this place? It proved how wrong she’d been. The years had stretched between them, but they hadn’t broken what they shared.
“But you almost forgot me.” Aaron’s voice was tinged with a soft sadness.
Lena wanted to argue, but the words wouldn’t come.