Chapter 969

“Come here,” Deborah called, motioning for Lena to approach. She introduced her to Xandra with a cheerful smile. “The two of you may be the same age, but from now on, you must properly call her your aunt. Understand?”

Xandra’s face flushed red. “There’s no need for that. Just call me Xandy.”

Nervously, she tugged at Aaron’s sleeve. He glanced at her before responding calmly, “Our family values etiquette. Generational hierarchy matters.”

Wasn’t this just a ploy to make her call Xandra “Aunt”? Was he in such a rush to give her a title to avoid misunderstandings? Whether it was to clarify things for Xandra or to distance himself from her, Lena couldn’t help but feel a petty frustration bubbling up.

Fine. If Aaron wanted her to say it, she would.

“Aunt Xandra,” Lena said, her tone neutral but deliberate.

Xandra’s face turned even redder. “No, really, you can just call me Xandy.”

“I should call you that, and it’s not for free. As my elder, you owe me a red envelope for addressing you ‘properly,” Lena replied, her words stunning everyone into silence.

Deborah was the first to react. She patted Lena’s hand and chided lightly, “What a child… We should be the ones giving Xandy a welcome gift.”

“That’s for you to do as elders. I’m a junior, and if I call her Aunt Xandra, she owes me a gift,” Lena said, turning her gaze to Aaron. “Right, Uncle Aaron?”

“Yes, she should,” Aaron replied, pulling out his phone. “I’ll transfer it to you.”

Their eyes met briefly as his long fingers deftly worked on his phone. When Lena opened her Whatsapp moments later, she saw his transfer—an amount of six sixes (¥666,666). He had even added a note: Renaming Fee.

Lena didn’t hesitate. With a small smile tugging at her lips, she accepted the transfer. Then, with a sweet voice, she turned to Xandra and said, “Thank you, Aunt Xandra.”

“No, it’s… um…” Xandra stammered, clearly at a loss for words.

Before she could say more, Aaron stepped in, his tone steady. “She’s your junior. If she calls you that, just accept it. No need to feel awkward.”

From that moment, Lena called her “Aunt Xandra” at every opportunity. What started as awkward for Xandra soon became second nature. People adapted, after all, and even the most difficult adjustments could feel normal with time.

Later, in a quiet moment, Briana poked Lena’s forehead. “You’re shameless, asking for a red envelope like that.”

“She should give it. After all, she’s my Aunt Xandra now,” Lena replied with a smirk, her tone almost defiant.

Briana started to say more but fell silent when she saw Aaron approaching. She turned to him instead. “Have Lena return the money later. She’s getting more unreasonable as she grows up.”

“I’m not giving it back!” Lena declared before retreating to the bathroom.

Briana shook her head helplessly and turned to Aaron. “She’s spoiled—by you, no less.”

Aaron’s gaze lingered on the bathroom door. “If I spoiled her, I’ll handle it. Don’t worry about it.”

A pause followed before Briana said quietly, her voice tinged with emotion, “Thank you for bringing her here today with your girlfriend. It makes things easier for Mom and Dad… less painful.”

“Sister, no matter what happens, I will always be part of this family,” Aaron promised.

Briana nodded, her expression softening. “I’ll get back to cooking.”

She left, but Aaron didn’t move.

Inside the bathroom, Lena stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes looked dull, and her complexion was pale. She knew her behavior was unusual. But why? She had rejected Aaron. Him finding a girlfriend was perfectly normal. So why did it bother her so much?

Lena, get a grip.

She pointed at her reflection, berating herself silently. You don’t deserve to feel this way, and you’re making a fool of yourself.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied her nerves, opened the bathroom door—and froze.

Standing there, waiting, was Aaron. His tall frame loomed in the hallway, his expression unreadable. His deep gaze bore into her, and at that moment, she couldn’t move or look away.