Chapter 975
“You silly girl, what nonsense are you spouting?” Briana gave Lena a light slap on the arm.
“Mom, if I marry Uncle Aaron, then he won’t have a reason to leave, right? Isn’t that a good thing?” Lena continued to test the waters.
“Good thing? What good is there in that? Do you have any idea how many people would gossip about you, me, and the Ace family if that happened?” Briana’s concerns mirrored Lena’s own fears.
“But Uncle Aaron has already stated that he’s no longer part of the Ace family. Who would still have anything to say?” Lena argued, trying to persuade her mother.
Briana shook her head. “People will always find something to gossip about. Even if he’s not part of the Ace family, they’ll still wag their tongues.”
“Didn’t you always say, ‘Walk your own path and let others talk’? Let them say what they want. It’s not like we’re losing a piece of flesh,” Lena quipped, spouting her own brand of twisted logic.
Briana finally realized something was amiss. She twisted Lena’s ear gently. “You’re not seriously thinking about your Uncle Aaron that way, are you? I’m warning you—don’t you dare mess around. We’re all very happy with Xandra, and they’re already together. Don’t make things awkward for him to the point he stops coming home entirely.”
“Mom, I…” Lena tried to explain, but Briana pushed her aside.
“Go to sleep! Stop filling your head with nonsense. And while you’re at it, find yourself a proper boyfriend. Look at Steffi upstairs—she’s younger than you by half a year, and she’s getting married this weekend!” Briana shifted her frustration onto Lena.
“Mom, I’ve been looking for someone like Uncle Aaron, but… I can’t find one,” Lena mumbled as Briana walked away, throwing in one last rebellious remark.
Briana turned around and glared at her. “Are you out of your mind? Say something like that again, and I’ll kick you out.”
Faced with Briana’s stern glare, Lena curled herself into a ball. “Don’t scold me anymore, or I’ll jump off the building.”
“Even if the Earth exploded, you wouldn’t jump,” Briana scoffed, clearly knowing her daughter too well.
And she was right—Lena would never do something so foolish. After all, she had tested the waters and knew there was no chance of being with Aaron. This was fine. Besides, he already had a girlfriend. There was no way she could go crawling back to him, asking him to break up just to be with her. That kind of shamelessness wasn’t in her nature.
Lena curled up on the sofa, her mind still in disarray. As the clock neared midnight, there was still no sign of Aaron. She figured he probably wasn’t coming back.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, the sound of an engine roared outside. He was back?! But Lena didn’t want to face him, so she immediately curled up tighter on the sofa and shut her eyes, pretending to sleep.
Aaron entered the house and took a couple of steps before noticing the light by the sofa—and the pair of pale, delicate feet peeking out from under the blanket. He froze, seemingly not expecting Lena to still be there, let alone sleeping on the sofa.
For a good half-minute, he stood there in silence before walking toward her. She was curled up on her side, facing inward. Her sleeping posture had caused her shirt to ride up slightly, exposing her slender waist. His already deep gaze darkened further, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. He stepped closer, reaching out, but just as his fingers were about to touch her, he stopped. He let out a soft sigh.
Lena, clutching the sofa tightly, could feel his gaze on her, even though her back was turned. In her heart, she chanted, “Just leave. Hurry up and leave.” But he didn’t. Aaron stood there, unmoving. Lena feared she wouldn’t be able to keep up her act much longer.
The next moment, she felt her head being lifted gently. Then, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, and before she knew it, she was being picked up entirely. Aaron had scooped her into his arms.