Serena shifted beneath him, the teasing smile on her lips not quite able to hide the worry in her eyes. "Now that you’ve had your wicked way with , what do you think?" she asked as she poked at his arm.
Aiden lifted his head from where it had rested on her bare shoulder, his fingers tracing slow circles across her collarbone. He looked up,leaned in, nipped at her jawline, and let out a deep, rumbling groan. "Had my wicked way? Oh no, honey," he replied, his breath warm against her skin. "I’d say it was entirely the other way around. You, Serena, used shalessly."
She arched a brow, the corner of her mouth quirking upward. "Isn’t that what you wanted?"
Aiden’s lips curved into a broad, boyish grin as he nuzzled her neck. "Guilty as charged," he said, pressing a kiss just below her ear. "I’d let you use any day. But if you’re planning on slipping back into that pensive silence and shock, then all my efforts just now will have been a dismal failure."
Serena’s gaze softened, the vulnerability in her eyes barely hidden by her light-hearted façade. "It’s hard not to think about it," she admitted, her fingers brushing absently through the dark hair at the nape of his neck. "Everything is so confusing."
Aiden sighed," And everything will return to normal soon." Before Serena could say more or question him, Aiden leaned in and stole another kiss from her, before falling back and hugging her close.
"How sure are you that it’s your father’s voice?"
Her expression remained troubled, but she answered with a firm nod. "It is my father’s voice, Aiden. I’m certain of it. It’s not just the sound, but the way he spoke—the cadence, the subtle inflections. There are so things that simply cannot be imitated. But now, with all this... I don’t know what to think." Her voice trembled slightly as she added, "It never once crossed my mind that my mother’s death might be connected to sothing more."
Aiden’s eyes softened with empathy as he placed a reassuring hand on her arm. "Stop tornting yourself with questions for now," he said gently. "We’ll get answers once the investigation unfolds. But there’s sothing else I need to tell you."
A flicker of apprehension passed over Serena’s face. "What is it?"
Aiden’s expression turned serious, his voice dropping as if sharing a forbidden truth. "The reason your grandmother was able to seize Nvidia’s position and force her out so quietly was because she created a scandal—one kept hidden from public view. The real push for the silent divorce ca from the older Corricks, Nvidia’s parents, instead of Nvidia herself." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle before continuing. "They were the ones who demanded she be cut off from her own children. They feared she would pass on what they deed an unacceptable affliction."
Serena’s frown deepened, confusion making her wonder. "Affliction? What kind of disease are you talking about? And why would they think she could pass it on just by being near them?" If she had a disease then, and for the older Corricks to be so strict about it, it should have been sothing incruable. But Nvidia was alright. She’d lived a long life to old age and seed healthy even now. So what affliction could it be?
He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, as if trying to brace himself for what he was about to say. "Homosexuality." "Homosexuality?" she whispered. "They thought it was a disease? And that she could... pass it to her kids by being in our lives?"
Aiden’s sent her a look. He found it shocking as well. "Yes. To them, it was an illness, a contagion of morals they were desperate to erase from their esteed bloodline.Their ignorance and fear helped them to to justify tearing a mother from her children. They convinced themselves it was for the children’s sake, when in reality about preserving their image. And of course gaining the wealth that Nvidia’s husband had generated. They planned to use her sexuality to get the rights to the company by blackmailing her husband.
And Edwina played the biggest role in all of this. She was the one who helped them gather the damning evidence that proved their daughter was unfit to raise her own children." "Edwina Dawn didn’t just gather evidence; she orchestrated an entire plot. She seduced Nvidia, made her fall deeply in love with her, and then delivered her on a silver platter to the Corricks. But here’s the most surprising part—when she was supposed to quietly step away and disappear into the shadows, she didn’t. Instead, she turned the tables on them. Edwina married the old Corrick patriarch, ensuring she retained control over their assets while pushing Nvidia back to her parents, defeated and humiliated." Serena’s eyes widened as she absorbed each word, her mouth opening in shock. "No wonder Nvidia despises her so much," she said softly, the pieces of the puzzle finally aligning in her mind. "Honestly, I’d hate her too." After several monts of quiet, Serena couldn’t help but let out a rueful sigh. The absurdity of it all was beginning to sink in, cutting through her initial shock. "I did say they had a far more colorful life than ours," she muttered, almost to herself. A faint, ironic smile touched her lips. "Gosh, just how boring was life back then that people felt the need to create these kinds of elaborate betrayals just to entertain themselves?" "I don’t think it was for entertainnt," Aiden murmured before turning her over so that she lay over him and sighing," I think I might have found the perfect way to bring an end to all this. Of course it is an elaborate sche." Serena raised her head and narrowed her eyes," Oohh. This sounds interesting. So, tell more about this plan." Aiden quickly outlined the entire plan and Serena could only shake her head,’ My my, husband dear. You’re quite devious." Aiden shrugged at that, taking the words as a complint while Serena rolled her eyes," Makes wonder how you fell into my clutches despite your deviousness." Aiden stilled at that, while Serena lay back her head down. And that is why she missed the faint smile that ca over his face. Who had truly fallen into whose clutches was a question best left unanswered. After all, he now had the woman he had wanted in his bed, in his arm, blissfully unaware that she was already his in more ways than she realized. "I think that ans you’re far more cunning than I am," Aiden murmured not revealing the truth. Serena’s eyes drifted open, and a smirk played on her lips as she sat up. "Cunning, you say? You give far too much credit," she replied, her voice dripping with mock indignation. Aiden’s chuckle resonated softly between them, the sound wrapping around them like a familiar blanket.
Monts passed, punctuated by the rhythmic ticking of the old wall clock and the gentle rustling of sheets as Serena shifted. Her expression grew pensive as she suddenly broke the silence. "I think I might know soone who could help us figure out what really happened back then," she said, her tone serious. "My father’s old friend and ntor, Uncle Jam."
"Uncle Jam?" Aiden’s brow arched skeptically, amusent sparking in his dark eyes.
Serena rolled her eyes dramatically, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Okay, his na was actually Uncle Sam, but when I was little, I couldn’t pronounce it properly and called him Jam. The na stuck."
Aiden’s smile widened, a mix of curiosity and exasperation playing across his face. "Do you know how many Sams there are in this country? Just giving a nickna isn’t exactly helpful, Serena. Can’t you provide with anything more specific?"
Serena’s grin deepened, eyes glistening with challenge. "Nope. My dear Sherlock, you’ll have to do so sleuthing yourself."
Aiden let out a dramatic sigh, already moving to reach for his phone. He had half a mind to start searching right then when Serena’s voice pulled him back.
"Wait," she said, catching his arm. "I can give you his old address and a list of his achievents. I wrote them down in my diary back when I was at my grandmother’s house."
Aiden paused, surprise flitting across his features. "You kept all that?"
A shadow crossed Serena’s face, her smile turning bittersweet. "When I was dragged back ’ho’ by my grandmother, I promised myself I’d find a way out one day. I wanted to go back to where I belonged. She would have hated that," she said with a grin.
"What?" Serena asked him when she felt his inhale deeply.
"I just love how you were rebellious even back then," Aiden replied, as he looked down at her with admiration. Serena shrugged, an impish smile returning to her lips. "All teenagers have a rebellious streak," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant, though the corner of her mouth twitched as if trying to suppress a grin.
Aiden leaned forward, his gaze playfully accusing. "Oh, you’ve still got that rebellious streak. DoI need to remind you of all the antics you pulled to trouble ? You’d go out of your way just to annoy ."
Serena’s eyes lit up as she stifled a laugh. "That wasn’t rebelliousness, okay," she shot back, her tone mock-serious. "That was my favorite pasti. It still is..."
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