"Look, I know you might hate for this, but I really had no choice. It’s better you hear it from than find out from soone else," Samantha muttered, her tone low as she led Serena into the hotel. The private dinner was supposed to be a celebration of their engagent and Skylar’s achievent in securing a new patent, but Sam’s words hinted at sothing more.
Serena frowned at her friend’s cryptic remark, her curiosity piqued. Before she could press for details, her attention shifted. She noticed Aiden abruptly stiffen beside her, his posture rigid and his jaw tightening.
Following his gaze, Serena saw Ella and another woman approaching from the opposite direction. Her brow furrowed as she observed the tension ripple through Aiden.
Serena let out a soft sigh, a familiar weariness settling over her. Ever since Charles Hawk had returned to the Hawk courtyard, Aiden had been avoiding ho and, more pointedly, avoiding Ella. His anger had flared when he discovered that Ella had taken a break from her studies to ensure the terms of Aiden’s conditions were t, allowing Charles to remain at the family estate in peace.
Serena hesitated for only a mont before stepping closer to Aiden. With a murmured word of apology to Samantha, she crossed the space between them. She reached out, slipping her hand into Aiden’s with an easy, deliberate motion. Her fingers curled around his, offering silent reassurance.
She didn’t miss the way Ella’s eyes narrowed in irritation at their joined hands and she sighed. Ella really needed to sort her thoughts.
Before she could say anything, the two won had reached them and Aiden asked directly," What are you doing here?"
Ella raised her chin rebelliously and answered, "Kim’s friends are holding a celebration. She invited to join in."
Serena watched as Aiden shot a murderous look at Sam and Skylar too turned to stare at his wife. Okay... This was interesting. She turned to look at Samantha. It seed this could be the reason for which she might end up hating her. Interesting.
Before Serena could say anything, Ella and the other woman reached them. Aiden didn’t waste a mont. His tone was sharp as he asked, "What are you doing here?"
Ella raised her chin, defiance flashing in her eyes. "Kim’s friends are holding a celebration," she replied. "She invited to join in."
Serena’s gaze shifted to Samantha when she felt the tension spike. Aiden shot Samantha a dark look, and Skylar, standing nearby, turned to his wife with a questioning glare. Oh, so this was why Sam thought Serena might hate her. Things were starting to get interesting. She recognised this wonderful woman from the jewellery store the other day...
But if anyone in the group was unaffected, it was Kim. She smiled easily and greeted kylar who grunted at her and Samantha who hugged her, albeit a bit stoically... Her deanor was warm to everyone, though she made a point to ignore Serena entirely.
Kim’s attention returned to Ella as she said, "I’m sorry I didn’t ntion this at dinner the other night when all of us were together, but Aiden and I are already... well-acquainted."
Ella’s frown deepened. "What do you an you’re ’well-acquainted’?"
Kim’s smile grew wider. Without hesitation, she reached out and took Aiden’s hand in hers. "Your brother and I," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction, "were engaged."
Serena stiffened then, though her face showed no reaction. Aiden seed to sense the change in her though because his hand tightened on hers as he said," The private room is that side. Let’s go."
Even though they walled together, Serena could feel the irritation emanating from Aiden. He was not expecting to see this woman today. ANd he was definitely not happy about it. But what made her curious was what dinner Kim was talking about.
As the conversation began, Kim wasted no ti , "It’s so nice to see all of us together again," she said with a saccharine smile, her gaze sweeping over Aiden, Skylar, and Samantha. "It feels like old tis. You know, back when it was just us. Before things... changed."
It was honestly a not-so-subtle dig at Serena but Aiden was not in the mood to indulge the woman and was about to speak up when a waiter arrived to take their orders.
As the waiter stood poised with his notepad, Kim leaned forward, "We’ll have a bottle of the Château Margaux 2015 for the table. And for Aiden, a fresh orange juice—his favorite, of course."
Serena felt the shift in the room as Kim turned toward her with a feigned look of innocence. "Oh, Miss. I don’t believe we’ve been introduced" Kim said, her tone just sweet enough to sound insincere, "I wasn’t sure what you might like, so I didn’t want to assu. What would you like to drink?"
The slight dig was not lost on Serena. Kim had just established her supposed knowledge of Aiden’s tastes while implying that Serena was an outsider. Serena, however, wasn’t one to flinch easily. She offered a calm, polite smile, refusing to rise to the bait. "Thank you for being considerate, Kim. I’ll have a glass of sparkling water, please."
While Serena continued to maintain her calm deanor, her expression revealing nothing, Aiden’s mood grew darker with each passing mont. His initial attempts to dismiss the encounters with Kim as re coincidences began to crumble. As he watched her now, her every word and gesture designed to subtly undermine Serena, a realization settled heavily over him—Kim wasn’t here by chance. She had co with a purpose, and that purpose was to stir trouble.
Aiden’s jaw tightened, his irritation simring beneath the surface as his sharp gaze shifted toward Ella. She stood beside Kim, hanging onto her every word as though the woman were imparting the secrets of the universe. Ella’s wide-eyed admiration was painfully obvious, and it only added to Aiden’s growing frustration. He had hoped—perhaps foolishly—that Ella would show so discernnt, so ability to see through Kim’s calculated charm. Instead, she seed utterly captivated, oblivious to the tension her presence and allegiance were causing.
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