"Stop staring at , okay? I’m not going to break down and start sobbing hysterically," Serena muttered, her voice tense as she deliberately averted her gaze from Aiden’s scrutinizing eyes. The weight of his attention made her feel exposed, vulnerable in a way she wasn’t ready to admit.
Instead, as they sat on the balcony, she chose to focus on the night sky, the soft glow of the stars providing a comforting distraction. She would much rather watch the clouds slowly drift by than face the uncomfortable truth hanging between them.
Aiden, leaning back slightly, didn’t press her further. "Well, I’m glad you’re not crying," he murmured with a slight smirk. "I didn’t bring a handkerchief to lend you, anyway."
Despite herself, Serena let out a soft chuckle, the tension easing just a little. With a sigh, she rested her arms on her knees and laid her head down on them, tilting her face toward him. "I doubt that," she said, her voice softer now. "You’re far too ticulous to forget sothing like that. Knowing you, I’m sure you’ve got a handkerchief tucked away sowhere, just in case. You probably thought I’d need consoling, didn’t you? That is why you insisted that we eat first? Didn’t you? So that I would not starve myself out of grief?"
Aiden’s eyes glinted in the dim light, but he remained silent, his teasing smile acknowledging her point without conceding too much.
Serena took a deep breath, hesitating for a mont before speaking again. "The truth is," she began, her voice dropping, "I don’t feel anything for Owen. Even when I thought him to be a friend from the past, I only looked for him to seek information. When he told that we’d eloped for marriage, I was actually shocked. And from then, until now, I don’t feel anyhting for him. Not love, not even sadness. Just... anger, I guess. Anger for everything he tried to pull, for the lies. It’s strange, isn’t it? Apparently, I was so in love with him once that I ran away from my family to be with him. And all the while, he was with for the money."
"It makes wonder. Was I really that blind in the past? I an, how could I have missed the fact that he was just using ? Maybe I wasn’t the brightest bulb in the past. Or maybe," she added, her voice hardening, "my family was so horrendous that I’d rather be with a gold-digging snake like Owen than stay with them."
She looked at Aiden then. Though he continued to stare ahead, not saying anything, she knew he was listening. "It could be why I reacted so violently to your family’s mistreatnt of you. Anyway, I’ve co to a decision. I am going to stop looking for my past."
"Stop looking for your past?" Aiden questioned her softly and she nodded," Yes. This entire ordeal has taught that I am already lucky to be alive and if my life has co at the price of my past mories then so be it. I will not look for answers anymore. According to our contract, we have to be together two years or until my mory returns. Out of that, four months have already passed so I will spend the next year and a half, learning business from Grandmother so that I can beco independent by the ti we part ways..."
Aiden frowned at her ntion of the contract but still kept his silence. While she might give up on finding about her family, would they give up on finding her and hurting her?
Even as she gazed up at the stars, the soft glow highlighting the stubborn set of her jaw, he felt a surge of protectiveness wash over him. Yes, he had planned to use her to further his own goals, a tool against Sidney, but things had shifted. If need be, he would protect her from anyone or anything that tried to hurt her, family or otherwise. Even himself.
He didn’t like seeing her like this, all lancholy and sad. He preferred to have her tease him and trouble him. He tried to think of sothing to say to break the tension and bring a smile back to her face but before he could say sothing, she turned her head and announced," Aiden Hawk. I have two goals for the next year and a half. First, is to beco independent and the second is to sleep with you."
Aiden froze, the air between them growing impossibly still as Serena’s words sank in. He blinked, once, twice, trying to process the bluntness of her declaration before he could say sothing. And that sothing was- "What?"
"You heard ," she said. "I’m attracted to you. And I’ve made up my mind. We are husband and wife. So, I might as well use this chance and have my wicked way with you... You are a handso man after all."
Having said her piece, Serena turned back to look at the stars, feeling a bit shy and even awkward over his silence. Was he trying to find a way to refuse her? Well, she couldn’t let him back off. She would seduce him...
But then, he said," Okay." And she could not help but look at him in surprise," What did you say?"
"I said- okay..." Aiden murmured, not looking at her and thanking the heavens that it was too dark to see anything at this mont or else she would have noticed the imdiate reaction he’d had to her words and the images his brain had provided to them."
Unexectedly, before he could say more, Serena turned to him and stood up, pushing at his shoulder so that he was forced to lean back on the bean bag as she ca to straddle his thighs. His eyes widened. Was she going to begin right away?
As her soft bottom settled on top of him, his hands ca to hold her automatically, while he looked into her eyes. She leaned close to him and her hair tickled his nose as she leaned closer.
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