Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Then Aiden turned back to Vera, his tone noticeably softer, carrying a hint of reassurance he probably wasn’t even aware of: “It’s fine, stay put. You’re soaked
out there.”
Vera sweetly said “okay” and settled back into her seat. Her face still wore that apologetic expression, but her eyes betrayed her current smugness.
I supported my bump and awkwardly maneuvered into the back seat. The car started up and smoothly pulled out of the garage. We drove into the storm.
The car shut out the wind and rain, but it couldn’t shut out the silence inside. Alden broke it first, his voice calm: “Vera’s apartment is pretty far. Well drop her
off first.”
I said nothing, and the last shred of hope in my heart completely vanished. From the hospital to our home was normally a ten-minute drive. But Vera’s apartment was in the complete opposite direction-this “far” was definitely not just a little out of the way.
I watched their silhouettes. Vera seemed a bit cold, arms wrapped around herself. Aiden immediately reached over to turn up the heat near the passenger seat.
Vera said something quietly. Aiden tilted his head slightly, actually smiling, and responded in low tones. I clenched my fists, my body trembling involuntarily. Aiden was completely ignoring me.
The warm air from the heater mixed with Vera’s jasmine scent, wafting back toward me in waves. Pregnancy had made my sense of smell acute-in that
noment, it made me nauseous.
Instinctively, I cracked the window open slightly. A blast of cold, rain-laden air immediately rushed in. “Ah!” Vera let out a shriek from the passenger seat, Iramatically hunching her shoulders. “So cold!”
Aiden glanced at me through the rearview mirror, his eyes showing displeasure: “It’s pouring. Close the window! Getting the car wet makes it smell worse.”
My heart felt like it was being crushed by a giant fist. Three days ago, just because I’d taken that sip of lemon water in his office, he hadn’t spoken to me since.
But now?
7era could sit in his passenger seat wearing perfume, enjoying the heat he’d turned up for her. Just because she complained about being cold, Aiden mmediately blamed me for opening the window.
Principles? Rules?
Apparently they only applied to me.
A wave of nausea surged from my stomach, the baby kicking hard-maybe sensing my emotional turmoil.
closed my eyes, took a deep breath of the cold air streaming through the window, forcing myself to stay calm. Then I expressionlessly rolled the window back
The car returned to its enclosed warmth. But Vera’s mood hadn’t immediately recovered. She began complaining softly. “This weather is awful. I should have
rabbed a jacket before leaving.”
Are you hungry?” Aiden suddenly asked, his voice surprisingly gentle. The car happened to be passing a brightly lit convenience store.
Tera hesitated: “Well… a little. I always seem to get hungrier when I’m not feeling well…”
Aiden immediately put on his turn signal and smoothly pulled into the convenience store parking lot. Without looking at me, he unbuckled his seatbelt: “Wait
iere.”
tain hammered against Aiden’s umbrella as he got out, instantly soaking half his pant legs. He didn’t seem to care, heading straight into the store.
A few minutes later, he returned with dampness clinging to him and water droplets on his clothes. He handed Vera a hot cocoa and a paper bag containing a
warm cinnamon roll.
‘Eat it while it’s hot,” his voice was low and caring. “Warm your stomach.”
Sweet, buttery, rich cinnamon scent immediately filled the small car interior. I watched Aiden’s soaked sleeves and shoulders, watched the concern in his eyes as he handed Vera the food.
In that instant, I gave up completely. I thought of countless late nights when Aiden came home exhausted after surgery, how I’d tiptoe around, not daring to make a sound for fear of disturbing his rest, because he’d said he hated being bothered most of all.
Chapter 3
I thought of all his prohibitions: the cleanliness of private spaces, the ban on eating in his office, the strict boundaries in personal relationships… I’d spent nine careful years maintaining all of Aiden’s principles.
Turns out, every rule could be broken.
