Aiden finished cooking the stew and slid it into the bowl, as he cast a glance up the stairs. As the rich aroma filled the kitchen, he knew Serena would be down here soon. He knew her well enough by now—she would be back before midnight, drawn by hunger like a moth to a flame. For all her strength and mystery, she had a weakness that he’d discovered by chance. Serena was a glutton. When hunger called, she couldn’t resist. If there was one thing she seemed to love without restraint, it was food. And she seemed to be even more partial to his cooking.
But as Aiden set the pot down, his expression darkened, the softness in his eyes replaced by something much colder. His phone buzzed with a notification—an outgoing message from his wife’s phone. His wife, who was supposed to be asleep.
Slowly, he read the message and somehow a chill entered his eyes as he raised his brows. She was in quite a hurry to meet this person. Couldn’t even wait till tomorrow afternoon? Very good. He would like to see what relationship she had with this man as well.
He sat down at the table and moved to another message that he had received. The one that was actually the reason for his return home early. Serena was hiding something from him. While someone else was intent on disclosing her secrets.
His thumb hovered over the blurry image. He was sure now that the woman in the picture was indeed Serena. But who was this man. When and where did she meet him? And how did she get close to him? Had her memory returned and she’d contacted someone.
But if it had, why did she not tell him? And who was the man who’d sent this photograph to him, asking for money in return for not sharing her secrets.
He made a call then," What did you find out?"
"Not much. The picture and message came from a burner phone. I do know that Mrs. Hawk visited a café earlier today. But nothing more. There are no cameras in the place. And the driver who took her there isn’t able to provide any more details though he did say that he has taken her there in the past as well. Later, after waiting for hours, he got a message from Madam instructing him to return. She was already back home by then."
"So, we don’t know where she was all afternoon?"
His assistant hesitated over the phone before answering," Yes and No."
"An! I am not in the mood for riddles. Give me quick answers."
"We don’t know where she was half of the afternoon. She visited the office in the latter half. But left before seeing you."
"Alright. Find out more." With that, Aiden disconnected the call and returned to observing the picture.
He had not missed her shifty eyes and the way she had avoided eye contact. She’d even chosen to go to bed hungry than stay here and slip up...
She really thought she could hide something from him. It seemed he had underestimated her. Or rather been fooled by her. His eyes hardened as he turned off the lights and walked out of the kitchen.
A little while later, Serena peeped out of her room and breathed a sigh of relief to find the coast clear. Because of Aiden’s sudden return, she’d skipped dinner and now she could feel the elephants stomping in her stomach.
She crept down the stairs, her movements cautious and deliberate, like a thief in the night, her senses alert for any signs of Aiden. If only she could have fallen asleep, then she would not have to risk this...
The moment she entered the kitchen, she was assaulted by a faint scent that almost made her drool. She flicked on a small light and found the culprit with unerring efficiency. Hurriedly, she walked to the bowl and lifted the lid, before almost moaning in pleasure. Aiden Hawk had magic hands for sure.
The scent was irresistible, and her stomach growled in agreement. She hurriedly grabbed a spoon and dipped it into the stew tasting it, her eyes closing briefly in delight. It was delicious, a comfort she hadn’t expected but welcomed wholeheartedly.
Before she could enjoy the food, however, the kitchen lights flicked on abruptly. Startled, she turned her head toward the sudden brightness, her spoon halfway to her mouth. Aiden stood in the doorway.
"You didn’t sleep?", she asked him quietly as he glared at her.
"No, I am sleepwalking." Aiden said and she laughed." Okay Okay. Thanks for the food though."
Aiden watched as she quickly returned to her food, feeling disappointed. He’d hoped that she would come clean. Somehow, as he’d waited for her to come down the stairs, he’d hoped that she would tell him everything. But instead she still insisted on avoiding talking to him.
He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway, his eyes fixed on her as she devoured the meal. The silence between them was heavy, filled with the unspoken tension of unaddressed truths.
Serena, still chewing, tried to ignore the palpable discomfort. She felt Aiden’s gaze boring into her back, but she kept her focus on the stew, chewing slowly as if savoring every bite could somehow distract her from the reality of the situation.
She didn’t know why she felt it but she was sure that Aiden was eyeing her with suspicion. Which was nonsense of course, since he knew nothing. However, her own guilt poked at her, making her unable to meet his gaze.
Hurriedly, she almost inhaled the stew and started to return to her room. The man had yet to move from the doorway, and the thought of passing by him to return was already making her stomach churn.
As she reached him, she mumbled a quick thank you for the the food and sidestepped him. However, before she could escape, her wrist was caught by him as he jerked her back sharply. Startled, she fell against him and looked up into his eyes...