"How does he even tolerate you?" Nathan muttered, his tone dripping with disbelief as he forked a piece of fruit from his plate. "I mean, you’re like an eternal cheerleader. It’s almost cloying!"
Serena narrowed her eyes, her patience wearing thin. Without a word, she reached for her glass of water, lifting it deliberately, and gave it a little shake in front of his face. The unspoken threat hung in the air, but Nathan, unfazed, rolled his eyes dismissively.
"Oh, please," he scoffed, waving off her silent warning. "It’s not like I’m trying to insult you. If anything, I’m insulting Aiden. I mean, he’s this cold, ruthless guy, always out for blood, and then there’s you—perky, happy, like you stepped out of some sunshine-filled dream."
"So what?" Serena shot back, her voice tinged with defiance. "I’m the calm in his life, okay? The serenity he needs."
"More like the chaos..." Nathan muttered under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear. He barely had time to process her reaction before he nearly choked on his food. His eyes widened in terror as he looked up and found Aiden staring at him, his gaze sharp and menacing. Nathan froze, his breath caught in his throat. Why was Aiden looking at him like he wanted to rip his throat out? Had Serena blabbed to him about the entire confrontation with his mother? Aiden had just returned so he was sure he had not done anything else during the time to anger him.
His attempt to swallow and ask what he did wrong was thwarted by his vocal cords which seemed to have been paralused suddenly. The air seemed to thicken around him, suffocating under the weight of Aiden’s glare. Just as Nathan thought he might pass out, Aiden turned his gaze to Serena, who was seated next to him.
Nathan exhaled shakily, relief flooding his system as Aiden’s attention shifted away. This was exactly what he meant—Aiden made it hard to breathe, while Serena was like a breath of fresh air.
For the last three days, she’d been pestering me day and night to show her his compositions and his application to Julliards. She’d even wanted him to write an acceptance letter and promised that she would talk to Aiden when he returned. He’d been sure that she wouldn’t do anything like this, but now, seeing that he was here early, Nathan suddenly felt doubtful.
Serena’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she spotted Aiden standing at the doorway. Without missing a beat, she dramatically pushed her chair back, she dashed toward Aiden, throwing her arms around him. "Honey, I missed you so much!" she exclaimed, her as she pressed her cheek against his chest. Aiden’s arms instinctively wrapped around her even though he was unsure of what had just happened. As Serena held onto Aiden, she leaned up, her lips close to his ear as she whispered, "Grandma’s been suspicious, you know. She’s been fretting because you didn’t call mr even once while you were away."
She then pulled back a bit and sniffed at him," Oohh. You smell good."
Without giving him a chance to reply, Serena grabbed his hand and tugged him forward. "Grandma! Aiden’s here, see? I told you he would return soon because he missed me too much!" she called out, as she led him further into the room.
Nathan, who had been silently observing the whole exchange, muttered, "She’d have to be blind and deaf not to have realized that already, with all the fuss you’re making..." His words were laced with irritation but he quickly snappd his mouth shut when Aiden’s gaze turned to him. He quickly shut his mouth and turned to look away.
While Serena quipped," Nathan, are you thirsty? Maybe you could use something to wash down that attitude. Should I pour you a glass of water?"
Nathan ignored her and concentrated on his fruit, not wanting to reply.
Aiden’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked between the two of them, his gaze shifting from Nathan to Serena and back again. There was something going on between these two. When he’d left, these two couldn’t stand the sight of each other. And now, there was an ease of attitude between them. Nathan was actually teasing her... Just what had happened in his absence?
Ignoring the matter for now, he quickly walked over to grandma and kissed her cheek, asking after her, before joining them for breakfast as he merged into the conversation seamlessly.
Unbeknownst to them, a quiet pair of eyes had been observing everything with simmering anger. Ella Hawk, who had tried her best to remain friendly, felt a surge of resentment as she watched Serena and Aiden. Why was Serena on better terms with Nathan, someone who had always looked down on her? Ella pushed the food around on her plate, feeling almost invisible at the table, her frustration growing by the moment.
Finally, after witnessing enough of their carefree camaraderie, she pushed aside her plate, stood up, and walked away from the gathering, realizing that even their grandmother hadn’t noticed that she hadn’t eaten a single bite. Ella frowned deeply. Why was it that she was the one relegated to the sidelines while everyone else seemed to thrive?
Covertly, she clicked a picture of Serena, her mind racing with a new sense of purpose. She decided that she would take the path that Nathan was too chicken to take. Hurriedly, she saved the picture and sent it to the number her father had given her. He had warned her that it was too dangerous for him to do this himself...
Almost immediately, she received a message from the mysterious number asking her to meet. A smile crept onto her face as she walked back to her room, a newfound determination pulsing through her. There. She had done her duty as a good daughter, and that was that. At least now, her father would pay attention to her and she would not have to look at Aiden and Nathan for their affection.