Chapter 744
‘Double standards much?’ Lena thought, scoffing inwardly. A minute ago, he swore up and down he didn’t have a girlfriend. Now he was pulling one out of thin air just to shut someone down? Wouldn’t a simple “no thanks” have worked?
“If you—”
‘Oh, come on.’ Lena mentally rolled her eyes. Why was she being dragged into this mess?
The girl, of course, turned to Lena, waiting for confirmation with wide, hopeful eyes.
Lena glared at Aaron, ready to set the record straight, but before she could, he swooped in again.
“Don’t believe me, ask her,” Aaron added, shifting the pressure right onto Lena.
“She was just asking me earlier about taking my girlfriend to the OB-GYN,” he said smoothly, his words landing like a grenade.
Lena froze, utterly speechless.
The girl’s face shifted through shock, realization, and total embarrassment before she bolted out of the eatery.
“You’ve been turning down a lot of admirers lately. Pretty smooth moves,” Lena teased.
Aaron didn’t bite. “Your tacos are here,” he said, nodding as the server set the plates down.
Lena let it go, diving into her meal. The spicy taco hit hard, making her nose sweat, but she couldn’t stop herself—it was just that good.
No wonder this place was so popular.
Aaron, meanwhile, ate like he was at some five-star restaurant, perfectly calm and composed. The contrast was almost funny. She looked like a human volcano; he looked like he was posing for a magazine.
Once they finished, Aaron shifted back to business, wrapping up whatever he’d come to talk about. Lena grabbed her bag, ready to leave.
“Uncle Aaron, I’ve got stuff to do. See you.”
“Lena,” he called, stopping her mid-step.
It was the first time he’d said her name like that since he’d come back. The tone, the familiarity—it yanked her straight into a time warp, back to when they were kids. She froze, waiting.
“If you ever need to know something, just ask me. Don’t jump to conclusions,” Aaron said.
Lena felt another cringe coming on but brushed it off quickly. “There won’t be a next time,” she told herself. She wasn’t about to get tangled in his business again.
Chapter 744
Lena went to see Sasha but got stopped before she even made it inside. Not surprising. She casually told the gatekeeper, “Please let Sasha Grey know Ian Carter sent me.”
That name worked like magic. Or maybe just Ian Carter’s reputation.
Next thing Lena knew, not only was she let in, but Sasha herself came out to meet her.
“You’ve seen Ian? Where is he?” Sasha asked, her tone urgent.
“Calm down. Let’s sit and talk,” Lena said, her eyes scanning the house. Toys were scattered everywhere—clearly a kid’s favorites.
“Where is Ian?” Sasha pressed again.
Lena ignored the question, gesturing toward the toys instead. “These are your daughter’s, right? She must really miss playing with them.”
Sasha’s expression shifted, her voice turning wary. “Dr. Lane, what are you getting at?”
“Ian Carter,” Lena said, dragging the name out like a challenge.
Sasha wasn’t stupid. Her eyes narrowed. “You’re not just here to talk about Ian, are you?”
Lena smirked. “You’re as sharp as ever. No wonder Thorsten Drago trusts you. But yeah, this is about Ian.”
“Fine. Where is he? Did he send you?” Sasha shot back, her voice a mix of hope and frustration.
“He’s at DracoLux. You already know that, don’t you? The real issue is, you can’t see him,” Lena asked, following exactly what Keira had told her to say.
Sasha paled. “So… you’ve seen him?”
“No,” Lena replied bluntly.
The light in Sasha’s eyes dimmed instantly. She shook her head, murmuring, “No one can see him… it’s impossible…”
Her expression—a raw mix of disappointment and despair—caught Lena off guard. She hadn’t expected Sasha to be this devoted. Even after all her time by Thorsten Drago’s side, she was still hopelessly in love with Ian.
It made Lena wonder: “What kind of man was Ian Carter to leave someone like Sasha this wrecked?”
“He can be seen,” Lena said, carefully choosing her words to stoke that faint flicker of hope.