Chapter 894

“Uncle, why did you come so early? And you didn’t even tell me!”

Lena came to an abrupt halt in front of Aaron, stopping just short of throwing herself into his arms. If she were still a child, she wouldn’t have hesitated to leap into his embrace. But now, as adults, she was acutely aware of the boundaries between men and women, even if he was her uncle. Still, her hurried steps caused her momentum to pitch her body forward slightly. Aaron raised his hand to steady her, his touch firm yet gentle. “I didn’t want to interrupt your dinner or affect your mood.”

Lena smiled softly at his words. Her body instinctively leaned closer to him as her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “Mood? What mood? I didn’t even want to be there. All I wanted was to be at home, lying on the couch, eating a bowl of noodles you made.”

Under the interplay of light and shadow, Aaron’s gaze softened even further. “Then let’s go home. There’s more than just noodles waiting for you—I made all your favorites.”

Lena’s eyes lit up. “So you already prepared dinner?”

“Of course. I promised we’d celebrate tonight. I knew you’d be tired, so I made it at home,” Aaron replied, his tone unsentimental.

To outsiders, Aaron appeared cold and aloof, the kind of man who sat at elegant dining tables, waiting for someone to serve him while he used only the finest silverware. But to Lena, he was someone who boiled soup, cooked porridge, and rolled up his sleeves to prepare meals just for her.

Nate, standing nearby, wasn’t oblivious to this. Though he had done similar things for Lena before—like making breakfast during her visit to him abroad—it was always the exception rather than the rule. Most of the time, he was too busy, leaving her to eat alone or taking her out to restaurants. He had always attributed their breakup to timing and work, believing it was these external factors that kept him from loving her properly. But now, seeing Aaron, he realized what he lacked wasn’t time—it was the fullness of love.

While Nate was lost in thought, Lena had already followed Aaron to his car. Only then did Nate remember that he was still holding her bag. But now, he didn’t seem to have the courage to walk over and give it to her.

As he hesitated, a loud, jarring roar of a motorcycle broke through the night air. The sound was deafening, drawing everyone’s attention. All heads turned to see a motorcycle speeding toward Lena and Aaron.

“Watch out!” Nate shouted.

Aaron reacted instantly, pulling Lena into his arms and spinning them out of harm’s way. The motorcycle roared past, its engine’s explosive growl piercing the air as it launched off the hood of Aaron’s Cayenne. It landed with a screeching skid, leaving a trail of scratches on the car’s roof before racing off into the distance. The rider let out a taunting “Whooo!” as he disappeared, leaving chaos in his wake.

Even as the noise faded, Aaron didn’t let go of Lena. She found herself pressed against his chest, her nose filled with the faint scent of cedarwood that was uniquely his. Her ear was against his chest, where she could hear the steady thrum of his heartbeat. Oddly enough, this made her feel no fear at all. Instead, it felt as though everything that had just happened was part of a movie scene she was merely observing.

The night wind howled wildly, ruffling hair and tugging at clothing. Yet, for the two of them locked in an embrace, it only seemed to draw them closer.

Nate stood frozen in place, feeling as though the icy wind was blowing straight from Siberia into his chest. It wasn’t just cold—it hurt.

“That rider was so reckless,” Lena murmured, finally pulling away from Aaron’s arms. She was a little embarrassed, so she changed the subject to ease the moment.

Aaron glanced at the scratches on his car’s hood, his elegant features betraying a flicker of frostiness. “It’s fine. Let’s go home.”

He opened the car door for Lena, helping her inside. But instead of getting in himself, he turned and walked toward the stairs. Lena was puzzled and followed his gaze, realizing what he was looking at. Standing at the top of the steps was Nate, holding her bag. Her heart gave a faint jump, and understanding dawned.

Aaron ascended the steps, extending his hand. “Thank you.”

Nate’s grip on the bag tightened, as if holding onto it meant holding onto Lena herself. But he knew better. To keep it now would be as futile as trying to claim a flame that had already moved beyond his reach.