“Do you all have a death wish?!” Grandfather thunders. “Get out!!” Everyone rushes out of the room. Aiden swings into action. He uses a few of his skills that he has used to save a couple of their dying men on the battle front. Ten seconds later, Alex sneezes. His breathing is uneven at first but Aiden places his hand on Alex's chest, muttering some words under his breath. Noticing goosebumps on Alex's body, Aiden swiftly pulls the blinds aside and opens the window. He goes back to Alex and pats him gently on the forehead before pulling off the blanket on Alex's body. Alex sneezes again. This time his eyes flutter open. Grandfather's walking stick falls from his hands. Alex has not opened his eyes for the past two weeks even with all the medication he has been given. “Daddy…” Alex mutters in a faint voice. “I'm hungry…” “You're—Alex?” Grandfather staggers to his son. Aiden quickly gets the walking stick and gives it to grandfather who doesn't collect it. The grandfather sta

“Aiden, sir. My name is Aiden.” “Aiden…?” “Aiden Lawrence, sir.” Hannah darts a shocked look at Aiden. What the fuck is he doing telling her grandfather his real name? Her grandfather can get all his details in just a twinkle of an eye with that name!“I'll get going now, sir.” He bows. “I need to go too, grandfather. Mom will be worried if I stay another hour,” Hannah quickly gets up. “Of course, you need to go.” He pulls her behind. “Make sure to tell Aiden a lot of good things about your sister and make sure your sister agrees to marry any man named Aiden that approaches her.” Hannah nods. “Trust me. They're married already.” “That's it. You are so confident. I promise to get anything you want if you succeed in getting married.” “Allow me to study genetics in Harvard university,” Hannah says. “You cunning thing, get them married first,” her grandfather whispers. Hannah lau

Aiden opens his mouth to assure her that he is okay but he closes it. It's too late to assure her now. “What do you plan to do?” He asks instead. “Let's get another house away from here.” She turns to face him. “In another city.” Aiden nods. “That sounds nice.” “I'm sorry for what my father did,” she adds quietly. “You're talking as if you have a control over how he behaves.” “He must be having a time with the company.” “I understand. Now, come to bed. It's too late to be up.” Aiden arranges the pillows. “You will be going to work later today.” She turns of the light and got in the bed. Aiden pulls the duvet of her. “Grandfather will be visiting,” she says quietly into his chest some moment later. “He'd ask me to get married.” “Okay.” “Mom said to go on a blind date. Grandfather won't approve of you.” “Don't go.” “What?” “Don't go on the blind date.” She pulls away from him. He can't see her but he is sure she is staring at his face. “You mean it?” She asks, an edge o

Back in the sitting room, Mrs. Lincoln offers her father-in-law a drink, but he doesn’t touch it. He hasn’t said much—just the cold, half-hearted greeting he always gives her when he walks in.“You must still remember Harper's childhood friend?” she asks lightly, trying to steer the air into something casual.The old man lifts his eyes, calm but laced with venom. “You mean the only friend you left her with? After making her lose her memory?”“If you put it that way, it’ll hurt my feelings,” she says, smiling like she’s still in control.“Oh. So you’ve got a heart? That’s news to me,” he replies smoothly.“I know you loved your former daughter-in-law, but it’s unfair to keep treating me like this just because she’s gone. I wasn’t the one—”“But you were the one who gave her the last drink she ever had.”“I had no idea it was poisoned!” Mrs. Lincoln snaps.The old man leans forward slightly, eyes narrowing. “Just listen to yourself. You handed your best friend a drink, she died the next

That same evening, Aiden sits in the living room, phone in hand.A message comes in from Harper.“I miss you already.”“Me too,” he replies.“One weeks isn’t a lot of time, right?”“Yeah. It isn’t.”He looks up—and sees his mother-in-law awkwardly standing by the dining table.She’d cooked dinner. Probably because her husband already told her what went down. But Aiden isn’t in the mood for performance.“T-the fo-food is ready,” she stammers.Stammers. The same woman who once treated him like dirt.Aiden rises and walks over. He stares down at the food—then slowly at her.“You call this food?” he says quietly. “Would you eat this if I made it?”Her eyes flick to the chaotic dish. Every ingredient fighting to be the main character.“I’ll be handling the meals for the next one week,” Aiden says flatly. “When Harper returns, we’re moving out. Into our own place.”He turns to leave. Then stops.“If you ever give Harper a reason to suspect you’re not her real mother…” He meets her eyes. “Yo