Aiden’s POV
"Damn," I muttered under my breath as I let the warm water flow over me. What was I even thinking. I was scolding myself, questioning what had almost happened. How could I have let it get to that point? The way Lara's soft lips felt against my fingers lingered in my mind, refusing to leave. I couldn’t help but wondered how would her lips feel on mine. "Damn, what the fuck are you thinking Aiden. She was my niece and I had to remember that. Now, how would I face her? what would she think of me? I took a deep breath and finally stepped out of the bathroom, with towel wrapped around my waist. Lara's POV I cursed softly under my breath, trying to contain my thoughts. My uncle, standing in front of me, his hair wet, his abs perfectly defined... He looked so good, and I found myself staring. I bit my lips to suppress the unholy thoughts swirling in my mind, I could feel my pussy leaking. I wanted him to touch me, I wanted him to do something really bad and unholy to my leaking pussy. I snapped back to reality when I heard my uncle call my name. By then, he was fully dressed. Wait, did he strip naked in front of me? I wondered. I must have been too distracted to notice. He offered to show me to my room, but I gave him my best puppy-dog eyes and said, "I'll stay in your room tonight, and that's final." Softening my voice, I added, " Don’t you miss me, Uncle Aiden?" I wanted to play on his emotions, to get him to let me stay. He signed. "I just want you to have a good rest, Princess. But if you want to sleep here, I have no problem with that." As soon as he agreed, I jumped on him, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. "You’re the best, Uncle Aiden!" He caught me, holding me steady. "Careful, sweetheart," he said, his voice warm. He carried me straight to the bathroom and set me down gently. "Now go take a bath," he told me. When I was done, I stepped out to find him already lying on the bed. I quickly got dressed and climbed onto the bed with him. Snuggling close, I tucked myself into his embrace, feeling his warmth envelope me. It felt perfect, like it always should. The next morning, I woke up, stretching lazily. After freshening up, I went to the kitchen and found my uncle busy with breakfast. "Why aren’t you at work?" I asked, curious. He looked at me and smiled. "I'm not going in today. I want to be here with you to make sure you rest well." This was what I always wanted, his concern, his care, and his worry. I couldn’t help but smile. The doorbell suddenly rang, which brought me back to reality. "Baby, can you get that for me, please?" I nodded and went to open the door. Standing there was a young woman, beautiful and elegant. Her eyes scanned me with clear disgust, and her frown deepened. "Who are you?" I asked, confused. Instead of answering, she said, "That's my question to ask, and not yours." Without waiting for an invitation, she barged in, clearly looking for someone. I followed her as she made her way to the living room. When my uncle saw her, he immediately walked over. She reached out to him, her voice dripping with sweetness. "I miss you, my love. Why haven’t you called? Don't you care about me?" She asked, her fingers lightly touching his arm. My uncle's expression softened, and he tried to explain, his tone gentle. "Elena, it's not what you think. I've just been busy." "Busy?" She said, raising her eyebrow. "Too busy to even call me?" Her tone accusing but still gentle. I stood there, feeling like I was air, unnoticed by any of them. Was this how it had always been? The way she touched him, the way he responded, the way she spoke to him, the familiarity - It hurt. It hurt as fuck. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. "Excuse me," I spoke up, my voice almost trembling with anger. How could he possibly allow some other woman touch him in that way. "Is this a family reunion I wasn’t aware of?" She finally turned to me. She looked me up and down, her expression changing to one of disgust."And who's this?" She asked, her voice sharper. Aiden cleared his throat, stepping slightly away from her touch. "Lara, this is Elena," he began. "And Elena, this is Lara, my niece." He glanced at me, his eyes briefly meeting mine. Elena glanced at me, a pleasing smile spread across her lips. "His Fiancée." She added proudly. My heart skipped a beat. "Fiancée?" Uncle Aiden was engaged? I couldn’t believe it. Anger and pain twisted inside me. How could this be happening? How could he do this to me?Elena’s POV I stood in front of the open suitcase, clothes scattered across the bed like the chaos inside my head. Silk dresses, designer heels, makeup kits — all of it piled in a rush, yet I paused every few minutes, wondering if I was forgetting something… or someone. Not that it mattered. I was going. The soft rustle of fabric was the only sound in my room, yet my heart thudded like a drum. My closet looked half-empty already, and I hadn’t even packed everything. Tomorrow. Just one more night, and everything would change. I pulled out my phone, scrolling through my chats. Aiden’s name sat there — no recent messages. Of course. He hadn’t even asked where I’d been all day. Typical. Distant. Cold. But soon, he’d be my husband, whether he liked it or not. This trip wouldn’t change that. It was just a pause — a small detour for something far greater. Luxe Vogue wasn’t just a job. It was my future. It was the career I deserved. The fame, the name, the life I craved. I
Aiden’s POV I had made up my mind. No more pretending. No more pushing down the feelings I had buried for so long. I was done acting like she didn’t affect me — like her soft voice, her curious eyes, her damn innocence didn’t light a fire inside me I had no business feeling. That’s why I went to pick her up today. I could’ve sent the driver. Hell, I should have. But I wanted to see her. I needed to. And the moment I saw her walking toward me, laughing with her friend, something inside me clicked into place. I wasn’t holding back anymore. The way she waved at me with that soft smile — completely unaware of what she does to me — it took everything in me to stay still and composed. And yet, a part of me didn’t want to be composed anymore. Tonight, I used the city view as an excuse to have her close. But I couldn’t even focus on the views. All I could think about was last night. The way she kissed me back. The way her lips trembled under mine. The way she moaned be
Lara’s POV Rose gave a little wave. “Hi… I’m Rose. Lara’s friend.” “Nice to meet you,” Aiden replied politely, though I could tell he wasn’t interested in small talk. His gaze flicked back to me. “I decided to pick you up myself today,” he said, eyes not leaving mine for even a second. I nodded quickly, willing my cheeks not to heat up. “Oh… okay.” I could feel Rose’s curious glances bouncing between us like a ping-pong ball. She was dying to ask questions, but I wasn’t ready to give answers. I turned slightly and smiled at her, who still looked like she couldn't believe she was standing this close to Aiden. “Wanna ride with us?” I offered casually, gesturing toward the car. But Rose quickly shook her head, her hands flying up in defense. “Oh no, no! I promised my mom I’d pick up my little brother from his art class today. She’ll kill me if I’m late.” I nodded in understanding, though a part of me was a little relieved. “Alright. I’ll call you later, okay?” “Please
Lara’s POV I sat in class, staring at the board, but nothing the professor said made sense to me. My pen hovered over my notebook, but I hadn’t written a single word. My mind was somewhere else—back in that house, in Aiden’s arms, feeling the heat of his touch, the intensity of his gaze, the way his lips had claimed mine like he had been starving for me. I swallowed hard, shifting in my seat as the memory replayed in my head. He hadn’t just kissed me—he had wanted me. I saw it in his eyes, felt it in the way he held me, the way his hands trembled slightly when they touched my skin. But then he pulled back, like he was fighting against something, like he was trying to convince himself it was wrong. I pressed my fingers against my lips, still able to feel the ghost of his kiss. Aiden didn’t want to admit it, but I knew the truth now—he felt it too. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him. He just didn’t want to accept it. The realization made my heart pound. If he truly didn’t
Elena’s POV Jessica leaned in, her eyes practically glowing with excitement. "Elena, you won’t believe this," she said, gripping my hand. "I got you the opportunity you’ve been waiting for!" I blinked at her, confused. "What opportunity?" She scoffed. "Don’t play dumb. The modelling deal with Luxe Vogue! They want you as their new face!" My heart skipped a beat. "Luxe Vogue?" I repeated, almost in a whisper. That was the biggest fashion brand I had dreamed of working with. It wasn’t just any modelling job—it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Jessica grinned. "Yes! You’ll be flying out this week for the campaign shoot. This is huge, Elena!" Reality hit me like a truck. This week? My wedding was supposed to be this weekend. I hesitated, biting my lip. "Jess… I’m gettin
Elena’s POV That fucking Aiden. I gripped my phone so tightly I thought I’d break it. Who the hell did he think he was? Leaving me like that, embarrassing me in front of everyone, ignoring all my damn calls? Twenty. Freaking. Calls. I wanted to scream. No, I wanted to throw something—preferably at his stupid, gorgeous face. I sat on the couch, my jaw clenched, my leg bouncing with pure frustration. The whispers from last night still echoed in my ears, the fake pity, the judgmental stares. Everyone saw it. “Elena.” I turned my head sharply to see my father walking in, looking composed as ever, like his daughter wasn’t on the verge of committing murder. “Are you still