After what happened yesterday, Erina slowly got comfortable with Aiden's presence without being anxious that it might be Arden, unlike in the past few days, when she was so bothered that someone had a resemblance to the man who impregnated her, the man who was mad at her, and the man who might be looking for her and wants her dead.She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt because of Draven, as she didn't want to show that she hated him just because of her petty reason.Other than that, something about that interaction suddenly drew them closer, as she could slowly lower her boundary just to know Aiden himself.And she was so shameless that throughout the day in her office, she was already expecting lunchtime so that Aiden would call her again in his office.She was looking forward to it, but she couldn't concentrate on her own work because she was occupied with that matter.What's the fuss now, Erina? As far as I remember yesterday, you were thankful that it was your break time
Erina didn't expect to see Aiden, his hands in his pocket while looking at her desk nonchalantly until he glanced at the door when Erina opened it.Shocked that he went into her own office, her brows knitted as she slowly entered and closed it."Sir," she called unbelievably, still shocked that she saw him in her office.When the door closed, Erina's eyes drifted to the table where her lunch was, and he saw that she hadn't touched it yet."I'll have my lunch here," he said, like he already had decided it and his food was already on the way, and Erina couldn't already say no.Though she wasn't planning to push him out of her room, there was a part of her that was not really fine knowing she had just seen the model in the lobby and her physique marked in her mind as she remembered Arienda, the sophisticated woman whom Arden's mother wants for Arden in the past.She felt like the past was just repeating and making her chest ache.So you're now admitting to yourself that you're attracted
Erina's curiosity about yesterday's keeping Aiden too busy in order not to invite her over for lunch in his own office has been answered. Though she really expected that Aiden was the kind of man who would not be available all the time because of the work he has, to hear that it was because of a woman and not because he was loaded reading some documents, she felt like she was somehow being played at.And what is he doing in my office after that model left? That he finally remembered—he has a woman here in the company too?Stop it, Erina. He is your boss. He is not flirting with you. He never did something flirtatious. He went into your place for the land and just unexpectedly got closer to your son, and maybe he is a man of his word who just wanted to come over often because he promised to Draven. Maybe he likes kids? And he remembers someone with my son?Right. And maybe he was just being sociable at the company because he wanted to have a healthy relationship, Erina! I told you!But
It wasn’t just Erina who heard Aiden, because even the newly arrived employees of the company heard it very clearly. Other than that, the shock on their faces was too obvious, knowing Aiden just addressed Erina casually, on a first-name basis, which seems like they have a close relationship other than being bosses and employees.Erina suddenly remembered the murmurings of the employees to whom she listened while she was in the cubicle, which made her remember why she cried at night and helped her realize how reality works for her.So instead of nodding, she politely smiled. “I might not be able to come later, sir. I have a lot of things to do. Have a good day, Mr. Arscott,” she said, bowed a bit, and walked straight to the elevator.Those who have heard her were kind of shocked that she rejected Aiden’s order, like Aiden was asking for something less important, or whatever it could be. It seems like Erina doesn’t view it as part of her work that she was only at the company for one pur
Erina's brow really arched as soon as she heard it. It was like a straight accusation of him on something she wasn't really mad about—or she tried to control."Why would I get mad at something trivial, sir?" she immediately asked, her brows knitting as she was looking at Aiden with pure confusion.Instead of answering her, he only shrugged as he was already focused on his laptop.Erina's brows knit even more. She was clarifying to herself that she wasn't mad, as she even tried to think it through thoroughly.Why would I get mad at something so trivial? I just don't like people gossiping about it. He's the CEO of this company, and I am one of his employees. I might only taint his image. And men like him are much more good for women like Mariella. So if they're dating or something deep is going on between them, then he should not be associated with me because it might only hurt Mariella if she heard these rumors too.So why would I get mad when I wanted to exclude myself from this rumor
"What?" she asked, a bit shocked that Aiden just asked her which restaurant she preferred."We're having lunch. Which restaurant?" Aiden repeated as he maneuvered the car and started driving out of the parking lot of the building."Why would you go to restaurants when your food was delivered to your office?"Aiden arched his brow. "So you would calm down?"Erina's brows knitted even more. "Calm down on...what?"Aiden leaned against his seat while he was glancing at her sometimes while he was driving with his one hand."From that model, you are trying to point out that I took her to a restaurant?"Her eyes widened so much that even her jaw dropped as she blushed profusely. She could really feel how her cheeks heated, and she couldn't say anything right away."Sir, I didn't mean this. I only meant that you might prefer meeting up with the model in a private area where being at my office might disturb you.""The restaurant reservation was made by the company itself for the clients' comfo
When the food was served, one thing that Erina noticed was the food he ordered, which speaks so much about Arden Gunner's taste in food that she is quite familiar with because they used to eat together.Arden is quite fond of pasta, especially the medium-cooked steak, which Aiden also got for himself. He likes eating with a bottle of wine that I remember added to his appetite.He eats like a king, like royalty, which says a lot about himself. He would always use his left hand for the spoon and his right hand for the fork or the table knife.If he's Arden Gunner, with the uncanny similarities, why is he pursuing me when I know how much Arden Gunner loathes me to death?Unless...it was really him, he's here for revenge, and he will do the same thing I've done to him?"You don't like the food?" Aiden asked when he noticed she wasn't touching her food."I, uh, no. I'm just..." She blinked twice when she realized she had spaced out processing things."Look at the menu again. You might like
"I'm Erik, by the way," he introduced and smiled.Erina was stunned, taken aback, as she carefully knew it was really Erikson Remington, her brother.But then she left without saying a word. She left while being hated by all of them. She left, seeing the disappointment in Remington's faces, including the others—especially Mrs. Gunner, who loathes her to the core—as soon as everyone found out she was a witch; she was Aurora's daughter.But then, it was too late to explain now. She cannot clean her name anymore. She had been manipulated and used. She had been Aurora's victim; she took her from her own family and made her think she was her mother, but she wasn't.Now that she found her new life, away in Rockmount, where she already created her new home and where her family was, she was now determined to live with it. To stay where she was now and to protect her son from all of them, especially from Aurora herself."Can I get your number?" Erik handed his phone over, the desperation in hi