Semua Bab Love's Redemption: Bab 781 - Bab 790

Lena felt weighed down after hearing about Keira's uncle and aunt. It wasn't guilt—it was the unsettling idea of two people who couldn't share life but chose to share death that stuck with her.People had been romanticizing dying for love since Romeo and Juliet, but Lena didn't buy it. To her, real love wasn't about leaving the world together; it was about staying in it, growing old side by side.When she'd never been in love, it seemed so simple: love was enough. But now she knew better. Finding a love that could survive life's curveballs was hard. Finding one that lasted into old age? Almost impossible.By the time Nate got home, it was late. Lena sat on the balcony, lost in her thoughts."Why are you still up? I told you not to wait," Nate said, wrapping his arms around her from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder."Are you exhausted?" she asked.He hummed in reply, too tired to say much.Lena could feel the weight of his exhaustion, like he might fall asleep right th

"You broke up with Nate, and he just... said nothing?" I blinked at Lena, low-key stunned.She gave this tiny, tired smile. "Maybe he's done, too. Now he can live his life however he wants—no nagging, no guilt trips."Yeah, right. That sounded more like her venting than anything."Be real. Was breaking up just you blowing off steam? Or did you mean it?"Lena shook her head. "No, I've actually thought it through."I snorted, and she laughed. "Seriously. Since I told him to come back to Kehlmark, I've been asking myself—what do women really want from love and marriage?"Stability, someone to rely on, right? If he can't give me that, I can give it to myself. So why hold on to love or marriage?""Uh, maybe for keeping things... physically interesting?"She cracked up. "Oh, please. If that's all you want, you can 'buy' it—any flavor, any style, swap it out when you're bored."That sent me over the edge. "Dr. Lane, you're wild."Still, I got her point. "Lena, I'm with you, no matte

Lena didn't answer. A few seconds later, she just hung up.I blinked, a little surprised. Guess she'd made up her mind. That was Lena for you—straight to the point, no second-guessing. Honestly, she was braver than me like that.Not that I hadn't been firm before. When I dumped Jace, it was done. The random run-ins after? Not exactly my choice. Still, seeing Lena and Nate end like this? A bit of a downer, but I kept my mouth shut. Love's like coffee—only you know if it's bitter or sweet.Lena's phone buzzed again while we sipped tea. She glanced at it, saw the message from Nate: [Lena, I'm leaving.]Her expression didn't even twitch. "I'll block him later," she said casually."If you can't do it, I'll gladly help," I teased, smirking.She shot me a look—the classic bestie, stop talking glare. By the time we left with the package, Nate was still sitting in her inbox, unanswered.On the ride home, Lena scrolled through her phone. I caught her hovering over Nate's chat, skimming th

Lena and Aaron froze, clearly mortified.Shaun was oblivious to the awkwardness radiating from Lena and Aaron. His eyes stayed glued to Lena. "You're so pretty... no wonder Aaron—hey, ow! Aaron, what the heck?"Aaron grabbed Shaun by the neck and hauled him away before he could finish whatever embarrassing thing he was about to say. Lena muttered under her breath, "Crazy."I smirked. "Aaron's little darling?" I repeated, my voice dripping with teasing.Lena smacked my arm. "Don't start. Let's go give Grandpa his gift."Her ears were bright red as she dragged me off, clearly flustered.Of course, I couldn't let it slide. "Lena, if you and Aaron aren't that close, maybe you should consider him. Handsome, rich, and keeping it in the family—it's basically perfect."She glared daggers at me. "Keira Kay, one more word and I'm cutting you off.""Oh, defensive much?" I teased, smirking."Keep going and see what happens!" she snapped, lunging at me.I laughed and dodged her, only to s

The door wasn't fully closed, giving Lena and me a clear view of Edison and Aaron sitting across from each other.Edison, in his regal presence, and Aaron, all sharp angles and effortless charisma, looked more like grandfather and grandson than father and son.Lena had mentioned before that Aaron was adopted, but I'd always wondered why Edison hadn't just raised him as a grandson."Aaron, you're at an age where this is getting ridiculous. Forget marriage—you won't even look for a girlfriend?" Edison leaned forward. "Do you even know what people are saying about you?"Aaron sat quietly, the overhead light casting dramatic shadows across his features. He didn't seem remotely rattled by Edison's frustration."They're saying you're into men!" Edison pressed. "It's an insult to the Ace family name! People are calling it unnatural, and I won't tolerate this kind of talk dragging our reputation down."Welp, Edison was definitely old-school.Aaron finally spoke, calm as ever. "People ca