After returning to the apartment, Leanna took the bags from Aidan's hands and set them on the countertop before extracting the contents and putting them into the fridge one by one.
Seeing this, he licked his lips and placed his hand on her shoulder, turning her around to face her. "Didn't I tell you before? What's with you?"
She replied, "I'm not regretting it. I just think that staying here isn't a bad idea, so I'll move back after a while. By the way… I've always felt that the decor in Castor Villa is a little too drab and monotonous, so let's use this opportunity to redecorate it. After the renovation, it'll be just right for us to move back in."
His brow furrowed imperceptibly. He pursed his lips slightly.
Leanna blinked and looked at him innocently. "What's wrong? Are you… upset that I'm staying here? If that's the case, I'll just move out. Zoe even asked me to move in with her the day before yesterday."
Her words rendered him silent. Who taught her to be so passive-aggressive?
A moment later, he spoke again, saying, "Not at all."
Leanna hummed in reply before continuing, "Or are you in such a hurry for me to move back to Castor Villa because there's something you don't want me to find here?"
Aidan loosened his grip on her and asked, "I'm in a hurry?"
"You look like you are."
"Well, you're wrong," he said nonchalantly. "I'm free these days, so I can take you to the hospital to have your eyes looked at."
Ha, what a b*stard.
After chasing him out of the kitchen, she spent nearly half an hour tidying the fridge.
She heard Aidan speak again when she went to the living room. "What design do you want to change it to?"
Leanna was taken aback for a moment before she came back to her senses, realizing that he was referring to her wishes to renovate Castor Villa. However, that was just an excuse she came up with on the fly, so she naturally had no opinion on the matter.
After a pause, she replied, "I'm fine with anything, as long as it's different from before."
Aidan hummed in reply and said languidly, "I'll get a designer to speak to you at your studio tomorrow."
She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are you really going to renovate the villa?"
"What else?" He raised his eyes to look at her and rebutted, "Did you think I was brushing you off?"
Leanna laughed dryly before turning around and entering the kitchen again. "I'll go and make dinner."
Dinner was simple, and it was just right for both of them.
Amid their meal, Leanna suddenly spoke up. "President Pearson."
When he heard her calling him like that, Aidan pressed the tip of his tongue against his teeth. She hadn't called him like that for a long time. Clearly, it wasn't anything good.
However, she wasn't waiting for him to respond and proceeded to bombard him with another question without a pause. "What do you think of this fish stew today?"
Aidan pursed his thin lips, slowly spitting out a single word. "Tasty."
Leanna nodded. "I think so too. By the way, I met Celia at the mall today. She doesn't live nearby, but she came over for these fish, so I followed suit and bought them as well. They really aren't bad at all."
Aidan picked up the ladle and served her a bowl full of fish stew. "In that case, have some more."
Immediately after, he picked both of the fish's eyes and put them onto her plate. "This is good for your eyes."
She fell silent. In the end, she left this battle of wits in defeat.
At night, she kept her back facing toward Aidan, neither budging an inch nor responding to him no matter what he did.
Seeing that, he asked, "What's with you today? Did I make you angry?"
She closed her eyes and said, "No, you didn't. Don't talk to me. I'm annoyed."
"At what?"
"Everything."
Looking at you is making me even more annoyed.
Aidan wrapped his arms around her waist and turned her around to face him. "Is it your premenstrual syndrome again?"
Leanna carelessly hummed in reply. If he thinks that's the case, then so be it.
At her reply, he lowered his voice. "As I recall, your period ended barely ten days ago."
She fell silent before turning around again. "Haven't you seen someone's premenstrual syndrome coming twenty days early?"
"I see it now."
Leanna closed her eyes, refusing to reply.
A moment later, she heard Aidan's voice once more. "Why exactly are you upset?"
"What's the point of telling you?"
"You'll find out after you tell me."
Leanna opened her eyes in the darkness and looked at the translucent white curtain. Her lips moved, but she did not make a sound in the end. Even if she told him now, Aidan would still not tell her the truth. He was just looking for a new excuse.
Previously, she had been too impulsive, so he could always lead her away easily. Since she already had sufficient evidence this time, she had to be calm and prevent him from realizing that she had already begun to suspect him, or he would dispel her suspicions by other means again.
Besides, she was now completely sure that the person she saw downstairs in the neighborhood that night was Celia. If Aidan wasn't guilty of anything, why would he keep avoiding the matter? With all these reasons, it would be too far-fetched to say that it was a coincidence every time.
At that thought, the suspicion that had been rooted at the bottom of her heart resurfaced, filling her chest and spreading to her brain and all her limbs, leaving her wide awake. Hence, she decided to sit up and left with her pillow in her arms.
Confused by her sudden actions, Aidan asked in a low voice, "What are you doing?"
"It's hot here. I'll sleep on the couch."
After saying that, Leanna did not stay any longer and immediately exited the bedroom. Soon, the sound of the door closing could be heard. Aidan sat up, one of his long legs slightly bent as his head hung a little, making it impossible to see his expression.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Leanna hugged her pillow and lay down on the couch, looking aimlessly ahead as she fell into a daze. Much later, the bedroom door opened. After hearing the sound of footsteps, she hurriedly closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. Not a moment later, a blanket was gently placed on her body, followed by a warm kiss that fell on her forehead. Her eyelashes trembled, but she still didn't move.
Aidan just sat on the carpet, seemingly having no intention of leaving either. Soon, the entire house fell quiet. Only the sounds of the wind blowing could be heard occasionally. As time passed, Leanna fell asleep before she knew it. When he heard her breathing gradually getting even, he came back to his senses and gazed at her with his dark eyes.
After Celia left the mall, Keaton called him to tell him that they had encountered Leanna. He had expected her to ask him straight away, but she acted unconcerned about the matter instead, yet inadvertently revealing a sharp hostility. She had begun to suspect him, and this time, more precisely than any other time in the past. He couldn't find any better excuse to fool her anymore.
Aidan held her hand, his voice low as he said, "Can you give me a little more time? Wait for me to sort everything out."
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