Aww Seven Exes Begged Cute Blocked novel Chapter 59

**A Promise Written on the Rusted Edge of Time by Dael Rowan Sire**
**Chapter 59**

He appeared utterly drained, dark shadows framing his eyes, a stark contrast to the vibrant California sun. His hair, usually so meticulously styled, was now a disheveled mess, suggesting he hadn’t seen a decent night’s sleep in what felt like ages.

“Alden? What brings you to California?” I asked, my voice tinged with surprise. He stood before me, clad in his heavy East Coast winter coat, looking as if he had stepped out of a different season entirely. The palm trees swayed gently in the warm breeze, and students around us laughed in their casual t-shirts, making him seem even more out of place.

“I wanted to see your school. To check in on how you’re doing out here,” he replied, his voice gravelly, as if he had rehearsed this moment a thousand times yet still found himself unprepared.

I maintained a light, breezy tone, trying to mask the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. “It’s amazing here! The food scene is incredible—there are these fantastic fusion restaurants downtown that you absolutely have to try while you’re in town.”

He shifted nervously, raking his fingers through his tousled hair, a gesture that betrayed his discomfort. “Could you… show me around? Just once? For old times’ sake?”

Before I could muster a gentle way to decline, another voice sliced through the air, sharp and assertive.

With a final reluctant glance, Jake allowed me to pull him away, but not before casting a last, defiant look at Aiden—a silent message that screamed, “She’s moved on.”

As we reached the crosswalk, I couldn’t help but glance back. Aiden stood there, isolated under the palm trees, a solitary figure that seemed more lost than I had ever seen him. The golden boy, who once had everything handed to him on a silver platter, was now confronting the harsh reality that some things couldn’t be reclaimed with just a charming smile.

For a fleeting moment, my heart twisted with an old, familiar ache, a reminder of what once was. But then the light changed, and I stepped forward into my new life, resolutely leaving the past where it belonged—behind me.