Marry Ex's Billionaire Uncle After Divorce (Aurora and Jasper) novel Chapter 91

Chapter 62: A Gift–1

(Aurora’s POV)

I got back to my apartment just past seven, dropped my bag on the floor, and stood there for a full minute doing nothing.

Then I remembered I’d never told Phineas I was taking the day off.

I checked my phone. Our last exchange was still sitting there – him saying he had a business dinner, me saying I’d see him later in the week. I’d never followed up. He probably assumed I wasn’t coming tonight.

I thought about it for a moment, then picked up my bag again.

The cufflinks were still in there. Butler Alfred answered the door and looked genuinely surprised.

“Ms. Aurora.” He stepped back to let me in. “Mr. Everett assumed you wouldn’t be coming this evening.”

“I know.” I glanced toward the kitchen. “Has dinner been arranged?”

“I was just about to contact the hotel for delivery.”

I smiled and shook my head. “Don’t bother. If there are ingredients, I’ll cook.”

Alfred opened his mouth, then closed it again. He nodded and led me to the kitchen without further argument.

The refrigerator was well–stocked – someone clearly restocked it regularly whether or not Phineas was home. I found chicken breasts, fresh rosemary, garlic, a lemon, baby potatoes. Simple enough.

I turned on the oven and got to work.

Cooking was the one thing that had always quieted my head.

By the time I heard the front door open, the kitchen smelled like roasted garlic and herbs.

Alfred’s voice floated down the hallway, low and brief. Then footsteps.

Phineas appeared in the kitchen doorway. He’d loosened his tie but not removed it. He looked

at me, then at the stove, then back at me.

“Alfred said you cooked.”

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* Chapter 62 A Gift 1

“I did.”

He was quiet for a second. “You didn’t have to.”

“I know.” I checked the potatoes with a fork. “Five minutes. Go wash up.‘”

He almost smiled. I caught the edge of it before he turned away.

Claim

We sat down to dinner. Phineas ate without comment. He wasn’t a man who filled silence with noise.

Halfway through the meal, he said, without looking up from his plate, “You’ve been taking a lot of leave lately.”

“Family stuff,” I said. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

He didn’t push. He just nodded once and went back to his food.

I hadn’t eaten much all day, but I found I still didn’t have much appetite. I moved things around my plate for a few minutes, then set my fork down and reached into my bag.

“Here.” I slid the small velvet box across the table toward him. “For you.”

He looked at it, then at me.

“A gift,” I said. “Nothing elaborate. Just – I saw them and thought they suited you.”

He picked up the box and opened it. The cufflinks sat in a neat row of dark velvet – deep navy blue, clean lines, the kind of thing that didn’t try too hard.

He was quiet for a moment.

“I know they’re probably not on par with what you usually wear,” I said. “But I wanted to-”

“I like them.” He looked up. His grey eyes were direct. “I mean it.”

I nodded and reached for my water glass.

He turned the box over in his hands, examining the cufflinks from a different angle.

“You picked these yourself?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Today?”

“This morning. Near the hospital.” I paused. “I had some time between things.”

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& Chapter 62 A GIF 4

Claim

He didn’t ask about the hospital. He just set the box down carefully beside his plate, like he was putting it somewhere he wouldn’t forget it.

I started to gather my things. “I should get going. Early start tomorrow.”

“Wait.”

I looked up. He was already standing, and he disappeared down the hallway before I could say anything. I heard a drawer open somewhere. Then he came back, carrying a small bag.

He set it on the table in front of me.

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