THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Aidan blinked, leaned back, and grinned. “Well, well, well.. you really are smitten.”

The words snapped her back to the moment. She turned her face to him quickly, blinking hard as if to reset her entire expression. “What? No. No, I’m not…. he’s just….” she waved a hand vaguely in the air, “that’s not what this is.”

Aidan gave a deep, knowing chuckle. “Chill, girl. You’re allowed to feel that way about your own husband. It’s not illegal.”

Mia bit her bottom lip and said nothing. Mostly because she had nothing to say. And partly because if she opened her mouth, she might accidentally confess to feelings she hadn’t sorted out yet herself.

Her stomach twisted, and just then, Stefan arrived. He didn’t say a word. Not even a glance at Aidan.

Instead, he leaned down, dipped his head, and pressed a soft kiss to Mia’s forehead.

Her heart nearly stopped. A thousand horses galloped through her stomach at once. She blinked slowly, unsure whether to breathe or melt.

Stefan straightened, sat down beside her, and only then did his eyes move…. to Aidan, who was watching the entire thing with wide, unfiltered fascination.

Mia cleared her throat, a blush creeping up her neck.

“Uh… Stefan, this is Aidan,” she said, glancing nervously between the two men. “Aidan, this is… my husband.”

Aidan smiled easily, his voice dripping with amusement. “Nice to meet you, Stefan. I’ve heard so much in the last five minutes, I feel like we’re family already.”

Stefan’s lips curved just slightly…. not quite a smile, not even close to one. “I’m sure you have.”

Mia looked between the two of them, trying to gauge the temperature of the moment.

She could feel Stefan’s hand resting behind her, his shoulders were stiff, his gaze still sharp.

But she didn’t think much of it. This was typical Stefan.

Aidan tried to spark a light conversation, but Stefan only replied with only a stiff nod or tight-lipped hum.

Mia didn’t notice much. But Aidan… oh, Aidan noticed everything.

Stefan’s jaw clenched each time she laughed a little too much at Aidan’s jokes.

His fingers drummed the chair when she leaned slightly toward Aidan while talking.

His whole frame tensed every time Aidan complimented her hair, her voice, her smile. And Aidan knows exactly what he was doing.

But Mia, she was supposed to act like his wife, not laugh so loudly to another man’s jokes.

“Hey, babe,” Matteo said carrying two drinks and wearing a wide, charming smile that lit up his entire face.

Aidan lit up and turned. “There you are. Took you long enough.”

“Long line. Guess the whole resort got thirsty at the same time,” Matteo said, leaning in and kissing Aidan full on

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80) WAS THAT WHAT LOVE LOOKED LIKE

the lips.

Mia blinked, then smiled softly. She was used to their love show already. Aidan’s hand moved to Matteo’s chest as they briefly leaned into each other, completely at ease, completely in sync.

Stefan blinked. Once. Twice.

Wait.

Mia’s new friend was a gay? The Aidan… was married?

He’d seen gay couples before…. but something deeper clicked in his mind. His brows furrowed slightly, almost like he was processing a revelation.

All that jealousy… for nothing?

He had been rude, and dismissive. For absolutely nothing.

The realization dawned on him, and his mouth twitched…. in embarrassment.

Matteo caught the surprise look immediately and let out a chuckle. “Oh wow,” he said, glancing at Aidan. “The both of you had the exact same look on your faces. This was the same exact look Mia had when she first saw Aidan”

“Babe, can you stop teasing them” Aiden said playfully trying to hit Matteo who caught his hand and kissed in between his fingers.

Aidan laughed and leaned his head briefly against Matteo’s shoulder. “He’s ridiculously good with expressions. Reads faces better than my therapist.” He turned to Stefan explaining. “You can’t successfully mask how you feel around him.”

Stefan nodded his head jaw ticking just once. He could swear he had carefully masked his surprise.

No one had ever told him that before. That his emotions were readable. He had built his life on the ability to stay unreadable. To control everything…. especially himself.

Yet here were two strangers… seeing through the cracks.

And as he watched Matteo gently push Aidan’s hair behind his ear, grinning at whatever soft thing Aidan had just whispered, Stefan found himself wondering….

Is this how couples in love act?

Effortless touches. Random kisses. No hidden agenda. No performance.

Just being.

It would be… nice, he admitted to himself. To be like that with Mia. To touch her when he wanted, to kiss her because he felt like it…. not because it served a contract, a lie, or a crowd.

Mia, sitting beside him in quiet observation, had her own thoughts running wild. She watched the ease between the two men, the way they communicated even without speaking. Aidan’s soft laugh, Matteo’s subtle hand on his back, it was so…. raw and open. She couldn’t even imagine doing that with Stefan without overthinking it a hundred times.

Was that what love looked like?

“Babe,” Matteo suddenly said with a laugh, nudging Aidan ightly, “Stop. You’re making the newlyweds uncomfortable.”

Aidan gave a sheepish smile and turned back to Mia and Stefan. “Sorry about that. Sometimes we forget the world exists.”

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BE WAS THAT WHAT LOVE LOOKED LIKE

Then he smiled brightly. “You two are so cute together though. If you’re up for it, we’ve got this little get- together planned later tonight by the beach bar. Very chill. Just a few people, drinks, music. You should totally come.”

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