Meeting The Friend
Meeting The Friend
"Any Updates"
Aaron’s voice was cold as steel over the phone. He stood by the hospital window, eyes fixed on the sprawling city lights below, as if the answer he awaited might be written somewhere in the dark skyline. He needed it to be good news.
“Boss, unfortunately, there’s no lead yet,” the man on the other end confessed. “Lucas seems to be very careful with his connections.”
The words ignited a storm inside Aaron. Rage simmered, threatening to erupt, his fists curling at the thought of Lucas. The urge to put his brother back in the ground he had already beaten him into was almost unbearable.
“Keep digging,” he ordered through clenched teeth. “I want a lead. Soon.”
He ended the call with a flick of his thumb, forcing his expression into an unreadable calm. But beneath that mask, the fire raged on. It would not die until he unearthed what Alina was so afraid to tell him.
•••
Meanwhile, in the quiet of the VIP ward, Alina sat frozen, her wide eyes locked on Lucas. The revelation still echoed in her head, refusing to settle. Aaron of all people, had tried to kill his own brother. For her.
Never, not even in her wildest dreams, had she imagined it.
Why?
Was she truly that important to him? Could he really be serious about their relationship? They had known each other only for days. How could she matter to him more than his own blood?
The questions swirled, one after another, clawing at her thoughts. A part of her recoiled in fear. She had always known Aaron to be controlling, dominating. But this? this ruthless extremity terrified her.
And yet… somewhere deep inside, buried beneath the fear, a fragile thread of satisfaction stirred. Lucas had scarred her, left wounds so raw that she had begged the universe for justice. And here Aaron was dark, dangerous, obsessive. delivering what no guardian angel ever had.
Maybe it didn’t always have to be love that protected you. Maybe even an unhealthy obsession could.
Her lips curved into a faint, almost guilty smile as the thought crossed her mind. One thing was certain now.
Aaron was consumed by her.
Still, she couldn’t allow him to continue down this destructive path for her sake. There would come a time when she had to make him understand.
For now, she pushed the thoughts aside and slipped into the restroom to freshen up, trying to calm the storm inside her before it swallowed her whole.
•••
The next morning, Alina had already freshened up, knowing the doctor would soon make his rounds to check on Lucas. Technically, she hadn’t slept at all. The hospital atmosphere suffocated her, the sterile walls pressing in on her like a weight she couldn’t shake. Thankfully, her books had kept her company through the long night.
She thought about calling her mother-in-law, maybe just to hear a familiar voice, when her stomach betrayed her with a low, grumbling sound. Breakfast. She sighed. The idea of cafeteria food didn’t appeal to her at all. Just as she picked up her phone to order something instead, the ward door opened.
And there he was.
Aaron.
He stood tall in the doorway, fresh and composed, the faintest trace of cologne drifting with him. He looked like he’d just stepped out of a magazine shoot. sharp suit, sharp gaze, every line of his body screaming power. For a split second, Alina swore every vein in her body worked overtime, pumping blood so hard it made her dizzy. She had never admitted it to herself before, but one look at him was enough to make her knees weak.
“Let’s grab breakfast outside.”
It wasn’t a suggestion. Before she could argue, Aaron had already taken her hand and was leading her out of the ward. Her pulse quickened at the closeness. She whispered objections, tried to resist, but her words fell on deaf ears. By the time she realized, she was in his car, heading to a nearby coffee shop.
•••
They found a quiet table by the window. While waiting for their order, Alina noticed something different about him. Aaron was quiet, almost distracted, as if he were holding something back. There was a strange energy about him. calm on the outside, but too deliberate, too controlled.
She decided not to push. After last night’s incident, her own thoughts were still too clouded.
Suddenly, she felt his warm fingers wrap around hers. Before she could react, he brought her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss against the back of it.
“Aaron! what are you doing?” she hissed, trying to pull away, her eyes darting nervously around the room.
“Doing what? I’m just holding your hand.” His tone was maddeningly casual as he kissed her again, slower this time, as though daring her to stop him.
Her heart hammered against her ribs. He was getting bolder, reckless even. Didn’t he care about the paparazzi or the curious eyes of strangers? She did. She yanked her hand back just as a booming, familiar voice came from behind them.
“Hey, buddy! What’s up?”
Alina nearly jumped. She spun in her seat to see a broad-shouldered man in a black leather jacket and dark denim striding toward Aaron, a wide grin on his face.
“Eric,” Aaron greeted, rising to hug him.
Eric returned the gesture, but the moment his gaze landed on Alina, the grin vanished. His brows shot up in disbelief.
“Oh, damn. Don’t tell me…” His eyes flicked between them.
Aaron’s smirk told him everything.
“This is her?” Eric asked, still half-shocked. “The woman who’s had you twisted in knots lately?”
Alina froze. Heat flushed her cheeks. Did Aaron… already tell people about them? This was getting insane.
Aaron gave him a playful punch. Eric only laughed and slid into the seat opposite them. His attention turned back to Alina.
“Forgive my reaction, miss,” he said with a grin softening into sincerity. “I’ve been waiting to meet you, honestly. After all the changes you’ve caused in this man, I couldn’t help but wonder who you were. But I never thought we’d meet like this.”
Alina blinked at him, unsure how to respond. A nervous smile tugged at her lips, but confusion swirled inside her.
“You’ve got a death wish, talking like that,” Aaron muttered, kicking him lightly under the table. Eric laughed. But before he could press further, another presence approached the table, instantly draining the color from Alina’s face.
“Hello, Mrs. Knight.”