Chapter 70 - MORE IMPORTANT THINGS

SIENNA.

On the drive home, the tension in the car was palpable. My mom seemed lost in thought, and Aiden kept shooting worried glances in her direction.

“Are you sure you don’t want us to come with you to the appointment?” Aiden offered, breaking the silence.

My mom shook her head.

“No, no, that’s not necessary. It’s just a quick check-up. I’ll be back before you know it,” she insisted, trying to sound encouraging.

But I could tell she was putting on a brave face. Deep down, I knew she was scared, and I wished there was something I could do to ease her fears.

My mother gave me a concerned gaze, as if she were eager to leave me with him alone. After all, Dad and Alicia were home.

“If you’re cool with it, Sienna, I should probably head out,” she said, sounding a bit worried.

“No worries at all. Just keep me posted on what the doctor says, okay?” I replied, trying to stay positive even though I was really worried.

She looked a bit flustered, like she didn’t want to admit something was off.

“Sure thing, sweetheart. But honestly, there’s nothing to stress about,” she reassured me, though her words lacked conviction.

I arched an eyebrow, silently acknowledging that I could sense something was not right. Aiden picked up on it too, nodding in support.

But all she did was shake her head, as if to dismiss our concern.

She grabbed her stuff, got up, and gave me a big hug. Her flowery perfume smelled amazing, so I took a deep breath and hugged her back. “I’ll catch you tomorrow, sweetie,” she said before heading out the door.

As I watched her leave, a knot formed in my stomach. Something wasn’t right, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was keeping something from me.

Turning to Aiden, I voiced my concerns.

“Do you think she’s okay? She seemed really off just now.”

Aiden had a worried expression, too.

“Yeah, I noticed that too. Do you think we should go with her?”

I hesitated, torn between respecting her privacy and wanting to make sure she was okay.

“Maybe we should give her a little space for now. But if she doesn’t call or text soon, maybe we should reach out and see if everything’s alright.”

Aiden nodded in agreement, his expression reflecting the same concern I felt.

“Yeah, that sounds like a plan. Let’s just hope she’s okay.”

But no matter how hard I tried to calm myself down, I couldn’t shake this weird feeling in the air. Something was definitely off, and I promised to keep a close watch until I knew everything was alright.

As soon as my mother left, Aiden turned to me with a concerned expression.

“Are you feeling hungry, Sienna?” he asked, his tone gentle and caring.

His perceptiveness took me by surprise. Aiden wasn’t usually so observant, so his question caught me off guard.

“Thanks for asking, but I’m not hungry,” I confessed, feeling exhausted and frustrated after spending the afternoon with my mom and her constantly worrying.

Aiden’s brow furrowed in concern.

“Well, maybe I could take you out for a bite to eat? Would that help?” he suggested, clearly trying to be supportive.

I appreciated his offer, but the thought of going out again seemed daunting.

“I think I’ll pass. Let’s just eat at home,” I replied, offering him a weak smile.

“Okay, sounds good. I’ll order something for you then, since I have to get back to work,” Aiden said, already reaching for his phone to place an order.

As he busied himself with arranging dinner, I couldn’t help but feel this disappointment. I had been hoping for some quality time together, but it seemed like Aiden had other priorities.

There it was, that familiar chill in his demeanor. And honestly, I should’ve seen it coming. I mean, it’s not like this coldness was anything new. It’s been a constant throughout our marriage, and I didn’t expect it to change anytime soon, at least not until we decided to call it quits.

At first, I tried to ignore it, to pretend like it didn’t bother me. But as time went on, I couldn’t help but feel the sting of his indifference more and more. It’s like living with a stranger, someone who shared my space but not my heart. But what did I expect from a man who practically bought me? If his money could keep Alicia alive, my heart or my love didn’t matter. Besides, Aiden wasn’t capable of feeling love.

I’ve tried talking to him about it, of course. But every time I brought it up, he just shut down or brushed it off like it was no big deal. And this was just making me feel even lonelier.

I used to think that maybe things would get better over time, that maybe we just needed to give it time to work itself out. But now I’m thinking maybe this was just how he was. Maybe we’re just not meant to be together.

It’s a tough pill to swallow, realizing that the person I married wasn’t who I thought they were. But I guess that’s just part of life, right? Learning to accept the things I couldn’t change and finding the courage to move forward, even when it was hard. That’s what I’ve been dealing with since my father came back into my life and broke the news of Alicia’s terminal illness.

For now, I would just take it day by day, trying to make the most of a not-so-great situation. And who knows? Maybe one day things would change, or maybe they wouldn’t.

The silence in the house was deafening. It felt like a vacuum, sucking up all the sound and leaving nothing but an unsettling stillness. I stumbled into the kitchen, my eyes landing on a note hastily written by my father. It was a brief message, informing me he had taken Alicia with him and that we were now completely alone in the house.

The note made me feel a whole range of emotions. On one hand, I felt relieved at finally having some peace and quiet. However, I couldn’t ignore the uneasy sensation in my gut. Why had my dad taken Alicia with him? And where had they gone?

I looked around the empty kitchen and felt totally confused. It was strange being alone in the house, especially after spending so much time surrounded by the chaos of my family. But as the initial shock wore off, I realized that this could be my chance to finally unwind and collect my thoughts.

But just as I started to relax, I noticed Aiden lingering in the kitchen doorway, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that made me uneasy. He was leaning against the frame, his arms crossed over his chest, and there was something about the way he was watching me that sent a shiver down my spine.

“What’s up?” I asked, trying to sound casual despite the knot of anxiety tightening in my chest.

Aiden shrugged, a nonchalant expression on his face.

“Just making sure you’re okay,” he replied, but there was something in his tone that set off alarm bells in my head.

I gave him a suspicious look, thinking something was up. Why was he so concerned suddenly? And why did it feel like he was keeping something from me?

“Is everything alright?” I asked, my voice tinged with unease.

Aiden hesitated for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he stepped further into the kitchen, his gaze meeting mine with a stern expression.

“I just... I have a bad feeling about all of this with your family here,” he admitted, his voice low and tense.

I felt a chill run down my spine at his words. A bad feeling? What did he mean by that? And why did it feel like the surrounding air had suddenly grown heavy?

Before I could press him for more information, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway interrupted our conversation. Aiden’s eyes darted towards the window, his expression hardening.

“It must be your food. I’ll be right back,” he said as he headed towards the door.

It took him just five minutes to get back. The smell of the food was so delicious and it was then I realized I was starving.

“Shouldn’t you be getting back to work?” I said as he casually dropped the package on the kitchen counter, his chill attitude totally different from how important the task was.

“That can wait a little while,” he replied nonchalantly. “We have more important things to discuss first,”