Don’t you also think I am dumb? Arwen asked suddenly, noticing Aiden’s unwavering gaze on her even moments after she finished speaking.Dumb? Aiden repeated, his brows arching slightly.A disdainful smile curled Arwen’s lips and she nodded. If I had said all that to Gianna, she would have told me I am dumb enough not to blame Ryan for anything. Especially after he left me to die there on the spot of accident, she said, her tone self-deprecating.Aiden stared at her for a moment, before shaking his head. You are not dumb, he said firmly.She blinked at him in surprise. He continued, his voice steady yet gentle Your attitude might be hard to understand, but not difficult enough to be blamed. You are just trying to erase him from your life —to make it as if he was never truly a part of it, neither in the past nor in the present. And that’s why you simply refuse to give him any sort of importance.Arwen was taken aback. If someone had asked her why she acted the way she did, she wouldn’t have been able to explain it as c;larely as Aiden just had. Her response would have been tangled in philosophies that might not have made much sense.Ye, he saw through her effortlessly, as if reading her every thought and action was second nature to him —like she was the back of his hand, something he was deeply familiar with.How does he know her so well?She doubted that even she knew herself the way he did.Unable to suppress her curiosity, she studied him for a moment longer before asking, How?Aiden met her gaze, the corners of his lips curling into a nonchalant smile. I know you well enough to understand these simple things, he said simply and Arwen repeated after him.You know me? as if she was testing his words.You have doubts about that? he countered smoothly.How could she have doubts, when everything was so clear?Clearing her throat, she quickly shook her head, dismissing the thought. After a brief pause, she said, I hope I have answered all your questions now. She looked at him, waiting for his confirmation.Aiden held her gaze. Her current feelings for Ryan were evident in her demeanor —detached, indifferent. But the fact that she stayed with Ryan, enduring so much, unsettled him.There must have been something —some hope, some lingering feeling —that kept her holding on for so long.And he couldn’t ignore the weight of that thought. The possibility of her harbouring emotions even the slightest deep with another man made him blame himself. If only he hadn’t left her, no one would have gotten that chance.When Arwen didn’t hear him replying back to her, she asked again, What? Is there more that you want to hear from me?No, Aiden said, shaking his head.Hearing him finally appeased, she clapped her hand. Great, now that I have answered you, it’s time for you to answer me.He raised his brows and she simply smiled, repeating the question from where this whole conversation started.What did you do with the bottle of wine? She asked and just as Aiden looked her way, she quickly added, Wait, let me clear this out first. I am not asking you this because I care about that expensive bottle of wine or because you bullying the ex. I am simply asking you because I am curious to know. That day when you said that you would send it back yourself, I felt you didn’t exactly mean what you said, rather there was more to words.She might still be learning about Aiden and she might not know him as best as he knew her. But she was also an observant person and staying with Aiden and coming to understand him even a bit, she could tell that he must not have simply sent back that bottle of wine.Aiden stared at her for a moment, and his lips tugged up in a smirk. It looked like he was impressed. But before she could ask him what impressed him all of a sudden, she heard him answer what she had wanted to know.That bottle of wine was very expensive, Aiden said, and Arwen blinked, not understanding what he meant.And it was sent for congratulating our togetherness, he added.And Arwen’s furrow of confusion only grew deep. So? she asked.Aiden didn’t reply immediately. He reached to take his glass of water and took a small sip from him before responding again. Sending back someone’s good wishes for our togetherness would have been disrespectful.Disrespectful! Would it have been really disrespectful?Why she couldn’t bring herself to agree on that?Not knowing what to say, she asked, trying her best to understand what he actually meant. So, you didn’t send it back?He shook his head, which further probed her to ask.Then what did you do?Aiden turned to glance back at her. Sending back a gift of equal expense wouldn’t have made sense, so Emyr suggested that something like a handwritten note of appreciation weighs more than any expensive item.Arwen paused at his words. After a while, she was stupefied as she asked, Wait, do mean that you wrote a note of appreciation to Ryan?He stared at her, meeting her gaze and then nodded as if it was the most natural thing to do. Didn’t appreciations should be well crafted and thoughtful, so that the other party understand that their efforts are recognized?He asked and Arwen didn’t know what she should say in response to that. Of course, what he said was right. But who said Ryan wanted his efforts of sending that bottle of wine recognized? He just sent it to stir misunderstanding between them, to look down upon her husband whom he considers to be poor and unworthy.What? Aiden asked. You think I did something wrong?Arwen blinked, dumbfounded. After a short while, she asked, What did you write to him?
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