Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Chapter

907

"I don't smell any alcohol," Lena muttered.

Aaron leaned closer, his flawless face coming within a breath's distance of hers.

Lena's nerves tightened like a spring, her pupils dilating as she stared at his face so close to hers. Her heartbeat pounded like a drum, loud and unrelenting.

"How about now? Do you smell it?" Aaron's voice was low, smooth, and intimate. The closeness made her focus solely on his lips-perfectly shaped, not too thin nor too full. They looked soft, and the thought of kissing them briefly crossed her mind. An inappropriate and utterly ridiculous notion, yet there it was, popping into her head uninvited.

Amidst her quickened breaths, she seemed to catch a faint hint of sweetness, mingled with a subtle, intoxicating aroma of alcohol. It was... oddly pleasant.

Her hand gripped the edge of the counter tightly. She dared not move, let alone breathe deeply, afraid that the smallest action might bring her lips to his.

If it were anyone else, she might have pushed them away and bolted. But this was her uncle. The man she'd grown up with, someone whose character she knew better than anyone else.

This wasn't flirting-it couldn't be. He was just teasing her, nothing more.

"The water's boiling," she said abruptly, breaking the charged silence.

She wasn't wrong. The water had boiled, and the temperature in the room seemed to rise with it.

Aaron straightened up naturally, turning back to the stove to add noodles and seasoning to the pot. Lena took the opportunity to retreat to the dining table, sitting down with her heart pounding in her chest.

Pressing a hand against her chest, she chastised herself silently: Lena, what is wrong with you? Are your hormones out of balance, or have you been corrupted by Keira? How could you have such improper thoughts about your uncle?

This had to stop. If she let herself spiral, who knew what might happen? She feared crossing a line so unforgivable it would blow up not just her life but everyone else's as well.

Aaron soon brought out a bowl of noodles for her. The dish was rich and fragrant, a stark contrast to the sad, plain noodles she had made earlier. It was like comparing a king to a beggar.

"I'll grab some side dishes," Aaron said, heading to the fridge. He returned with a plate of

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pickled radish, her favorite. "I just had these made. Let me know if they still taste the way you like."

His thoughtfulness caught her off guard. It had been ages since she'd had this particular side dish.

"Thank you, Uncle," Lena said, keeping her head down as she focused on eating.

Aaron noticed her small, evasive movements and the way she avoided his gaze. His dark eyes deepened. He'd only tried getting a little closer, and already, she was retreating. If he ever confessed his true feelings, she'd probably run far, far away.. "Careful, it's hot. Don't rush," Aaron said gently before stepping back into the kitchen.

Lena exhaled a long breath, pulling out her phone to check Keira's messages. Seeing that she'd sent several voice notes, she hesitated. Not daring to play them aloud, she converted them into text to read instead.

By the time she'd finished eating and reading, she finally replied: [From now on, talk about Aaron. Whoever brings him up is a dog.]

Keira didn't see her message-she'd already fallen asleep

let's not

When Lena received no response, she guessed as much. Putting her phone aside, she quickly finished her noodles, cleaned up her bowl, and headed to the kitchen.

"Let me," Aaron said. The kitchen was already spotless, and he had even warmed up a glass of milk for her.

He handed her the milk, but Lena didn't take it. Instead, she said quietly, "Uncle, I'll be moving out in a few days."