Love's Change of Heart

Aidan lifted the bed sheet and lay next to her. "Forget about that. I can deal with them tomorrow. For

now, I'm worried that you'll have trouble falling asleep without me."

This b*stard is so shameless.

He switched the lamp off and wrapped her body in his arms. "You have to go to the hospital if you still

wake up to the cold."

Shutting her eyes, she dismissed his words. "We'll see."

After a while, she could feel his hand gently patting her back.

An emotion she couldn't make out enveloped her in a split second.

Her voice caught him off guard. "Aidan."

He lowered his voice in the dark. "What's wrong?"

"Are you sure you aren't hiding something from me?"

His hand didn't stop caressing her when he said with ease, "What makes you think so?"

"Nothing. Just want to seek your assurance." She avoided giving him a detailed explanation. "If things

are going fine on your side, then probably it's my problem."

Aidan inquired further, "What do you mean?"

She pursed her lips. "It's nothing."

She decided to put going to a therapist on schedule once they returned to Highside.

After a few seconds of silence, he continued, "You've got a lot of pressure on you lately, but the

business with the Crossley Family has come to its end. You already did what needed to be done, so

leave the rest to me."

"I understand." She shifted closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her voice was barely a

whisper. "I'm trusting you wholeheartedly at the moment. Therefore, I'll never doubt your words or

speculate about them when you said you aren't hiding something from me. However, if it turns out to be

your lie the whole time one day, I won't stay with you. It's better if we stop seeing each—"

Before she could finish her words, he pressed his lips to hers.

He began, "You can't sleep, can you?"

She met his gaze. "You're guilty, aren't you?"

He pursed his thin lips in conflict and finally spoke up in compromise after debating back and forth.

"There's something I didn't tell you, but I'm not able to share it with you."

His words put a scowl between her brows. Did I guess it right?

He continued, not aware of her expression, "All I can tell you is there's someone behind Daniel. He has

a deep connection with the Crossley Family, but it seems like he doesn't plan to reveal his identity to

you. Thus, I can't do it without his permission."

As she wasn't expecting the answer, she took a moment to collect herself before continuing, "This is

what you've been hiding from me?"

"What else?"

Oh. We're on a different wavelength.

He continued, "Sometimes, it's the circumstance that holds me back from telling you the truth. It won't

do you any good even if you know more about it."

"I understand… but I have the right to learn the truth if it involves me."

"People have their reasons not to tell. One day, you'll learn the truth about everything. It's only a matter

of time."

She parted her lips to retort, but no words came out.

He wrapped his arms around her tighter. "That's it. Don't worry about it. Just remember one thing—they

don't mean any harm."

Pursing her lips tightly, she couldn't manage to reply to his words.

Daniel and his fellows had been a great help since the beginning of the series of events regarding the

Crossley Family.

At first, she thought they shared a mutual enemy.

As things developed, their enemy remained the same, but it seemed like her allies saw protecting her

as their priority, and Daniel even moved in next to the studio.

She had been speculating William was the person superior to Daniel. However, she didn't have any

evidence. Thus, it was all her guess.

There were hints everywhere, as the same group of people had been dealing with the Crossley

Family's business the whole time.

Mr. Jackson had always been aware that Lloyd was an impostor while William and Daniel were

acquaintances with the other man. Furthermore, William was the one who stopped Leroy from making

a haste exit the other day.

It seems like my guesses are right.

William's true identity was the last question that troubled her for the moment.

Leanna stopped talking when she was lost in her thoughts as she knitted her brows.

Aidan licked his lips quietly. Knowing her thoughts already wandered somewhere else instead of

lingering on their recent conversation, he said calmly, "That's all you need to know. I hope you won't

say such things again."

She hummed a response.

...

Leanna woke up in the afternoon. She looked out of the window at the cleared-up sky. The sun was

shining brightly, almost blinding her.

She stretched luxuriously. Sliding off the bed, she walked out of the bedroom and found Aidan on a

call.

Based on the fragments of the conversation, it sounded like the construction of Underwood Lane would

begin as scheduled, which was starting today.

She poured herself a glass of water in the dining room and let out a sigh of relief.

She thought to herself that a dreamless slumber last night might be the reason for her lifted spirits,

which she found better compared to yesterday.

After finishing the call, Aidan shoved the phone back into his pocket and came over to her. "The

construction starts at three. We'll return to Highside by flight at five. Is that okay with you?"

She dipped her chin for a nod. "No problem."

After that, he added, "Get dressed. We're going somewhere."

His words alerted her. "Don't tell me it's the love lock bridge again."

A low chuckle escaped him before his answer reached her. "I'll gladly take you there if that's what you

want."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm not interested at all."

She didn't want to set foot on the love lock bridge ever again for the rest of her life when she recalled

the colorful photo frame, which held a picture of them, at home.