Chapter 2: Her brother's arrival

The inside of Aiden Scott's Rolls–Royce smelled of expensive cologne, leather, and danger.

Evie sat quietly at the passenger seat trying not to stare at him too much while he drove through the crowded streets of Manhattan. Soft music played in the background but the silence between them still felt heavy. Not uncomfortable but just intense.

Aiden rested one hand lazily on the steering wheel, while the other tapped against his thigh impatiently whenever traffic slowed down. His expensive black watch glinted beneath the sunlight coming through the windshield.

Even while driving he looked hot, which was unfair. Everything about Aiden was unfair, his deep voice, his sharp jawline, his calm confidence, the way he carried power so naturally.

Evie had to look out the window quickly before he caught her staring at him.

“You are quiet,” Aiden said suddenly.

Her fingers tightened slightly around her coffee cup. “ I'm thinking.”

“That's dangerous.”

Evie rolled her eyes. “Funny.”

Aiden smirked faintly

Oh god. That tiny smile alone could ruin her entire week.

“How was class?” he asked.

“It was fine.”

“You sound thrilled.”

“I only had one lecture before you kidnapped me.”

“You say you were kidnapped, like you weren't smiling before you got into the car.”

Evie looked away to hide her expression. However, unfortunately, Aiden noticed everything about her.

“You were smiling,” he repeated smugly.

“Maybe because I escaped accounting.”

“Mhm.”

She hated how easily he could read her moods.

Most people saw Evie Scott as mysterious and hard to understand. But Aiden never struggled.

He always knew when she was upset, tired, hungry, jealous, and lonely. It was terrifying sometimes.

His phone suddenly rang through the car speakers. Ashton Reed was calling. Aiden’s best friend.

Aiden pressed a button on the steering wheel.“What?”

“Wow,” Ashton said dryly through the speakers. “Good afternoon to you too.”

“I'm busy.”

Evie smiled quietly.

Ashton laughed. “You are with Evie, aren't you?”

Aiden didn’t answer right away, which was enough of an answer.

“I knew it,” Ashton continued. “Anyway the board meeting got moved to four.”

“Reschedule it.”

“You’ve already rescheduled twice.”

“Then they can survive a third time.”

Evie blinked in surprise. “You are missing a board meeting?”

Aiden glanced at her briefly. “You wanted sushi.”

Ashton made a disgusting sound. “This man terrifies billionaires daily, but his little sister asks for sushi and suddenly global businesses can wait.”

Evie laughed softly before covering her mouth.

Aiden’s eyes softened at the sound immediately.

Ashton groaned dramatically through the speakers. “Oh god, he is doing the soft look again.”

“Ashton.”

“I'm hanging up.” The call ended quickly.

Evie shook her head in amusement. “You really cancelled a meeting for me?”

“You say that as if you are not important.”

Her chest tightened. That was the problem with Aiden. He made her feel like she mattered more than everyone else. And maybe she did, at least to him. The thought sent warmth rushing through her.

Aiden suddenly reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear casually.

The simple touch made her entire body tense. He didn’t seem to notice, or maybe he did.

“You keep hiding behind your hair,” he murmured.

Evie stared at him for a second too long before looking away again. Everything between them felt dangerously normal.

As if touching her like that meant nothing. As if her heart wasn’t trying to escape her chest every time he looked at her too closely.

Aiden pulled into the parking lot of one of the most expensive restaurants in Manhattan twenty minutes later.

Before the valet could even reach the car, Aiden was already stepping out to open Evie’s door himself.

People noticed immediately, of course they had to notice him because he is hard not to notice everywhere he goes.

The restaurant staff practically panicked the second they noticed him. “Mr Scott, welcome back.”

Aiden gave a brief nod before placing his hand lightly against Evie’s lower back, guiding her inside.

The touch made her feel giddy.

The hostess smiled nervously. “Your private table is ready.”

Evie looked around the luxurious restaurant filled with businessmen, celebrities, and wealthy socialites.

Every woman seemed to stare at Aiden. And honestly? She understood why. Aiden walked into rooms like he owned the world. Maybe he practically did.

Once they sat down at the private section upstairs, Evie finally relaxed slightly. “This place is beautiful.” She admitted.

“You said you wanted somewhere quiet.”

Her lips curved softly. “You remembered.”

“I remember everything about you.”

The words were innocent, brotherly. But something about the way he said them made heat creep into her cheeks.

Aiden noticed instantly. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“You're blushing.”

“I am not.”

His eyes narrowed slightly with amusement. “You are.”

Evie grabbed the menu quickly to hide her face.

Aiden watched her for a moment before shaking his head lightly. “Angel.”

That nickname needed to stop affecting her this much.

A waitress arrived moments later to take their order. The entire time, Evie could feel the waitress staring at Aiden longer than necessary. Laughing too softly at his simple responses. Leaning too close. Evie’s mood darkened immediately.

“And for you, sir?” the waitress asked, smiling brightly at Aiden.

“The same whiskey as usual.”

“Of course.” She smiled again before finally walking away.

Evie stabbed her straw into her drink aggressively. Aiden noticed immediately. “What’s wrong?.

“Nothing.”

“Evie.”

She sighed dramatically. “That waitress was flirting with you.”

“And?”

“And, it's annoying. “

One of Aiden’s brows lifted slightly. “Jealous?”

The teasing tone in his voice made her heart stumble.

“No.”

“You sound jealous.”

“I sound observant.”

Aiden leaned back in his chair, studying her carefully. “You know I don’t care about women like that.”

Evie hated the strange relief those words gave her.

Unfortunately, Aiden continued speaking. “Most of them only want attention or money.”

“And what do you want?”

His gaze locked onto hers. For one strange second, the atmosphere shifted, it darkened, and intensified. “You,” he answered simply.

Evie’s breath caught. Aiden said things like that innocently, like a brother. As if it meant nothing to him. But he had no idea what those words did to her.

The waiter returned with their food before the silence grew too awkward.

Evie focused on eating while trying to calm her thoughts. Unfortunately, being around Aiden always made everything worse. Because he was attentive in ways no other man had ever been.

He noticed her silently switch plates after she removed onions from her food. He noticed when her drink got low and refilled it before she asked. He noticed when she got cold and handed her his suit jacket immediately. Every tiny action only deepened the feelings she was trying desperately to bury.

“You have that look again,” Aiden said suddenly.

Evie blinked. “What look?”

“The one where you disappear into your head.”

“Oh.”

“What are you thinking about?”

You. Always you, I wish I could say it out loud.

Instead, she shrugged casually. “Nothing important.”

Aiden clearly didn't believe her. Before he could question her further, movement downstairs caught Evie’s attention. Several women had entered the restaurant laughing loudly.

One of them immediately spotted Aiden. She was tall, had blonde hair, and was wearing a red dress,

She was beautiful like a model.

Evie recognised her instantly as Sofia Laurent, Aiden’s ex. Her stomach dropped.

Sofia smiled brightly before making her way upstairs without hesitation.

“Well,” she purred. “This is unexpected.”

Aiden’s expression immediately turned colder.“Sofia.”

Evie suddenly lost her appetite. Sofia’s eyes moved toward her curiously before widening slightly. “Oh. Your little sister.”

Little sister. The words stung more than they should have. Evie forced a polite smile. “Hi.”

Sofia leaned closer to Aiden confidently. “You disappeared after our date last week.”

Evie’s grip tightened beneath the table. Date?

Aiden looked completely unbothered. “I was busy.”

“You could’ve texted me.” Sofia’s manicured fingers brushed against his shoulder lightly. “I almost thought you were avoiding me.”

Evie suddenly stood up. “I'm going to the restroom.”

Aiden’s eyes immediately followed her. “Evie.”

“I'll be back.” She walked away before either of them could stop her.

The moment she stepped into the restroom, she gently grasped the sink for support and gazed into the mirror, her eyes filled with tears that streamed down her face, her cry so full of pain and sorrow, with mucus coming out of her nose reminding her of her vulnerability.

“This is so pathetic,” she said while crying. “Why did it hurt seeing him with other women?

“He wasn’t hers. He would never be hers. So why did jealousy feel like something sharp lodged inside her chest?

“Aiden dated models, actresses, women older and more experienced than her. Meanwhile, she was just…”

“Evie.”

Her breath caught, she had to swallow what she was saying. She turned quickly to find Aiden standing near the doorway, alone.

“I hope he did not hear what I said.” She muttered to herself.