Chapter 028

~~Ava~~ As I trudged back to my apartment, exhaustion weighed heavily on my shoulders. The tension between Aiden and me had become unbearable, the silence between us a palpable, suffocating force. I couldn't take it anymore - the way he avoided eye contact, the way his voice seemed to drip with disdain whenever he spoke to me. As I entered my apartment, a loud bang on the window made me scream, my heart racing with fright. I spun around, my eyes wide with shock, and that's when I saw her - Lydia, perched on the windowsill like a bird, a mischievous glint in her eye. I rushed to open the window, my anger and frustration boiling over. "Lydia, I have a front door!" I exclaimed, my hands on my hips. Lydia sauntered in, a sly smile spreading across her face. "I know," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You know? Then why didn't you use it?" I shot back, my rage simmering just below the surface. Lydia chuckled, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Really? You want me to climb up a five-story building, exhausting my strength, when I could just fly through these balconies? No thanks." She smirked, her voice laced with a flirtatious tone. I rolled my eyes, exasperated. "Especially not when I came for you tonight," Lydia added, her voice dropping to a husky whisper. She moved closer, her eyes locked on mine, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. "What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady as Lydia backed me into the wall. Lydia's smile grew wider, her eyes glinting with desire. "Oh, darling, you know what I want." She pinned me to the wall, her body pressed against mine. I tried to protest, but Lydia's lips were already on mine, her kiss devouring me whole. I felt a rush of excitement mixed with guilt and frustration. This wasn't part of the deal, but Lydia's lips were persuasive, and I found myself getting lost in the moment. But then I remembered - this wasn't what I wanted. I pushed Lydia away, my breathing ragged. "That wasn't the deal, Lydia. The deal was after every information." I exclaimed, trying to regain control. Lydia's smile never wavered. "Oh yeah, I know. So that only means I came with some information for you, doesn't it?" She paused, her eyes glinting with amusement. "But I'll get what I want first before opening this mouth of mine." As I gazed into Lydia's eyes, my desire for her took over, and I pulled her back into my arms. Our lips met in a passionate kiss, and we finally gave in to our desires. The room around us melted away, leaving only the two of us, lost in the moment. It had been over an hour since we'd finished, and Lydia and I lay on the bed, our ragged breaths echoing through the room. As we stared into each other's eyes, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions - satisfaction, guilt, and a hint of frustration. "So, what's the information?" I asked, my patience wearing thin. Lydia's eyes sparkled with amusement, and she let out a soft, husky laugh. "You can't be patient, can you?" she teased, her voice barely above a whisper. I felt a surge of irritation, but Lydia's eyes seemed to bore into my soul, and I couldn't help but feel drawn to her. "You've gotten what you want," I said, my voice firm. "Now, can I get mine?" Lydia's smile faltered for a moment, and she looked away, her eyes clouding over. "Fine..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's a fake marriage." My eyes snapped back to hers, shock written all over my face. "What?" I exclaimed, my voice loud in the quiet room. Lydia's eyes met mine, a hint of defiance in their depths. "I'm sure you don't have an ear impairment, right?" she said, her voice stern. "They're not technically married, Aiden and the Hailey woman. It's a fake marriage." Lydia's words hung in the air, and I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Aiden, the man I'd been obsessed with for so long, was in a fake marriage with some stranger? And she was pregnant? My mind reeled with questions, but before I could ask any of them, Lydia's eyes drooped, and she fell asleep, exhausted. I gazed at her, my emotions in turmoil. Why would Aiden want a fake marriage with someone? And what did it mean for me? I thought back to all the sacrifices I'd made, all the things I'd done to try and win Aiden back. And now, it seemed like it had all been for nothing. My eyes drifted to the tattoo on Lydia's arm, a series of lines drawn around her upper arm, spaced evenly apart. I wondered what it meant, but my mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of Aiden and his fake marriage. My mind was racing with questions, but one thought stood out above the rest: I had to uncover the reason behind Aiden's fake marriage. My eyes fixed on the old, drafted ceiling above me, my gaze piercing the darkness as my thoughts consumed me. "And I have to do it fast," I muttered to myself, a sense of urgency settling in the pit of my stomach. Time was of the essence, and I knew I had to act quickly to unravel the mystery surrounding Aiden's fake marriage.