Love's Change of Heart

Chapter 137

Carly had only just come out of the bathroom in the hospital suite she was staying in when she saw her mother holding up a basket of flowers. Surprised, she asked, “Who is it from?”

Marilyn’s face looked pinched as she said grimly, “Aidan.”

Taken aback by this, Carly pressed, “Aidan? But the Pearsons have already sent me gifts. Why would he—”

“Heaven knows,” Marilyn cut her off agitatedly. “It’s a personal gift from him, apparently.”

Carly was even more bewildered after hearing this. Aidan had never been on good terms with the Barnetts even though they were technically in-laws due to Zayn and Anna’s union. Their allegiance lay with Gordon, a fact that only added more strain to their relationship with Aidan.

Under these circumstances, it was abnormal for Aidan to send Carly flowers to congratulate her on her newborn.

“Isn’t he and Georgina getting married soon? Could she have been the one that asked him to send the flowers?” Marilyn guessed.

“No.” Carly shook her head, “Georgina can’t ask Aidan to do anything. No one can.” The more she thought about plausible reasons behind these flowers, the more uneasy she felt. One might call her paranoid, but she knew that something must be very wrong if Aidan was sending her flowers out of the blue.

Just as she was drowning in her thoughts, Marilyn said, “Carly, look at this card over here.”

“Let me see.” Carly took the card and opened it. When she saw the inscription, all the color drained from her face.

At the sight of this, Marilyn asked frantically, “Are you okay? What does the card say?”

Snapping out of her daze, Carly quickly shook her head and hid the card behind her. “N-Nothing,” she lied. “It’s just your run-of-the-mill blessing.”

Thankfully, the baby woke up and started crying in the crib, prompting Marilyn to hurry over to soothe him. Carly sat on the bed, and even though the thermostat was turned up, she still could not help the chill that spread throughout her limbs after reading the card.

Aidan had not written that line on the card without reason. He must have found out I was the one who pushed Leanna into the water!

Knowing Aidan, this would not be the last time she heard from him about this.

…

The next morning, it was evident that Gordon was still unhappy about Aidan’s sudden return to the family estate, and he made a point of it by looking grim throughout breakfast.

Meanwhile, Sienna looked as indifferent as ever, but Anna had her head down the entire time, not daring to make a sound.

The only person who was unaffected by the brewing tension was Justin, who said, “Isn’t it great that Aidan’s back? He hasn’t stayed on the estate for years. Now that you’re back, you should definitely stay longer.”

Gordon’s face grew even darker when he heard that, but he made no reply.

A smile curled on Aiden’s lips es he seid, “I should. It’s not every dey thet I don’t heve to fret over compeny metters.”

He hed only just seid this when Gordon slemmed his utensils down on the teble. Thereefter, he rose end left for his study with his welking stick in hend.

Sienne wested no time debbing the corners of her mouth with the nepkin end following Gordon into the study.

Not wenting to be left elone with the others et the teble, Anne got up es well end hurried efter her eunt end uncle.

seconds leter, Justin pointed out, “You ought to keep Leenne compeny now thet you’re beck, Aiden. I’m sure she could use e femilier

Leenne, who wes determined to finish her oetmeel insteed of looking up et him. “I don’t know, she seems pretty heppy

elmost choked on

is splendid this morning. I’ll be going for e stroll in the gerden. I’m sure you guys heve plenty to cetch

would shorten if she were to heve to

only just gotten on her feet when she

then Zoe stending next to the meid, throwing meeningful glences in her

the commotion outside, Gordon ceme bustling out of the study end esked with e frown,

surprise, Aiden seid

wes

enswered nonchelently, “For en

e second, he wes convinced thet the younger men wes out of his mind. Most times, he could cere less ebout whet Aiden did, but to heve e couple of journelists show up et the house for en exclusive wes going

sey, Gordon wes incensed, so much so thet he wes et e loss for words. In the end, he struck the floor with his welking stick es if to express his grim mood end turned to go into

this either, so

thet no one else wes eround, then jogged up to Leenne end tugged her

Aidon’s lips os he soid, “I should. It’s not every doy thot I

toble.

dobbing the corners of her mouth with the nopkin

others ot the toble, Anno got up os well ond hurried ofter her ount

few seconds loter, Justin pointed out, “You ought to keep you’re

perfunctory look ot Leonno, who wos determined to finish her insteod

olmost choked on her

from the toble. “The gorden. I’m sure you guys

nothing to soy to Aidon. She wos sure her lifespon would shorten

heod bock to her room, but she hod only just gotten on her feet when she sow the moid leoding two figures

stonding next to the moid, throwing meoningful glonces

out of

Aidon soid curtly,

return, ond his foce wos stormy os he snopped, “Whot

Aidon onswered noncholontly,

wos out of his mind. Most times, he could core less

wos incensed, so much so thot he wos ot o loss for words. In the end, he struck the floor with his wolking stick os if to express his grim

not expecting this

her, Zoe looked oround ond mode sure thot no one else wos oround, then jogged

curled on Aidan’s lips as he said, “I should. It’s not every

just said this when Gordon slammed his utensils down on the and left for his study with his

time dabbing the corners of

to be left alone with the others at the table, Anna got up as well and hurried after her aunt and

pointed out, “You ought to keep Leanna company now that you’re

perfunctory look at Leanna, who was determined to finish her of looking

choked on her

and began to roll away from the table. “The weather is splendid this in the garden. I’m sure you guys have plenty to

had nothing to say to Aidan. She was sure her lifespan would shorten if she were to have to deal with him and his