Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts

Chapter 134

Ines and Aaron Swanson agreed to meet at noon. They bumped into each other at a coffee shop. When Ines arrived, Aaron was already there. She immediately noticed the bruise at the corner of his mouth and frowned, "What happened to your mouth?"

"Got into a fight," Aaron didn't bother to hide it, blurting it right out.

Ines shook her head, chuckling. She didn't connect the dots between him and Ethan, just thought it was a coincidence, "My husband also got into a fight a couple days ago. You guys are in your thirties, why are you fighting like teenagers?"

Aaron scoffed, "I fought with him."

"What did you say?" Ines thought she heard wrong. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

"I knew he didn't tell you anything. Me, him, and Noel, we go way back. We grew up together, but we just drifted apart," Aaron explained.

Ines was shocked. She knew Aaron was from A City and came from a good family, but she didn't expect him to have this kind of relationship with Ethan.

That man should have known about Aaron and her, so why hadn't he told her?

"Alright, enough about this, let's eat," Aaron changed the subject.

Ines nodded, seeing that Aaron didn't want to talk more about it, she didn't ask further. While eating, she asked, "Did you finish handing over your work in A City?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna stay in A City now."

"That's great, you'll get to spend more time with your family."

"Izzy, I want to ask, if I did something that hurt you, would you still consider me a friend?"

Ines was taken aback, she looked at Aaron, confused. This meeting, she felt like he changed a bit, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it, "You're joking, how could you hurt me?"

"The truth that you don't know, about me, Ethan, and Leila Caldwell, I can tell you."

Ines had a horrible feeling and frowned, "Who is Leila?"

"Ethan's ex-girlfriend, also the woman I like."

Ines was shocked. Even though Aaron put it simply, she could probably guess. She knew there was a woman in Aaron's heart and it was because of that woman that he left B City for five years. She didn't expect that woman to be the same person as Ethan's ex-girlfriend.

Without thinking, she asked, "Is your relationship with Ethan strained because of her?"

Aaron nodded.

Ines suddenly understood. Erica once mentioned that Ethan's ex-girlfriend had passed away and seemed to have some connection with Ethan.

After a pause, Ines said, "Even though I don't know the specific reason, that's all in the past. Leila has passed, you should look forward, not dwell on the past."

"You know about this?" Aaron looked at Ines, surprised.

"Erica told me a bit, but I don't know much."

Aaron's eyes brightened, he stared at Ines, not missing any subtle expressions on her face, "Izzy, do you want to know?" The implication was that he would tell her if she wanted to know.

Ines shook her head. She remembered Ethan once said, if she wanted to know anything, she could ask him directly and not to easily believe what others say.

She thought Ethan was just saying it at the time, now she understood,

He probably knew this day would come.

"Izzy, you're avoiding this. If I said you and Leila have similar personalities, even both being auditors, would you still remain indifferent?"

Ines paused, then looked into his eyes, "Are you saying I'm a substitute for Leila?" Aaron didn't answer, but Ines just laughed, seemingly unaffected, "There are many people with similar personalities in the world, and there are many auditors as well. I don't resemble her. It would be wrong to jump to that conclusion."

Ines paused, then continued, "I'm not that stupid. I can tell if someone truly cares for me. All I know is when I'm with Ethan, I'm the only one in his heart and eyes. He never treated me as another woman. Even in his sleep, he calls my name. Maybe he occasionally feels something because of the past, but I think that's a normal emotional fluctuation. If he were completely cold and unfeeling, then I'd be worried. Maybe one day he'll treat me like that." Aaron couldn't believe these words were coming from her. He always knew she was very firm about her feelings, otherwise he wouldn't have been so hesitant back then, which allowed Ethan to take advantage and caught him off guard.

"What if I said he once loved that woman very much, to the point he was willing to sacrifice our friendship for her ?"

Ines's expression changed slightly, then she said, "I trust him. Since I married him, I accept his past." Just like he and the Meyer family didn't care about her past.

A sarcastic smile appeared on Aaron's face, "Ethan's really powerful, he brainwashed you in such a short time, you believe him just like that? If he didn't have a guilty conscience, why hasn't he told you the truth?"

Ines didn't like Aaron talking about Ethan like this, she lowered her voice, "You're overlooking one thing. We've only been married for three months, not even half a year. He didn't keep me in the dark for ten years, just a little over three months."

That man didn't deliberately hide it from the start, he just didn't know how to bring it up. She believed that every wound needed time to heal, and after healing it took time to forget. Only after many years can one possibly forget that past wound.

Yes, just three months. But in these short three months, Aaron saw in her eyes her unconditional love and trust for Ethan. That's what he couldn't accept the most.

"You've fallen in love with him, haven't you?" Aaron's tone was unpleasant, clearly pressing. Ines was a bit angry at Aaron's aggressive attitude. If he wasn't the one who brought her up, she would have fallen out with him long ago. How could she still talk to him calmly?

"He's someone who's very easy to fall in love with."