I froze for a second, then replied, "Wait, haven't we always just been friends?" The other end was dead silent for a second before erupting: "Damn, you go, girl!" "Bro, you've been simping for her for years, and you still haven't locked it down?" Aidan cleared his throat. "Sorry guys, excuse me. I have some family business to take care of." 01 Aidan put heavy emphasis on the words "family business." He was definitely pissed. I hung up before he could say another word and immediately turned off my phone. I spent the whole day in class on edge. When the old professor called on me, for once, I gave a serious answer. No sarcastic jokes, no smart-aleck remarks. The old professor pushed his reading glasses down his nose: "Well, look at that. Has Maya been possessed?" I gave a cheeky smile: "Not at all, Professor. I'm just entering my new 'quiet and studious' era for the semester." The classroom burst into laughter, breaking the stuffy atmosphere. The professor nodded: "Yep, there she is. That's the Maya we know." After evening classes, I kept my head down, avoided eye contact, and made a beeline for my dorm. Suddenly, my roommates flanked me on both sides, bumping me with their shoulders. "Hey, hey, look over there! A Porsche Cayenne at the campus gate. Looks crazy expensive." "I don't know anything about cars, but the guy standing in front of it is ridiculously hot..." I looked up. The silver-haired boy they were talking about was walking straight toward us. With a radiant, sunny smile, he confidently called out: "Hey! Sister-in—I mean, Maya!" My roommates had one talent: they were incredibly good at reading the room. They gave me a shove forward and disappeared instantly. I lost my balance and was about to face-plant right into Caleb's chest. Caleb looked like he was staring death in the face. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a half-step back. "You little brat..." Before I could finish cursing, someone caught me by the waist and hauled me up. When did Aidan get out of the car? Without time to think, I stood up straight and swallowed the rest of my expletives. Caleb let out a massive sigh of relief and patted his own chest: "Thank God you're okay." I rolled my eyes at him. He smiled apologetically: "Don't be mad! We were just playing Truth or Dare with Aidan!" Mmhmm, and? "Aidan lost and chose Dare. The breakup call was my terrible idea." Caleb grabbed my arm and shook it pleadingly: "You can hit me or yell at me all you want, but please don't be mad at Aidan, okay?" Aidan swatted Caleb's hand away: "Alright, that's enough. You can go now." So, Aidan dragged Caleb all the way here just to explain that to me? 02 "Achoo!" The AC in the car was blasting, and I sneezed. Aidan caught it out of the corner of his eye and casually turned the temp up two degrees. But the warmer air couldn't fight off Aidan's icy aura. After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice low and tight: "What did you mean by 'haven't we always just been friends'?" Uh... "No, listen, I can explain... I mean, let me make something up..." "Maya, don't forget. We are literally married." I deflated, adjusted the passenger seat to its most comfortable position, kicked off my shoes, and curled up in the chair. "You're the one who said 'break up' first..." I muttered my protest. Aidan's hands tightened on the steering wheel. He tossed a small blanket at me: "Fine. Neither of us will ever say that word again." "And one more thing. Don't sit like that in anyone else's car." Sit like what? I looked down. Oh, right, I forgot I was wearing a mini-skirt today... I quickly pulled the blanket over my legs. Help, did he see anything just now? "Did you see?" "No." "What color?" "White..." Hmph, I knew it. He saw it and wouldn't admit it. Caught him with a reflex test. Blushing, I stole a glance at Aidan. He had a high, straight nose, a sharp jawline, and perfectly shaped lips. The setting sun hit his face through the window, adding a touch of softness. His side profile was stunning. I acutely noticed that the tips of his ears were slowly turning pink. I pulled out my phone. Click! Aidan's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard: "What... are you doing?" So handsome! I admired my own framing and lighting. "This photo could sell for a lot of money! I bet tons of fans would fight over it." Aidan let out an exasperated laugh: "What, is the allowance I give you not enough?" It's enough. It's definitely enough. Being Aidan's secret wife, with him transferring $50,000 into my account every month for living expenses—that was our mutually beneficial agreement. 03 Aidan was the highest-ranked pro esports player in the country. His hands were incredibly steady, especially when he drove. I almost always fell asleep when I rode in his car. Maybe it was because I stared at his picture for too long just now. I actually had a weird dream... In the dream, my fingers gently traced Aidan's brow bone, the bridge of his nose, his lips... And when he was visibly aroused, I kissed him. "Mmph!" I opened my eyes, only to see Aidan's flushed face hovering right over mine. This wasn't a dream! "Breathe." I finally remembered how to take in oxygen. Aidan let out a soft chuckle: "Fix yourself up, we're getting out." Looking in the visor mirror at my misty eyes and swollen lips... I took several deep breaths, cursing him in my head: Aidan, you absolute animal! I looked at our familiar surroundings. It was that private bistro I mentioned was really good. Aidan was a regular here, and the owner knew him well. Only today, he was acting overly enthusiastic—until he saw me standing behind Aidan. The owner rubbed his hands together, looking unnatural. Seeing Chloe sitting by the window, I understood why the owner was acting weird. Chloe. The youngest Best Actress winner. And Aidan's "White Moonlight"—his first love and ex-girlfriend. "What a coincidence." Chloe smiled and greeted us. She really lived up to her title; even without makeup, she was breathtaking. Aidan froze for a few seconds, then gave a curt nod. He reached back and pulled me from behind him to his side. Gee, thanks a lot! Seeing me, Chloe was visibly surprised for a second before she broke into a smile: "I didn't know you liked this place too." Is it too late to say I don't like it anymore? Chloe bit her lower lip, her eyes slightly red, staring at Aidan with deep affection. It truly was a case of ex-lovers seeing red when they meet. Since this was a private, reservation-only kitchen, everyone here was a regular. Chloe simply suggested we eat together. She sat across from Aidan, and the two of them casually chatted about how they'd been. "Congratulations on starting the top esports club in the country." "Thanks." "Aidan, I'm planning to move back to the States for good..." I was officially the third wheel, and I was losing my appetite. You guys chat; I'll just eat. I looked out the window. Maybe I wouldn't be able to stay by Aidan's side for much longer. The owner came over and asked: "Ice in your drinks or room temperature?" Aidan and Chloe answered in unison: "Room temperature." I sat there all alone and yelled: "Iced!" Chloe gave a shy smile: "I didn't think you'd still remember..." Aidan swapped my iced cola for his room temp water, looking right at me: "You know you shouldn't have iced drinks for the next couple of days, right?" Faced with Aidan's sudden display of care, I instinctively glanced at Chloe across the table. The shy smile hadn't even faded from her face, but her fingers gripping the cup were white from the pressure. "Hic." The atmosphere was too awkward, and I embarrassingly let out a hiccup... 04 Having a crush is like a hiccup; you simply can't hide it. Turns out, awkwardness is exactly the same. By my nth hiccup, Aidan finally couldn't hold it back and laughed out loud. I glared at him. Chugging water and stuffing my face with food wasn't helping at all. Help, why am I hiccupping in front of my romantic rival??? Watching Chloe sit there elegantly, I was so anxious I wanted to cry. Aidan patted my back with a totally doting look. He took the water glass away from me just as I was about to chug again: "That's not working. I have a trick, want to try it?" Still hiccupping, I nodded my head like a bobblehead. "Look over there!" Huh? I looked in the direction Aidan was pointing. The next second, the back of my head was suddenly gripped by his large hand, and my mouth was sealed shut! "Y-y-you... what are you doing?" My face turned bright red, and I frantically pushed him away. He looked unsatisfied, licking his lips: "What? Your hiccups are gone, but now you have a stutter?" I stammered for a while, unable to form a coherent sentence. Crash. The glass in Chloe's hand shattered on the floor. Her eyes were red, and her voice trembled: "Sorry. It slipped." After saying that, she walked toward the restroom, looking strong yet fragile... I sneaked a peek at Aidan. He was completely unmoved, seriously eating his food. Something's wrong. This isn't right. Did he kiss me on purpose just to make Chloe mad? Is his calm demeanor right now forced? Is he just pretending? I lost my appetite. Chloe came back. She had clearly been crying—a delicate, tear-stained beauty. She truly looked pitiful. I took the hint and opened my Uber app: "Um, I'll catch a ride back to campus. Aidan, you can take her home!" Aidan snatched my phone away, threw his arm around my shoulder, and walked toward the door: "Ms. Chloe doesn't need me to take her home. I'll take you." 05 Back in the car, I complained loudly: "What's wrong with you, bro? I gave you an opening and you didn't take it!" Aidan shot me a glance, a wicked smirk playing on his lips. His voice was lazy: "Whether I take the opening or not, we'll only know if we try." !!! I froze. Since when did the normally stoic Aidan make dirty jokes? I reflexively scoffed: "All talk and no action. Who knows!" Hearing my sarcasm, Aidan laughed instead of getting mad. He suddenly made a sharp turn. The GPS voice chimed in: "You have left the route. Recalculating route!" I watched the red dot on the map get further and further away from my campus. I asked quietly: "Where are we going?" "Home." "T-t-that... that's not a good idea, is it?" Look at my big mouth. When am I going to fix my habit of talking trash? The evening breeze blew gently, and the night felt cool. Looking at Aidan's prominent knuckles, I remembered that marrying him was entirely because of my big mouth. My family and Aidan's were close friends, but he was six years older than me. Because he was incredibly handsome, I had liked following him around since I was little. I also loved messing around with photography, and Aidan's first viral photo was taken by me. At that time, Aidan was just starting to make a name for himself, and Chloe was just an unknown esports tournament host. Handsome guy, beautiful girl, sparks flying—I wasn't surprised they got together. Occasionally taking photos of them together, I always thought they looked perfect for each other... Except for the tiny bit of heartbreak I hid very well. Chloe, who was highly ambitious, refused to make their relationship public. After Aidan started dating her, his performance took a nosedive. He choked in several major tournaments. Meanwhile, Chloe was scouted by a director because of her photos as a host, and her career skyrocketed. One was falling into a slump, while the other was climbing higher. Arguments were inevitable. After Chloe left the country, Aidan became incredibly depressed. I created a bunch of burner accounts, pretending to be a fan, leaving him encouraging messages. I also promoted him on every platform I could find. 06 I chased Aidan with zero success. But out of pride, I'd tell anyone who'd listen that Aidan had been simping for me for years and I just hadn't said yes. No one believed me, except my mom and his mom. "You little brat! Aidan's been playing so badly lately, and it's because of you?" Me... When both our parents confronted Aidan, his secret relationship with Chloe had just been exposed, and he was entangled in scandals. Aidan pulled me into his arms and said to the reporters' cameras: "I've been simping for this person for years. Today, I finally got my wish." "Marry me," I heard him say. Is there any clarification more powerful than directly marrying the person you're rumored with? I thought about it for a while. There wasn't. Engaged in the morning, married in the afternoon. When I got the marriage certificate, it felt like it was burning my hands. On our wedding night, I guiltily sneaked a peek at Aidan. "Um... I can explain..." "I'm sorry." Before I could organize my thoughts, Aidan apologized first: "I'm sorry. I used you." Seeing Aidan's depressed look, my heart felt like it had been stabbed by a needle. The courage I had accumulated for years instantly deflated like a popped balloon. I swallowed my confession, generously patted Aidan's shoulder, and acted like we were just bros: "Don't mention it. When you win the championship, just make sure to transfer 50k to my account every month for living expenses!" Aidan gave a rare smile: "50k? Want to rob me blind?" "This is my first marriage, okay? Besides, is a champion going to be that cheap?" "You're that sure I can win the championship?" "Of course!" Because you're Aidan Blackwood... He rubbed my head: "Alright. Then I'll bring the championship trophy back for you." After getting married, Aidan really did change. He worked harder than ever. He ate, lived, and slept at the club, basically never coming home. In the dead of night, I'd wonder: is he not coming home because of me? So, I applied for a dorm room at school and moved in with roommates. 07 The second year, Aidan really brought back the championship. He ran toward me holding the trophy, and we hugged each other, crying our eyes out. I didn't want to know why he was crying. I was just crying because I was moved by the impending 50k monthly income. After the tournament, Aidan established the top esports club in the country. I went from being his personal photographer to the team photographer. Through the camera lens, I could openly look at Aidan. Feel his frustration, his competitive drive, and the endless emptiness after a victory... Using photos to document every important moment of his life. It was just a pity that I was never in those photos... Except for that proposal in front of the cameras, Aidan never proactively introduced me to anyone around him. Sometimes when asked, he would say: "A friend." "The girl next door." "Just a kid who loves messing with cameras." Fine. At least he wasn't hiding me. Because I took photos for the team, I got along really well with the kids at the club. Besides me, Aidan had almost no other women around him over the years. During holidays, I always waited at the club to drive home with him. The team members assumed we were dating and jokingly called me "Sister-in-law." Being called that, I was secretly thrilled. What made me even happier was that Aidan didn't deny it and just let them say it. On the drive home for New Year's, I was so happy I hummed a little tune the whole way. "What's making you so happy?" I casually straightened Aidan's collar and smiled: "Nothing, just a very, very, very small thing not worth mentioning." My happiness didn't even last through one traffic light. Aidan's phone rang. Contact: Chloe. Seeing the caller ID, Aidan slammed on the brakes. I, who hated wearing seatbelts, bumped my head hard and got a huge lump. "Does it hurt?" Aidan's eyes were full of guilt. "It doesn't hurt. Not at all!" Aidan laughed: "If it doesn't hurt, why are you crying?" Only then did I realize I was actually crying. To prove it really didn't hurt, I started laughing. Laughing and crying at the same time, Aidan thought I was concussed and rushed me to the hospital. But I couldn't explain. I couldn't say, Aidan, my head doesn't hurt. My heart hurts, right? That would be too embarrassing. I'd rather Aidan think I was an idiot than be laughed at by him. 08 That was our first time going home for New Year's as a newlywed couple. There weren't enough rooms, so we were forced to share a bed. While Aidan was taking a shower, his phone lit up. My heart dropped, and I subconsciously looked at the screen. "Aidan, I miss you..." That night, Aidan went to the balcony and talked on the phone for a long time. When he came back, his body carried a biting chill mixed with a faint smell of smoke. It wasn't unpleasant. The bed sank a few inches as Aidan pulled me into his arms. Hiss, so cold. Damn Aidan, he must be using me as a human hot water bottle. As the temperature rose, there was nothing better than a warm bed in winter. I burrowed deeper into his arms, finding a comfortable position. Half-asleep, I asked him: "Aidan, do you know who I am?" He didn't expect me to ask that. He froze: "I know." "Then who am I?" "Maya." Hearing my name, I felt mostly at ease. "Aidan?" "Yeah." "If you want a divorce, tell me anytime. I'll figure out a way to handle our parents..." A long, long time passed. I fell asleep, and Aidan seemed to have said something. I didn't hear it, and I didn't want to hear it. Suddenly, I felt a warm touch on my forehead. Aidan asked with concern: "Did you have a nightmare? Why is your brow furrowed so tight?" I didn't want to answer. I stretched, looked out the window, and changed the subject: "Did I fall asleep again?" Aidan rubbed my head: "Yeah, sleeping like a little pig." Our new house was really very new. The wedding decorations hadn't even been taken down, and the number of times anyone had stayed there could be counted on one hand. We hired a cleaning lady regularly, so it wasn't dirty, but it lacked the feeling of people living there. Especially, there were no traces of me. When we first got married, I had fantasies about "our home." During that time, I was acting like I was under a spell. If I saw anything related to couples, I bought it. Matching toothbrushes, matching mugs, matching slippers... I used to wait joyfully for Aidan to come home. But he didn't seem to like it very much. I still remember him holding a cartoon toothbrush cup, smiling awkwardly: "You don't have to go this far." I smiled too. I said: "Isn't this just in case our parents come for a surprise inspection!" 09 After that, Aidan never came back to our home. I felt like I was holding a long, grand farewell all by myself. For every day he didn't come home, I threw away one carefully chosen couple's item. On the day I threw away the very last thing, I moved back into the dorms. More than friends, less than lovers—that was my dilemma, my comfort zone. Right now, the room only held the everyday items Aidan had left behind, along with a few of my clothes. He paced back and forth in the room several times. Like he was looking for something... "Maya." "I'm here." Every time Aidan used my full name, it was never a good sign. Sure enough, his smile didn't reach his eyes: "What's going on here?" "Huh?" I played dumb. "What's going on where?" Aidan laughed out of anger. He loosened his tie: "Alright, Maya. You've grown some wings." I pouted. What exactly did Aidan think I was? A little white rabbit who didn't know how to fight back and only knew how to foolishly like him? Normally, I wouldn't dare pull these little stunts in front of him. But today. His "White Moonlight" Chloe is back. I figured a divorce was imminent anyway. So I stopped pretending! Aidan suddenly pinned me against the wall in the entryway, his eyes darkening: "Wife—" He whispered softly into my neck: "I suddenly remembered, we still haven't had our wedding night..." So close! The hairs on my body stood on end. I was surrounded by Aidan's scent, and my head felt dizzier than if I were drunk. Using my last shred of rationality, I pointed out the window: "Look! A UFO!" Taking advantage of Aidan's distraction, I sprinted into the bathroom. That was close. Too close. After showering, I realized I had celebrated too early... I never thought I'd be back in this house. I didn't have any clean clothes here at all! I knocked lightly on the bathroom door: "Aidan?" "Yeah." "Could you... get me one of your longer shirts?" "Call me 'Big Brother'." This opportunist! My fists clenched and unclenched. Standing under his roof, I finally bowed to the evil forces: "Big... Big Brother Aidan..." Damn! I hadn't called him that since I grew up! My toes curled so hard they could dig a three-bedroom apartment in the floor. "What? Louder! Can't hear you!" "I said, Big Brother Aidan~ Maya wants~ clothes~" 10 "Wouldn't it have been easier to just say that from the start?" Aidan handed me a shirt. A short one... Even though he was much taller than me, it barely covered my thighs. Why didn't I realize before that Aidan was this inappropriate? Or is every guy who plays "Jungle" secretly a pervert? Aidan was listening to the TV in the living room. Seeing me come out, his gaze swept over my body. My face turned bright red. I ran back to the room, not daring to make eye contact with him. My body felt heavy these past few days, always so tired. When Aidan came in, I thought I was dreaming. Wait? The feeling of semi-wet hair... it didn't feel like a dream! I widened my eyes and sat up, clutching the duvet: "You, you, you... why did you come in?" Aidan looked perfectly justified: "This is my house. Why wouldn't I come in?" But you always slept in the living room, the study, or the guest room before... Fine. If you won't leave, I will. I wrapped the duvet around me and shuffled toward the door. Suddenly, Aidan caught me by the waist, threw me onto the bed, and pinned me down! Looking at Aidan's prominent nose bridge. I heard myself say: "Aidan, this is going to cost extra." "Heh, I didn't realize you were such a gold-digger before?" How did that saying go: "I want a lot of love. If I can't have that, I want a lot of money." Aidan, I really, really like you... I covered his lips, looked into his eyes, and said seriously: "Aidan, let's get a divorce." He still had a smirk on his face, but he looked at me suspiciously: "What did you say?" "I said, let's get a divorce! "This way you can be with Chloe openly. You don't need to use me to make her mad... "Are you an idiot? Girls need to be coaxed. Acting like this will only push her further away..."
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "414051", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel