Chapter 28: FORWARD
Aric's POV
I woke up around 2 PM in Aunt Lindy's house. The sunlight slipping through the curtains painted soft golden lines across the walls. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. The house had that still feeling—the kind that only shows up when no one else is around.
I sat up slowly, blinking a few times. My body felt heavy, not from tiredness , but from something sex i had with Erika and Seren all night .... Also the things I had done recently... or the things I was about to do.
I stood up, stretched, and walked downstairs. Every step felt a bit louder than usual against the wooden floorboards. When I reached the kitchen, I saw something waiting on the dining table.
A meal—carefully packed in small bowls and covered with a cloth.
I pulled the cloth away, and the scent hit me. Warm, earthy, a little sweet. Inside was a proper meal: tender meat, red mushrooms cooked with herbs, soft white rice, fresh bread drizzled with honey, and a cup of herbal tea, still slightly warm.
For a second, I just stood there, staring at it.
Someone made this for me
A lump formed in my throat. I didn't know why, but the moment felt heavier than it should've. Maybe it was the fact that after everything—manipulation, power, blood—this small act of kindness felt like a piece of a life I once had... or never had.
I quickly went to the bathroom, washed up, and took a long, quiet bath. The water was lukewarm, and I let it wash off not just the dirt on my skin—but something deeper. Something stuck to my soul.
After I got dressed, I returned to the kitchen and sat at the table.