Chapter 55

Aria's POV I watched Aiden leave the dining room, wondering what was on his mind. Maybe his aunt's visit had put him in a bad mood. That could explain why he'd hardly touched his food. My thoughts scattered when Lucy returned to clear the table. Her eyes widened at the sight of all the barely-touched dishes—especially on Aiden's side of the table. The color drained from her face. "Was... was something wrong with the food, Mrs. Carter?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. The poor woman looked absolutely terrified, and my heart sank. I suddenly remembered this morning when Lucy had nervously approached me in the kitchen. "Mrs. Carter," she had asked tentatively, "do you happen to know what Mr. Carter prefers for dinner? I've worked here three months, but he's rarely home for meals..." Since Aiden hardly ever ate at home, she didn't know his preferences—and honestly, neither did I. But instead of admitting that awkward truth about our arrangement, I'd simply smiled and told her, "Oh