Chapter 36 The Kiss
Brenda explained, "Susanna, you mean the day you and Mr. Abbott had that fight? After you left, Mr. Abbott had Ms. Jones sent away. So, she never stayed here."
"What happened? Why is Aaron getting harder to understand?" Suddenly, a bold idea popped into Susanna's head. "Brenda, be honest with me. Mr. Abbott isn't into men, is he?"
"You should know better than anyone." Aaron's voice made Susanna jump. She turned to see him leaning against the doorframe, looking at her with a cold expression. Guilt washed over her, like she'd been caught doing something wrong. Brenda, even more scared, quickly fled the scene.
Susanna forced a laugh. "I'll go check on the renovations downstairs."
But Aaron blocked her path. His voice came from above her, "Don't you get questions? Ask them to my face."
Susanna bit her lip and thought it was just her bad luck. She cleared her throat, trying to change the subject. "The furniture's mostly in place. Just the bedroom left. Is there anything specific you need, Mr. Abbott?"
"Let's take a look." Aaron walked downstairs and saw the mattress in the living room. "When did I say I wanted this?"
Susanna eyed the high-profit mattress and quickly came up with an explanation. "Mr. Abbott, this mattress is perfect for someone like you who works long hours and has a stiff neck. It's great for your spine. Plus, it has features that ensure one person getting up won't disturb the other. A good mattress is essential for couples!"
She had barely finished when Aaron strode toward her. She took a step back and ended up sitting on the mattress.
Aaron bent down, his long legs trapping her in place.
Susanna felt incredibly awkward sitting there. If she moved, her legs would touch his, making it seem like she was trying to seduce him.
She gritted her teeth. "Mr. Abbott, could you move, please?"
But Aaron didn't budge. He looked down at her. "You picked this mattress. How do you know it's good if you don't try it?"
"I've already tried it. You'll know tonight, Mr. Abbott," Susanna said.
"Tried it?" Aaron's eyes narrowed. "I heard you bought a new house and are renovating it?"
Susanna's brow furrowed, thinking that Allison was definitely Elaine's mouthpiece. She kept her face neutral. "That's right. Is buying a house illegal?"
"Let me remind you, we're still legally married. Keep a low profile and don't let any rumors reach Grandma. You know the consequences," Aaron warned.
She smirked, grabbing his tie and flipping him onto the mattress. "You made me sign the divorce papers. You brought Erica into this house and it's you who couldn't wait to cut ties with me. Now you want to control me? Isn't it a bit late for that?"
"Susanna, didn't you hear what I just said? I don't like repeating myself," Aaron said.
Susanna didn't back down. "What are you afraid of? Me affecting Grandma or me cheating? I don't get it. What's your worry? It's just my way of getting back on you. Seems fair to me!"
Aaron didn't wait for Susanna to finish. He pressed his lips against hers. He didn't know what came over him; he just thought her mouth was too noisy and couldn't think of a better way to shut it. Susanna's eyes widened as Aaron kissed her passionately. Suddenly regaining her senses, she struggled to break free. But no matter how hard she fought, she couldn't escape Aaron's fervent grip. Determined, she bit his lip. Aaron immediately let go, wincing in pain. Both of them stood there, breathing heavily, unsure of what to say.
Hearing the commotion, Brenda hesitated at the door. She didn't want Susanna to suffer any more, so she mustered up the courage to speak. "Mr. Abbott, Tyler's here. Do you want to go down?"
Susanna seized the opportunity like a lifeline and quickly left the master bedroom. Brenda followed closely, whispering, "Mrs. Abbott, did you and Mr. Abbott have a fight?"
Susanna didn't respond, just instructed, "Replace the mattress. Don't worry about the rest." Avoiding Brenda's eyes, she hurried out of the villa.
Back at the Abbott Villa, Aaron sat on the bed, trying to calm down. After a while, he went downstairs. Everything had returned to normal, and the living room renovations were complete, looking more pleasant. Tyler was already standing in the hall.
However, when Aaron saw the wooden frame on the wall, he frowned. "What's this?"
Brenda answered honestly, "Mrs. Abbott said it could hold wedding photos, making them stand out more."
Aaron's eyes narrowed in confusion. Then he noticed a crib nearby. "And what's this?"
"Mrs. Abbott said it was a gift and would come in handy in the future," Brenda said.
"She really thinks ahead." Aaron touched his lips, still feeling the lingering sensation from the kiss. It felt strange.
Just then, Tyler walked in. "Mr. Abbott, did Mrs. Abbott leave?"
Aaron nodded and instructed, "Get someone to hang the wedding photos in the bedroom here and move the crib to my room."
Tyler was surprised. "Mr. Abbott, didn't you say you didn't like that stuff? It's too conspicuous."
"It's for Grandma to see," Aaron replied.
"And the crib? Shouldn't it go to storage?" Tyler asked.
"Tyler, have I been too lenient with you lately? Why are you questioning me more and more?" Aaron raised an eyebrow, looking displeased.
Tyler didn't dare say more. He quickly picked up the crib and headed upstairs, only to be called back by Aaron. "Wait!"
"Mr. Abbott, anything else?" Tyler asked.
"Did you find out about the house Susanna bought?" Aaron questioned.
"Yes." Tyler pulled out his phone, sending the information to Aaron while reporting. "Mrs. Abbott did buy a new house, and it's in her name."
Aaron looked at the purchase details on his phone, thinking Susanna was playing hard to get. Spreading news about buying a house, secretly sending a crib, and hinting at hanging wedding photos in the hall.
A smile crept onto Aaron's face. Tyler, noticing his expression, instinctively took a step back and continued moving the crib. He didn't know what Aaron was thinking, but from his years of experience, Aaron had likely misunderstood something.
For the next few days, Susanna was distracted. The order was complete, but the final payment hadn't come through. Every time she thought of Aaron, she remembered the kiss in the bedroom and wished she could disappear into a hole.
