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“How did Lynn actually end up with your brother?” I ask. “She seems to be nice and fun.”

“I guess Oliver can be like that, too,” he explains. “Just because my relationship to him is strained, doesn’t mean he isn’t an outgoing guy. From what I know, he was very similar to Lynn herself. That’s how they connected.”

“And how did it end?”

“She dumped him once she saw how strained our relationship was.”

My mouth drops open. “What?”

“Lynn and Oliver started dating in high school and then continued in college. Don’t forget that Oliver is my oldest brother. I am a lot younger than he is. At that time, I was very much still an outsider in the family. Lynn didn’t like that at all. You saw her today. She was the same years ago, and she was very vocal about how terrible she found our home situation. It was not so much about Oliver himself, but about the others. Oliver himself was already trying to mend our relationship, but Lynn didn’t like that he wouldn’t stand up to our other brothers and just let them bully me. I guess her dumping Oliver was the wake-up call he needed.”

“Crazy!” I exclaim. “I have a whole new respect for her! I hope Mateo takes his chance and doesn’t fuck it up.”

“I hope so, too.”

“You are not mad that he is hooking up with her, are you?” I ask carefully.

“No, Lynn is very confident and knows what she wants. I don’t meddle in her relationships.”

I let out a sigh of relief. The last thing I want is for Mateo and Sterling to face any difficulties in their work, and I don’t want Aden to be mad at them. They are all too important to me. “Can I take a shower first?” I ask, mainly to diffuse my own thoughts.

“Of course. I will take one after you. There are fresh towels there. You know the way, don’t you?”

I wince slightly. “Yeah, I remember.”

“Noel.” Aden touches my shoulder. “If your anxiety overwhelms you again, promise me to give me a sign. If you need space, I will give it to you. If you need to be alone, then I will make sure you can have your privacy. If you need a hug, I will give it to you, too.”

“What if you are mad at me and I need a hug?” I ask.

“I will never deny you comfort,” he says. “Even when I might be upset or angry. So, please, promise me you won’t run from me again.”

I let out a shaky breath. “Okay.”

With that, I finally manage to leave for the bathroom, almost scared I will spiral again just from remembering what happened last time. To my surprise, however, it’s completely different this time. Instead of my body and mind remembering my last anxiety attack, I feel rather comfortable and relaxed in the bathroom, finally able to enjoy the intricate design of the place and the huge floor-level shower. I have always wanted one of those!

With newfound energy and motivation, I make sure to clean myself properly and even take my time to prepare and stretch myself a little. Fingers crossed for some action later.

Unlike during that fateful night, where I bolted, I take my time now, and once out of the shower and bathroom, look through Aden’s place properly.

Meanwhile, Aden takes a shower himself, and once I am done looking at everything, I find him sitting in the living room, skimming through a notebook with a pencil in his hand. Is he writing or drawing something?

“I like how you live,” I say when I finally join him in the living room. “It’s elegant and suits you, but it’s also surprisingly cozy.”

“I am happy you like it. I wanted to have a place I could make my own, somewhere I could always retreat to.”

“Say, Aden, do you mind if I look around?”

He blinks. “Didn’t you do that just now?”

“Yeah, but more in detail.”

Aden’s lips tug in amusement. “You are the type of person to look into each of my drawers, aren’t you?”

My cheeks heat up. “Only if you allow me to!”

He grins. “Just go ahead. It’s fine.”

He doesn’t need to tell me twice. I dash off, this time snooping around a little. There are a lot of books and paintings, obviously. I have no idea if he drew them himself or if he bought them from somewhere. I do recognize Sterling’s drawings, though. The one with me on the beach has a very prominent place in the living room, and the other one is in his bedroom.