“Aiden…” I wrapped my arms around his head, my fingers brushing gently through his soft hair. “I know how hard you’ve been trying to love me.” Aiden lifted his head; there were tears in the corners of his eyes. I blinked, stunned. “Aiden… are you crying?” He turned his face away stubbornly. “I’m not crying.” I let out a laugh. “Not crying, huh? Then why is your face soaking my shoulder?” Aiden had always been calm and detached; I never thought I’d see him like this—raw, vulnerable… crying. “I was scared,” he said quietly. I drew in a deep breath. “Aiden. Let’s get engaged.” His whole body tensed; then, slowly, he looked up at me. “Okay,” he said simply. I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “But first, I need to heal Anna,” I murmured. “I’m planning to make a trip to the underground black market here in Capital City. Come with me?” His lips curved in a rare smile. “Of course.” After that, I collapsed into bed, sleeping harder than I had in days. Aiden stayed close, keeping watch over me the entire time. Even in sleep, I could feel his arms around me—warm, steady, safe. When I finally woke, I felt refreshed, as if a weight had been lifted. After a quick wash, I headed downstairs and was immediately hit by the smell of something delicious. “Aiden?” I called. He poked his head out from the kitchen, smiling at me. “I’m cooking. It’ll be ready in a minute.” I froze. Aiden is cooking? My eyes widened in disbelief. There he was, in an apron, a smudge of oil on his cheek, a spatula in hand. If anyone walked in, they’d think he was… my cute, stay-at-home husband. “Aiden,” I said, narrowing my eyes playfully, “if someone kidnapped you, blink twice.” I walked up and poked at his cheek. “I wasn’t kidnapped,” he said calmly, leaning down to kiss me, “and I’m not drugged either. I just thought, you haven’t been eating well these past days, so I wanted to make you something.” A helpless laugh slipped from my lips. “Well, you guessed wrong. Randall’s been practically shoving food down my throat to ‘get me strong enough for surgery. I’ve been eating like a queen these past few days.” One of Aiden’s brows arched. “So, you’re not eating now?” “Of course I’m eating,” I said quickly. “You're cooking for the first time? How could I not?” I sat down at the table and stared at the feast laid out before me; dish after dish, everything steaming and perfect. “Aiden, this is incredible. Even I couldn’t pull this off. You’re a CEO; there’s no reason for you to know how to cook like this.” He glanced at me, his tone calm. “This isn’t my first time cooking.” The smile on my face froze. I could almost see it, Aiden cooking for some ex-girlfriend, learning to perfect every recipe for her. “Oh?” I said coolly. “And how did she like it?” The edge in my voice sharpened as the words left my mouth. This man had better not keep talking— “She said it was fine,” Aiden said evenly, “but that eating too much of it might kill her.” The next second, my temper flared. I slammed my fork onto the table. “Wow. You must’ve been so good to your ex.” Aiden blinked at me, confusion flickering across his face. “What ex?” I glared. “Didn’t you just say you learned to cook for your ex-girlfriend?” He shook his head immediately. “No. I didn’t learn for an ex. I just started learning recently. My assistant was the one testing my dishes.” Heat rose in my cheeks as I realized my mistake. Dropping the subject, I picked up my fork again and dug in.And to my surprise, every bite was delicious. Perfectly balanced flavors, cooked to perfection. After stuffing myself, we headed out to meet Johnston. When he saw me, his face lit up. “Raelyn! I thought you’d forgotten all about me. Didn’t expect you to come find this old man. What brings you here this time?” “I need to ask you for something,” I said. That only seemed to brighten him more. “Say the word. If I can get it, it’s yours.” “I need the highest-quality Frostbane, top-grade ginseng, and some Spriteleaf.” Johnston stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I know exactly what you’re talking about. I can get them—but the best quality…” I smiled faintly. “Do your best.” “Actually,” he said, a glint in his eye, “there’s someone auctioning those herbs tonight. His stock is always top-grade. Want me to introduce you?” My eyes lit up. “Yes. That’d be perfect; there are a few other things I’ll need to pick up as well.” He nodded, made a quick call, and before long, a man in black walked in. He looked to be in his late forties or early fifties, broad-shouldered, built like someone who spent years training. There was something familiar about his face, though I couldn’t place it. I studied him curiously. “Hello. What’s your name?” The man glanced at Aiden, hesitation flickering in his eyes. “You can call me Joah.” “Mr. Joah,” I said, “I want to buy your best Frostbane, the finest ginseng, and Spriteleaf. And if possible, I’d also like to get any other high-quality herbs that help replenish blood.” His brows drew together in suspicion. “You planning a blood cleanse?”