Aiden memorized the name. “…Is she normal?”
“Am I an idiot? Maybe, considering what happened today. No, she’s not normal.”
“Then she’s part of the business? Another family?”
“Her name is all you need to know.” Hui Ye threw a sharp gaze, and Aiden quickly dropped any fantasies of continuing the conversation. The two stared in silence a few seconds longer before his brother sighed for a third time. The crooked smile smoothed to a small one, and his eyes looked to the ground with a glint of excitement. “Either she got sloppy today or she decided to play a prank on me by leaving her dress out like that.”
Oh, he’s so serious about her. How unusual!Aiden shot up and leaned forward, but before he could attempt asking his next flurry of questions, Hui Ye moved to sit beside him on the bed. “I have something to give you. It’s okay if you don’t want it after tonight, but I thought you should know, if nothing else.”
He plopped the package into Aiden’s lap, making the distinct crinkle noise of plastic that Aiden had come to recognize easily.Clothes.Expecting outfits that cost a fortune, he unwrapped the present.
Silver shimmered in his eyes, falling elegantly against his hand. With a gasp, Aiden carefully pulled the garment out of the wrapping paper. Like sand, the cloth unfolded itself into a magnificent hanfu with their family name, Hui, embroidered. A roaring dragon, with a long reaching body and each individual scale glistening in the light, reached from the right shoulder to the left waist.
Jaw dropped, Aiden traced the creature emblazoned. “Oh, the dragon’s part of the cloth. It isn’t embroidered.”
“Yeah. I suspect the cloth was selected for that reason.”
“Shouldn’t there be more layers?” He turned the hanfu over, lifting up the flaps.
“It’s modernized. Our…” His brother stopped. “Shemade it for you. Take it back with you to the States.”
Heat flashed across his body. The walls marched inward, and the air squeezed tighter. He glanced at the window, already calculating what to throw at it to break it and escape, but his brother’s steady hand gripped his shoulder. With that magic touch, the room reverted back to its size and temperature, and Aiden sat still on the edge of the bed.
Hui Ye stood up and stretched. “Let me know if that woman refuses to leave you alone.”
Aiden blinked. “Our stepmother?”
“Yeah.”
“What are you going to do if she doesn’t?”
“I’ll threaten her again.”
He stiffened. “Don’t do that. She just wants to make sure her children are safe.”
“More like she just wants enough money to spoil them.” Hui Ye flashed a lopsided grin. “Just remember, Aiden. Whatever you want, I can give to you—even if it means you never speaking or seeing me again. I’ll do anything for you.”
Aiden smiled back and held the words as close to his heart as possible. He shoved his thoughts of leaving this bloody world away.
• • •
Despite having only returned to the States for a week, Aiden moved into the apartment Hui Ye paid for the second the lease started—three weeks before classes started.
Skipping, he placed the well-packed suitcases into the trunk of the car. Just when he pulled the trunk down, he turned around to see his stepmother standing before him. His heart shot to his mouth. “Yes?” He hid his hands behind his back, playing with his fingers.
“Hui Lang.” His stepmother placed a hand against his cheek.
Her fingertips sent ice trembling through his veins. Her piercing eyes captured him, like hooks sinking into his skin. With a soft yet unyielding voice, she said, “You will go to that school. You will meet people you’ve never met before. And you will find yourself utterly alone in ways that you could never imagine.”
The palm of her hand seared against his cheek. Aiden wanted to move away, but his feet stayed frozen to the ground. Tears welled up in his eyes, but her face remained marred with cold certainty. “You’re going to a world you do not know, do not understand, and will never belong to.”
She finally stepped back.
Aiden cupped his face, certain a bruise formed from the pressure of her words. His brother told him not to care about what she said, but he did. They stabbed him in the heart, and they haunted him when his mind was free.
He could only run away.
So escape I will.With his head down, he shuffled into the car. He stole one last glance at his stepmother.
