Arwen looked at Aiden, intrigued. She knew the fact that he would never lie. But then, what was it about?
What did he do and what did he mean by those words?
She could tell he had done something really huge that she had zero clue about. She blinked, staring at him from the side.
Selene, on the other hand, flinched for a moment. But then, when she thought about what Aiden was trying to do, she held her ground and said, "Is it not a lie?"
It has to be a lie. After all, who was Arwen? How could she compare to Winslows ... to her? Aiden was just trying to back her up to prevent her from getting embarrassed like he does every time.
But not this time. She is not letting him.
"If it’s not a lie, then what is it, then? It’s a lie that —"
"Aiden isn’t lying?"
Morgan’s voice cut in smoothly, making Selene turn to look at him in confusion. "Grandpa Winslow, what do you mean?"
Morgan smiled at her, but unlike every time, this smile didn’t reach his eyes. "In Cralens, we have a tradition of preparing the bride’s exclusive property. It’s just an attempt by a husband to provide security to his wife. And we, the Winslows, cared about tradition a lot."
His gaze turned towards Arwen, several shades kinder. "Aiden hasn’t been any different. When he married his bride, he also prepared to give the security meant for his wife —one that he had been preparing since ever."
Arwen heard that, and she was taken aback. Aiden and her marriage might have developed into what it was today in just a few months, but it all started in a rush. She didn’t even get the time to prepare herself for it. How did he manage to make her the bride’s exclusive property?
She didn’t miss what the grandfather said. He had been preparing it since the beginning. Could it be that he had also been preparing to marry her?
And their encounter at the Civil Affairs Bureau that day wasn’t some mere coincidence?
Her fingers tightened in his hold, and feeling her shift, Aiden turned to look at her with a reassuring gaze.
As they stared at each other, Morgan spoke again. His tone was laced with the pride he was feeling inside. "Carlens is the country the Winslows founded. We aren’t the royals, but our majestic-ness doesn’t fall behind, nor our property and wealth. And all that wealth now belongs to Arwen. Not just this estate but every property that we hold here ... every asset is in her name. She, and only she, holds the ownership of all."
"Of course, in comparison to this whole country of wealth, these few properties that I gifted her don’t match at all," he said, and that only made Selene stagger on her feet as if something had blown her off.
She couldn’t believe Aiden did that for a stupid tradition. How could he simply name it all to Arwen? Who was she?
"His wife," Arwen spoke, without moving an inch.
Selene slowly glanced her way, only to find Arwen’s eyes still on Aiden. She almost thought what she heard was not for her. But when Arwen turned to glance her way, she realized it was meant for her.
Arwen was responding to Selene’s thoughts —not because they were loud. But because she could easily guess it.
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