Chapter 139

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Just as he reached for the door handle , he paused and frowned . “ Wait a second . This is my car . Why should I be the one to leave ? ”
Not wanting to deal with him any longer , Aria unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car .
Liam quickly followed her and grabbed her arm . “ What if they come back ? Let me take you home . ”
They saw Aria save him . If they hold a grudge , they might come after her .
Aria spun around , locked his shoulder with a swift move , and threw him over her shoulder , slamming him onto the ground .
Liam hit the ground hard , a muffled groan escaping as pain shot through his back .
“ Idiot ! ” Aria hissed .
For a moment , Liam felt like he was back a year ago , lying in a hospital bed and hearing Hannah’s sharp voice scolding someone .
He opened his eyes and saw Aria’s retreating figure .
In that instant , it dawned on him that Hannah’s voice and figure bore an uncanny resemblance to Aria’s .
He scrambled to his feet , watching as Aria flagged down a taxi and left without looking back .
Several cars pulled over , their windows rolling down as people stopped to watch the commotion .
Liam got up , brushed off the dust , and climbed back into the car .
Aria really had a fiery temper .
Who would treat someone they loved like that ? Well , forget it . She saved him after all .
Aria had just stepped into the elevator when she noticed Owen coming back with groceries .
Owen’s expression shifted as soon as he saw the wound on her nose . “ Ms. Saxon , you’re injured . ”
The wound didn’t look like a simple scratch . It seemed more like … /
“ It’s just a small injury , ” Aria said , walking inside .
She didn’t say anything else , her brows slightly furrowed , her mood clearly off .
The elevator had a mirror , and Owen’s gaze lingered on her reflection . “ Do you have a first aid kit at home ? ”
Aria glanced up , her eyes meeting Owen’s in the mirror .
For a moment , their gazes locked through the glass , and time seemed to pause .
‘ She looks familiar , ‘ Owen thought . ‘ He looks familiar , ‘ Aria mused .
Owen’s lips curved into a faint smile as he broke the silence . “ Have you had dinner yet ? ”
Aria shifted her gaze . “ Not yet . ”
Owen smiled . “ Want to join me ? ”
She blinked , confused . “ Huh ? ”
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Owen explained , “ I’ve been experimenting with cooking lately and need someone to taste test . I helped you with the beauty cream , so how about you help me with the food ? ”
Aria found the suggestion odd but couldn’t think of a reason to refuse . “ Okay . ”
Ding ! The elevator arrived .
Owen lifted the groceries in his hand and said , “ I’ll text you when dinner’s ready . ”
“ Need a hand ? ” Aria asked .
He smiled faintly . “ No need . Take care of your wound first .”
Aria smiled . “ Okay . ”
Aria quickly disinfected the wound , applied a bandage , and opened her laptop . She entered the license plate number to start her search .
She found the mall’s underground parking lot footage , but it had been deleted .
With no other option , she opened her encrypted software and contacted Vanessa .
They avoided discussing sensitive matters on WhatsApp .
Next , she reached out to White Fox and sent him a file . His reply came instantly . [ Boss , why are you sending me Solemnity Guild’s confidential documents ?]
Aria : [ Just report it as is . ]
After sending the message , she logged out of the software .
An hour later , her phone buzzed .
Aria read the message , got up , and headed to the apartment across the hall .
The door was slightly open , so she walked in and saw Owen wearing an apron , carrying a bowl of soup .
With his tall frame , the pastel pink apron looked a bit out of place but oddly charming .
Owen set the soup down , noticed her gaze , and chuckled . “ My mom loves pink . She picked this out for me . ”
Aria nodded . “ Your mom has great taste . ”
Three dishes and a soup were laid out , their presentation simple yet refined , rivaling the work of professional chefs from Navoron Restaurant .
Owen pulled out a chair for her . “ Ms. Saxon , let’s eat . ”
His sleeves were rolled up from cooking , fully exposing the bite mark on his forearm .
Aria’s gaze lingered on the mark , her expression shifting slightly .
Owen saw the change on her face and glanced at his forearm . “ Ms. Saxon , is there anything wrong with my bite mark ? ”
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