When Hearts Collide: From Ashes to Love

Aaron felt noticeably better after taking the medicine, and Marian breathed a small sigh of relief. Checking the time, she realized it was already 9:30. Hesitantly rising from the couch, she offered, "Should I take you home? Or maybe I can ask Yi Ming to come help?"

With his lips pale and dry, Aaron shook his head. "Don't bother Yi Ming—he's out with his girlfriend tonight. Just call me a car; I'll go by myself."

He was thoughtful toward his subordinates, yet hardly courteous to her.

Marian immediately hailed a ride, then helped Aaron downstairs. When the car arrived, she guided him into the backseat. The rear of the taxi was cramped, and given Aaron's height and long legs, he looked terribly uncomfortable. Marian regretted not ordering a larger vehicle.

Nighttime in Xicheng was stunning. Driving through the bustling city center and heading west made the contrast even clearer: The western district was the wealthiest part of town, full of high-rise condos and small villas, completely different from the older, rundown housing on the east side.

Aaron's home was located on the far west side—an upscale neighborhood of standalone villas, fitting for a textbook "CEO." Oh, and his illness was practically a standard trope for CEOs, too, Marian mused. She felt no real emotion about it. It wasn't her first time dealing with this sort of scenario. After paying, she helped him out of the car and supported him to the entrance of his villa, only to get stuck on how to open the door.

"Facial recognition. I'll do it," Aaron reminded her. Marian nodded, supporting him as he scanned his face.

Once inside, Marian settled him onto the sofa and found a switch to light up the living room, finally getting a good look at the décor. It was simply furnished, coldly modern—just like Aaron. Apart from the necessary appliances, there wasn't a single extra touch, not even a potted plant. No trace of homey warmth.

She thought about how she, in her tiny rental, at least had a row of pothos plants on the balcony.

Moving back to Aaron's side, she noticed his pained expression had eased but still looked quite uncomfortable. The hair at his forehead was damp with sweat, so she pulled some tissues from the table to wipe it away gently.

His eyes were quite striking—long and narrow, giving him an intimidating air when he wasn't smiling. Yet his lashes were thick and dark, which could make him appear gentle and affectionate. Such contradictory features on such a contradictory man. Right now, his gaze on Marian seemed tender—though she knew well he'd probably look just as tenderly at a stray dog.

Suddenly, her stomach growled, and she blushed. She'd been running around all evening and hadn't eaten dinner.

"There's food made in the kitchen," Aaron spoke up. "I hired someone to cook and clean in the evenings."

"Oh." Marian didn't hold back. She went straight to the kitchen to serve herself some rice and dishes. "Do you want some?" she asked when she returned.

Aaron shook his head, and Marian said, "You can only have porridge right now, right? I'll just put some rice with water in a pot and boil it. Then I'll bring it over for you, okay?"

Shifting his position, he nodded. "Alright, you're more resourceful than I expected."

The way he said that prompted Marian to roll her eyes. As if he hadn't once called her stupid.

After finishing up in the kitchen, she returned to the dining table. The four-dish, one-soup meal looked and smelled amazing, and she was starving. She ended up wolfing it down. From where he was half-reclining on the couch, Aaron watched with raised eyebrows.

Feeling a bit awkward, Marian slowed her pace so it didn't look like she was in an eating contest. "If it's just you here, how do you finish all this food on your own?" Even as hungry as she was, she managed two dishes and half a bowl of soup. She couldn't imagine how he ate everything otherwise.

Aaron was honest. "I don't finish it. It's mainly to ensure balanced nutrition."

Right. So there was a lot of waste.

She thought about how many people in the world starved every day while the wealthy squandered food. Then she thought of herself and Aaron. The gulf between them was too wide.

When she finished eating, the porridge she'd set to boil was also ready. Marian carried a steaming bowl to the table, thinking she might blow on it to cool it. But then she worried Aaron would balk at her saliva, so she fanned it with her hand instead.

"All done. It's not too hot now. Come and eat."

She helped Aaron to his feet. But after only a step, she was abruptly pressed down onto the sofa. Just as she was about to stand, he spoke in a weak voice. "Help me loosen my tie."

Marian froze. Aaron then explained, "It's uncomfortable to eat while wearing a tie. My jacket, too—I need it off."

Well, he was still ill. Sighing, Marian obediently removed his jacket. As for the tie, that posed a challenge. "Um, how do I undo this?" she asked in a barely audible tone.

Hmm? Hadn't she dated someone before? Didn't she ever help him with a tie?

Recalling He Bing, Aaron instinctively furrowed his brow. That guy never wore suits, as far as he knew. Feeling a bit of relief, Aaron said, "I'll teach you."

He guided her hand to the knot. "Undo it here, then gently pull."

Marian was a quick study. Soon enough, she held the freed tie in her hand and looked up proudly at him. "There, I got it."

Aaron lightly patted her head with a faint smile. "Good girl."

They both froze. That gesture felt… ambiguous.

Aaron, unlike Marian's devouring style, ate slowly and with deliberate poise, almost like a performance. Marian felt embarrassed in comparison, shaking her head and reminding herself never to compare her eating habits to his.

"Um, Aaron, I'm going to head home. It'll be hard to find a ride later." This area was full of wealthy residents, and rides were scarce. The hour was also getting late.

But apparently, the pampered young master's nerves were acting up again. After wiping his mouth, he casually said, "I broke out in a sweat earlier. I'd like to take a shower, but I'm worried I might faint in the bathroom. Could you wait until I'm done?"

His tone sounded pitiful, leaving Marian speechless. What on earth was going through his mind, pleading with her like that?

She found it impossible to refuse after all he'd done for her. So she grudgingly agreed.

Marian helped him upstairs to the master bedroom and found him some pajamas. Aaron lowered his gaze as he accepted them and then, in a soft voice, reminded her, "And underwear, too."

Marian: …

Fine. If she was going to do this, she might as well go all in. Following his directions, she grabbed a random pair of boxers without looking. "Here," she said, averting her eyes.

At the bathroom door, Aaron asked curiously, "Haven't you ever lived with a boyfriend? You act so shy about underwear."

"Of course not! We… we only met on weekends, and we were always busy," Marian grumbled, though Aaron heard her perfectly.

"Quite the innocent one," he commented with a slight smirk before shutting the bathroom door.

To Marian, it sounded more like mockery. She kicked the air in front of the bathroom door a few times to vent her frustration.