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When she pulls away, her eyes shift sideways before they meet mine. “Why did Xander ask you to be his pretend girlfriend?”
“I’m not sure, but I think it’s his revenge for Aiden hugging you the other week and all the attention he’s been giving you since.”
Her lips part and she bites back a smile. “Really?”
“Why do you sound happy?”
“I’m not!” She clamps her mouth shut.
“You totally are!” I jab a finger into her side.
She squirms and huffs, throwing a dismissive hand. “You and King, huh?”
My chest tugs at the mention of his name. “Me and King what?”
“Come on, Ellie. The ever so calm King started his first fight for you.”
I shake my head. “He just has some issues with Xander.”
“Yup. He had issues with Xander touching you. I’ve never seen him lose control, not even when his mother died.”
“You were there when his mother died?”
I know Mrs King is no more, but I never actually wondered how her absence can play in Aiden’s life.
How could I not have wondered about it before? People’s psychological issues always start with their parents. The world’s most notorious psychopathic killers usually had mum issues.
“Of course,” Kim says. “We’re neighbours, you know.”
Right. I forget that sometimes.
“How old were you then?” I ask.
“We were maybe seven? I was anyway. She died of illness but…”
“But what?”
Kim lowers her voice as if telling me a top-secret. “Rumour has it that her actual cause of death is suicide, but King Enterprises disguised it as illness.”
“Why?”
Kim shrugs. “I don’t know, but it could be because of stocks and stuff.”
“Was she suicidal?”
“I don’t think so? Aunt Alicia was so sweet and caring. I remember that she loved Aiden and was overprotective of him — something Uncle Jonathan didn’t appreciate. Poor Aiden wasn’t even there during her death.”
I lean forward in my seat. “What do you mean?”
“He went into a summer camp, and when he returned, his mum was dead. I still remember the hollow look in his eyes at the funeral. It still gives me chills… brr. You know, he didn’t cry that day. He stood beside his father in complete silence during the entire ceremony.”
Something tightens at the pit of my stomach. Losing his mother at such a young age while he was away must’ve been devastating. I don’t even remember my parents, but sometimes, I still feel the loss as if it happened yesterday.
Kim drives me home and we spend the rest of the evening studying then binge watch a few episodes of Lucifer until Aunt returns.
A while later, Kim leaves to help Kirian with his homework. She always pretends that he’s a pain, but she can’t spend an entire day without thinking about him.
Kim’s father
