In this world, only one person had ever called her “Twinkle”-Aaron. And that had been a relic of their shared childhood.

Nate’s gaze shifted to Aaron, and his hand fell back to his side. “Uncle Aaron.”

“Professor Neumann,” Aaron replied coolly. “Given your current situation, you can just call me Mr. Ace.” His words were a subtle reminder that Nate’s connection to Lena was no longer valid. Aaron then turned to Lena. “If it’s convenient, I’d like to talk to you about something.”

“Sure,” Lena agreed, glancing at Nate briefly before walking off with Aaron.

Standing beside Aaron, who loomed over her like a shadow, Lena looked smaller than usual. “Is this about my parents?”

Since returning, Carol and Gabriel had been pushing her to move back home, claiming it was the only way they’d feel at ease. Even her grandparents had joined in.

“They want to know if you’ve thought it through,” Aaron said, confirming her suspicion.