Too Late Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now novel Chapter 193

Aria's POV

"Oh! Tell me a story!About your romantic story。" Anna pleaded with those eager puppy eyes I simply couldn't resist.

God, what could I possibly say? The only stories I know would probably get me in trouble!

As Anna stared at me expectantly, I frantically searched for a way to dodge her request. Thankfully, salvation came in the form of Tricia Winter's voice calling from the dining room: "Kids! Dinner's ready!"

Anna immediately dropped the subject, bouncing excitedly. "Aria! Dinner time! My dad made something special just for you tonight—he's an amazing cook!"

"Then I'll definitely need to eat plenty," I replied, breathing an internal sigh of relief.

"Yes, yes!" Anna nodded enthusiastically before skipping off to help with dinner preparations.

Clayton, who had been quietly sitting beside Aiden, also excused himself with a polite "Dinner's ready, Aria," before following his sister to help with the soup.

I glanced at Aiden, feeling the tension gradually leave my shoulders. "Should we go eat?"

Aiden reached over and brushed his fingers against mine. "Why are your hands so cold? Nervous?"

"No!" I protested, feeling my cheeks warm. "It's just the air conditioning!"

It absolutely wasn't because I was nervous about meeting his family. Definitely the AC's fault.

Aiden gave me that knowing half-smile that made my stomach flip but mercifully didn't call me out on my obvious lie. "Come on, let's wash up."

We walked to the sink together, and as we took our seats at the table, I finally got my first real look at Nicholas Duncan, Aiden's uncle.

They say nephews often resemble their maternal uncles. Before coming here, I'd Googled Nicholas Duncan and found only formal portraits—always in business attire, looking severe and intimidating. Aiden didn't seem to resemble him much in those photos.

But seeing Nicholas in person, wearing casual clothes with thin-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, I realized the old saying was true. He had the same warm intelligence in his eyes that Aiden did, though with a softer, more scholarly presence.

"So you're Aria?" he smiled at me, his voice unexpectedly gentle.

My nervousness evaporated. "Hello, Nicholas. It's nice to meet you."

"Photos really don't do you justice," he remarked. "You're much prettier in person."

This was the third time someone in Aiden's family had said something similar. I felt heat creeping up my neck as my fingers tightened around my fork.

Tricia shot her husband a warning glance. "Nicholas, you're embarrassing her."

Nicholas laughed. "Well, Aiden's never been the shy type, has he?"

Aiden, hearing his name, glanced up and calmly responded, "Aria's been nervous about meeting everyone today. Try not to scare her away, Uncle Nick."

"Come on, I'm hardly a big bad wolf!" Nicholas protested with a grin.

Dinner flowed easily after that. The Duncan household wasn't big on formality, and with Anna keeping the conversation lively, I never once felt awkward or out of place.

The relationship between Aiden and Nicholas was completely different from his strained interactions with Thomas. If Nicholas hadn't been so well-preserved and youthful-looking, strangers might have assumed he and Aiden were father and son rather than uncle and nephew.

When it was time to leave, Tricia slipped a jade bracelet onto my left wrist and pressed a small jewelry box into my right hand before I could process what was happening.

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