Love's Change of Heart

Unfortunately for him, Leanna had just walked over at that exact moment and caught what he said

without context. She frowned and demanded, "Are you bullying the kid again?"

Hogbunny darted around Leanna and hid behind her, looking like a puppy that had just been kicked.

Scoffing at this, Aidan shot the brat a dark look as though to say, "You'd better watch your back."

Later that night, when the food was finished and the games had been played, the campers began to

pack up to go home. They tidied up the site and put their belongings into the trunk of the car, then got

ready to leave. No changes had been made in the number of people, so they left exactly the same way

as they came.

Zoe, however, was visibly conflicted. She doubted her beat-up car could keep up with Aidan's flashy

ride, but asking him to wait for her by the workshop entrance upon their return was like a death wish

she couldn't bring herself to make. After a moment of thought, she said, "President Pearson, I…"

Aidan knew what she was about to say and reached out to grab Hogbunny by the back of his collar. "I'll

drop him home."

Zoe's eyes lit up. "Thank you, President Pearson!" she exclaimed gratefully.

Leanna, on the other hand, didn't expect such generosity from Aidan, but she was worried that he

might pick on Hogbunny. As such, she gave the little boy her number and rubbed his head

affectionately before saying, "Give me a call if you run into trouble, okay?"

"Thank you, miss. Goodbye," Hogbunny said cheerily, then waved goodbye to Zoe.

Zoe maintained her smile and waved back, thanking the heavens that the nightmare was finally ending.

It didn't take long for the three cars to pull out of the campsite and disappear into the night.

Inside the black Maybach, Aidan asked flatly, "Where do you stay?"

Hogbunny clutched his backpack close to his chest and answered carefully, "You can just drop me off

at the workshop. I can make my way home after that."

Aidan gave a light, almost devilish chuckle when he heard this. "You won't tell me? Fine, then. Seeing

as I'm in a good mood, I'm gonna show you a magic trick. Close your eyes, and when I call your name,

you'll find yourself home."

Hogbunny made no reply. A somber look passed over the little boy's face as his lips pressed into a thin,

hard line.

Aidan matched his steely silence and merely stepped on the gas, speeding down the road.

An hour later, the car rolled to a stop in front of a prestigious high-rise residential building.

Hogbunny tightened his grip on his backpack, and Aidan turned to throw him a smug look. "Scared?

Can't feel your legs?"

The little boy kept calm and bit out, "Thank you for sending me home, mister. I'll go up on my own."

As he said this, he quickly flung the car door open and made a run for it. However, he had barely

covered any distance when Aidan grabbed him by the back of his collar once more.

Blood rushed to Hogbunny's face as he flailed his arms helplessly. "Let me go!"

"Only if you promise to walk normally. If you try to run again, I'll bind you up and drop you off at your

doorstep," Aidan warned in a low, threatening voice.

"Okay, I got it," the boy mumbled.

Aidan set him down after hearing him comply. Hogbunny picked up the backpack he had dropped on

the ground and dusted it off, then slowly pulled the straps over his shoulders. Having done so, he

trudged reluctantly toward the building entrance.

Glancing at the time, Aidan sighed impatiently and snapped, "Hurry up. I don't have all day."

Hogbunny glowered at him resentfully. "Don't you know patience is a virtue? You're so boor-headed, it's

no wonder the pretty lady isn't your wife!"

Aidan saw no point in arguing with a child.

When they entered the building, Hogbunny reached out and pressed down on the elevator button with

more force than usual. The elevator doors opened two minutes later, and he gripped the straps of his

backpack tightly as he enunciated, "Okay, mister. Thanks for dropping me home. This is my floor."

Aidan looked at the floor number and asked, "This is the floor?"

"Yes," Hogbunny replied insistently.

"Then go out," Aidan said, raising a finger to press the number above Hogbunny's supposed floor.

Seeing this, the little boy frowned and stepped back into the elevator. He was evidently furious, but he

did not have the nerve to speak up against Aidan.

The elevator doors opened once more with a ding, and Aidan was the first to walk out. Hogbunny

followed him begrudgingly.

They stopped in front of a door, whereupon Aidan said curtly, "Open it."

Hogbunny huffed angrily and keyed in the passcode. The door opened, but just as he had burrowed

through the gap and tried to slam the door shut in Aidan's face, a familiar male voice asked aloud from

somewhere inside the apartment, "Cameron, is that you? You're home late. Where have you been?"

As fast as Hogbunny tried to be, Aidan was much faster; the latter was already halfway through the

door.

The man inside the apartment froze when he saw Aidan.

In stark contrast to the man's shocked demeanor, Aidan looked perfectly at ease as he greeted, "Mr.

Morris." Seamlessly, he took Hogbunny, who was desperately trying to block the doorway with his little

body, by the arm and dragged him to one side, then walked into the apartment.

William looked at the child first, then at Aidan, and asked bewilderedly, "What's going on here,

President Pearson?"

Aidan closed the door behind him and said in a clipped tone, "I was hoping you could tell me, Mr.

Morris."

While the adults were talking, Hogbunny finally broke free of Aidan's grip and hid behind William.

Seconds later, William patted the kid on the head and murmured, "Cameron, go into your room. I just

need a moment here with our guest." Then, he fixed his gaze on Aidan and said courteously, "Come on

in, President Pearson."