Just as they were about to head inside, they ran into some familiar faces—Daniel Chou and his wife, Mia Wen.
Anthony Miller's face lit up the moment he spotted them. He spread his arms wide and called out with enthusiasm, "Hey, Danny! What are the odds? Fancy running into you here!"
Daniel grinned, flashing his white teeth. "Anthony, man! It's been forever! What brings you out to this side of town?"
As they exchanged greetings, Mia's gaze landed on Aiden Thompson for a brief moment before shifting to Grace Li. Her mind started racing—who was this woman? And why was she standing so close to Aiden?
Never one to hold back, Mia turned to Anthony with a playful smirk. "Anthony, aren't you gonna introduce us to your friend?"
Anthony grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, come on, it's obvious! This is Aiden's girlfriend, Grace Li."
Grace didn't react when Daniel mentioned that they had been college classmates. Once upon a time, she might have had a tiny crush on him, but those days were long gone—now, he didn't stir even the faintest ripple in her heart.
Keeping things warm and polite, Grace offered Mia a friendly smile. "You must be Mia. Wow, you look amazing! It's great to finally meet you."
"Thanks, hon." Mia flicked back her perfectly styled waves, though there was a subtle sharpness in her tone. It was her first time meeting Grace, yet she already felt an inexplicable hostility toward her. "Gotta say, I always thought Aiden had impossible standards. Turns out, he's just like the rest of us."
Aiden's lips curved into a slow, amused smirk. "You're not wrong. My standards aren't that high. So if I don't give someone the time of day, well… there's usually a good reason for that."
Mia's eyes widened slightly, her face stiffening. She knew exactly who Aiden was referring to, but she couldn't blow up here—that would be admitting defeat.
Grace picked up on the unspoken tension. There was definitely some history here. She glanced at Aiden, curiosity sparking in her mind—what was his connection to Daniel's wife?
As if sensing her silent question, Aiden casually reached for her hand, giving it a light squeeze before turning to Anthony. "Grace and I are gonna head in. See you in a bit."
"Sure thing, guys. I'll catch up with you later."
As they walked into the tennis court, Grace couldn't hold back any longer. She leaned in, lowering her voice. "You know her, don't you? What's the story?"
Aiden let out a small scoff, his expression laced with mild exasperation. "One of those girls in high school who just didn't get the hint."
Grace immediately put two and two together and couldn't help but laugh. So that's what his little jab was about.
Behind them, Mia watched their easy chemistry, her jealousy simmering. She quickly composed herself and flashed a charming smile at Anthony. "Hey, since we're all here, why don't we do doubles? Could be fun!"
Anthony, always up for a good time, perked up. "Now that's what I'm talking about! Let's do it."
Originally, Anthony had been the one suggesting a tennis game, but now that Daniel and Mia were here, he suddenly felt like the odd one out. With four people, they had the perfect doubles setup, which left him with no choice but to shrug and play the referee. "Guess that makes me the ref. Y'all have fun!"
Grace hesitated, glancing at her racket. She wasn't exactly confident in her skills. With a sheepish smile, she turned to Anthony. "Mr. Miller, I think you and Aiden would make a great team. I'm still figuring this whole tennis thing out, so maybe I'll just watch and cheer."
Mia's eyes gleamed, though she kept her expression sweet and innocent. "Oh, come on! It's mixed doubles—we need a girl on our team. And it's all just for fun, right? No pressure!"
Anthony chuckled, trying to keep things light. "Yeah, it's all chill. No one's keeping score."
Aiden glanced at Grace and gave her an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, babe. It's easy. I'll be right there with you, and I'll walk you through it."
Not wanting to ruin the mood, Grace hesitated before nodding. "Alright, I'll give it a shot. Just… don't expect too much."
Before the game started, Aiden stepped behind her and adjusted her grip on the racket, guiding her hands with ease. "Like this. Keep your wrist firm, and use your shoulder to swing—that's where the power comes from."
Mia sighed dramatically, crossing her arms. "Guys, seriously? How long is this gonna take? We don't have all day."
Aiden didn't even acknowledge her. Keeping his voice low and steady, he murmured to Grace, "Ignore her. She just likes to make a scene. Don't let her get in your head."
Grace smirked, eyes flashing with determination. "Trust me. I've dealt with worse."
Aiden chuckled. "Alright. Just stay loose and focus on the ball. If you can reach it, go for it. If not, don't sweat it—I've got you covered."
"Got it."
After the serve, Grace Li gripped her racket tightly, bent her knees slightly, and locked her eyes on the net, holding the defensive stance Aiden Thompson had taught her. Her heart was pounding—part nerves, part excitement. This was her first time playing tennis in a setting like this.
The ball zipped back and forth over the net in a rally, but strangely, it kept dodging Grace. Every time she raised her racket, ready to hit, the ball seemed to have a mind of its own and veered toward Aiden instead. Five minutes in, and she hadn't even touched it once.
Mia Wen had played in school tournaments before—she was a natural athlete. She and Daniel Chou moved in sync, dashing across the court and landing powerful shots that had the small crowd cheering. On the other side, Aiden was basically carrying the team.
Grace started feeling like a liability. But every time she looked at Aiden, he gave her an encouraging glance, as if to say, "Don't worry, you're doing great."
Mia, however, didn't seem to appreciate Aiden's patience. The jealousy burning inside her only grew stronger. Spotting an opportunity, she leaped into the air, her body forming a perfect arc, and swung her racket with full force. The ball shot across the court like a missile, heading straight for Grace.
Grace's breath caught. Instinctively, she swung her racket, but the ball was too fast. Before she could react—
Wham!
The ball smacked her right in the forehead.
Mia burst out laughing, her face smug. "You've got to be kidding me! Some people can't even catch a ball. What a joke!"
Daniel winced from across the net. "Grace, are you okay? That looked rough."
Grace rubbed her forehead, blinking away the sting, and forced a smile. "I'm good. Just a little stunned."
Mia shot Daniel a glare and pinched his arm, muttering, "Mind your own business."
Aiden rushed to Grace's side, gently cupping her face as he examined her forehead. "Hey, you okay? Let me see."
"It's not too bad. I'm okay."
Aiden's brows furrowed, and before she could protest, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Don't worry, I'll take care of this."
"No way." Grace clenched her teeth, remembering Mia's smug face. Her eyes hardened with determination. "I'm not letting her get away with this. I'll show her I'm not some pushover."
Aiden sighed, half amused, half impressed. "Alright, but be careful. I got your back."
The next rally, Grace was a different person. She was laser-focused, her grip firm, her feet constantly moving. No more waiting around—she was taking charge.
Mia, thinking she could humiliate Grace again, sent another aggressive shot her way. But this time, Grace was ready. She tracked the ball, took a deep breath, and swung hard. The ball shot across the court like lightning, landing just inside Mia's side.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Mia's eyes widened. Panicked, she scrambled to return the shot but lost her footing. With a yelp, she tripped and crashed onto the court with a heavy thud.
The crowd gasped.
Mia groaned, clutching her scraped hands and knees, her face twisting in pain.
Daniel rushed over, helping her up. "Mia, are you okay? Can you stand?"
Mia's face was pale, but she still snapped, "Of course I'm not okay! It hurts like hell! Why didn't you help me?"
Daniel sighed, clearly irritated. "I was right here. You should be more careful."
Grace watched the exchange, finally understanding just how one-sided their relationship was.
Stepping forward, she kept her tone polite but firm. "Mia, are you alright? Need any help?"
Mia gritted her teeth, forcing composure. "I'm fine. Just a little fall. No big deal."
"Glad to hear it." Grace dusted off her racket. "I think we'll call it a day. Take care of yourself."
Mia was in too much pain to argue. She just waved them off. "Yeah, whatever. Go ahead."
Later, in the car, Grace slumped in the passenger seat, massaging her sore arm. "My arm's gonna be dead tomorrow. I'm so out of shape."
Aiden chuckled. "You really need to start working out more. We both do."
Grace shot him a skeptical look. "But you don't work out much either, do you? And yet you've still got abs and pecs. How's that fair?"
"I used to be a total gym rat. I hit the gym almost every day."
Grace frowned, thinking it over. "So… you stopped going after we got together?"
"More or less."
She raised an eyebrow. "So what you're saying is, dating me ruined your gains?"
Aiden grinned. "Pretty much. But do you know why I stopped?"
"Because I'm a bad influence?"
"Nah." He glanced at her, his smile turning softer. "It's because we don't get that much time alone. I didn't want to waste any of it at the gym."
Grace's heart melted a little. "In that case… let's work out together."
Aiden smirked. "Oh? What kind of workout are we talking about?"
Recognizing the mischief in his tone, Grace cut him off before he could go any further. "Running and actual exercise. Thanks."
Aiden kept his eyes on the road, but the grin on his face never faded.