I shot a quick look at Hayden, then turned to Demi, "You're just talking crazy 'cause you're wiped out.""I'm not talking crazy. You two are total workaholics. I feel like I can't keep up anymore," Demi mumbled, slumping into the car seat."Whether you can or not, you gotta hang in there. We're almost done," I said, trying to sound reassuring. Earlier today, I scoped out what still needed fixing. At the pace we're going, we should wrap this up in about ten days."How much longer?" Demi whined, like she couldn't survive even one more day."About ten days," I said after sneaking another glance at Hayden through the rearview mirror."Ten days..." Demi groaned, her voice dripping with defeat.By the time we got to the hotel, Demi was out cold. I called her name a few times, but she was in dreamland. Finally, I leaned in close and whispered, "If you don't get up, I'll make Hayden carry you.""Fine, carry me," Demi mumbled, holding out her hand.I couldn't help but laugh and gave her
"Wayne, what's going on?"Even though I had a pretty good idea of what was happening the second I saw him in that uniform, I couldn't help but ask. The whole situation was so absurd it almost felt like a joke.I thought, 'Seriously? Is Hayden being in my life such a big deal that the entire Johnston family had to get involved?'The weirdest part was Wayne had been working abroad for years. Wasn't he supposed to be heading back overseas? How did he end up at RiverwaveCorp? Was he staying here for good now?"I'm here to work, Ms. Kay. I look forward to your guidance," Wayne said, reaching out his hand, completely calm.Even though I was totally thrown off, I reached out too, our fingers barely brushing. "Welcome, Way—"I stopped mid-sentence, realizing I had no clue how to address him now.Now that he was officially here for work, and technically my superior, calling him Wayne felt too casual."You can still call me Wayne," he said with that same warm smile."Mr. Johnston, durin
'Nothing gets past him, huh?' I thought, stepping back to break the awkwardness. "You totally overstepped just now. Wayne's technically my superior, and you went ahead and assigned him tasks?""He just got here. If we don't give him tasks, do you really want him giving them to us?" Hayden's comeback left me speechless.As capable as Wayne might be, he wouldn't really get what we were doing with the adjustments right now."What, would you prefer working with him?" Hayden suddenly asked."Of course not," I said quickly, glancing at him—just in time to catch a quick smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.Hayden and I kept working as usual, with Wayne keeping his distance. But then Demi came rushing over, wide-eyed. "Keira, what's going on? Is Mr. Johnston's brother here to, like, personally supervise us?""Yep, and he's specifically here to keep an eye on you. You'll be working with him from now on," I teased, watching Demi's eyes go wide like saucers."Don't do this to me! I do
I obediently stayed still and held onto Hayden even tighter.Thump, thump...His heartbeat was strong in my ear, and that's when it hit me—I was practically glued to his chest.But fear had taken over everything else, and I couldn't even bring myself to care.I clung to him like my life depended on it, convincing myself that if I held on tight enough, I'd know for sure it wasn't me moving—it was just the lift swaying.After what felt like forever, the shaking finally stopped, but I didn't let go until his voice cut through my thoughts. "Looks like you've got a new co-worker."I blinked, slowly pulling away, and looked down to see what he was talking about. When I realized who it was, I froze.Shock turned into a rush of anger as I slammed the button to lower the lift.When we touched down, Tanya was standing there, wearing her usual fake innocent smile. "Ms. Kay."I wasn't in the mood for her games. "What are you doing here?" I asked, not even bothering to hide the edge in my
"Mr. Johnston, I might be throwing shade now, but my actions could be way worse. If you're so worried, why don't you just take her out of here, or..." I glanced at Wayne and continued, "Maybe I should assign someone to babysit her 24/7?"Jace didn't get the hint. "Sure, if you're the one watching her, I'd feel even better.""Not happening. I've got better things to do," I snapped before hanging up on him.Tanya jumped in, "You don't have to be so hostile. I can take care of myself.""Ms. Twain, you've got all your limbs and a working brain, so yeah, I believe you can. But accidents happen when you least expect them," I said, noticing Demi nearby trying to hide her laugh."Mr. Johnston suggested on the call that someone should be with you around the clock. Though, I don't think 24/7 is necessary. After all, when you're sleeping, the only person who can protect you is someone close, right?" I added, not holding back.I used to feel bad for her after Desmond's sudden death, but now
A lollipop as a reward? What, does he think I'm five?I was just about to call Hayden out on how childish that was, but before I could say anything, he plopped the candy into my hand and grabbed some water, even bringing my water bottle over.He sat down on the bench and patted the spot next to him. "Take a break."Did I really need a break? I hadn't done much except deal with drama. But since Hayden had already parked himself, I gave in and sat down too. Without him, I couldn't get anything done anyway.It hit me then—he was subtly taking charge."You were really fierce just now," Hayden commented.I took a sip of water. "Was I?""Yeah, kinda scary," he said, making me turn my head to look at him.He nodded. "Really."For some reason, seeing him like this—a tall, strong, no-nonsense military guy—reacting that way caught me off guard. It was so out of character that before I knew it, I blurted out, "How old are you?"I meant it as a tease, like, 'You're acting like a kid.'B
I didn't move right away. Hayden was already on the scissor lift, calling out to me, "Come on, let's go up together."I squeezed the lollipop in my hand, debating.He added, "We still need to check the adjustments."It was the same excuse he used earlier to get me up there, but what had I actually seen last time?"This is work time. Don't use work as an excuse to mess with me," I warned."Oh," he said, acting all innocent, but he stayed put, clearly waiting for me.With no real way out, I got up and started walking toward him. Just as I was about to step onto the lift, he reached out to help me, but I pulled away.But the second I put one foot on the lift, it wobbled, and I instinctively grabbed his arm.My face heated up instantly with embarrassment, but he just looked around and muttered, "We should get this lift checked out. Why does it keep shaking?"I had nothing to say to that.This time, though, Hayden didn't pull any stunts. Once we were on the lift, he got straight t
I got back to the office, and Jace was already there."Mr. Johnston, here's my resignation letter," I said, handing him the paper I'd been holding onto for way too long. "I already submitted it through HR on my phone."Jace barely even looked at it before flicking it onto his desk. "You're really taking this too far," he said, his eyes ice-cold.He thought I was just being dramatic, but honestly, I'd never actually caused any trouble.When I first moved in with the Johnstons, I was basically a guest who didn't have the right to make waves. And when I started catching feelings for Jace, I definitely wasn't about to stir the pot.Before my parents' accident, I was that spoiled kid who could throw a fit if I didn't get my way. But after moving in with the Johnstons, causing a scene just wasn't in my DNA anymore."Do I look like someone who causes trouble? When have I ever caused you any?" I asked, keeping my voice steady.Jace opened his mouth like he was going to say something, bu
"I'm just amazed that pregnancy has made you smarter. Most people say pregnancy makes women forgetful for three years," Hayden teased Keira with a rare grin. Keira gave him a gentle kick. "Did Aaron ask you to pass on his thoughts?" "No, it's just what I think," Hayden replied earnestly. He would never lie to her. Keira sighed softly. "Love between two people isn’t something outsiders can meddle with. But maybe Aaron’s actions today will help Lena realize what’s in her heart." "Let’s wait and see," Hayden said, finishing the massage before applying lotion and stretch mark cream to Keira's belly. "Baby, give Dad a little kick," Hayden said, stroking her belly. Right after he spoke, the baby really did kick. Keira couldn’t help but laugh; this little one was so obedient to their dad. "Just a few kicks, alright? Mommy needs to sleep, so don’t bother her," Hayden instructed. The baby obediently kicked a few more times before settling down. Keira was curious. "I think our ba
Keira stared at the messages Lena had just sent her. She could sense something was up, so she immediately called her, but Lena declined the call. Instead, she replied with another message: [I’m at my grandparents’ house, and my mother is here too.] Keira had no choice but to keep texting her: [Did Aaron upset you today?] Lena sent Keira a string of ellipses. That endless row of dots made her even more curious. [What happened exactly?] Keira pressed. Lena replied: [He brought his girlfriend home today.] After sending that message, she also sent Keira a screenshot of a payment receipt and added: [Spot the highlight.] Keira zoomed in on the image and finally noticed the note: Name Change Fee. [Wow, how generous! 600,000 dollars just for a name change fee. What did you call her to make it worth that much?] Keira was shocked. Lena then sent Keira a voice message, explaining the situation in detail. At the end, she added: [He used to tell me how long he’d liked me, but now he’s
"Aaron, I want to add Lena on WhatsApp." Xandra actually asked Aaron, gently tugging on his sleeve with a delicate and endearing expression that made her look pitifully lovable. Aaron glanced at her, his gaze filled with a warmth Lena was all too familiar with. Once upon a time, he had looked at her the same way. Now, he could look at other women like that. So, never believe a man when he says things like, I've liked you for years. "If you want to add her, then add her," Aaron's approval made Xandra look at him with delight. Lena, however, truly didn’t want to add her. She and Xandra weren’t close, and they likely wouldn’t ever be. Lena didn’t enjoy socializing with strangers, so she smiled faintly. "Aren’t you afraid I might tell her something about you, Uncle Aaron?" Aaron’s gaze turned cold and distant, his voice calm. "There’s nothing about me that Xandy can’t know." Ha! Lena sneered inwardly. If that were the case, why had he just warned her earlier? Double stand
Under the table, Lena felt her mother's foot nudge her—a clear signal: Let Xandra win. Lena gritted her teeth. Why was everyone fawning over a girlfriend who hadn’t even officially joined the family? Annoyed, she huffed inwardly. The more you tell me to lose, the harder I’ll fight to win. The game began, and Lena’s starting hand was exceptional—practically a heavenly draw. She was only one card away from winning while the others still struggled with mismatched cards. It seemed like an easy victory was in the cards for her. But then, as if under a spell, her luck took a sharp turn. None of the cards she needed showed up. Worse, every time she reached for a card, Xandra would intercept it with a call, blocking her progress entirely. As the rounds continued, even her mother, Briana, reached a ready hand, while Lena was still stuck with the same cards she started with. Soon, her grandmother joined the fray, and eventually, even Xandra declared readiness. Three players were now
Lena’s heart fluttered in panic. Why was he standing here? Had he overheard what she’d said earlier? There was no use regretting it now. She could only pretend he hadn’t heard anything and called out, trying to sound natural, “Uncle!” She had just given herself a pep talk in the bathroom, but seeing him standing so close now, her heartbeat still faltered. Aaron’s deep, starry eyes fixed on her. “Xandy is very simple and innocent. She doesn’t take well to certain things. I trust you understand what I mean?” Lena’s chaotic heartbeats suddenly settled. So this was why he had waited for her—to make sure she wouldn’t tell Xandra about his past feelings for her. A strange, sharp pain twisted in her chest, so intense it stole her breath for a moment. Clenching her fist by her side, she pinched herself hard to suppress the ache and avoid showing any emotion. “What ‘certain things’ are you referring to, Uncle? I don’t believe there’s anything you’ve shared with me that’s worth m
“Come here,” Deborah called, motioning for Lena to approach. She introduced her to Xandra with a cheerful smile. “The two of you may be the same age, but from now on, you must properly call her your aunt. Understand?” Xandra’s face flushed red. “There’s no need for that. Just call me Xandy.” Nervously, she tugged at Aaron’s sleeve. He glanced at her before responding calmly, “Our family values etiquette. Generational hierarchy matters.” Etiquette? Wasn’t this just a ploy to make her call Xandra “Aunt”? Was he in such a rush to give her a title to avoid any misunderstandings? Whether it was to clarify things for Xandra or to distance himself from her, Lena couldn’t help but feel a petty frustration bubbling up. Fine. If Aaron wanted her to say it, she would. “Aunt Xandra,” Lena said, her tone neutral but deliberate. Xandra’s face turned even redder. “No, really, you can just call me Xandy.” “I should call you that, and it’s not for free. As my elder, you owe me a red e
“Mr. Ace, why the sudden preference for plain water?” Elaine asked as she poured a glass. “It’s not for me. It’s for Xandy,” Aaron replied, his eyes flicking toward Lena, who kept her head down, still rinsing the same tomato. Elaine chuckled. “Your girlfriend is very pretty. She seems like a sweet and kind young lady. I bet your parents can finally relax now.” “Mm, everyone can be at ease,” Aaron replied, his tone carrying a subtle undertone. Lena didn’t lift her head, but she heard the implication clearly. “Not just at ease—happy too,” Elaine said as she handed him the glass of water. Taking it, Aaron thanked her. “Thank you, Elaine.” Then he left the kitchen. Elaine watched him go, sighing wistfully. “His parents have been waiting for this day for so long.” Turning back, she noticed Lena was still rinsing the same tomato—again. Elaine reached over and turned off the faucet. “Miss Lena, if you keep washing that tomato, it’s going to lose all its skin,” she teased.
"Do I need to change my shoes?" A gentle female voice came from the doorway. Lena thought she must be hearing things. She snapped her head up, and her eyes landed on a tall girl in casual attire standing by the entrance. Next to her was Aaron, dressed in a dark coat. They hadn’t looked into the house yet, as the entryway was positioned just out of sight from the main living area. However, from her spot on the sofa, Lena had a clear view of them. “No won't be necessary. My parents don’t wear slippers at home,” Aaron explained patiently. Lena felt as if she were frozen in place, her mind going blank as she stared at the two of them. Hearing the commotion, Briana walked out from the kitchen, and she, too, stopped in her tracks. It was rare—unheard of, even—for Aaron to bring a girl home. The implications were obvious. “Sister,” Aaron greeted Briana first, then introduced the girl beside him. “This is my friend.” Briana nodded quickly, her surprise evident. “Hello!” The g
The weekend had arrived, coinciding with the end of the year. The timing couldn’t have been more fitting—or more ominous. At the hospital, Lena’s colleagues were busy making plans for New Year’s Eve celebrations, but she sat at her desk, preoccupied with how to get through the weekend. Tomorrow, Aaron was going to formally announce his decision to sever ties with the Ace family. Even though she had tried to comfort her grandparents and they seemed to accept it, she feared the actual impact would be far greater than any preparation could soften. “Dr. Lane, any plans for tomorrow? Join us!” someone invited her. Lena snapped out of her thoughts. “No, I’ll be at home with my grandparents.” She’d even be taking an emergency kit, just in case her grandparents couldn’t handle the shock. Her mother, Briana, had been equally anxious, sending multiple reminders throughout the day to ensure Lena would go to the Ace house right after work. The last time she visited, she’d managed to