Jace's face stiffened slightly. "Last night, I was worried something might happen to Tanya. You know Desmond was his parents' only son. Now, the baby she's carrying is their whole hope. If something went wrong..."He didn't finish, but I got it."So, as long as it's about her, you'll always put her first, right?" I asked coldly.Jace was quiet for a couple of seconds before he said, "Once the baby's born, things will be different."I laughed.As I turned my head, the rising sun stung my eyes.I looked at him. "Jace, even after the baby's born, there will be other problems. The baby might get sick or have accidents. As long as you can use this kid as an excuse, you and Tanya will always be tangled up, and I'll always be the one you leave behind."Jace didn't say anything.I made my stance clear. "Jace, after getting married, I don't want my husband taking care of another woman every few days.""Rea, give me some time. I'll sort this out." Jace's eyes showed conflict."What is
The amusement park was almost finished, and I didn't want to bail at such a crucial time.Around noon, while I was organizing my stuff, Demi came up to me with a weird look on her face. "Keira, are you on your period?"I stared at her. "Why? Am I not allowed to?""No, no." Demi shook her head frantically. "I mean, Mr. Johnston's been in a terrible mood today. Guess he's just sexually frustrated."I paused, then realized what she meant.I tapped her head with my pen. "Focus on your work during work hours and stop with the nonsense."Demi giggled and handed me the report we reviewed at the site yesterday. "I'm not just making this up. Everyone's scared of Mr. Johnston today. Anyone who went into his office came out looking miserable."I remembered Jace angrily throwing the roses in the trash this morning. I couldn't tell if he was in a bad mood because I didn't let him off the hook like I usually do, or if it was because I talked about breaking up."Did you guys have a fight?" De
Tanya's face went pale, tears welling up in her eyes, making her look so pitiful. "Jace, you're tired of me, aren't you?" she asked, tears starting to fall.Jace stayed silent, a cold aura around him."But if Desmond were still here, I wouldn't be bothering you..." Tanya's voice had a desperate edge."Being bothered by you is one thing, but don't bother her," Jace said, referring to me.It looked like they were about to argue. I didn't know if I should stay or leave."I get it. I won't bother you anymore, or her," Tanya said, turning abruptly and walking out.This time, Jace didn't chase after her. He turned to me instead. I lowered my head slightly and started to walk away.Jace followed closely behind me. As we stepped out of the café, a loud screeching of brakes caught our attention.We both looked up to see Tanya being hit by a car coming out of a car park."Tanya!" Jace yelled, running toward her.I hesitated for a few seconds, then followed him."Jace, the baby..." Tan
Lena sensed I wasn't telling the whole truth but didn't press further. "Alright, I'll let you know if there's any news. By the way, where are you going tonight? If you don't want to go back to the Johnston residence, you can stay at my place."Lena was on the night shift tonight, so staying at her place made the most sense.I really didn't want to go back to the Johnston residence, especially since Jace and I were sharing a room now.But crashing at Lena's place forever wasn't a great idea either. Even though she didn't have a boyfriend, everyone needs their own space."Alright," I agreed. Until I found somewhere else, her place was better than a hotel.Even though I had a spot at Lena's for the night, I didn't head straight there. Instead, I drove to Emberholm.Emberholm was an old town, but it was still home to a lot of people, mostly renters, because the rent was cheap.I came here because my parents' apartment was here. Before my parents passed away, the three of us lived he
"Keira, please don't get the wrong idea."Tanya's words almost made me laugh.Remembering what she said earlier about her "boyfriend's" preference for bed linens, it turned out she was talking about Jace."Is this for Jace?" I asked, glancing at the bed linens she picked. Blue and gray—totally his favorite colors.But that was back then. Now, thanks to me, his taste had brightened up a lot.Tanya bit her lip and hesitated for a few seconds before shaking her head. "No, don't get the wrong idea, it's for my brother."I was too tired to deal with her games, so I cut to the chase. "So Jace is moving in with you now?"Didn't he say he couldn't let Tanya's baby get hurt? Watching over her all the time seemed like the next step."How can you say that?" Tanya snapped."You're even buying his bed linens. How can I not say that?" I shot back, mocking her."You're too jealous. Jace won't like that," she replied, making me laugh."Why are you laughing?" Her innocent, wary eyes were fix
Although Tanya's presence had been annoying, it didn't ruin my appetite. I enjoyed a large plate of creamy pasta before heading back to the office.As soon as I got there, I received a call from Lindey. I hadn't been home for two days, so it was normal for her to call. "Hey, Lindey.""Rea, don't stay at your friend's place too long. Come home tonight. I made gnocchi with cumin and ground beef," Lindey said, making me smile.It seemed Jace had already come up with an excuse for my absence.I had decided to move back to the apartment in Emberholm, so I had to go to the Johnston place to pack my stuff. I told Lindey, "I'll be back tonight," and left it at that.As the workday was ending, Demi came up to me. "Keira, you doing okay?""Why wouldn't I be?" I asked, puzzled."Office gossip. Ignore it. I've seen how much Mr. Johnston cares about you," Demi said, hiding her phone behind her back."Hand it over," I said, my tone serious.Reluctantly, Demi gave me her phone and opened the
My heart was touched. Even though I was a foster child in this family, Jace's parents treated me with the same care and love as their own daughter. They made me feel like one of them.I remembered Jace's brother, Wayne, joking that ever since I joined the family, both he and Jace had been knocked down the pecking order.Lena was right. I could break up with Jace, but breaking away from his family would be much harder.I took a deep breath and pushed the door open.Everyone's eyes turned to me, and Lindey quickly got up and came over. "Rea, you're back. We were just waiting for you to have dinner.""Hey Lindey, Matthew," I greeted them. Jace, who had been kicked by Matthew, stood up and came over.He took my bag. "Why are you back so late?""I played some pool," I said. I knew Steve would tell him about our meeting, so there was no point in hiding it.Jace frowned a bit. "Next time you want to go, call me to join."He didn't like me hanging out for fun, especially without him.
Gavin Lawson was his secretary.I stayed quiet, and Jace looked down. "Rea, what do you want me to do? Just tell me, okay?"He sounded powerless, helpless, even somewhat despondent. Seeing him like this was rare."Jace, we've broken up. You don't need to worry about this. Take care of her however you want," I said.He shook his head and stepped closer, trapping me between the sink and his chest. "Don't even think about it. We're getting our marriage certificate tomorrow.""Jace, do you really want to marry me?" I remembered the conversation he had with Steve and spoke directly. "We know each other too well. So well that you have no interest in even sleeping with me, right?""I told you it was just a joke. That night, I was—""Jace," I interrupted him, not wanting to revisit that night, "that night is a shadow that will haunt me for the rest of my life. Do you get that?"His eyes narrowed, and he asked helplessly, "What do you want me to do so you'll forgive me and not break up?
"Got it!" Lena responded cheerfully. She washed her hands before sitting back down, picking up the utensils Aaron had prepared for her, and diving into her dumpling-and-dipping-sauce breakfast combo. "Uncle, why aren’t you eating?" She had already eaten two dumplings before realizing he hadn’t touched any. "I’m not hungry." Three words. Which meant he hadn’t eaten yet. "There’s too much food. I can’t finish it all by myself. Eat some too," Lena said casually as she picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks and held it up to his mouth. She did it so naturally—until she realized what she had just done. Aaron froze for a second, surprised by her gesture. The moment of hesitation made her realize too—wasn’t this kind of inappropriate? She was just about to pull her hand back when— He leaned in and took the dumpling straight into his mouth. Lena’s face flushed red in an instant. She hurriedly withdrew her hand, lowered her head, and focused on eating. Meanwhile, Aar
She was shocked to see him here so early. Especially today—a day when everyone was celebrating the new year, spending time with their loved ones—and yet, he was here. With her. Lena wasn’t made of stone. She felt it. A warmth, an unspoken emotion that settled deep in her chest. "Uncle, why are you here so early?" She walked over, hands casually tucked into her coat pockets. "I didn’t want you to go hungry," Aaron replied simply, lifting the bag of food in his hand. He glanced at her break room. "Open the door." She unlocked the door and stepped inside, with him following close behind. Her break room was small—a single desk and chair, a narrow bed, and a tiny wardrobe. Nothing extra, nothing unnecessary. "Sit down, Uncle," she said naturally, settling onto the bed while motioning for him to take the chair. Aaron placed the food down and asked, "Did you sleep at all?" "I did," Lena replied. But as soon as the words left her mouth, she thought of that dream—and let o
"If it weren’t for my goddaughter, I wouldn’t even bother with you," Lena said, gently rocking the baby in her arms. "Right, little Aurora? Your godmother just adores you." "Come on, Aurora, it’s time to eat," Lena said as she carefully placed the baby in Keira's arms. Although it was her first time, Keira wasn’t embarrassed. She followed Lena’s instructions, trying to breastfeed for the first time. But the process was… painful. And since her posture was incorrect, neither of them got it right—Keira ended up covered in sweat from struggling, and her baby still hadn’t eaten properly. Panic set in. Anxiety crept up her spine. "What do I do?" Keira asked, her voice tight with unease. "It’s okay. This happens at first. Let’s transition with formula for now," Lena reassured Keira before glancing at Hayden, who had been standing there the whole time, watching anxiously—and sweating just as much as Keira was. "Go make your daughter a bottle," she told him. Hayden, the man wh
That conversation… Lena shuddered. Yeah, she had definitely come back too early. It was best to leave now before she ruined the mood for those two inside. Not wanting to hear any more, she quickly turned to leave—only to smack her leg against a nearby chair. The pain was real, but worse was the noise it made, drawing attention to her presence. Inside the room, Hayden—already feeling awkward from Keira's teasing—froze. The sound from outside made him even more uncomfortable. Keira couldn’t hold back her laughter. The moment Keira burst out laughing, however, pain shot through her lower abdomen. "Ah—ow!" Keira gasped. Hayden immediately panicked. "What’s wrong? Where does it hurt?" Hearing her cry, Lena rushed in as well. "What happened?" "I laughed too hard and pulled my stitches," Keira explained, gripping Hayden’s hand tightly. Lena glared at Keira. "You’re a mother now, and yet you’re still acting like a child. Do you have any idea what condition you’re in?"
"It’s fine. I can do it," Hayden said naturally as he picked up the basin and went to fetch warm water. The moment he stepped out, Lena turned to scold Keira. "You went through so much pain to give birth to his child. Why would you feel bad about letting him do something for you?" "It’s not that I feel bad—I just feel embarrassed," Keira whispered in defense. Lena rolled her eyes. "So dramatic." Keira shot her a glare in return. "Just wait until it’s your turn. When your husband has to handle your private matters, you’ll understand how awkward it is." The moment the words left Keira's mouth, she saw Lena’s face turn red. Lena quickly hugged the baby and turned away. But Keira caught it. Something was off. "Wait… why are you blushing?" Keira asked suspiciously. "I am not blushing," she denied immediately. What Keira didn’t know was that her words had triggered the memory of Lena's ridiculous dream—where she had been lying on the delivery bed, cursing Aaron while gi
The moment she finished cursing, Lena jolted awake. She sat there, dazed. What kind of ridiculous dream was that? She had assisted in delivering countless babies before, but this was the first time she had ever dreamed of giving birth herself. And not only that—she had dreamed of giving birth to Aaron’s child? That was beyond outrageous. Absolutely absurd! What a way to start the new year. That dream was anything but beautiful. Lena ran a hand down her face, shaking off the lingering unease. She quickly got up, poured herself a glass of water to calm down, and then left the break room. Back in the hospital room, Hayden was feeding Keira. Keira was perfectly capable of eating on her own, but he insisted on feeding her, saying that she was in a special period and should be treated like a queen. That this was the time to learn how to be spoiled properly. Fine. If this was how he wanted to make up for the suffering she endured giving birth to their daughter, she’d give
Keira looked at Lena and smiled as she followed up on Hayden’s words. "You’re family. It’s different." Lena shot her a subtle glare before stuffing the red envelope into her pocket and saying, "Give me the rest. I’ll hand them out for you later." Hayden passed her the prepared stack of red envelopes, and as she took them, she asked, "What about the other departments?" Hayden and Aaron exchanged a glance and chuckled. "Of course. Every medical staff member in this hospital gets one." "President Hart, you’re too generous," Lena said, giving him a thumbs-up. With that, she took the envelopes and left. Aaron glanced at the time. "If there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading back now." "Mm. Happy New Year!" Hayden said, offering his holiday wishes. "Happy New Year to your whole family," Aaron replied, adding a few extra words that made both Hayden and me instinctively turn toward the baby in the bassinet. From today onward, we were officially a family of three. Outside the h
When Keira returned to the hospital room, she was greeted by a sight that made her pause. The room was decorated with fresh flowers and balloons, and beside her bed, there was a small cart filled with various gift boxes. The atmosphere was so festive that if someone walked in, they might have thought it was a birthday party rather than a postpartum recovery room. "What’s all this?" Lena asked on Keira's behalf. "A reward for my wife," Hayden answered, his hand still holding Keira's as he gazed at her with deep affection. "She went through so much. This is my way of thanking her." Keira smiled faintly. "I don’t need any of this." "Whether you need it or not is one thing. Giving it to you is my choice," Hayden said, pressing a kiss onto Keira's fingertips. "Even if everything I have already belongs to you, I still want to give you more." "Such a loving husband—honestly, what more could a woman ask for?" Lena teased before patting Keira's hospital bed. "But if President Hart r
Elder Mitchell wasn’t buying it. "That just means you guys didn’t really want to give anything. If you truly wanted to, there’s no such thing as a gift that can’t be delivered." The two old men started bickering again, but Hayden ignored them. Instead, he kept his eyes on the infant bathing room. Before long, the nurse finished bathing the baby and carried her out. Hayden reached out to take her, but the two elders immediately moved to get closer. He blocked them without hesitation. "Don’t you know old people’s eyes are toxic? You shouldn’t be staring at her for too long." Elder Hart: "…" Elder Mitchell: "…" With that, Hayden carried the baby and walked away. The two old men trailed after him, hoping to catch another glimpse, but Hayden wasn’t about to give them the chance. "Congratulations," Aaron, who had been standing nearby, offered his well wishes. "It’s a daughter. Take a look," Hayden said, his pride practically radiating off him. Aaron lowered his gaze to the