The scene in front of me took over my brain.Never in a million years did I think I'd walk in on Hayden fresh out of the shower.He was only wearing a towel, slung low around his waist, leaving his entire chest bare—and not much else covered. Just the basics, really.Hayden looked just as shocked, a faint blush spreading across his tan skin.For a few seconds, we just stood there, staring at each other. Neither of us said a word, neither of us moved. It was like the world had completely frozen.Hayden was the first to snap out of it, retreating back into his room. Only then did I finally manage to move, stiff as a board, swallowing hard—twice.That's when I realized my face was burning up.Watching him close the door, I figured he was probably getting dressed. And before I could think, I blurted, "Hayden, wait! Don't put anything on yet, just wait for me."The second the words left my mouth, I spun around, but then it hit me—what did I just say?I told him not to put on clothe
"I figured if you were in a hurry, you'd come looking for me, so I left it open for you," Hayden replied like it was no big deal.And yet, like an idiot, I asked, "So you came out like that on purpose?"His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "No, I heard my phone ringing and came out to grab it. I didn't expect... well, the timing..."Yeah, just perfect timing.At least he had a great body, so it wasn't the worst thing to catch a glimpse.On the way to the Johnston residence, Hayden stayed quiet.I figured he was probably nervous. "When we get to the Johnstons', all you have to do is say hello. I'll take care of any awkward questions.""Okay," he nodded."And if Jace is there and tries to be a jerk or make things hard for you, don't hold back," I added."Got it.""Oh, and one more thing—we should get our story straight. We'll say we met in Chiverton, and, um," I paused, feeling my face heat up, "you're interested in me... so you followed me here.""I don't think I'll have
I drove in silence, unsure of what to say.I was scared that saying the wrong thing might hurt Hayden even more. But part of me couldn't stop thinking about my own parents and their crash.Was it really just an accident? Or was there more to it?Back then, I was too young to get what really happened. Matthew handled everything. Maybe he was the only one who actually knew all the details. I figured I could ask him when I saw him later.Since I stayed quiet, Hayden didn't push it, and the rest of the ride was just... well, quiet.As we pulled up to the Johnston residence, the auto gate recognized my car and slid open, letting us drive right into the courtyard.Isabel Zetino, the housemaid, spotted me as soon as I parked. She gave me this big smile and waved. "Rea, you're back! I'll let Mr. and Mrs. Johnston know."I smiled back, shaking my head. "No need. I'll head in myself."Her gaze flicked over to Hayden as he got out of the car and walked over to me. She was definitely curio
But Lindey wasn't buying it. She gave him a little swat. "Oh, please. You think you can use Rea to get out of this? Not happening.""Hey, Lindey." I called out.At the sound of my voice, Lindey froze. She turned around, her eyes lighting up when she saw me, but the second she realized I had probably caught the whole intimate scene with her and Matthew, her face went bright red.She quickly dropped Matthew's hand and made her way over to me. "Rea, you're here! Have you eaten? I'll have Isabel—""I've already eaten," I lied, even though my stomach was growling. It suddenly hit me that I hadn't asked Hayden if he'd eaten either."Why didn't you have your dinner here?" Lindey asked, sounding a little annoyed.She was acting like Hayden wasn't even there, not a single word or glance his way. But I knew Lindey better than that—this was her very subtle way of showing her disapproval.Still, Lindey had too much class to be totally rude. After what felt like an eternity of her ignoring h
Just then, Hayden's eyes shifted to me.His grip on my hand tightened, like for a second, he wasn't just holding my hand—he had my heart too.You know how they say your fingers are connected to your heart? Yeah, right now, that felt way too real."I'll give Kiki everything I have," Hayden said, his intense eyes locked on mine. "I'll love her like I love my own life, and I'll always protect her."His eyes were full of affection. In that moment, I finally understood what people meant when they said, "Love deep as the ocean."And even though this was all supposed to be an act, it felt like Hayden's words were reaching right into my chest, like he was actually confessing.This guy was unbelievable. Blurring the line between what's real and what's fake.With him saying stuff like that, I had no choice but to roll with it. I lifted my hand, planning to squeeze his back.But the way he was looking at me? It made me clench my teeth. I asked him to act, not toss real feelings into the m
Ever since I stopped being forced to practice hand lettering under Matthew's watch, I never bothered to do it on my own.I mean, I wasn't exactly a kid anymore, but I was still just as lazy as one, dodging anything that felt like work whenever I could."Relax, just write. However it turns out, it turns out," Matthew said, holding the quill pen out to me again.How was I supposed to say no?I'd held this pen before when I bought it, but now, taking it from him, it felt so much heavier.Maybe it was all the ink—or maybe it was the way Matthew was staring at me, like he was expecting something big.He wanted me to be that girl again. The one who used to write with a heart full of Jace, back when I was that kid always hanging out at their home.I pressed the pen to the paper, but my hand shook. No matter how hard I tried, the strokes came out all wobbly.I knew Matthew didn't actually care about my handwriting. What he really wanted was something deeper—he was trying to figure out
Matthew froze in his tracks, and I could feel him sway, just a little.I instinctively reached out to steady him. "Matthew!"He turned to face me, his expression tense. "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"I thought about what Hayden had said, but I couldn't bring myself to tell Matthew the truth. So, I played it off with a casual shrug. "I was just curious. No big deal."The smile vanished from his face, and the way he looked at me sent a cold chill down my spine."Rea, your parents' car accident was exactly that—an accident. I went to the scene myself. The police were there, and there's a full investigation report," Matthew said, his voice serious.I hadn't been at the scene back then. I didn't know the details firsthand.Matthew had kept me away, told me not to come. He didn't want me to see something so awful, and I knew he was trying to protect me. But still, it left me with this lingering regret that never really went away."If you have doubts or don't believe me, y
"Alright," I nodded, then turned to Lindey. "We're heading out."She gave me a quick look, clearly sensing something was up. Her eyes flicked upstairs, probably wondering what had gone down between me and Matthew, but she didn't push it. "Drive safe."Hayden and I slid into the car, and right as I was about to turn the key, he pressed his hand over mine, stopping me. "What's up?" he asked, his tone all gentle but definitely not letting it go."Nothing, we talked about my parents," I admitted, not even trying to dodge it."You asked about the accident, didn't you?" He nailed it, like he always did.I gave a dry laugh. "Yeah, looks like you're rubbing off on me. I had to know.""And?" he pushed, not dropping it.Remembering Matthew's words, I started the car and hit the gas, giving Hayden the answer. "It was just an accident."As we pulled away from the Johnston residence, I added, "There are official reports and everything."Hayden didn't push any further. We drove in silence,
"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