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?
Seeing the hopeful eyes of Matthew and Lindey, I finally nodded.But deep down, I promised myself: if Jace had any more dealings with Tanya, even after we got married, I'd leave him without a second thought.Everyone at the table sighed in relief when I agreed, and the atmosphere turned warm and relaxed.After dinner, I couldn't just leave.Back in the bedroom, the awkwardness between Jace and me was even worse."You go take a shower," Jace broke the silence first.Just then, my phone rang. It was Lena. I glanced at Jace. "You go ahead. I'll take this call."Jace went into the bathroom, and I answered the phone. Lena's voice had a hint of accusation. "Rea, you didn't sleep at my place last night, and you're not here tonight either. Did you go back to Jace's?"Looking at the big bed in the middle of the room, I replied softly, "Yeah.""You and Jace are back together?" Lena sounded surprised.I bit my lip. "We're getting our marriage certificate tomorrow."Lena was silent for
Looking at myself in the mirror, I forced a smile. 'Smile today. Be happy. Live happily ever after from now on,' I told myself.When I went downstairs, Matthew and Lindey had already made breakfast. They'd even swapped the regular tableware and couch covers for the special family occasion sets."Rea, once you get your marriage certificate, come back so we can celebrate and discuss the wedding party details," Lindey said, sounding more excited than I was."Sure!" I replied.Lindey looked at me. "You look beautiful today. It would look even better if it was embellished with pearls or Swarovski crystals.""That would be too conspicuous," I said."Don't listen to her. It's not a wedding ceremony; there's no need to dress extravagantly just to get a marriage license. Rea, wear whatever you like," Matthew cut in, correcting Lindey.I smiled, feeling warm inside.Lindey dragged me to the table. Along with the usual lavish breakfast, there were two extra eggs and a sausage arranged in
Gavin looked just as surprised as I was. "Ms. Twain, what are you doing here?"Tanya adjusted her nightgown. "I live here."She noticed the keys in my hand. "Do you always just walk into other people's homes without knocking?"Gavin stepped forward. "No... this place was supposed to be a gift from Mr. Johnston to Ms. Kay."He fumbled with his phone, accidentally putting the call on speaker. "Mr. Johnston, about the Splendor Heights penthouse--"Before he could finish, Jace interrupted, "That's for Tanya."Tanya's smile widened right in front of me."And Ms. Kay--"Gavin tried to continue, but Jace cut him off again, "I'll get another house for Keira. And... don't let Keira know about this."Gavin looked at me, red-faced and embarrassed, like he was the one who had betrayed me, not Jace.He didn't dare say more, realizing that bringing me here without checking with Jace first was a huge mistake. He should have cleared it with Jace, but now it was too late.I didn't expose Jac
Tanya's face turned red, then white again.Honestly, her act was pathetic. If she wanted to steal someone's fiancé, she should just own it. Jace gave her the house meant for me, after all. She could at least show some confidence.But no. She did shady things and still tried to act all innocent.'Really, this bitch wants to have her cake and eat it too,' I cursed inwardly."Keira, Jace won't like this behavior," Tanya dared to talk to me about this.I laughed out loud. If I still cared about Jace's affection now, I'd be out of my mind."Keep his affection for yourself," I shot back, shutting her down again.Tears welled up in Tanya's eyes, and I was glad I had Gavin around. Without him, her tears would've made things way too complicated."What do you mean? Aren't you getting married today?" Tanya asked, hope flickering in her eyes.'Look at her, so ambitious.'Suddenly, I didn't want to give her the satisfaction, so I said, "Yeah, we are. We'll get our certificate soon. Jace c
When Jace called me again, I was at the Cloudscape Monastery listening to a sermon."Rea, it's almost eleven. Why aren't you here yet?" Jace sounded urgent."I'm almost there, just wait a little longer." I was doing this on purpose.I'd loved him for a decade, and lost track of how many times I'd waited on him.Today, though, I made him wait on me. It was a small payback for a decade of love and youth."Hurry up, don't miss the time my mentor recommended," Jace urged me once more.At that moment, I was sitting in front of Abbot Levinsky, who hadn't mentioned anything about my marriage. It was clear he didn't know I was supposed to register with Jace today, let alone any auspicious timing.I softly hummed in acknowledgment, hung up, and switched off my phone, focusing back on Abbot Levinsky's sermon.Jace was a believer ever since he miraculously recovered from a serious illness as a child. Lindey had prayed nonstop at the monastery for three days and nights, and somehow, Jace h
"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