My heart raced. Oh no, is he planning to go for it again?It's human nature to crave what feels good, and once someone's had a taste, they want more.I guess even the most put-together people can't resist temptation. No wonder those characters in dramas risk everything just to fall in love.Love really is the biggest weakness the universe gave us.As Hayden's kisses deepened, I found my mind wandering off, caught up in a random swirl of thoughts.But when he gently nipped my lip, I snapped back to reality. That's when I realized he'd already laid me down on the bed, his body pressing against mine.His eyes were dark with desire, his Adam's apple bobbing in a way that made my breath catch. His strong arms were braced on either side of me, his muscles flexing, and I felt my mouth go dry.He was a living, breathing temptation, and I could feel a tingling warmth spread through me, like a slow, gentle current buzzing under my skin.I knew exactly what this feeling was. I was getting
Even though I'd moved on from Jace, the sting of what he did was still there, like an old bruise that hadn't quite faded."Rea, you poor thing," Lindey said, her eyes blazing with that fierce protectiveness she was known for. "You went through all that and didn't say a word? That place was supposed to be yours. You should've kicked her out! I wouldn't let a stray cat stay there, let alone her!"No wonder Matthew always tiptoed around her. Besides loving her, he was probably scared out of his mind to get on her bad side.But Jace and I were history, so what was the point of dragging this up again?I tried to calm her down. "It's over, Lindey. Let it go.""Maybe you're over it, but I'm not. I'm getting that place back today," she declared.I couldn't help but smile a little. "Even if you boot her out of that penthouse, Jace can just buy her another one."Tanya might've been the one in the middle, but it was Jace who put her there in the first place.He was the real problem, not h
Guys can't handle it when a girl cries, and girls freak out when a guy shows he's vulnerable.And let's be real, when it comes to sex, it's not surprising if he was a little rough the first time. It's all new, right?Plus, Lena texted me this really sweet message, saying it's totally normal to feel a bit sore the first time and not to blame Hayden.Honestly, Hayden owes Lena a big thank you. She not only calmed me down without even trying, but she also helped his sister by hooking her up with Nate for that surgery.I was still healing, so no matter how much Hayden wanted me, he had to chill.I thought he'd be good and go back to his own room, but instead, he stayed and wrapped me up in his arms."Hayden, isn't this driving you crazy?" I teased, leaning against his chest.He just muttered, "Don't talk. Go to sleep."I giggled. "But can you really fall asleep like this?""Kiki," he groaned, his voice all gravelly, "don't push it."He was totally uncomfortable, struggling to kee
In the morning, I woke up to the smell of breakfast, and there was Hayden, already in the kitchen.He'd changed into a short-sleeve shirt and cargo pants.Apparently, he really liked this look. It gave off major special agent vibes, and honestly, it fit him perfectly.It wasn't just his build but all that training he did. I remembered him doing push-ups last night.I had to admit, his form was seriously on point."Why are you staring at me? Eat," Hayden said, catching me in the act.I grabbed a bite of the beef macaroni soup he'd made and, curious, asked, "Do you hit the gym a lot?"He scooped some more side dish into my bowl. "Nah, I work out on my own.""No wonder your push-up form is so perfect," I blurted out before I could stop myself.He paused, then looked down. I thought he was embarrassed or something, but then he just asked casually, "You saw me?"Now it was my turn to feel awkward, so I just focused on my pasta and nodded like I'd suddenly forgotten how to talk.H
He looked a little nervous.So, he's feeling guilty, huh?I guess no guy's ever really chill when another guy's in the picture. Seeing Hayden all nervous—it was kinda funny. He almost never looks like this. But I kept my face serious on purpose.I stood there, staring at him, not saying a word.Hayden's lips moved, like he wanted to say something, but he held back, unsure if he should.This usually straightforward guy, hesitating like a kid who's been caught doing something wrong.I couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing.My laughter only confused him more. "Kiki..."I took the cup of milk he made and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks."Then I turned to leave, tossing over my shoulder, "Grab my bag."Hayden followed me all the way downstairs, looking way more relaxed now.When we got to the car, I switched things up and didn't head for the driver's seat. Instead, I walked over to the passenger side.I threw the keys to Hayden. "You're driving."
I got the hint. "Is there something coming up? Do I need to travel?"Ron nodded. "Yeah, you'll be out for a couple of days."Great. I hadn't heard about any new projects, so this had to be a last-minute thing."Where to? What's the job?" I asked, needing the scoop."Uh... we'll figure that out later," he said, looking all mysterious, which was not helpful at all.I could tell he wasn't in the mood to share more, so I just nodded and got back to work. If this was coming from management, I'd better get all my stuff sorted and be ready for anything.I didn't get a break until around ten-thirty. Grabbing my cup, I made a beeline for the break room. Just as I reached the door, I heard two girls inside gossiping over their tea."Mr. Hart just keeps getting hotter. Those cargo pants he's rocking today make his legs look like they go on forever.""Are you serious? I think you're just totally obsessed with Mr. Hart. Weren't you crushing on Mr. Shane, like, last week?""Yeah, I thought
"Hiss—" Hayden let out a soft sound.I knew it wasn't pain but sensitivity. Shivers...I could almost picture him trying to keep it together. Honestly, I was getting pretty wicked, more and more mischievous by the day.After stirring things up, I straightened, took a casual sip of my coffee, and turned to leave like it was no big deal.Hayden seemed too stunned to react. He just sat there, probably trying to figure out what the heck just happened.Back in my office, I sat down, set my coffee cup on the desk, and rubbed my face, chuckling softly.I didn't even know why I was laughing, but I just felt like it.It was that kind of pure, genuine happiness that bubbles up from your heart—the joy of pulling off a little mischief.Like a kid who can't stop giggling after a prank.Just as I was enjoying myself, my phone buzzed with a new message.I picked it up and saw it was from Cole: a location pin.I opened it and saw it was an address in an industrial park on the outskirts of t
"Seriously, it was huge!" one of them said, wide-eyed. "Either his girlfriend's got some serious lung capacity, or—""—Or he's just that good in bed, making her all crazy," the other finished with a knowing smirk.I blinked, momentarily speechless. These two definitely knew way too much."You two sure don't miss a thing," I chuckled, though it came out kind of flat."He wanted us to see it. His shirt was practically hanging open," one of them said, nudging her friend. "Right?""Totally. It wasn't just us. Every girl in the company saw it—even the cleaning lady!"I didn't know what to say."Mr. Hart's usually so low-key. He barely leaves his office. But today, it was like he was on a parade or something.""For real. You think he's trying to make a point or something?""Maybe..." The other girl gave a knowing look. "Or maybe he's just crushing any fantasies we might've had about him.""Yeah, like, 'Sorry, ladies, but I'm very taken.'"I couldn't help but be impressed by their
"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