I couldn't believe it—I was actually having a nosebleed. Seriously, who does that?I'd only seen it happen in movies or cartoons, always thinking it was some over-the-top gag. Never thought it'd be me standing there, blood running down my face like a total weirdo."Kiki, you're bleeding!" Hayden's eyes went wide as he reached for my face.But nope, I beat him to it. Pinched my nose, head back. "I'm fine, just... overheated." I tried to sound cool, but I could feel my cheeks burning. So much for that."Not enough water?" he asked, his voice full of concern."Yeah... sure." Dehydration sounded way better than admitting the real reason.He fished some tissues out of his pocket and handed them over. "You've been running around too much. I should've noticed you weren't drinking enough water."Ugh, there he goes again—blaming himself.To be fair, maybe he should have noticed. Not that dehydration caused this whole thing, but still... it was definitely his fault.Once the bleeding st
"This is good," I said, feeling grateful toward Nate—I hadn't expected him to be so all-in.Considering his status as a professor, just having him personally perform the surgery was a huge deal. But now, he was also fully focused on finding the right heart donor.I knew this extra effort had everything to do with Lena."Any word on when the new donor heart will arrive?" I asked again.Hayden dropped his gaze. "Still no idea."I glanced down the cold, sterile hospital corridor. "So, what's Prof. Neumann suggesting? Should we stick around or go home and rest?""Let's head back for now," Hayden said, his voice soft. "Yuna's barely left home because of her health. She's never even been to Seavora. I was thinking I'd take her out, let her see the city for a bit."That made sense. Yuna hadn't experienced much beyond her little world. She hadn't even tried coffee or milk tea before. Everything she knew about the outside came from books, but she'd never actually lived it."Yeah, I thin
I eventually found myself in front of Matthew's hospital room. Standing outside were two men in black suits, one of whom looked familiar.It hit me—he was one of Thorsten's bodyguards.Thorsten wasn't even trying to keep a low profile. It's like he didn't care if people thought he was straight-up mafia or something.Since he was already there, I wasn't about to just waltz in. But going back to Yuna's room wasn't happening either, so I wandered over to the hospital's little garden.I barely sat down on a bench when this tiny voice piped up, "Miss, will you play ball with me?"I looked down to see a little girl, maybe three or four, staring at me with these big, puppy-dog eyes. Ugh. I wasn't really in the mood, but how was I supposed to say no?"Sure," I said, figuring it'd be five minutes, tops. But once we started, I got all these flashbacks of playing ball with my parents when I was a kid."Miss, you're kinda clumsy."Oops, you missed again."Miss..."I was not only stuck pl
I knew I had to say something, but the words that came out were more offhand than thoughtful. "I might not be one now, but who knows about the future?"Thorsten burst out laughing, and Milly, still nestled in his arms, giggled along with him."Daddy, this lady is nice. She played with me," Milly chimed in.This kid definitely thought I was a rockstar.Her mom, though? Yeah, not so much. Sasha's face darkened, and she gave me this look like she was already convinced I was Thorsten's latest fling or something."Well then, from now on, you can always come find this lady to play," Thorsten said, like I'd somehow become a regular in their lives.I opened my mouth, unsure what to say. Arguing in front of Milly didn't feel right, so I just brushed it off like he was humoring her.Then Thorsten walked up to me, still holding Milly. "Got time to play with my daughter? You can name your price."Wait—was he seriously asking me to babysit? Did he think everyone had as much free time as he
Matthew didn't respond at first, and a sudden chill ran down my spine. Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed his arm."Matthew... Matthew..."He finally took a heavy, ragged breath, then slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was distant, unfocused. "Rea... I almost didn't wake up just now."My heart raced. "I'm getting the doctor."But before I could move, Matthew, weak but determined, caught my hand. "No need to panic. I'm fine. This isn't the first time—it's just sleep paralysis."Sleep paralysis? I'd heard of it before, usually in a casual, "freaky dream" kind of way. But in his condition—severe cancer—this felt far from ordinary. My gut told me it was a sign something deeper was going wrong.I wasn't a doctor, but I wasn't clueless either. And with Lena, my best friend, being a nurse, I'd picked up more than just the basics."Matthew, let's get the doctor to check on you anyway. I won't feel right unless we do," I insisted, my voice firm. I wasn't taking any chances.A doc
Matthew's expression softened, almost like a dad looking at his kid. "To me, you'll always be that little girl. But listen, being serious and stubborn is great for work, not so much for life."I knew why he said it, but people don't change overnight. We are who we are."Rea, sometimes not knowing everything brings a little happiness. You don't have to figure it all out, you know?" His words were soft, almost fatherly.Seeing the worry in his eyes, and thinking about his illness, I nodded, even though deep down I still held onto my beliefs."Rea," Matthew said softly."Yeah?"He shook his head. "It's nothing.""No, it's something. You've definitely got something on your mind," I pressed, sensing he was holding back.Matthew chuckled. "Nothing gets past you, does it?""Why hide it? Whatever secret you've got that you can't tell Lindey or Wayne, you can tell me. I'll keep it locked up, promise." I raised my hand like I was swearing an oath.He laughed, amused. "I don't have any
"I'm calling from the demolition office. We posted the demolition notice earlier, and now there are some final procedures you need to complete. You're the last one holding things up, so please come by as soon as you can."My mood, already low, sank even further.I'd known for a while that I needed to sign the demolition papers, but I kept putting it off.It felt like, as long as I didn't sign those papers, the place couldn't be torn down. And if it wasn't torn down, my home would still be there.But now, no matter how much I'd delayed, I had to sign. The place was getting demolished.I couldn't be the one holding up the whole process, keeping people from moving into their new homes.After all, the neighborhood was old. Who wouldn't want to live in a shiny new development with fresh houses?"Okay, I'll come by now," I agreed, without even hesitating.After hanging up, I let out a long sigh, got in my car, and drove to the demolition office.I signed the papers like they asked,
Thinking about how long it had been since the accident, I let out a dry, bitter laugh. "Is that even necessary anymore?""If something comes up, we'll need a way to reach you," he replied, surprising me.I couldn't imagine what could come up after all these years, but I scribbled down my number and walked out.With the death report in hand, the only thing I still needed was the cremation documents. For that, I had to turn to Matthew. But since he was still unwell, I decided to reach out to Lindey instead."Rea, what brings you here?" Lindey looked more surprised than pleased when she saw me."I need to talk to you. Let's go inside," I said, feeling drained—whether it was from running around because of Yuna's situation or just my period, I wasn't sure, but I felt lightheaded."Oh, okay. Well... let's sit in the gazebo instead; it's too stuffy inside," Lindey suggested, linking her arm through mine as she led me toward the garden.I didn't think much of it and followed. She called
No girl could resist a gesture of kindness, especially when it came with a dessert. "Can I sit for a moment?" Keira asked the girl, seeking her permission even though this was her place. "Of course. You’re the owner here, right?" she replied, recognizing Keira immediately. Keira glanced down at her work apron, smiling lightly. "How did you guess? Is it written on my face?" "You look even better in person than in the photos," the girl said candidly, studying her with an open gaze. Keira gave her a puzzled look. "Hmm?" She pulled out her phone and opened a video. "This is how I found this place. It’s amazing." It turned out that a blogger had visited the café and shared a video and photos online. In his post, he wrote: The air here is soft; it calms your weary heart as you breathe it in. The leaves on the trees are alive, reminding you that every day has its colors. The coffee is bittersweet, much like life, and the owner is a stranger who genuinely cares. When she greets
The message Keira had asked Hayden to pass on was simple: "My father is no longer here. I will speak of his origins at his gravesite, and nothing more is needed." Over the years, only the Johnston family had given her warmth and familial love. She didn’t feel any attachment to the other so-called relatives, nor did she see a need to force a connection. Having gone through so much, Keira had come to understand that no matter how strong blood ties might be, they require companionship and nurturing to truly matter. - When Hayden returned, Keira was busy at the café. For some reason, business was particularly good today, with an unusually large crowd. Even the staff were struggling to keep up. "Quite a crowd today," Hayden remarked, sounding as puzzled as Keira felt. "Right? Look at this," she said, glancing at the full tables inside and outside the café. Her heart brimmed with satisfaction. Over the years, Keira had held high-ranking, well-paying positions, whether working f
Peter's expression darkened at Hayden's playful jab, but Hayden merely smiled lightly, as if relishing the discomfort. "From what you’ve said, Mr. Mitchell, you must be quite the romantic," he teased. The tea began to boil, releasing a rich fragrance into the air. Hayden had done his homework on Peter. Despite his dignified reputation, Mr. Mitchell had married three times, fathered no children with his wives, and even had an illegitimate child with a mistress. This mistress had borne him a son and then tried to leverage the child to gain the title of "Madam Mitchell." Peter, stubborn and prideful, refused her demands and even sent people to take the child by force. But the mistress, knowing Peter’s methods, preemptively entrusted the child to someone else. When Mitchell’s men came to seize the boy, an explosive argument broke out. In a fit of rage, Mitchell struck her, and in defiance, the mistress stabbed herself in the chest, intending only to scare him. Unfortunately, the blad
When Hayden arrived at the teahouse, Ron glanced at his watch and tapped it meaningfully before saying in a low voice, "The man’s been waiting for half an hour." "Getting impatient?" Hayden asked casually, his tone devoid of concern. His attire was simple and understated, nothing to draw attention. If not for his sharply defined features and the naturally aloof aura he carried, his outfit would have rendered him almost invisible in a crowd. "No, not at all. I’m quite patient," Ron replied with an exaggerated expression of innocence, as though pleading not to be falsely accused. Hayden gave him a glance that seemed to say, Then why bother pointing it out? "But arriving this late does come across as impolite, doesn’t it?" Ron added, his tone that of a model citizen, someone who might have been a class leader or an exemplary student back in the day. "I did it on purpose," Hayden replied, cutting him off with five simple words that silenced Ron. Hayden pushed open the door an
"Because this love didn’t give me the happiness I imagined," Lena explained with a faint smile. "It’s like going to the supermarket, picking out a snack you’re excited about, and then finding out it doesn’t suit your taste. After that, you just don’t like it anymore and won’t bother with it again." Her metaphor was strikingly apt. "And what does the happiness you imagine look like?" Aaron asked, as though playing the role of a persistent interviewer. Lena, softened by the alcohol, answered obediently, "I don’t know. But whatever it is, Nate didn’t give it to me." Aaron observed the peaceful resignation in her expression and pressed further. "Do you still believe in love? Do you still want to start a new relationship?" "Of course," Lena said, finally lifting her gaze to meet his. Her eyebrows arched into a cheerful expression. "I’m not the kind of person who gets scared off by a bad experience. If I meet someone who makes my heart race again, I’ll love them boldly and passiona
He was waiting for her? What for? "Uncle, you didn’t skip dinner, did you?" Lena’s first thought was his meal. In truth, he hadn’t eaten. After receiving her message, he had been uneasy all evening, unable to focus on food. "You didn’t eat? I’ll make something for you," Lena assumed his silence was confirmation. "There’s no need," Aaron refused. "Then why were you waiting for me? Is something wrong?" In Lena’s view, Aaron would never wait for her without a reason. He gazed at her, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "You’ve been drinking?" She nodded, flashing him a sweet, soft smile. She even gestured with her hand, "Just a little." Aaron stepped closer, his tall frame looming over her with an intensity that made her feel small. Though the light above bathed his eyes, they remained dark and inscrutable, filled with a depth that was hard to read. Lena sensed something was off. "Uncle, what’s wrong?" She looked into his deep, clear eyes, untouched by any impurity.
"Should we drink a little today?" Lena asked. Nate nodded. "Let’s have a drink." They warmed a bottle of wine and ordered a few small dishes. Neither of them spoke, simply sitting quietly, gazing out at the river and the occasional boats passing by. "Lena," Nate called her softly. Lena turned to look at him. The warm yellow light above cast a gentle glow on his nose, brows, and lips. His gold-rimmed glasses exuded elegance, and the texture of his shirt spoke of refined taste. Even after their breakup, Lena had to admit that Nate was precisely her type. In all her life, among all the men she had met, only Aaron and Nate could truly be called attractive in her eyes. Even Hayden and Jace were merely "not bad." It wasn’t that her standards were excessively high—it was simply that if someone didn’t resonate with her, no matter how perfect they were, she wouldn’t care for them. "Thank you," Nate said softly. Lena was momentarily stunned, assuming he was referring to their wor
Recently, Lena had been in a constant state of distraction. Aaron's decision to sever ties with the Aces weighed heavily on her mind. He hadn't told her the reason, only saying that she would find out in due time. She could live without knowing why, but she feared the fallout. When the truth came to light, she worried her grandparents and her mother would crumble under the weight of the news, collectively breaking down. Aaron had assured her he would handle everything, but she didn’t trust that he could shield the family from such devastation. Most importantly, she couldn’t understand why he would choose to leave the Aces. Could it really be, as the old saying went, that someone else’s child was like an ungrateful wolf? If it were anyone else, she might believe it, but this was Aaron. She couldn’t bring herself to believe he would be so heartless, so ungrateful. And yet, he had said it to her himself. It felt so unreal that Lena wondered if she had imagined it all. This tur
Mrs. Lane finally pieced together all the questions Lena had asked her and understood everything. Gabriel furrowed his brow and looked at Lena. "Is this really what you think?" Lena stayed silent. She did have those suspicions, but seeing how her mother had reacted so strongly, she began to wonder if she had been overthinking it. Aaron, who had already figured out the situation, looked at Lena and spoke up. "She must have misunderstood something." And he knew it was his fault. "She’s just an ungrateful brat! She doesn’t appreciate the kindness she’s been given and can’t stand seeing me be good to someone else," Mrs. Lane fumed again. Gabriel wiped away her tears gently. "Alright, maybe she was just joking with you." "Ask her if she was joking! Look at the things she’s been asking me—let her tell you herself!" Mrs. Lane pointed an accusing finger at Lena. "Big Sis," Aaron called out softly, "I’ll take Lil' Lena out for some fresh air." Without waiting for a reply, he r