Wade stopped in his tracks, turning to look at me with a hint of surprise.I suddenly realized how forward I'd been and quickly tried to backtrack. "I didn't mean to overstep, I just thought—""That's fine," Wade cut me off."She was so lively before," Wade murmured, almost to himself. "Loved meeting new people. If you visit her, she'll be happy, I'm sure."The way he spoke tugged at my heart."Come with me," he said, leading the way.As I followed, I couldn't help but notice how heavy his steps seemed, as if the guilt and sadness were dragging him down. We made our way to a rehabilitation room that looked almost like the VIP suite Yuna stayed in—spacious, comfortable, clearly a place for someone from a well-off family.When we reached the door, Wade turned to me, his eyes holding something unsaid.I thought maybe he was having second thoughts. "If it's not convenient, we can come back another time," I offered quickly."You really do look like her," Wade said, "But she's thinn
Wade stood up and moved toward the window, his back to me. I wasn't sure what he was doing, but I found myself quietly stepping closer to the bed.Now that I was up close, I could really see it—she wasn’t just gorgeous; she looked a lot like me.If my parents were still alive, I would've gone straight to them and asked if I had a long-lost sister.As those thoughts ran through my mind, my eyes drifted to the nameplate on the bedside: Narelle Yule, 28 years old.'Miss Yule, hello. I'm Keira,' I silently introduced myself.Wade's voice broke the stillness. "Come back in," he said into his phone, calling the caregiver back.The caregiver returned quickly, and I took that as my cue to slip out of the room. Wade followed silently, and we walked side by side in heavy quiet. It wasn't until we'd walked some distance that he finally spoke."The doctors say there's no chance she'll recover. Her family... they've already given up.""But you haven't," I said.Wade's steps slowed, his voi
"Boba tea's here. Let's head in," Hayden said, balancing the fruit in his hands.He didn't ask about Wade, but I knew he probably saw everything. I wasn't in the mood to explain, so I just followed him inside.Yuna's voice lit up as soon as I walked in. "Keira! I waited for you to get here before drinking mine!"Hayden set the fruit down in the kitchen. I glanced at him before walking over to Yuna."I've got everything ready!" she said, motioning to the drinks lined up on the table, her eyes sparkling.But I couldn't even think about drinking anything. "You can have mine," I said, my heart still heavy."Really?" Yuna's eyes sparkled, and she laughed. "I'm not that greedy."Even so, she started splitting the drinks. "Why'd it take you so long? Hayden was worried. As soon as he dropped off the groceries, he went looking for you.""I ran into a friend," I said, half-truthfully."You've got so many friends. I hope I can make more someday," Yuna said, sliding a boba toward me."Yo
"Don't get up," Yuna pressed my head back onto Hayden's shoulder, a playful smile on her face. "Keira, just stay like this with Hayden. I love seeing you two all lovey-dovey."This girl..."Hayden, Keira," Yuna's bright eyes turned serious. "I was going to wait a few more days to say this, but since we're already here, I'll say it now.""Don't start saying crazy stuff," I cut in, already sensing where this was headed.But Hayden, ever calm, just said, "Let her talk."Yuna flashed him a grin. "You really are my brother. You always get me."Then she looked back at me. "Keira, just hear me out, okay?"She giggled lightly, as if she was about to spill some silly secret, but then she coughed, squeezing both our hands tighter."I'm starting now," she announced, and the room suddenly felt heavier.Neither of us spoke, but I could feel the tension in our breathing as we waited for her to go on."Hayden, Keira... I want to be an organ donor." Her words hit like a shockwave."What are
I was kinda shocked that Hayden agreed so fast, but honestly, it just made my heart hurt more. He clearly wasn't into it, but he was doing it because Yuna wanted him to.Yuna, like she was scared Hayden might change his mind, whipped out her phone and started filling out the organ donation form right away. Watching her so focused, I realized how much light and positivity this girl had. It was impossible not to admire her."Hayden, let's do it too," I said before I could stop myself.Both Yuna and Hayden froze, eyes on me. "Keira?" Yuna asked, her voice laced with concern."Okay," Hayden replied, not even hesitating, pulling out his phone.Yuna glanced between the two of us, excitement and worry mixing on her face.It's funny how, when it's about ourselves, we can make these big decisions without blinking. But when it's someone we care about? Total hesitation.Still, Yuna didn't stop us. Instead, she grinned, turning her worry into something more playful. "Alright, we'll do this
"Take the main seats," Ron waved for Hayden and me to sit down.He didn't look anything like our deputy CEO right now. More like a guy trying way too hard to be laid-back.Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that I knew Hayden was the real power behind the company, I doubt Ron would be this chummy."Mr. Shane," I started, raising an eyebrow, "You're the boss. We're just employees. Isn't this a bit... much?"Ron paused, glancing at Hayden before giving this easy smile. "What's wrong with being friendly? We're colleagues, like family."I let out a short laugh. "Yeah, but you're still the boss. Treating us like this makes things feel kinda weird.""Mr. Shane, really, you don't have to be so polite. We won't be able to enjoy the meal like this," Hayden added.Ron waved him off like it was nothing. "Don't overthink it. That's just my style—no formalities, no drama. Right, Mr. Hart?""Maybe too informal," Hayden replied, keeping it short like usual.It was funny, the contrast betwe
"Ouch!"Ron quickly turned his head away, covering his eyes with his hand, like we'd blinded him or something.Hayden straightened up, totally unbothered. "What? Never seen two people in love before?"Ron lowered his hand. "Oh, I've seen it. Just never quite... this type of PDA."Then he turned to me. "Ms. Kay, you really do live up to your job in marketing—always coming up with something fresh."I just blinked, completely speechless."And why are you still standing there? Maybe you're good, but your guest is tired just watching," Hayden threw out, his deadpan shutting Ron up instantly.Ron slapped his forehead like it had all been a big mistake. "Look at me! You two flustered me so much, I almost forgot about the main event."He stepped to the side, making a sweeping gesture toward the door. "Boss, please."Wait, boss?!I froze as this short, round man waddled into the room, looking like he was about seven months pregnant.I had no clue who this guy was, so I instinctively
"No, he doesn't.""Honestly, I don't think he looks much like a big boss either," Ron puffed out his chest, standing taller like he was comparing himself. "I mean, come on, look at me. In terms of body and presence, how could he ever compete with this?"I rolled my eyes. "But, like, he's the one who invested all the money to start the company, right?""Yup, he's the real majority shareholder," Ron said. "Me?" He chuckled, "I may look like I run things, but I'm just another glorified employee—same as you and Hayden."His easy, playful tone actually made him seem pretty down-to-earth."Then why doesn't he run the company himself?" I asked, still not totally getting it.Ron scoffed. "What, are you dense? The guy's loaded. He owns a bunch of companies. Who has the time to micromanage all of them?"I glanced back at the private room door, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the short, stocky guy inside was some rich business mogul.I'd spent years around the upper crus
Lena’s mother’s face flushed with embarrassment at the questioning but quickly retorted, “Aaron, what kind of talk is that? Lena is my daughter. I gave birth to her and raised her. How could I possibly harm her?” “Then what do you call what you’re doing today?” Aaron’s voice and gaze were both ice-cold. “Your sister is just worried that Lena hasn’t moved on from Nate,” Lena’s father chimed in, trying to mediate. “That’s right, Aaron. Your sister and brother-in-law would never hurt Lena. Besides, the Goodwick family isn’t bad. It’s just that from the moment you two walked in, you’ve been giving them attitude, making sharp remarks at every turn,” added Aaron’s father, who had been silent until now. As the person in question, Lena couldn’t remain silent any longer. “Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad, I know you all care about me and want the best for me, but I really don’t want to start a new relationship right now. That doesn’t mean I’m stuck in the past with Nate, though. Can you just
“Yes!” Lena and Aaron replied in unison. Mrs. Goodwick froze for a moment, then gave an awkward laugh. “You two are uncle and niece, having grown up together, but now that you’re adults, you should have your own spaces. What if Mr. Ace brings a girlfriend home? It wouldn’t be convenient, would it?” She certainly knew how to mind others' business. “I don’t have a girlfriend, so there’s no inconvenience,” Aaron replied flatly, blocking her attempts at argument like swatting away a fly. “But men and women are different,” Arthur said, his gaze toward Lena taking on a peculiar edge. “Only dirty-minded people think that way,” Lena shot back without hesitation. The back-and-forth between Aaron and Lena left no room for the Goodwick family to save face. Their expressions darkened considerably. Mrs. Lane had to step in to smooth things over. “It’s just that Lena had some trouble with a medical dispute recently. We were worried about her safety, so we let her stay with her uncle fo
“Lena, you’re back! Aaron…” Mrs. Lane immediately waved at Lena, signaling her to come over quickly. Lena had a sinking feeling and didn’t step forward. Just then, Aaron walked over and stood beside her, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room. As his sleeve brushed against Lena’s hand, the accidental touch gave her a sudden boost of courage. What was there to be afraid of? With Aaron here, her mother wouldn’t dare go overboard. It was a confidence she had grown up with—so long as Aaron was around, her mother was nothing more than a paper tiger. To this day, Lena couldn’t quite figure it out. Aaron wasn’t even biologically related to the family, yet everyone seemed to hold him in unusually high regard. Whatever he said, no one would dare contradict. It was precisely because of this unique favoritism that Lena often rode on his coattails, benefiting from his influence. “Chairman Goodwick, Mrs. Goodwick,” Aaron greeted the unfamiliar guests first, acknowledging the fa
“It doesn’t hurt anymore. It’s completely healed,” Lena said as she sat down. “Any new issues or discoveries today?” “None,” Nate replied, his dark, deep gaze lingering on her with a complex expression. Lena noticed but pretended not to. She had no intention of asking. When she lowered her head to focus on work, Nate withdrew his gaze. For the rest of the day, he didn’t say another word to her. This behavior was unusual for him. Ever since he returned to promote his research project, Nate had always carried himself with humility, desperately seeking her forgiveness. But today, he acted like just another colleague, a completely different person from before. Although this change was what Lena had hoped for, she couldn’t help but feel unsettled. What had brought on this sudden shift? She thought back to the incident yesterday when she had asked Nate and Aaron to leave while her wound was being treated. Could it be that her uncle had said something to Nate? On the drive bac
Aaron didn’t give Nate an answer, but silence itself was an answer. Lena’s test results came back negative: no traces of snake venom were found in her system. The wound had been treated, and in the end, it turned out to be a false alarm. “Sorry, Uncle,” Lena said apologetically. “I ruined your camping trip.” When she had been bitten by the snake, her screams were so terrifying that they startled everyone else. The others quickly packed up and left, bringing the camping trip to an abrupt, messy end. “It’s fine. You can make it up to everyone another time,” Aaron replied in a way that defied all expectations. Shouldn’t he be comforting her? He didn’t play by the rules, and Lena decided she wouldn’t either. “I’m not making it up to anyone. If anything, you owe me, Uncle.” “How would you like me to compensate you?” This time, he sounded more reasonable. Lena blinked mischievously. “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll let you know when I figure it out.” After saying that, she sigh
Nate stared at her face, carefully observing her expression and movements. He had a rough idea of her condition but still asked, "Bitten on the ankle, right? Let me see the wound." As he spoke, he bent down. However, before he could touch Lena, she was moved away. Nate looked up at Aaron. "Mr. Ace, even if the snake isn’t venomous, its teeth carry a lot of bacteria." Aaron’s response was as sharp as ever. "Oh, so you can see the bacteria and have a chat with them, asking them to leave? Or can you wipe them out with your bare hands?" Without waiting for Nate’s reply, Aaron scooped up Lena and walked off. Nate crouched there for a few seconds, stunned, before standing up and following quickly.-Lena was seated in a chair as the doctor lifted her leg. Just as Nate reached out to roll up her pant leg, Aaron had already done it. Nate had no choice but to awkwardly withdraw his hand. The doctor began cleaning the wound with disinfectant. Meanwhile, Aaron gently placed his hand
The black Cayenne roared through the night, the driver pushing the car to its limits as if his foot might break through the gas pedal. Yet, Aaron wasn’t satisfied. "Faster," he barked. "There’s no need to rush. Safety first," Lena said, her voice calm despite her pale complexion. As a doctor, she knew the basics—judging by the snake that bit her, it was likely just a common green snake, non-venomous. Despite her reassurances, Aaron remained tense, his entire body rigid. The driver, responding to the urgency, raced toward the hospital with record-breaking speed. What should have been a twenty-minute drive was reduced to eight. By the time they screeched to a halt, the driver’s legs were trembling from the adrenaline rush. It was the first time in his life he had experienced such an intense, heart-pounding ride. Aaron didn’t wait for the car to stop completely. He leapt out, carrying Lena straight into the emergency room. "Doctor, she's been bitten by a snake," he said urgently.
"Then why are his photos identical to yours?" Keira demanded. Lena didn’t answer immediately. She understood what Keira meant, opened her social media app, and found Aaron’s post. Sure enough, he’d shared the exact same photo as hers. To make things worse, the comments underneath included a particularly mortifying one from her mother: [You’re with Lena, huh?] Her mother probably didn’t mean anything by it, but the comment still felt inappropriate. As Lena silently cursed her mother’s lack of tact, she noticed another reply under that comment. This one, from Aaron himself, read: [Wherever she goes, I’ll take her with me and make sure she’s well taken care of. Don’t worry, Sis.] Lena was absolutely speechless. These two siblings were a perfect match: one was clueless, and the other oblivious. Her mother, as an older woman, could be excused for her lack of social awareness. But Aaron? Why was he commenting like this, knowing full well that their mutual friends could see it?
Lena hastily withdrew her hand, but her movements were too abrupt. As she stepped back, she tripped over the support pole of the tent and fell backward. Just as she braced herself for a painful landing, Aaron’s long arm reached out and caught her waist, pulling her into his embrace. Her cheek pressed against his chest, and the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat filled her ears, blending with her own erratic pulse. This suffocating feeling... It was almost intoxicating. It reminded her of the time she had accidentally walked in on him while he was showering. Awkward. So awkward that she didn’t even know how to extricate herself, nor did she have the courage to pull away from his arms. “You’re already an adult, yet you’re still so clumsy,” Aaron scolded lightly, his voice coming from above her. Then he released her and added, “No wonder your mom worries about you so much and insists on you staying at home.” Lena’s suffocating embarrassment was instantly eased by his rem