Hayden didn't ask any questions and stopped immediately.But I added, "It's fine. Let's go upstairs."In the darkness, I lowered my head, and the image of the person by the car flashed before my eyes.I didn't expect Jace to find me here—this apartment's about to be demolished. But somehow, he knew. And he came anyway.What's the point of showing up now?Hayden's strides were long, his pace quick, taking two steps at a time."Open the door," he said, slightly out of breath.I fumbled with the keys and opened the door. The second we stepped inside, Hayden lifted me onto the shoe cabinet, his eyes locked on mine.In the dark, his gaze was intense, like the ocean at night—deep, dangerous, as if it could pull me under.I swallowed, trying to say something, but before I could, his lips were on mine."Kiki, you can have it however you want now," Hayden muttered, shrugging off his jacket, fingers tugging at his collar.Earlier, by the car, I had been the one craving him, desperate
Even though I knew he was right, and I was totally at fault, why did I feel so wronged crying like that?Hayden turned back and saw me in full meltdown mode. He sighed and pulled me into his arms. "It's my fault. I said something too harsh... I won't do that again."The more he comforted me, the worse I felt.I raised my hand and smacked his chest. "You're not wrong! Why are you blaming yourself? It's clearly my fault.""No, you did nothing wrong. It's me... I let my stupid thoughts take over, and I wasn't satisfied, so I said something dumb," Hayden replied, taking all the blame like it was his job.That only made me feel more guilty, so I kept hitting him—lightly, of course. But still, I kept at it. Finally, frustrated, I bit him."Ow, that hurts," Hayden whispered.It was the first time I'd ever heard him admit pain.I let go, staring at him through tear-filled eyes. He gently wiped away my tears. "You've bitten me now, so no more crying, okay? If your eyes get all swollen t
"Yuna can have the surgery—within the next couple of days!" Lena's voice practically burst out of the speakerphone.Hayden immediately turned to me, and I nodded, my heart pounding with the good news."They found a donor heart?" Hayden asked.There was a pause before Lena's teasing voice chimed in, "What are you still doing at Keira's this late, huh?"I rolled my eyes. Seriously? Now was not the time for jokes. "Focus, Lena. Update. Now."Lena chuckled but got back on track. "It's not a new donor. The family of the previous donor changed their mind again.""What did Professor Neumann say?" Hayden asked."He said Yuna's tests all came back perfect. So as long as nothing pops up—like a cold or infection—she can have the surgery in three days," Lena replied, sounding hopeful. She must've already spoken with Nate.Hayden and I exchanged a look of excitement, both of us buzzing with nervous energy. I squeezed his hand as he asked, "Is there anything else we need to do?""Not really
Hayden glanced over and asked, "Do you want to go over?"I shook my head gently. This wasn't a moment where Wade needed someone else. He needed to be alone with his thoughts.Hayden didn't push it. After a few seconds, I turned my gaze back and said softly, "Let's go."As the car pulled away, I caught one last glimpse of Wade in the rearview mirror. He was still standing there, staring up at the sky like he was trying to find some kind of answer in it. His grief felt almost like a physical weight, pressing down on everything around him.Even when we reached Yuna's room, my mind was still stuck on what I'd seen.Hayden didn't say anything, but as we walked in, he slipped his hand into mine, his fingers lacing with mine. That simple gesture said it all.I smiled up at him. "Don't worry, I won't let it affect Yuna.""I just don't want it to ruin your appetite," he teased, squeezing my hand. "Everyone has their own burdens. Only they can carry them.""Mm." I nodded, and we pushed o
But what did Wade mean by "do this to her?" Was he talking about... giving up on Narelle?I stood frozen by the doorway, watching as Wade's face tightened with strain. His fists were clenched, hanging stiffly by his sides, his complexion pale, almost ghostly."Are you deaf? I told you to leave! Leave!" the middle-aged woman cried out, her voice rising as she shoved him.Wade stumbled slightly but steadied himself. "At least let me stay with her until the end. Please.""It's your fault! If it wasn't for you, she wouldn't be like this!" the woman screamed, pounding weakly on his chest. "Give me back my Narelle! Give me back my daughter!"So she was Narelle's mom, Mrs. Yule.Watching this, my heart ached. I wanted to step in, say something, do anything to help.Before I could move, Mr. Yule walked over and gently pulled her away. "Stop. Let Narelle have some peace.""Narelle... my Narelle..." Mrs. Yule's sobs grew louder, her body trembling in her husband's arms.Mr. Yule led her
Could Wade have been talking about Narelle's burial arrangements after she passed?My mind wandered to that possibility, but only Wade knew the real answer.It seemed I'd have to wait for another chance to ask him—though, honestly, I wasn't sure if that moment would ever come.Wade and I had crossed paths twice, but after Narelle... Wade might never come back to this hospital. And in this huge world, our lives would probably never cross again.I glanced one last time at Narelle's bed, surrounded by her family. 'Miss Yule, I hope you find peace,' I whispered in my heart.After leaving the room, I decided to find Lena, but she was in the middle of surgery. With some time to kill, I headed out to the hospital's garden to clear my head."Miss Kay," someone called out behind me.I turned to see Mr. Yule. He was alone, slightly out of breath, like he had hurried over.I wasn't too surprised. I had a feeling he'd come find me."I'm sorry, my wife was... overwhelmed," Mr. Yule said im
When Ron said someone was looking for me, my first thought was uh-oh, maybe I'd taken too many days off.Before last night, I'd figured Ron was letting me take time off because I believed Hayden was the mysterious big boss behind him. But now... things felt different.I shook off the awkwardness and replied, "Is it a client? I can head back right now.""It's not a client. It's a woman, all dolled up like a femme fatale, and she's storming in like the wife catching her husband with a mistress," Ron said, blunt as ever. Zero filter.Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "Ms. Kay, I know about you and Hayden. No judgment here, just giving you a heads-up. You sure you didn't upset someone?"I was confused, but stayed calm. "What's her name?""No idea. She said her last name's Grey. But she's got that 'I'm in charge' attitude," Ron sounded like he was still recovering from her entrance.Grey?I ran through my mental Rolodex but came up blank. I didn't know anyone named Grey.I
I smiled to myself—so it was her.Thorsten must have told her my name.When Sasha arrived, I was lounging in the garden, soaking up the sun. She strutted up to me in full "rich wife" mode, her posture screaming arrogance. "Keira Kay, you've got some nerve making me come all the way here to find you.""You've got it wrong," I replied, completely calm. "You came because you wanted to see me."Sasha's perfectly made-up face twisted into an ugly scowl. "You know why I'm here, don't you?"She stood there, casting a shadow that blocked my sunlight. I had to admit, from my angle, her hourglass figure was... impressive.It wasn't hard to see why a guy like Thorsten would be attracted to her. Even I could appreciate her appeal—both visually and practically.I smiled. "I have no idea. Is your daughter looking for a playdate?"If it weren't for Milly, Sasha and I would never have crossed paths, and we definitely wouldn't be here having this conversation.Funny enough, it had also been ri
"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