Jace's face was cold, like way colder than I'd ever seen it."Huh?" The guy next to him blinked at me, totally confused. "Mistaken? No way, your fiancée is gorgeous, how could I—""My fiancée's at home with my parents," Jace cut in, already walking off, his legs moving like he couldn't get away fast enough."What? But..." The guy's eyes darted between me and Jace, completely thrown. "They look so alike... practically the same person."I stood there, frozen. He didn't lie to embarrass me, which, honestly, I didn't see coming.Jace, of all people, could've called me out and made this painfully awkward for Hayden and me. But he didn't.Even when he walked past, he acted like I wasn't even there—like he didn't recognize me.This version of Jace? He wasn't the guy I used to know. No more fiery temper over dumb stuff. Now he could just walk by, emotionless, like I was a total stranger.Since he came back, other than that one time he popped up outside my place in Willow Residences, he
No clue when my phone finally quit ringing, but by the time Hayden carried me back to bed from the bathroom, I felt like total mush. Like, even my bones were jelly.I was so wiped I didn't even want to open my eyes. I curled up under the covers, and it didn't take long before I crashed."Rest a bit. I'll make you some oatmeal," Hayden's voice rumbled in my ear, all low and husky.I mumbled something back, already slipping into sleep.But even half-asleep, I kept hearing my phone ring.Ugh, I didn't want to move, and I definitely wasn't opening my eyes. I reached out for Hayden, but all I got was an empty bed."Hayden... Hayden..." I called out, my voice barely above a whisper.He was by my side in a second, leaning down. "What's wrong?"Without looking, I muttered, "My phone... it's too loud.""Huh?" He sounded confused."My phone. It's loud," I grumbled, super annoyed by the phantom ringtone.There was a pause. Then, in that soft, comforting tone, he said, "Kiki, you're dre
"Yeah, but not every time I wash my hair do I need a full shower," he shot back, making me laugh even harder."Whatever, just hurry up before it's morning!" I shoved him toward the bathroom, half-worried he'd drag me in with him if I stalled too long.On the surface, Hayden's the cool, restrained type—the guy who seems completely uninterested in women. But now I knew better. Once he lets go? It's like opening the floodgates.While he was in the shower, I cleared the table. A habit I'd picked up from my parents—never leave dirty dishes overnight.While Hayden was in the shower, I cleared the table. A habit I'd picked up from my parents—never leave dirty dishes sitting overnight.I was almost done tidying up when the doorbell rang.At first, I figured I misheard, thinking it was coming from a nearby room. But then it rang again. And again. No doubt it was our room.Who would be here this late?I wiped my hands with a napkin and cautiously walked to the door. Even though Hayden wa
"Sir, we're kinda running out of time," the flight attendant said.I sighed. I knew even private jets had rules—there was no way I could make a call now without messing up the whole schedule."Forget it," I muttered, leaning back in my seat."One minute," Jace said suddenly.He was talking to the flight attendant. Then, to my total shock, he handed me his phone.Wait, what? Jace was actually letting me make the call? I stared at him, confused. He had every reason to say no, both as my ex and... well, just because he was Jace Johnston.He didn't bother explaining himself. Instead, he turned toward the window, staring out into the night like we weren't in the middle of something weird.I hesitated but then handed the phone back to the flight attendant. "Just take off."Jace looked over at me, clearly surprised. The flight attendant paused, too, like she wasn't sure who was really calling the shots here. After a beat, Jace sighed, his voice all cool and distant. "Take off."The f
"No, no way. It was just us at home, and even the pets don't stress him out anymore," Lindey said, then suddenly went quiet.I raised an eyebrow, sensing something was off. Before I could ask, Lindey grabbed my hand like she was hanging onto a lifeboat. "Wait... after I massaged him and he said he'd lie down on the couch, my phone rang. I picked it up, and... I think I heard him on a call too."My stomach dropped. Could that phone call have set him off?"Where's his phone?" I asked, trying to keep calm.Lindey patted her pockets and frowned. "Ugh, I didn't bring it. It's probably at the house."Perfect. No way to grab it now, but something about that call wasn't sitting right. Like, what if that triggered all this?Before I could spiral further, Wayne and Jace came back, looking super serious. Whatever Wayne told Jace while I was with Lindey must've been bad. They both looked like they knew more than they were saying, and it made my chest tighten.I wanted to ask them what they'
Seeing Matthew struggle so hard to speak, I couldn't hold back my tears anymore.I'd seen him in so many ways—confident, strong, always in control—but never like this, never this weak."Don't cry, Rea... don't cry," Matthew whispered, lifting his hand with all the strength he had left, trying to wipe my tears away.I quickly grabbed his hand, wiping my tears on my sleeve instead. But then I froze.Wait—this wasn't my jacket.It was Jace's.He'd dragged me out of the hotel earlier, and I was still in my nightgown. Once we got in the car, he handed me his jacket. I wanted to refuse, but it's not like I could go out in just a camisole, so I put it on. And I'd been wearing it ever since."Mm, I won't cry," I promised, lifting my tear-streaked face and forcing a small smile.Matthew looked at me with an expression that was both gentle and complicated, the kind that made my stomach twist. I tightened my grip on his hand. "You'll be okay. You have to be okay.""I know my own body," M
"No," Matthew insisted, shaking his head. "Don't let your thoughts run wild... I just think you should focus on your work, and your future with Hayden."His voice grew weaker with every word. The nurse stepped forward, clearly ready to step in, but Matthew stopped her with just a look. She sighed and said, "One more minute, at most."I knew how bad things were with him, and even though I needed to know what he was hiding, I couldn't push him now. His health had to come first. "We can talk later. You need to rest."But Matthew gripped my hand, tighter than I expected. "Rea, promise me."His desperation hit hard. The more he insisted, the more certain I became—there was something off about my parents' accident.But I could see it in his eyes—he wasn't going to say anything more. It felt pointless to push him. With how fragile he was, I could only let it go, at least for now. "Alright, I promise."The tension in his face finally eased, but he still didn't let go of my hand. "Rea, lo
The familiar scent of him hit me, and so did that suffocating feeling.I stood frozen for a moment, until his low voice cut through the tension. "Do you really care about him that much now?"My fingers curled at my sides. There was a time when I cared this much about Jace, too. I used to text him just to let him know I was having dinner with Lena, even though he never really appreciated it.And now, when my care was for someone else, he had the audacity to get upset and ask me this?"Yeah, I do. Of course I care about him. He's my man. Why wouldn't I?" I locked eyes with him as I said it, letting it sting.A direct hit, a trick I'd learned from him.Even though Jace and I had been over for a while, it didn't erase the pain he'd left behind.There were moments when those scars still burn.So if I can throw a verbal punch and make him feel even a sliver of what I went through, why not?Of course, that only would work if he still cared. Otherwise, my hit wouldn't land at all.Ja
“To put it simply, when I’m with him, my heartbeat isn’t the same. I know what that means. But our relationship is what it is. Even if there’s no blood relation, it’s still not possible,” Lena admitted, finally revealing her feelings. Her ties and concerns all revolved around Aaron’s identity. “What if he could handle everything? Including your parents and grandparents?” Keira pressed further. Lena gave a bitter smile. “And could he stop others from gossiping?” “Are you living for others? Who doesn’t talk about others, and who hasn’t been talked about behind their back?” Keira tried to reason with her. “Rea, humans are social creatures. It’s impossible not to care what others think,” Lena sighed, blowing at her bangs and sending them flying upward. At that moment, Nina ran over, her face brimming with joy. “I found a drawing on a leaf!” She held up a leaf and pointed to it. “Doesn’t this look like a turtle lying down?” She wasn’t wrong—it really did look like a turtle.
Keira knew Sasha had no ill intentions, but what about others? In this society, there were very few who genuinely wanted the best for you. Even if they wished you well, they rarely wanted you to do better than them. Had she been too high-profile lately? Did she provoke envy and jealousy? Actually, she hadn’t done anything to promote herself—not even for this little courtyard. But she couldn’t control the guests who came here and spread the word. Maybe the stalker Hayden mentioned showed up because of this. Sasha only left in the afternoon, but Nina refused to go no matter what. She insisted on staying with Keira. Since Keira had already promised to take her out to play, she let her stay. Besides, Nina was well-behaved and not mischievous. Her lively energy brought a unique vitality to the courtyard. When Lena arrived, Nina stood at the entrance and greeted her adorably, “Welcome!” “Oh my, where did this little beauty come from? Is your boss hiring child laborers now?
After Keira's checkup, Hayden returned. The first thing Keira did was look him over from head to toe, relieved to find he hadn’t acquired any new injuries. “Did you get anything out of him?” “He confessed he was broke and was looking to steal some money,” Hayden replied. “That simple?” Lena was skeptical. Keira doubted it too, and judging by Hayden’s expression, he wasn’t convinced either. She looked at him, seeking confirmation. “Do you think that’s all there is to it?” “This man does have a prior record of theft and robbery,” Hayden said. “I let him go but had someone tail him. We’ll investigate further by tracking his contacts.” With that, he took the checkup report from Lena. Lena explained, “It’s nothing serious, just pregnancy-related. Make sure she gets foot massages, soaks her feet, and avoids standing too much.” After the checkup was completed, Keira arranged for Lena to visit them later at the courtyard and left with Hayden. - When they arrived at the courty
“What happened? Did you get into a fight?” That was Keira's first reaction upon seeing Hayden’s injury. Lena glanced at his wound. “Come over and sit down. I’ll take care of it for you.” “It’s nothing,” Hayden brushed off the offer and turned to Keira instead. “You were right. Someone was watching us from the courtyard.” Keira's heart skipped a beat. “What? Did they follow us to the hospital?” “Yes, I caught them. I’ll get to the bottom of this soon.” A cold, menacing glint flashed in Hayden’s eyes—something Keira hadn’t seen in a long time. The fact that he was injured meant whoever had been following them wasn’t ordinary. A shiver ran down Keira's spine. But at least they’d caught the person. “How’s the checkup? Is everything okay?” Despite the situation, Hayden’s first concern was still his wife. Knowing he had just dealt with the stalker, Keira decided not to mention the additional tests Lena had ordered. “It’s fine. With Lena here, what could possibly go wrong?”
Aaron had a knack for handling people, never revealing all his cards at once. "I'm pursuing Lil' Lena," he said calmly. Ron's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. A few seconds later, he finally reacted, and everything became clear. Lena had asked him to play the role of her boyfriend. Out of respect for her privacy, he hadn’t pried into the reason. Later, he’d asked Hayden, who simply told him to go along with it and not ask too many questions. Now he understood—it was because Aaron was pursuing her. “You’re already aware of my situation with her,” Aaron continued. “This process won’t be smooth, so it’s a good idea for her to use you as a stand-in boyfriend for now.” Ron understood perfectly. His role was to act as a cover, fooling the fake mother-in-law like yesterday while giving Aaron and Lena space to start a secret relationship. This was precisely Aaron’s plan. He wanted Lena to first accept him, to spend time together, and build their connection before
This question—"Willing?"—kept echoing in Lena’s mind. It haunted her so much that she spent yet another sleepless night. Her answer was clear: she couldn’t. She knew Aaron had made his move and wouldn’t give up easily. But she simply couldn’t agree. And if she didn’t say yes, there was nothing he could do about it. Besides, she truly saw him as her younger uncle—there was no way she could see him as a boyfriend. “Dr. Lane, not sleeping well lately?” the hospital director asked as soon as he saw her. One glance, and he could tell she looked exhausted. “A bit of insomnia,” Lena admitted honestly. “Is it because you don’t have a boyfriend? Want me to introduce you to a few?” The director, ever so responsible, even took it upon himself to worry about her personal life. Lena glanced at the sparse hair on his head and chuckled. “Director, I’ll find someone myself. No need for you to concern yourself.” Aaron hadn’t gotten an answer from her, nor had he pursued her aggressively
"I've thought about it, and I have a plan. I’ll make them accept it. This is something I need to consider. You don’t have to worry," Aaron said with a tone of responsibility. Lena fell silent. A few seconds later, she replied, "Even if they accept it, I can't... Uncle, I’ve always seen you as my uncle and never felt anything else." Ron’s apartment was on the fifth floor, giving Lena a clear view of his face. His expression was slightly tense as he continued looking up at her. Though she couldn’t see his eyes, she could still feel the depth of emotion in them, and the loneliness he must have felt after being rejected. Lena lowered her gaze, unable to watch any longer. "Uncle, we have such a good relationship, don’t ruin it, please." "Do you know how many years I’ve liked you?" Aaron suddenly asked. Lena’s heart skipped a beat. How many years had he liked her? Did that mean he’d had feelings for her all along? But he had never mentioned it, and she had never sensed it. He
"Cough, cough..." Lena started coughing uncontrollably as Ron casually spoke. Even a real son-in-law wouldn’t start calling his girlfriend’s mother "Mom" right away, let alone someone pretending to be one. Lena stared at him blankly, and Ron winked at her with a gesture that seemed to say "Don’t worry." He then turned to speak to Briana on the phone. "Mom, I’ve been with Lena for a few months now. She’s been too shy to introduce me to you because she was afraid you wouldn’t approve of me... Yes, yes, we’re basically an underground couple." Lena rolled her eyes in disbelief. What kind of nonsense was this? She tried to grab his phone, not wanting to hear any more of his fabrication, but Ron dodged and continued speaking to Briana. "Mom, I’m really her boyfriend, not fake... Otherwise, why would she be here with me so late at night, right?" Ron certainly had a way with words, and Lena realized that asking him to pretend to be her boyfriend might be the best decision she’d made
Lena took a deep breath. As expected, her mother was not going to let this slide, but she still didn’t give up and continued testing her. "So why is it okay for others but not for me?" Briana scoffed. "If you’re looking for a man ten years older, are you looking for a husband or another father? And if you want someone younger, they’re not even of legal age yet—are you planning to take advantage of them? And what’s with all this talk about uncles or cousins? You want your dad and me to jump into the river?" Lena deflated. If she were to really get together with Aaron, they wouldn’t need to jump into a river—their blood pressure would probably be enough to do them in. "Lena, have you done something that goes against ethics and morals?" As sharp as ever, her mother quickly turned the tables and started questioning her. "What are you talking about? What could I have done? You tell me," Lena denied with all the confidence she could muster. Briana didn’t believe her. "Really? If yo