I was so mad at him. He'd gotten so drunk, he didn't even remember asking me to pick him up.Back then, Jace had stared at me, all dazed, and after a beat, he leaned in and kissed me—soft and sweet. Then, like always, he ruffled my hair. "Silly girl," he'd said.That morning sky? It was just like now, barely light. He was still buzzed, full of that restless energy he always had when he drank too much. "Wanna hit the hilltop for the sunrise?" he asked, eyes sparkling.Classic Jace. Whenever he drank too much, he hated going to bed, always saying the room spun the second he tried to lie down. So, I'd usually drive him around until he calmed down.That night, I drove us to the hilltop. We sat on this big rock, leaning into each other, watching the stars disappear as the sky shifted from dark to gray. Then, the sun started peeking out, flooding everything with that soft, pink light.He ended up falling asleep on my shoulder, staying there until the sun was high enough that the heat wo
Jace didn't continue, but I already knew. "She wants to be your wife, right?"Jace's head shot up, surprise all over his face like I'd cracked some big secret."You know her pretty well," he said after a beat, his tone dripping with sarcasm.The jab wasn't subtle. He was implying I'd been keeping tabs on Tanya—because, yeah, she'd stolen Jace from me. Classic."You're overthinking it," I shot back, keeping my cool. "I don't care about her. But she's so obvious. Her obsession with money and fancy things? Kinda hard to miss."Right as I finished, the sky started to change. I used to think night slowly turned into day, but it was like someone flicked a switch. The sky just... lit up, fast and sharp. No wonder they call it the breaking of dawn."Jace, an amusement park's worth a lot, sure. But compared to being the CEO's wife? It's pocket change." I watched his expression—he blinked, clearly not expecting me to go there.Yeah, the Johnstons gave me a whole amusement park, but Jace's
Jace looked at me, clearly still not getting it."Tanya was just the final straw," I said, giving him a tiny smile.I remembered something I'd heard before: 'If you can laugh about it, you're over it.'"Rea, I don't get it. Fine, blame me for what happened with Tanya, but before that? I was good to you," he insisted, like he just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that I'd checked out long before."I'm not saying you weren't good to me," I shrugged. "But did you ever stop to think about how I treated you? Or were you too busy looking in the mirror?" I asked, keeping my voice light.He stared at me for what felt like forever, then dropped his head. "I didn't appreciate you. That's how I lost you.""What's the point in rehashing this now?" I said, steering things back to Tanya. "Let's talk about her. You worried your parents won't be cool if you're serious about her?""Serious? With Tanya?" Jace snapped. "Do you think I'm a complete idiot?"Okay, valid question, but I kept th
The amusement park opening and all the gossip about me blew up for three days, then faded, like everything does online. Scandals come and go faster than you can blink.Those three days were the perfect chance for Tanya to make a move, but she didn't. Jace was right—she didn't dare release the video. If she did, she'd lose everything.But she wasn't backing down that easy.What I didn't see coming? She pulled the whole "jumping off a building" stunt.I was sitting with Matthew in his hospital room when a nurse burst in, breathless about someone trying to jump off the roof.My scalp prickled at the thought."It's a pregnant woman," she said, already gossiping. "Maybe it's prepartum depression or something."Right then, my phone buzzed. Jace.I had a sinking feeling. "Hello?""Tanya's on the roof. She's going to jump." His voice was tense, heavy.I froze. Tanya had done a lot, but this? This was her gambling with not just her life, but her baby's too.Matthew was watching me, s
The crowd's gasps echoed around me as I watched Tanya inch closer to the edge of the rooftop.I didn't scream, but my heart jumped to my throat. Seeing her teeter like that made my skin crawl. It was like my whole body was on high alert, even though I wasn't the one standing up there.This wasn't about her, though. It was about the sheer horror of watching someone flirt with danger like that.I knew what it meant. Jace had made it to the roof.I couldn't hear a word from down here, just watching helplessly, until someone nudged me. "Miss, your phone's ringing."Snapping out of it, I grabbed my phone. Jace. Why would he be calling me now? Unless...It had to be Tanya making him do it.I answered. Jace's voice was tight. "Rea, can you bring my dad up here?"I could've gone, but why did he need Matthew, too? His health was shaky, and whatever Tanya had planned, it wouldn't be good for him. I couldn't let her drag him into this mess.Glancing up at Tanya, wobbling on the edge, my
Tanya's scream ripped through the air, loud enough to make my ears ring."Don't provoke her," a firefighter warned again, but Jace waved him off.Jace knew, just like I did, that Tanya didn't actually want to die. This was all a show, a desperate act to make everyone believe she was at her breaking point.Sure enough, after her outburst, she shot a wild look at Jace and me. "You think I'm bluffing, don't you? You think I'd never actually jump, that this is just about money. Well, today, I'll show you—either I'm serious, or this is all just a game."She took another step back, inching closer to the edge.My heart raced. Even if she didn't want to die, one wrong move, and she would. The whole thing was way too real.I glanced at her swollen belly. I didn't know exactly how far along she was, but it had been over six months since Jace and I broke up. That baby had to be at least six or seven months in.Tanya might be playing some twisted game, but that baby? Totally innocent. My ch
Tanya suddenly shook her head. "I don't care! I need an answer, Jace—are you gonna marry me or not?"Jace's jaw tightened. He could've easily said yes just to chill her out.But nope. Instead, he hit her with the truth. "Tanya, I told you, I'll compensate you, but marriage? That's not happening."Even the firefighters gave him a 'Dude, seriously?' look.Tanya's eyes filled with desperation, and she practically screeched, "The only thing I want is you!""You set me up, and you're responsible for Desmond's death. The fact that I'm not holding you accountable is because you're carrying his kid," Jace said, his voice as cold as ice.Yeah, Jace was never one to back down from blackmail, not even as a kid. His mom always said he was stubborn as a rock."The child? It's always about the child!" Tanya pressed a hand to her belly. "So that's it? I'm just some baby factory to you?"You care about this baby, don't you? "If you don't agree, I'll end this right now!" and started hitting her
The baby was born prematurely—seven and a half months.He lay in the incubator, nearly translucent. Just looking at him made my heart ache.Lena couldn't say if the baby would make it. It was all up to fate now.Tanya didn't actually succeed in jumping, but her baby sure paid the price. And she didn't get out unscathed either. Her uterus ruptured, she bled out like crazy, and they had to do an emergency hysterectomy just to keep her alive. Barely.She was lucky to be alive.Honestly, I didn't care about her anymore. But the baby... that poor kid. Desmond's parents didn't even acknowledge him, and now he was fatherless. With Tanya as his mom? Yeah, the future wasn't looking too bright. If she cared even a little, she wouldn't have kept putting him at risk with her wild decisions.When Hayden showed up at the hospital to get me, he looked... furious. Lena bumped me with her shoulder. "Uh-oh, your man's pissed."Yeah, I saw it."You're still tangled up in this Jace mess," Lena mut
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
Keira didn’t know why she was crying. It felt as if an overwhelming sense of grievance had settled deep in her heart. "A little princess, 3200 grams… Here, kiss your mommy," Lena cooed as she held the baby close to Keira's face, letting her tiny lips brush against her cheek. At that moment, Keira's tears fell even harder. "Look at you, crying like this," Lena teased while handing the baby to a nurse to be bathed. Then, she turned back to help clean up the mess beneath Keira. "Lena, take care of Rea for a bit. I’ll step outside," Hayden suddenly said as he got up to leave. He couldn’t exactly help with anything at this point, but leaving before Keira had even been cleaned up felt a little too hasty. "What? Now that you have a daughter, you're abandoning your wife?" Lena scoffed at him. Hayden didn’t explain. He simply leaned down to kiss Keira and whispered, "I’ll be right back." "Make sure she gets something to eat," Lena reminded him. The moment Hayden stepped out of
"But she's in so much pain," Hayden said, as if he could feel Keira's pain himself. "She's only in pain because she wants to give you a child," Lena countered, once again taking a jab at him. But as soon as she finished speaking, she recalled Aaron's words from earlier—She shouldn't have any more children in the future. So that's why Aaron said that… He was feeling sorry for her. A strange feeling flickered in Lena’s heart as she looked at Keira. "This pain comes in waves. When it eases, try to relax and rest. Have you eaten tonight? Did you eat much?" Before Keira could answer, Hayden spoke for her. "She had a few dumplings and a couple of bites of cake, not much." "That won't do. She needs strength to give birth," Lena instructed Hayden. "Go get her some egg sugar water or milk—something to replenish her energy so she has the strength to deliver." She was right. The pain had subsided a little by now. Keira looked at Hayden. "Go ahead and get it. Lena is here with me."
Does he think he gets to decide that? Whether or not she had children was her choice. Not Aaron’s. Not even her future husband’s. The thought flashed through Lena’s mind, and she immediately dismissed Aaron’s words, focusing instead on getting to the delivery room. By the time she arrived, Keira was gripping Hayden’s hand tightly. The pain was unbearable. Her body trembled with both fear and anticipation. “I’m here, baby. I’m right here,” Hayden murmured, his hand gently caressing Keira's face, soothing her in the only way he could. “The mother needs to enter the delivery room now. Family members will have to wait outside,” a nurse reminded them. But at that moment, Hayden’s hand was her lifeline—her anchor against the waves of pain. Keira was clutching him so hard she didn’t even realize her nails had dug into his skin, leaving deep marks. Blood welled up where she had broken the skin, but he never once loosened his grip. “Nurse, we’re requesting family accompaniment dur
The implication was clear—he was expected to bring a girlfriend next year. But Aaron casually deflected, “Didn’t I already bring someone to kneel with me just now? What, does she have to do it again? In that case, she should get another round of red envelopes.” With that one sentence, he shifted the attention onto Lena. This man… seriously? What did this have to do with her? Besides, the elders weren’t just asking him to find someone to kneel beside him. They wanted him to bring his other half. Grandma Deborah dabbed at the corner of her eye and made things even clearer. “What your sister means is that next year, you should bring Xandy home as your wife.” Lena immediately thought back to what she had overheard at his place—the news about Xandra moving into his villa. So it seemed like they really were about to make things official this year. “Mm, I’ll do my best to marry her next year,” Aaron replied without hesitation. For some reason, Lena suddenly felt the urge t
The liveliest part of the New Year was, of course, the tradition of paying respects to elders. Leading the way, Briana and Lena’s father knelt first before the old master and madam, bowing their heads in reverence. The elders handed out red envelopes—an unchanging tradition in this family. No matter the age, as long as one knelt to pay their respects, a red envelope was given. Even though they were long past the age of caring about money, Briana and her husband still accepted the envelopes with childlike joy, grinning as they expressed their thanks. After them, it was Aaron’s turn. Lena had seen him standing tall countless times but had never witnessed him kneeling. Especially in recent years, since he barely returned to the country, he had only ever sent his New Year’s greetings over the phone. Now, watching him kneel down, she realized that even though he did it the same way as everyone else, it felt… different. There was something regal about the way he moved, as if he
Hayden gave her an unwavering sense of security and endless emotional support. If depression ever tried to knock on her door, he wouldn't even let it in. He carefully laid out the couplet paper and prepared the ink for her. He even set up a camera on the side, ready to document the moment. “What should I write?” Keira asked, staring at the blank red banners in front of her. “Whatever you want. Anything is fine,” Hayden replied easily, the picture of a doting husband, fully embracing her freedom to decide. Keira glanced around the courtyard, at the people sitting alone, lost in thought. A wave of emotion washed over her, and inspiration struck. She picked up the brush and wrote the couplet: "Though the courtyard holds no feast, it warms the heart. As long as the heart seeks the sun, warmth is everywhere." The horizontal inscription: "You and I Welcome Spring." When Keira finished, she looked up at Hayden. He was smiling. Keira frowned instantly. “You’re not allowed t