I froze, staring at that single word: [Okay. ]My brain couldn't even process it at first, so I just kept re-reading the messages I'd sent him."What the hell is he thinking?!" Jace cursed, dialing Hayden's number again. This time, it went straight to voicemail.My vision blurred as I stared at the screen. Without a word, I turned and walked to the window, looking out at the dark sky.I heard footsteps behind me, but I cut them off. "Leave me alone for a while, please."Jace and Wayne knew I was hurting. Neither said a thing. I heard the door click softly as they left.The moment they were gone, the tears I'd been holding back finally spilled over. I didn't know if I was crying because Hayden had agreed to the breakup so easily or because of the crushing betrayal.I'd waited for him, hoping he'd come see me. But he left—without a word, without even seeing me. Sure, I'd been asleep for three days, but how had things gotten so cold in that time?Maybe he'd been hurt saving me and
News? What news?I stood there, stunned. No one had mentioned anything since I woke up.I yanked the door open, and both Jace and Wayne immediately turned toward me."What news?" I demanded, cutting straight to the point.They exchanged a quick look, clearly scrambling for a way to dodge my question.But I wasn't giving them the chance. "I heard everything."Wayne's expression darkened. He pulled out his phone.Jace looked like he wanted to stop Wayne, but I shot him a glare that kept him silent."She should know. It'll help her clear things up with Hayden," Wayne said, unlocking his phone and handing it to me.On the screen was a screenshot of an article. The headline read: [Golden Blood Type Lovers—Girlfriend Saves Her Lover with 800CC of Blood. 'Now, your body flows with my blood.']The headline was pure melodrama, and to make it worse, there was a picture of me holding Jace's hand during the blood transfusion. I had just been trying to comfort him, nothing more—but the wa
"Then you should go back, but not like this. You can't go alone in your condition," Jace said, glancing at Wayne. "You go with Rea."Wayne nodded. "Alright."I wanted to argue, but I knew better. In this state, they weren't letting me go by myself."What about you?" I asked, eyeing the bandage on Jace's head."I'm waiting for Steve. Once he's out, we'll head back together." Jace's answer made sense.Steve was stuck in a foreign country and had been through hell. If he walked out and no one was there for him, it'd crush him. But seeing Jace like this? That'd just make it worse."If Steve sees you like this, he'll blame himself," I warned."It's fine. I'll make up an excuse. I won't mention the accident," Jace said, still set on his plan.There was no point arguing, so I asked, "Can Steve still compete when he's out?""We don't know yet. Depends on his club and what Quartz Cue says," Wayne added.Deep down, I knew Hayden could handle this. No one would know better than him.Bu
I kept my eyes on Wayne, and his reaction told me everything."Rea," he said softly, "don't overthink this."Overthink? I wasn't, not until now.The way he said it just made me think harder. "Matthew and Lindey knew too, didn't they?" I asked, though deep down, I already knew the answer.They'd raised me for years—no way they wouldn't know my blood type."They took you in, cared for you like their own. Of course they knew," Wayne said, sounding like he was trying a little too hard to make it all seem fine.Right. It wasn't weird they knew. What was weird? The fact they never told me."Why aren't you saying anything? Please, don't take it the wrong way. My parents have always treated you like their own daughter. There's no hidden agenda," Wayne added, his voice sounding almost desperate now.But you know that saying—the more you explain, the guiltier you look?Yeah, that."Wayne, honestly, I hadn't thought much about it before you opened your mouth. But now?" I raised my brows
I'd only really taken a good look around this hospital room twice—once when I was searching for Hayden, and now, while trying to figure out what to pack.Wayne crouched in front of me, his voice soft. "Rea, how are you feeling? Any discomfort?"I was about to shake my head when a knock interrupted us. Jace walked in with the doctor."Let the doctor check you over. If anything happens on the plane, it'll be hard to deal with," Jace said, his gaze briefly flicking to Wayne. I noticed the slight crease in his brow.As the doctor moved closer, Wayne stood up and stepped aside, naturally giving him room.The doctor listened to my heartbeat, took my blood pressure, and ran through a full exam. "You're recovering well," he finally said. "Everything looks normal.""Thank you, doctor," Jace said, sounding genuinely grateful.Wayne chimed in, "I'll walk the doctor out. I need to pack, too. Jace, stay and talk to Rea."The door clicked shut behind them, and just like that, it was me and J
I didn't say a word.Jace leaned closer. "Rea...""Don't you think it's kinda low to say something like that right now?" My words cut through the air, stopping him cold.He froze, staring at me, his face turning red—shame and defeat written all over it. "Yeah... I've let my feelings cloud my judgment before. Hurt Desmond."And now, after you risked everything to save me, I've messed things up between you and Hayden too."And here I am, shamelessly trying to take advantage of the situation by saying something like that..."He shook his head, disgusted with himself. "I'm not just a bad person—I'm not even worthy anymore."Without another word, he turned and left.When Wayne and I headed to the airport, Jace didn't show up to say goodbye.At the airport, Wayne handled check-in while I sat quietly in the waiting area, feeling... hollow. So hollow it was like my soul had detached, floating somewhere far off. I had no idea where I was going or what I wanted anymore."Miss, are you
The man reached us and gave me a polite nod. "Sorry if my daughter's bothering you.""Tata's not a bother. Tata's cute," Tessa shot back, puffing up her cheeks like she was about to start a protest.I laughed, completely charmed. "Tessa's very cute. I like her a lot.""Tata likes her too," she added, still a little garbled but proud.I patted her head gently, then turned to her dad. "I thought her parents were, like, both foreign?"His expression darkened for a split second—so fast, I almost missed it.Realizing I'd probably overstepped, I quickly apologized. "I'm sorry..."He just nodded, then held out his hand to Tessa. "Come on, sweetheart, we have to board the plane.""But she should come with us!" Tessa pleaded, clutching my hand like we were already BFFs.I was about to explain that we weren't on the same flight when Wayne showed up, holding our boarding passes.He glanced around, taking in the scene, and extended a hand to Tessa's dad. "Hey there."The dad shook his h
As soon as I got on the plane, I shut my eyes and zonked out. Didn't say a word to Wayne the whole flight.He must've known I wasn't in the mood, because he didn't bother trying to talk.When we finally landed, I turned to him. "I'm going to see Hayden. I'll grab a cab."He hesitated for a second. "My parents are here."I tensed up. "You told them?""Yeah," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "They've been freaking out about you. When you were out, they called, like, every ten minutes to check in, so--"I cut him off. "I get it. I'll let them see I'm alive and kicking so they can chill."We headed toward the exit together, and sure enough, I spotted Lindey and Matthew in the crowd, looking all worried."Rea!" Lindey waved the moment she saw me.I waved back and hurried over with Wayne.Lindey grabbed my hand right away, her eyes all emotional. "Oh, you silly girl... what do I even say to you?"She looked like she wanted to call me reckless, but if I hadn't been, her p
Aaron’s fingers tightened slightly around the glass of milk, his dark gaze flickering faintly. Lena, sensing the tension, held her breath. She was already regretting her words, thinking of an excuse to explain further, when Aaron spoke. “Alright,” he said simply. He agreed. Lena exhaled in relief, quickly reaching out to take the milk with both hands, like a child trying to behave. “Thank you, Uncle.” She wasn’t sure if she was thanking him for letting her go so easily or for thoughtfully preparing the milk. Holding the glass, she retreated to her room as quickly as possible. Aaron stood in place, watching her until she disappeared from view, his gaze dropping only when she was out of sight. Now that he had agreed, Lena began packing her belongings. She didn’t have much—she’d always been someone with few material desires. When she first moved in, it was with the intention of staying temporarily, so her things were limited to what she had brought with her. It didn’t take l
“I don’t smell any alcohol,” Lena muttered. Aaron leaned closer, his flawless face coming within a breath’s distance of hers. Lena’s nerves tightened like a spring, her pupils dilating as she stared at his face so close to hers. Her heartbeat pounded like a drum, loud and unrelenting. “How about now? Do you smell it?” Aaron’s voice was low, smooth, and intimate. The closeness made her focus solely on his lips—perfectly shaped, not too thin nor too full. They looked soft, and the thought of kissing them briefly crossed her mind. An inappropriate and utterly ridiculous notion, yet there it was, popping into her head uninvited. Amidst her quickened breaths, she seemed to catch a faint hint of sweetness, mingled with a subtle, intoxicating aroma of alcohol. It was… oddly pleasant. Her hand gripped the edge of the counter tightly. She dared not move, let alone breathe deeply, afraid that the smallest action might bring her lips to his. If it were anyone else, she might have pu
Tonight, Lena had stayed late at the hospital for surgery. When she returned, she didn’t see Aaron’s car and assumed he wasn’t home. Without having eaten dinner, she cooked some noodles and was chatting with Keira while eating. Out of nowhere, Aaron appeared. He was dressed in loungewear, his hair slightly damp as if he’d just showered—clearly, he had been home all along. “Uncle… you, you’re home?” Lena stammered, hurriedly trying to turn off her phone. In her flustered state, she accidentally knocked over the bowl of noodles she had barely touched. She was embarrassed, frustrated, and downright annoyed. What a mess—starving to death, and now the noodles were gone too. Aaron, having clearly overheard Keira's voice message, seemed completely composed. He walked over and stopped her from grabbing at the spilled noodles. “Let me handle this. Did you burn yourself?” “No burns, just scared by you,” Lena replied as she finally managed to turn off the voice message. As Aaron clean
“Kiki, I promise to give you an opening ceremony that will surprise and delight you. Please agree, will you?” Hayden pleaded, holding Keira's hand like a spoiled child. He rarely pressed her for anything, and his insistence puzzled her. But seeing his sincerity, she could only nod. “Fine, but don’t turn my courtyard into a chaotic mess, and definitely don’t invite irrelevant people.” This small courtyard was her serene haven. She enjoyed making tea for visitors and watching the sunrise and breeze when alone—it was enough for her. “As you wish, Mrs. Hart,” he exclaimed, excitement lighting up his face before he kissed her swiftly on the cheek. However, after the kiss, he didn’t let go. Instead, he gazed at her for a few seconds before his lips landed on hers again. It had been a long time since they kissed so passionately. As his kisses deepened and his arms tightened around her, she could clearly feel the changes in his body. Keira was already past her third month of pregna
“What did Sasha come to talk to you about?” That evening, as Hayden dried Keira's hair, he asked her softly. He rarely pried, but he must have noticed her low spirits ever since Sasha left and figured something was on her mind. “Do you think the Drago family’s influence has been completely eradicated?” Keira asked, her question making Hayden pause mid-motion. “On the surface, it seems so,” he replied, turning off the hairdryer. “But Thorsten had loyal confidants over the years. It’s possible there are still remnants left unchecked. Did Sasha notice something?” Keira shook her head slightly. “She told me she opened a private bank account, one that no one knows about. She said if anything happens to her—if she’s gone suddenly or meets with some accident—I should ensure the money is kept for Nina.” Hayden frowned, his gaze turning serious. “For her to bring this up out of nowhere, something must be wrong. Do you think she’s worried the Drago family's remnants might target her?
When Keira's parents first passed away, she missed them so much it felt like self-inflicted torture. She clawed at my own skin until it bled, as if the physical pain could dull the ache of losing them. The saying "longing cuts to the bone" couldn’t be truer. “She’s impossible—just like her father, stubborn as a mule,” Sasha muttered. Patience had never been her strong suit. “Bring her here next weekend when she’s not at school,” Keira offered. “I like Nina.” “Great, I’ll pay you babysitting fees.” Keira gave her a faint smile. “My rates are very high, you know.” They strolled around the courtyard, and Keira eventually led her to a tea table where they sat down. She started preparing tea for her, letting the tranquil act of brewing set the tone. “Keira,” she suddenly said, her tone unusually serious. “You’re living such a peaceful and carefree life now.” Around the fire, brewing tea—it wasn’t just about the drink itself. It was about savoring the taste, reflecting on lif
What an entrance! Everyone turned to look at the source of the bold voice. A tall woman strutted in, dressed in a mix of luxury and extravagance: a fur coat on top, leather pants on the bottom, and a pair of oversized sunglasses perched on her nose. No one seemed to recognize her, and whispers began to ripple through the courtyard. “Who is she?” One of the bolder ones shot Hayden a look and joked, “Is this one of your unresolved affairs?” Unfazed, Hayden replied calmly, “She’s not here for me.” Keira, however, wasn’t surprised by the woman's sudden appearance. Nor did she hold back. “Who are you, and why would we need to notify you?” This remark drew curious glances toward her. The woman, unfazed, swayed her hips dramatically and smirked. “You’re acting all high and mighty already, and you’re not even Mrs. Hart yet?” Her words immediately shifted the attention to Hayden. It was a clear jab at him for not having formally married Keira yet, suggesting he’d shortchanged he
When Keira first learned that Jace had entered the Carthusian monastery, she didn’t understand. She even thought he was doing it for Abbot Levinsky or because he had become disillusioned with life after the family turmoil. Only now did she realize he knew his time was limited. He had gone there to spend the remainder of his days in peace. Jace lived his life with pride and abandon. He had stood at the pinnacle, admired by all, and had also fallen from grace when love led him astray. He had once gone to extremes to win her back and later turned against his own brother to protect her. His life was brief—only a third as long as others’—but it burned brightly, full of passion and color. No matter how much it hurt, no matter how much she missed him, he was gone. - When Gavin arrived and learned of Jace’s passing, tears streamed down his face. Then, in a sudden outburst, he slapped himself twice. "It’s all my fault. How could I not have noticed something was wrong with him?" "Y
Keira couldn’t accept that Jace was gone. That he had chosen to leave like this. Even though he said it was his way of taking responsibility for himself, she couldn’t reconcile it. And his illness? Keira knew nothing about it... No! She had noticed. The blood he coughed up in front of her, the nosebleeds, the repeated hospital stays, his increasingly thin frame—these were all signs. But she ignored them. She didn’t care enough, didn’t pay attention enough, and brushed it all aside. Though the romantic love between Jace and Keira had long since faded, he remained one of the most important people in her life. He was her family. He was there as she grew up, bringing her warm sugar water when she had her first period, standing up for her and kicking bullies away without hesitation. Jace wasn’t just a past lover. He was the person who witnessed her youth, shared her journey, and taught her how to navigate life. And now, he had slipped out of her world without a word, witho