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
"Yeah, Rea, Dad and Mom just wanted you two to live your lives without feeling like you were any different from everyone else," Wayne chimed in."We wanted you and Jace together because of the feelings you shared, not for any other reason," Lindey reiterated.After all the years I'd spent living with them, I knew better than anyone how they treated me. And now, with everything laid out, it made sense.If I had known about the blood type earlier, I probably would've been anxious all the time, constantly worried, and my life wouldn't have been nearly as carefree as it was.But one question still nagged at me. "Lindey, Matthew... when my parents arranged for me and Jace to be engaged all those years ago, was it because of our blood types?"Lindey glanced at Matthew, and after a few beats, he nodded. "When we found out you both had the same rare blood type—what they call golden blood—it was a shock. But it also meant that if one of you was ever in danger, the other could save them."
In the car, I dialed Hayden.This time, he picked up almost right away. "Hello?""Where are you?" I asked, not bothering with pleasantries.There was a beat of silence before he said, "You're back?"Those two words made my chest feel tight. Of course, I was back. Wasn't it him who practically dragged me back?"Yeah, I'm back. Where are you? I need to see you," I said, my voice sharp."Just go home. I'll come to you," he replied.I shut my eyes, feeling irritation bubbling up. "Hayden, are you seriously not getting this? I said—I. Want. To. See. You."He finally caved. "I'm at home. Yuna's here, too," he said, and that last part told me everything. He didn't want me showing up, especially not with Yuna there to witness any drama.Fair enough. Yuna was still recovering, and the last thing she needed was to be caught in the crossfire.And with her there, having a real conversation with Hayden would be pretty much impossible.I didn't push further. "Fine. I'll wait at home."I
Hayden's one sentence nearly made me see red.Now I was sure this whole mess between us was because of that ridiculous news report.Sure, I had some blame in this, but I was still fuming. We'd promised to trust each other, yet here he was, judging me over a single story without even asking my side.I felt the frustration rise in my chest. "If I said it's not convenient, would you just turn around and leave?""Yes." Of course, he would.I clenched my teeth. "Hayden, when it comes to being a jerk, you're really unmatched."He didn't even flinch, just kept that calm, collected look that somehow made it even harder to stay mad.Fuming, I spun around and dropped onto the couch with a huff. Hayden followed, sitting down too—but he left about a foot between us.This was the guy who used to pull me onto his lap if I so much as scooted an inch closer. Now, he was holding back. It was obvious where his mind was.My chest tightened, and I looked at him, my voice wavering. "Do you really
Hayden never held back. He always said exactly what he felt, and now his words cut deep—he honestly thought I still had feelings for Jace.Since we got together, I'd kept my distance from Jace, worried our past might mess things up with Hayden. But clearly, I’d slipped up. I'd made him feel like he didn’t have all of me.This wasn't just about me giving Jace blood. Hayden had been carrying this around for a while, something he'd been feeling long before now."All this time, you've thought I didn't love you enough?" I let out a bitter laugh. "If that's true, then maybe I don't even know how to love anymore.""If you really loved me, you wouldn't have been so quick to suggest breaking up," he said, his voice low.I shut my eyes, frustration boiling over. "I told you—that was just me talking out of anger."I gave a tired smile and added, "It was a heat-of-the-moment thing, but you jumped at the chance to agree. So, Hayden, should I start thinking you never really wanted me in the fi
Through the blur of my tears, he was just this fading outline in the distance...I'd watched him walk away so many times before, but this time? It felt different, like it finally had nothing to do with me anymore.The tears didn't last long. Sadness kind of fizzled, leaving pure, boiling anger.I was mad. Mad at Hayden for throwing us away over some dumb misunderstanding, mad because in the end, he was like everyone else—quick to bail when things got real.Fine, if Hayden was done, then so was I. No way I'd sit here waiting.After a shower, I got into bed, phone lighting up with texts from Wayne and Jace, both wanting to know how things went with Hayden. But telling them would just lead to a whole round of pity or guilt, and I wasn't in the mood to explain.So, I ignored both of them. But when Lena texted, I actually replied.Honestly, though, she's been so wrapped up with Nate that I hadn't heard a word from her in days. She didn't even know I'd almost died.[Oh, so you've fin
"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