Jace sat in his chair, dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and a tie dotted with stars.That tie was a birthday gift from me last year. He'd never worn it before, probably because he didn't like it. But now, after our breakup, he had started wearing it.His expression was grim, eyes locked onto me with fierce intensity. I knew why he was angry, but I calmly began, "Mr. Johnston, what do you need?""Where have you been?" His voice was icy."On vacation," I replied, dodging the question.Jace's fingers curled on the desk. "I asked where you went.""Chiverton," I said honestly. I had nothing to hide.His frown deepened, confusion flashing in his eyes. He probably had no clue where Chiverton was.It was a small, obscure town. How would he know?If he cared about me, he'd remember I mentioned it before. It's where I was born, where my parents wanted to take me.But he had heard it and forgotten, just because he didn't care enough to remember."Touring that place?" Jace's q
Jace raised his hand, tugging at his tie. "Rea, what the heck are you even trying to do? Why'd you bail on our marriage registration and then just disappear?"The convo had shifted from business to personal stuff, which was his main worry."I'm not causing trouble," I said firmly."This isn't causing trouble? Do you have any idea how crazy things have been at home? My mom was so upset she ended up in the hospital," Jace snapped.Hearing that Lindey was hospitalized made me feel guilty, but that didn't change anything. My guilt toward Matthew and Lindey couldn't erase the pain Jace had put me through."I'll explain and apologize to your mom.""That's not the point. Why didn't you want to register our marriage?" Jace tugged at his collar.I thought, 'He's the one who cheated, yet he acts like I'm the one at fault. Fine, if that's how he wants to play it, I'll make it clear who's really been wronged.'I lowered my gaze, staring at his wristwatch. "I went to Splendor Heights."The
Jace didn't say anything for a long time, then nodded mockingly. "If you're doing that just to throw a fit, go ahead."Even now, he didn't think he was wrong. He still blamed me.I couldn't be bothered to argue with him anymore. "I'll move out of your family's house.""My family house?" Jace's dark eyes narrowed. "Rea, you never really saw it as home, did you? My parents' love for you was just wasted."I pressed my lips together. He didn't get that it wasn't his parents' love I needed; it was his.I had already decided to break up with him, so there was no point in arguing anymore."Mr. Johnston, I have work to do," I said, not mentioning my resignation since I planned to finish the amusement park project first."Are you seriously breaking up with me?" Jace asked again.Maybe he didn't catch it the first time. I looked at him, the face I'd admired for ten years, and gave my final answer. "Yeah, Jace, I'm breaking up with you. From now on, we're done. We'll marry other people an
"It's not your fault. Everyone looks out for themselves first. It's human nature," I said sincerely, not blaming Demi.Demi and I were close, but even between best friends, self-preservation comes first."Keira, I—" Demi grabbed my arm, trying to say something else.I cut her off. "Mr. Johnston made it clear: if we don't fix the lighting issue, it's on us. We don't have time for anything else. Let's just get this done."Demi's eyes went wide. "But it's not our fault. They're acting like we messed up.""We're in charge of this project. Any problems are on us. No excuses. If we don't want to deal with the fallout, we need to fix it," I said, keeping my voice firm.Demi nodded silently and turned away, muttering, "He's doing this out of spite."I got it—Jace's actions were totally driven by his issues with me.I sighed. I knew it all too well. But the more he pushed, the more determined I was to resolve the issue flawlessly, leaving him no room to complain.Besides, this amusemen
Tanya's little schemes were totally exposed by me, and she looked super uncomfortable.Even so, she tried to keep her high moral stance. "So, you just assume there's something between Jace and me?"I thought, 'Do I need to assume? Doesn't she know what she's done?'But I kept my cool and didn't say anything harsh.Tanya's eyes turned red as she said, "I didn't expect people to have such dirty and vile thoughts nowadays."I couldn't help but scoff inwardly, 'Look at her, acting all noble.'She continued, "Keira, Jace is a good guy. If you can't even trust him, you don't deserve him."It was all a buildup to suggest that I was the one unworthy of Jace.So, she had more to say.I kept silent, waiting for her to continue her act.Sure enough, she wiped her almost-tearful eyes and said, "Keira, are you really not going to cherish Jace anymore?She was setting a trap for me. Did she think I was naive?I smirked. "If I say I don't want him, are you going to say you do?"Tanya's f
I gulped down over half the glass. "He left Chiverton a while ago.""Hmm?" Lena sat cross-legged across from me, her face curious."I turned him down, so he left. Apparently, he had work to do," I said, making Lena pause."He left? Didn't he try harder?" Lena shook her head. "This guy lacks persistence.""He knows when to back off; he's not the clingy type," I said, thinking about Hayden's rugged and sturdy demeanor.Lena tilted her head, looking at me. "If he had tried a bit harder, would you have—""No," I cut her off. "I won't use one person to heal the wounds another man caused.""So, no one can easily replace Jace," Lena concluded.I gave a faint smile. "Jace agreed to break up with me."Lena was stunned.I put down my glass. "I'm just here to shower and change before heading to the Johnstons. I need to clear things up with Matthew and Lindey. Jace and I... we're done."As I said it, I lowered my head.It wasn't that I didn't want to let go, or that I felt relieved. It
Lindey and Matthew tensed up when I spoke, not surprised but definitely uneasy."Rea, we know about it. It's not your fault. It's that rascal Jace's fault. I scolded him. I told him to come back and apologize to you..." Lindey started, cursing Jace before I could even get a word in.She was trying to keep me from saying what she didn't want to hear.Matthew, more rational, interrupted her, "Let Rea speak."Lindey's grip on my hand tightened, her eyes begging me not to say what she feared.I lowered my gaze, trying to stay composed. "Jace and I have broken up."The room fell into a heavy silence, with Lindey's grip tightening even more."Why?" Matthew's voice was deep and authoritative.I knew I had to give them a reason they couldn't argue with, or this would never end. Just saying Jace and I were incompatible wouldn't cut it.So, I decided to be honest. "Because of Tanya. He cares more about her than he does about me, his fiancée."Lindey pulled my hand closer. "What has he
Lindey's grip on my hand trembled, and she cursed, "That rascal! I'll call him right now and ask him what he thinks he's doing. Didn't he say there's nothing going on with that woman?"She let go of my hand and reached for her phone.I flexed my hand to shake off the numbness. "Lindey, I've already talked to him at the office. He agreed to break up, and..." I hesitated before continuing, "He's even hired Tanya to work at the company."Saying all this today felt like tattling. Since that was the case, I might as well spill everything Jace had done."What?"They were visibly shocked, especially Matthew, whose face darkened.Lindey turned to him. "Didn't you say you had control over everything at the company? How could you not know about this?"Just as I suspected, Matthew might stay home, but he knew everything about the company.However, small details like an individual hire weren't always on a chairman's radar.Matthew didn't respond, but his eyes showed clear anger.Lindey u
"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