"It's raining outside. Can't you talk here?" Lindey muttered, but one look from Matthew shut her up."Mom, didn't you say you were going to make gnocchi? Let me help," Wayne finally spoke up, breaking the tension.I didn't respond, just got up and followed Jace to the door, where he was waiting with an umbrella.Honestly, if he wanted privacy, there were a dozen rooms in the house. No real reason to head out into a downpour. But clearly, he had his reasons, so I didn't ask."You cold? Need a jacket?" he offered, sounding unexpectedly thoughtful.I couldn't deny that he'd been more considerate since our breakup. But it was too late for that."No, I'm good." I took the umbrella from him and stepped into the rain.Jace fell into step beside me, quiet for a beat. "Remember the last time we walked together in the rain like this?"Of course I remembered. It was about a year ago, when Seavora had been half-flooded from days of nonstop rain. Some streets were so submerged they were bas
I glanced down, noticing his soaked shoes. "Then how'd Hayden pull it off?""No clue. And nobody else seems to know, either." Jace tilted his umbrella up a bit, meeting my eyes."So, you thought I'd know? That you could get answers from me?"Jace held steady under my sharp stare. "I know you don't."He held my gaze for a beat before looking away. "He's deliberately keeping it under wraps. But I did hear something.""What?""Word is that the boss at Quartz Cue got... well, 'dealt with.' Not sure if it's true." He sounded hesitant, but I got what he was hinting at."You think Hayden was involved?"Jace was quiet for a second. "Maybe. But Quartz Cue is huge in Houston. Their boss isn't the kind of guy you just... handle."The way he said it, I could tell he'd tried to meet this Quartz Cue boss himself—and failed."I don't know how Hayden helped Steve. And he never gave me a chance to ask."Just then, a gust of wind sent a raindrop splashing against my cheek, cold and sharp. It
It was Cedric Sawyer, the police officer.We'd set up a meeting before, and now he was calling, probably to arrange it.I used to feel this rush of excitement at the idea of finally finding out the truth about my parents' accident. But somewhere along the way, that excitement turned into a weird, uneasy feeling—like that nervous flutter you get coming back home after a long time away.I glanced at Jace, who immediately stepped back, catching on. I walked a few steps away before answering. "Officer Sawyer.""Are you free to meet right now?"I looked around at the heavy rain pouring down. Definitely not the best day for a meeting. But since he'd picked today, it had to be important. I took a steadying breath. "Alright. Where?"As I got ready to leave, Lindey's disappointed face tugged at me—she'd just made gnocchi, and I hadn't even tasted it yet."Come back soon, and I'll make it for you again," she said, trying to sound cheerful.I promised her and drove out of the Johnston res
"You can't change the past; just hold onto the people you've got now."I knew what he was getting at, and it hit a nerve. If this report on my parents' accident pointed to someone still around... he was basically telling me not to let it mess things up with the people who'd actually been good to me."Yeah, I get it," I nodded. "I've thought about it a lot, especially over the past few months."It wasn't just talk. I'd spent so much time with that contract I found in my dad's notebook, going over every theory, every suspicion, struggling to make sense of it. And somehow, I'd finally started to accept some of it."Looks like making you wait wasn't for nothing," Cedric said, like he'd been expecting this. Now I understood why he'd been so cryptic, dropping hints but never giving me the full story.He reached into his pocket, pulling out an envelope, but he didn't hand it over just yet. "You know Hayden Hart, right?"My heart skipped. Hayden and I had dug into his dad's death too, se
"Hayden!"I grabbed his arm, my voice barely steady. He looked down, his eyes meeting mine, and for a second, I couldn't get the words out. My lips trembled, but he understood.Just as the knot in my throat tightened, he murmured, low and rough, "We need an answer."With that, he gently slid my hand off his arm, took the envelope, and opened it.His movements were quick, almost like he was afraid if he slowed down, I might stop him.Inside, a few lines were scrawled on yellowed paper, but I couldn't bring myself to look. Hayden read each word, carefully, his face set. When he was done, he glanced at Cedric, as if asking for confirmation.Cedric nodded, his voice low. "I knew what this report meant, which is why I had it double-checked. Three independent repair shops examined everything, and their findings are in there too."Hayden reached in and pulled out additional sheets. Each document was as aged as the first, but all of them bore signatures and official stamps.This was re
"I'll make it up to you for what my father did."The words felt like a dull knife twisting in my chest. I looked straight at him. "Hayden, are you really just accepting this?"Haven't you been digging into this the whole time?"Is this all you found—that your father tampered with the brakes and caused my parents' deaths?"We'd suspected it might be true, but he'd promised me answers, promised me closure.And now, instead of giving me that, he was just... accepting this inconclusive report. Even the police couldn't say it for sure.Was this some kind of brush-off? Or did he just want me to hate him, to resent him because of his dad?He didn't look at me, didn't say a word.The bitterness tightened in my chest as I thought about how easily he'd pushed me away. "Hayden... did you already know about this? Is that why you broke up with me over what happened in Houston? Was it just an excuse?""No," he said firmly.My eyes wavered.He looked down, watching the raindrops splatter o
This time, no tears. It felt like I'd run out—or maybe it was something deeper, finally settling in.I'd accepted it: Hayden and I were done.On the drive back, rain came down hard, like it was trying to drown the whole city. I don't know if I was zoned out or if the roads were just slick, but I didn't hit the brakes in time and bumped the car in front of me.The rain was so intense that neither of us even bothered getting out to check. We just called the police and stayed in our cars.By the time the police and insurance showed up, the rain had finally eased. I stepped out of the car, and so did the other driver—and we both froze when we saw each other."If I'd known it was you, I wouldn't have dragged the cops out in this weather," she said, annoyed, and I could see the young traffic cop roll his eyes."You two know each other?" he asked. "You want to settle it privately or go official?"."Officially," I said."Privately," Sasha snapped, right at the same time.The cop sighe
Milly sure knew how to work her charm. I scooped her up and carried her over to the car Sasha had called.On the way, I used my phone to order her a little birthday gift. Even if Milly insisted she didn't need anything, I still wanted to do something special for her.Sasha and Milly lived in Seavora's most exclusive neighborhood, and when we walked inside, the place was decked out with balloons, toys, and garlands everywhere."Thorsten set all this up," Sasha said.Looking around at all the decorations, I couldn't help but say, "He really does care about her.""Of course," she replied. "But a child doesn't need all this. And..." She glanced over at Milly, then leaned closer. "Milly's getting older, and people always assume Thorsten's her grandfather. She's started resenting him for it."Considering his age, it wasn't surprising people made that mistake. But honestly, who could blame Milly for feeling awkward?Milly tugged me to her playroom, begging me to play with her, and with
"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