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
Sasha looked different—angry, like she was holding back something big. It was honestly kinda scary to see her like this.I swallowed. "If you hate him this much, and you know what he's done... then why...?"I left the question hanging. I didn't know what she'd even want out of this anymore.The bitterness in Sasha's voice said it all. That kind of anger—you'd think she'd have walked away before bringing a child into it. A kid would only tie her closer to Thorsten, making it nearly impossible to get away. And yet, she'd still had Milly.Sasha caught my thoughts, sighing. "You're wondering why I kept her, right?"I nodded, glancing over at Milly playing innocently across the room. "If things really fall apart between you two... what about her? She's done nothing wrong."Sasha's face twisted as she downed her wine, pain flashing through her eyes. "You think I wanted to have her?"I felt this ache in my chest, watching her."When I was just a few weeks along, he forced a doctor to
I barely managed to get out before Sasha raised her hand, cutting me off and gesturing toward Milly. "She's just... lucky."I blinked, lost. Sasha raised an eyebrow. "You're totally confused, aren't you?""It's... kind of a lot," I admitted.Sasha let out a dry laugh. "Thorsten and his wife had this terrible car accident once. He almost didn't make it, and she was in a coma for, like, ten days—maybe two weeks. We all thought she was done for. But then she woke up."Sasha shook her head like she couldn't even believe the story herself. "And when she woke up, she told everyone she'd dreamed about a little girl—a young girl standing in front of some kind of saint or angel. This girl offered her a 'magic pill' that would save her life."I raised an eyebrow. "And... then what?""Right after she woke up, I found out I was pregnant. She made Thorsten take me to get my blood tested immediately. She said if it was a girl, I could keep it. If it was a boy... well, I'd have to end the pregn
The accident she described—Was it the same one that killed my parents?So, Hayden's father... he was paid off?!Shock twisted inside me, but I forced myself to stay calm. I looked at Sasha, trying to keep my voice steady. "Who told you this? Is there any proof?"She didn't notice my agitation, just shook her head. "I don't know. It's just something people whisper. Anyone close to him is too scared to say it out loud. If Thorsten caught wind of it, they wouldn't live to see another day.""Could you... find out more?" I asked, barely able to hold it together.Sasha turned, finally sensing something was off, and gave me a curious smile. "Why are you so interested?"I hesitated, staring at her, wondering if she could handle the truth. But then I decided she deserved it. "Because those people... they were my parents. And that driver was my ex's father."Her eyes widened.I grabbed her arm, my grip tight. "That's why I need to know if it's true. I need evidence."Her false lashes fl
"Keira, can you come to the library? I have something to tell you," Yuna asked over the phone.Could I really handle more tonight?"Maybe another day. I'm a bit tired," I replied, hoping she'd let it go.She hesitated, and I felt a flicker of guilt. "Is it important?" I asked, almost against my will."Yeah, it is," she said softly, almost unsure. "Keira, I can come to you if that's easier."Great, now she was determined.Maybe she'd found out about Hayden and me, and this was her intervention."Yuna—""Just send me your address, so I can grab a cab," she cut in, and I could hear her gathering her things in the background.I looked out at the downpour, biting back a sigh. Getting a cab right now was impossible, and the last thing she needed after her transplant was to risk getting sick.Even though Hayden and I had split, I couldn't just abandon her. Not until she had someone else to lean on."Never mind," I said, resigned. "I'll come to you.""Okay, I'll wait," she replied,
Yuna's eyes went red, soft and vulnerable—a total contrast to how I'd ever dealt with feelings.With both Jace and Hayden, I'd always been upfront, no games, no second-guessing.But Yuna? She was cautious, showing just enough to hint at her feelings, then pulling back, like she was scared to give too much away.Seeing her like this, I softened. "Did he say something that hurt you?"She shook her head, barely. "He didn't reject me outright, but ever since I told him... he hasn't come back here once."Ouch. That was still rejection.It was obvious Wade's heart was still stuck on Narelle."How many days has it been?" I asked, drumming my fingers lightly on the table."Three," she said, eyes misting up. "Honestly... I regret it. I regret telling him."I frowned. "Why? Are you unsure how you feel?""No." Her nose turned pink as she held back tears. "I really like him. I just wish I hadn't said it... because now he won't even look at me."She dropped her gaze, nervously picking at
Yuna's eyes flickered with a flash of panic, then she shook her head again. Seemed like that was her go-to move.I raised an eyebrow. "If he didn't touch you or kiss you, what makes you think he's in love?"Her cheeks flushed as she looked down. "He... well, there was one time he almost kissed me.""Almost?" I tried to picture Wade's usual, reserved self. "Was he drinking?"Guys get weird when they're tipsy, sometimes mixing up reality with whoever's on their mind.Yuna didn't shake her head this time. Instead, she nodded slightly. "Yeah, last week he was kinda down and had a few drinks."I asked what was wrong, and he said it'd been a hundred days since his advisor passed."He said he missed her... then he looked at me and leaned in like he was going to kiss me."Right—exactly a hundred days since Narelle had passed.Hearing all this, I realized Wade must've been seeing Narelle in Yuna's place, which made my heart sink.Hearing this, it hit me: Wade must've been seeing Narel
"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