Guess you can't expect a wolf to go vegan.Jace had told me Hernan wanted Steve to win, so all I could do was hope Steve would make it through okay.The match started, and Steve stepped onto the court, eyes darting around.He scanned the front row, exchanged glances with Hayden and Jace, then kept searching the seats, looking for... someone.When his gaze finally landed on me, his face tensed up.Then Hernan raised his hand in a quick wave—a reminder, or maybe a threat."See that?" Hernan murmured in my ear. "He's nervous.""If he's nervous, he'll lose," I shot back."Wrong. You don't get human nature. A wolf's most excited when it smells blood. People aren't much different."I glared, but Hernan barely noticed, already absorbed in the match. "Why do you think Steve cares about you?"I wanted to say it was loyalty—that's just who Steve was. But I kept my mouth shut. I wasn't feeding Hernan's twisted games.Hernan turned and tilted his head. "Think he has feelings for you, to
The crowd went nuts, but honestly, I couldn't tell if they were hyped or just losing it. Definitely wasn't what I expected.I just stood there as some random guy snagged the ball mid-air. He started yelling like he'd won the lottery. "Number five! Number five is mine!" He even kissed the ball and climbed onto his seat, celebrating like a maniac.The rest of the crowd? Not so thrilled."Refund!""Refund!"You could practically see their wallets crying. Most of them were there for one thing—watching Steve crush it.When he missed that shot? Oh, they weren't just disappointed; they were pissed. And it wasn't just because of the botched play; a ton of them had money riding on him. Like, big money. Probably two-thirds of the room was convinced Steve was a sure thing.But now? With that ball sailing off the table, their cash was pretty much gone with it.I snapped out of my daze. Steve wasn't the type to mess up like that unless... unless he meant to.It hit me—he'd figured it out.
I froze, not knowing what to say.Before I could react, someone in the crowd shouted, "The organizers keep letting their own people play. This is rigged! How about I go up instead? If she beats me, we'll forget that last mistake."I turned toward the voice.It was Yara, standing with Hayden next to her, looking as calm as ever, his eyes locked on me with that same steady stare.This woman wasn't just bold; she was good. She had the guts to challenge me in front of everyone, which meant she had to be at least as skilled as she was confident.The crowd immediately started chanting, "Let her play! Let her play!"The announcer glanced over at Hernan, who gave a small nod.He then announced that Yara would be joining me."Ms. Kay, I look forward to learning from you," Yara said, stepping forward and offering her hand.I didn't know her real intentions, but I couldn't back down now. I was already on stage, practically shoved into the spotlight.For Steve, for my own pride—I couldn'
Thud!Thud!One ball after another sank perfectly into the pockets, each shot met with louder cheers. My aim was on fire, and the crowd was actually starting to root for me.With Hayden watching nearby, a thought popped into my head: 'Keira, show him a side of you he's never seen.'We'd been together a while, but he'd never watched me play snooker. My skills were tied to memories with Jace, and I'd always worried it might stir something up if Hayden found out.But here I was, putting it all on display for him.Thud!I lined up my next shot, sent the cue ball spinning toward the pocket... but it stopped just short. Ugh. Close, but not quite. Now it was Yara's turn.The crowd went wild, switching sides to cheer her on as she took her place at the table.It was funny—neither Yara nor I were professionals, yet somehow, the crowd had split into full-on fan sections for us, like we were fierce rivals.Yara picked up her cue, leaning over the table with that practiced, graceful stan
"He doesn't dare to speak!" Hernan's voice cut through the darkness just as the lights came back on.He stood not far away, a cold, twisted smile at the corners of his mouth.So, I'd been right—this was his plan all along. There was never any real chance of escape, and now we'd only managed to provoke him.Without thinking, I yanked the person holding my hand behind me, stepping forward protectively.Hernan sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Haddy, are you really so pathetic now? Hiding behind a woman?"Haddy?Was he talking about... Hayden? But where was Hayden?Then, the person I'd pulled behind me stepped forward, and I heard a voice I knew way too well. I turned, stunned. Standing beside me, hand still in mine, was Hayden.Wait... Hayden? I could've sworn it was Steve leading me.I stared at him, completely thrown. Hayden's intense gaze was fixed on Hernan. "If you don't want to lose face, then step aside."The confidence in his voice was unmistakable, and I could
Hernan's gaze flicked to Hayden holding my hand, and he raised an eyebrow. "So, it's because of this, huh? Haddy's loyal, you know that, right?"In the middle of what felt like a showdown, Hernan was somehow calm enough to be all chatty."Haddy," he went on, "you thought breaking up with this girl and parading around with someone else would fool me? You must think I'm a total idiot."My heart skipped a beat, hard.I glanced at Hayden, hoping for a reaction, but he stayed silent.Hernan, ever the drama queen, turned to me. "Keira, I bet you don't even realize how loyal this guy is."He once had a dog, and after it died? Never got another one. Won't even look twice at a dog on the street now."A guy like that? Once he loves someone, he's not sharing his heart with anyone else."He gave a smug little smirk. "Right, Haddy?"Something tightened in my throat. I got what Hernan was implying—that Hayden's breakup with me and his engagement to Yara had all been a setup, a way to keep m
Hayden looked at me, his expression unreadable. Then he turned to Jace. "Take her away."Those three words snapped me back to reality.What was I doing? Was I really letting a few words from him mess with my head?I loosened my grip, and Hayden glanced at me once before striding off without another word. Jace tugged my arm. "Come on, let's go."Though my mind was still reeling, I realized the whole takedown of Hernan had been part of a plan—something Hayden and Jace had set up well in advance.Apparently, I was the only one who hadn't been told."When did you set all this up?" I asked Jace.He hesitated. "After I got back from Houston last time."It was right after that trip that Hayden broke up with me.So Hernan was telling the truth?I didn't have time to fully process it, so I pressed Jace. "Why didn't any of you tell me?"He looked conflicted, like he didn't want to answer.I pieced it together myself. "This was Hayden's idea, wasn't it?""He didn't want to drag you i
Jace was staring out the window like me, his lips pressed together. "Yeah," he muttered.It was just one word, but it was all I needed. He knew.I turned to him. "So you knew? Then why the whole act? Why bother with all this?"Jace's jaw tightened, but he didn't say anything.As the police car drove past us, Hernan gave a tiny wave in my direction.We were in our car with tinted windows, so there's no way he could've seen me... but then that wave. It was like he knew exactly where I was, exactly who was sitting here.So, this whole thing was under his control the whole time? Yet, he still let himself fall into Hayden's trap.That's when it hit me. Hernan's capture? That wasn't the end. It was just the start of whatever mess was coming next.A cold shiver ran down my spine as I remembered what he'd said. "Jace, Hernan told me there's someone else pulling the strings.""Hm?" Jace glanced at me, clearly waiting for me to explain more, but I just pressed my lips together. Hernan h
"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