My passport was still back at the hotel, waiting for me.Yara shot me a quick look, then flicked her gaze to Hayden before going back to scrolling on her phone.Hayden didn't even blink. He totally ignored me like I hadn't said a word.I didn't bother repeating myself—he definitely heard me.Sure enough, half an hour later, we pulled up to the hotel. Just as I was about to open the door, Hayden's voice cut through the silence. "Yara, go up with her."Guess he was still freaking out about the whole Hernan-kidnapping thing.But Yara just shrugged. "I'm hungry. I'll grab something to eat." She wasn't having it.Hayden shot her a look, but Yara didn't even flinch. She just walked off, like it was no big deal.She was fearless. I guess that's part of what made her so... irresistible to Hayden.I mean, someone once said a woman shouldn't make a guy the center of her world. Only then will he value her.Maybe there's truth in that. Looking back, I definitely gave too much weight to J
It was Bruno on the line.At the same time, the security footage showed Yara sitting there with a coffee, only to be grabbed by two guys and shoved into a car. Bruno's men were on top of it, no time for her to react."So, you really can't wait to see me?" Hayden's voice was icy, his eyes locked on the screen."I'm dying to see you," Bruno replied, each word dripping with malice.I could feel the venom in his voice. If Hayden actually went to meet him, this wasn't gonna end well."Alright, I'm coming," Hayden said."Oh, and bring Keira with you," Bruno added, sending a chill down my spine. I instinctively scanned the shop.It was nearly empty, but when I glanced out the window, I spotted a car across the street with its window down.Someone inside waved at me."There!" I pointed out the window.Hayden saw it too. He walked out of the store, stopping just at the edge of the street, with Bruno's car across the road, almost within reach.Bruno hung up, then yelled across the str
I stared at the tips of my shoes, lost in thought. "Let's go."Steve loaded my luggage into the car, opened the door for me, and closed it once I was inside. Only then did he get in and start driving."Steve, how did things get so out of hand? It was just a snooker game..." I wasn't blaming him, just lost in the mess we were in.What should've been a simple thing had blown up, dragging in Hernan, and now Bruno was involved too. It felt like danger was everywhere, and everyone was on edge.I remembered what Jace had said. "Who do you think is behind all this? Why target you specifically?""I've been wondering the same thing," Steve replied, clearly following my train of thought. "The key is figuring out their endgame."I let out a bitter laugh. "Seems like they want to catch us all in one go.""Especially every guy connected to you," Steve added, making me sit up straighter.Right... Jace, Steve, Hayden—they were all tied to me.."I'm starting to think this person has some twis
We were boxed in. Cars surrounded us, leaving no escape route. Trying to break free would be reckless—we'd never make it.Steve was right. Hayden had been pulled away, leaving me vulnerable. And without Hayden's skills, Steve was at a serious disadvantage.Bruno's real target? Me.As the men climbed out of their cars, surrounding us, I turned to Steve. "In a minute, I'll go with them. Don't do anything stupid—just call Hayden.""No way!" Steve shot back, his protective instincts kicking in."Listen," I insisted, "Jace is already in Bruno's hands, and Hayden's gone after him. If you get taken too, Bruno will have all of us, and no one to save us."He hesitated, but I gave him a calm, reassuring smile. "We talked about this earlier. If Wayne's behind this, I won't be harmed. So don't worry about me.""But what if it's not him?" Steve didn't seem convinced."If it's not him, then we're good. You can reach out to him for help."I could see the shift in his eyes."This is our chan
I knew exactly who had a thing for feeding fish—it was Wayne. Thinking about what I suspected, I decided to throw Bruno off a bit. "Can your fish actually understand human words? 'Cause before you dragged me here, I was feeding some fish that, believe it or not, actually respond when you talk to them."I chose my words carefully, hoping to get under his skin.Bruno was way too competitive, especially after the way Hayden had humiliated him. Losing to anyone, even fish, seemed to get under his skin."Oh, really?" Bruno smirked, like he had the upper hand. "Bet those fish only know one phrase: 'Rea, dinner time.'"I froze. His words hit too close to home—was he mocking me, or did Wayne actually use that exact line when feeding his fish?Bruno saw my reaction and burst out laughing, that same, knowing laugh. It was clear now—he knew Wayne.Otherwise, how would he know what Wayne said to his fish?I had always been creeped out by Wayne's obsession, the paintings he'd made of me, and
The "game" Bruno had in mind wasn't a friendly round of poker. It was something twisted.I stared him down, but his gaze flicked between me and Hayden. "The dynamic between you four is fascinating," he said. "Jace Johnston, her ex. She's your ex. And Yara Drago, your new girl. So, tell me... who really loves whom the most here?""Doesn't matter who loves who," I shot back. "We definitely don't love you, so stay out of it."He grinned. "This isn't meddling, it's curiosity. Your tangled little love lives could use some sorting out."Hayden's patience wore thin. "Say what you want and get to the point."Bruno smirked, pressing his lips together. "Impatient, huh? Fine."He stood up and headed toward the house.Hayden and I stayed put, but his guards immediately stepped forward. "If you'd please follow us."This was Bruno's turf, and we had no clue where Jace and Yara were. For now, we had no choice but to go with it.Bruno's mansion was massive, and right when we walked inside, we
By the time I saw Hayden again, I was already hanging in midair, right next to Yara.Below us was a massive pool, and I knew the second the rope was cut, I'd be diving straight into it.I could see Hayden and Jace on the ground below, held by Bruno's men, unable to move.Bruno lounged by the pool, casually stroking something—though I was too freaked out to notice what. My fear of heights had me too focused on not looking down too much."So, snooker girl," Bruno called up to me, his voice dripping with mockery, "you've loved both of these guys, right? And they've both loved you. But they both betrayed you in the end. So today, I thought I'd help you run a little test—to see who loves you more. How's that sound?"A test? No. He wasn't testing anything—he just wanted to mess with us."I don't need your help! Let me down!" I yelled, defiant.Bruno ignored me and turned back to Hayden and Jace. "I'm going to lower this girl now. But if she falls, she'll end up in the water. And you m
"Aah!"The sensation of falling tore a scream from my lips."Rea!"It had to be Jace—Hayden would've called me Kiki.A huge splash followed, and for a terrifying moment, I thought I'd hit the water.But there was no cold, no wetness. Instead, I heard frantic splashing below.I opened my eyes to see I was still hanging, suspended above the pool. But Jace—he'd jumped in. He was fighting the crocodiles, locked in a brutal struggle for his life.In that split second of danger, Jace had acted without hesitation to save me. And Hayden... he hadn't moved.My heart, already shattered, felt like it was being encased in ice.Bruno had said his crocodiles hadn't been fed for days, and now they were attacking Jace with the fury of starving beasts. Watching him fight, struggling against snapping jaws, I couldn't stop the tears from pouring.There was nothing I could do but scream at Bruno. "Jace! Jace...!""Well, snooker girl," Bruno taunted, thoroughly enjoying the chaos, "do you see no
The black Cayenne roared through the night, the driver pushing the car to its limits as if his foot might break through the gas pedal. Yet, Aaron wasn’t satisfied. "Faster," he barked. "There’s no need to rush. Safety first," Lena said, her voice calm despite her pale complexion. As a doctor, she knew the basics—judging by the snake that bit her, it was likely just a common green snake, non-venomous. Despite her reassurances, Aaron remained tense, his entire body rigid. The driver, responding to the urgency, raced toward the hospital with record-breaking speed. What should have been a twenty-minute drive was reduced to eight. By the time they screeched to a halt, the driver’s legs were trembling from the adrenaline rush. It was the first time in his life he had experienced such an intense, heart-pounding ride. Aaron didn’t wait for the car to stop completely. He leapt out, carrying Lena straight into the emergency room. "Doctor, she's been bitten by a snake," he said urgently.
"Then why are his photos identical to yours?" Keira demanded. Lena didn’t answer immediately. She understood what Keira meant, opened her social media app, and found Aaron’s post. Sure enough, he’d shared the exact same photo as hers. To make things worse, the comments underneath included a particularly mortifying one from her mother: [You’re with Lena, huh?] Her mother probably didn’t mean anything by it, but the comment still felt inappropriate. As Lena silently cursed her mother’s lack of tact, she noticed another reply under that comment. This one, from Aaron himself, read: [Wherever she goes, I’ll take her with me and make sure she’s well taken care of. Don’t worry, Sis.] Lena was absolutely speechless. These two siblings were a perfect match: one was clueless, and the other oblivious. Her mother, as an older woman, could be excused for her lack of social awareness. But Aaron? Why was he commenting like this, knowing full well that their mutual friends could see it?
Lena hastily withdrew her hand, but her movements were too abrupt. As she stepped back, she tripped over the support pole of the tent and fell backward. Just as she braced herself for a painful landing, Aaron’s long arm reached out and caught her waist, pulling her into his embrace. Her cheek pressed against his chest, and the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat filled her ears, blending with her own erratic pulse. This suffocating feeling... It was almost intoxicating. It reminded her of the time she had accidentally walked in on him while he was showering. Awkward. So awkward that she didn’t even know how to extricate herself, nor did she have the courage to pull away from his arms. “You’re already an adult, yet you’re still so clumsy,” Aaron scolded lightly, his voice coming from above her. Then he released her and added, “No wonder your mom worries about you so much and insists on you staying at home.” Lena’s suffocating embarrassment was instantly eased by his rem
“Don’t randomly go into the tents. Some employees brought their families or significant others. It’d be awkward if you interrupted them,” Aaron reminded from behind her. “Wow, Uncle, how considerate of you—allowing employees to bring their families,” Lena teased, her tone light. She walked through the array of pitched tents, but with so many scattered around, she had no idea which one belonged to Aaron. Still, since he insisted she find it herself, she was determined to try. Approaching one tent, she suddenly heard muffled voices inside—intimate murmurs between a man and a woman. The woman’s hushed voice carried a hint of urgency. “Be gentle, don’t let anyone hear…” Even though Lena was a gynecologist, her cheeks flushed uncontrollably. She couldn’t help but think that if she had brought a stash of "protection" tonight, she might have made a small fortune. Meanwhile, Aaron stayed back, standing a short distance away and watching her from afar. In the moonlight, she looked l
“Reconciled with Nate?” In the quiet car, Aaron’s voice broke the silence as he glanced at Nate standing motionless in the rearview mirror. “No,” Lena denied softly. “He came back this time because of you, didn’t he?” Aaron asked as the car turned a corner. His hands moved fluidly on the steering wheel, the motion revealing a gray-gold watch on his wrist. The watch’s polished edges caught the light streaming through the window, casting a fleeting glimmer. Lena’s gaze lingered on the watch, her thoughts momentarily drifting. If she remembered correctly, she had given him a watch as a coming-of-age gift years ago. It had cost her all her savings back then. But that was over a decade ago. Surely, the watch she gave him would have broken by now. This one likely just resembled it—or maybe she was remembering it wrong after so much time. “Hm?” Aaron’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts, his eyes briefly flicking to her. Lena quickly recovered. “He came back for a research pro
“No problem. Let’s schedule the simulations after work each day. It’ll mean some extra hours, but I appreciate everyone’s effort,” Nate said, nodding to the team to show his gratitude. “If anyone has concerns or special circumstances, please let me know in advance so I can make adjustments,” Lena added. As the primary surgeon responsible for the operation, she not only had to ensure the procedure’s success but also maintain the morale of the entire medical team. Everyone shook their heads, indicating they had no issues. “Great. In that case, you can all head home and get some rest. Dr. Lane and I will stay back to finalize a few details,” Nate said, dismissing the team but keeping Lena behind. The two went over the finer points of the plan, and by the time they finished, it was nearly 9 p.m. “I noticed this morning that Mr. Ace dropped you off. Is your car broken?” Nate asked. He had seen her getting out of Aaron’s car earlier. “Flat tire,” Lena replied, realizing she hadn’
Lena wanted to sleep early, but the more she tried, the harder it was to fall asleep. She tossed and turned until dawn and only managed to sleep for a short while. Naturally, she woke up late. Rushing downstairs in a flurry, she saw Aaron calmly eating breakfast in the dining area. "Good morning, Uncle!" she greeted as she hurried toward the door. "Your car has a flat tire," Aaron said nonchalantly, stopping her in her tracks. Without even looking up, he continued cutting his steak with precision. "I’ve contacted a repairman, but it’s too early for them to come over." In other words, there was no way she could drive to work this morning. But she had already arranged with Nate to conduct an examination on the pregnant woman whose fetus had an underdeveloped heart. They needed to finalize the surgical plan and decide on the team. Being late would be unacceptable. "Then I’ll call a cab," Lena said, quickly coming up with a solution. "It’s rush hour—good luck finding one," Aa
After finishing their rounds, Lena and Nate sat down together, joined by the family of the pregnant woman. They carefully explained the risks and possible complications of the surgery, ultimately leaving the decision to the family. The family member immediately signed the consent form and said, "We trust you, Dr. Lane and Professor Neumann. As long as you do your best, the rest is up to fate." Their trust and composure reminded Lena of a previous case where both mother and child had died. The circumstances were similar, but the family’s attitude and understanding were vastly different. What no one realized was that such trust placed immense pressure and responsibility on them. The greater the trust, the greater the fear of making a mistake and disappointing the family. “Professor Neumann, I know medicine isn’t a guarantee, but for this surgery, I hope you can…” Lena’s voice carried a formal tone mixed with a faint plea as she addressed Nate. “I will give it my all and ensure
On Monday, the atmosphere was tense and bustling, with everyone moving as if their feet were powered by jet wheels. The start of the week brought a whirlwind of responsibilities. As the head of obstetrics and gynecology, Lena had to lead the entire team of doctors on their rounds. This wasn’t new for her, but today, she had an extra companion—Nate. Nate was here for a research collaboration, aiming to promote his scientific project. To fully grasp its application, he needed a deep understanding of maternal and fetal conditions. His presence didn’t faze Lena, though. While she was playful and lively in her personal life—sometimes resembling a child—she transformed completely in her white coat. Her professionalism, warmth, and exceptional medical expertise were nothing short of godlike. “Dr. Lane, we admitted a pregnant woman yesterday with fetal tetralogy of Fallot at 24 weeks of gestation. She also has pregnancy-induced hypertension,” the on-call doctor reported. Lena reached