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
As Bruno tapped the massive crocodile on the head, the creature lunged toward Hayden and the others.The pond was already swarming with crocodiles, but now there was a dominant one among them. Even with Hayden, Yara, and Jace working together, they probably couldn't hold them off.I couldn't even breathe—I couldn't bear to watch."Aah!"Yara's sharp scream broke through, and I saw her stabbing at something with everything she had. Hayden grabbed Jace, throwing him toward the shore.Then, he pulled Yara up and, using the crocodiles' heads as stepping stones, jumped to safety with her.They'd actually made it out of the jaws of death.Just as I was about to exhale, Bruno's mocking applause filled the air. His face was eerily calm. "Agent Hart really is extraordinary," he said, not an ounce of panic in his voice.Before the words even left his mouth, Yara lunged forward, pressing a knife to Bruno's neck. "If you don't want to see your boss bleed, let her go!" she yelled, directing
Bruno kicked back in his chair, flashing that smug, devil-may-care grin. "So, how do you wanna settle this score?"It was obvious he already had something planned—this whole thing was just him messing with Hayden, trying to get under his skin.Hayden, as usual, didn't flinch. "However you wanna settle it."I could see it now—Hayden was the kind of guy who never cracked. No matter how much Bruno or Hernan tried to mess with him, he just stayed cool, like nothing could phase him.Bruno twirled a colorful snooker ball in his fingers. "We're enemies now, right?" he said, looking at Hayden.Hayden didn't reply.Bruno's gaze drifted over to me."How about you and I play a few rounds?" Bruno suggested, his grin widening. "If you win, I'll grant you one condition. That includes letting Hayden off the hook."I knew what he was up to. Ever since the first time he saw me, he'd been obsessed with playing against me. This guy was relentless.But seriously, what was it about me?I'd never
"Alright, here's the deal—clear the table in one go. If you sink every ball, you win. Miss even one, and it's your loss. You've got fifteen minutes," Bruno announced, his tone dripping with confidence.I didn't have much of a choice, so I shot back without hesitation, "Fine.""Once you're ready, we'll start the clock," he said, settling back on a couch like some VIP.I stepped up to the table, took a deep breath, and nodded at the timer. At their signal, I went for it.Thud, thud, thud...Ball after ball sank smoothly into their pockets. Ten minutes in, only two balls were left on the table.Victory was practically mine. I focused, steadying myself for the final shots. One more strike, and it was done. With a precise hit, another ball dropped in, leaving just one remaining.Clap, clap...Bruno started clapping again, trying to throw me off. I ignored him and lined up for the last shot. But just as I was about to strike, something cold and slithery brushed against my foot, like
"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