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
When Hayden found himself surrounded by dozens of men, each with a bucket of balls in front of them, I knew exactly what Bruno had planned.They were going to turn Hayden into a human target."If you've got any guts, face Hayden one-on-one! This gang-style ambush... what kind of man does that make you?" Yara shot at him, unable to hold back."This isn't something a real man would do. Word will get around, and people will laugh at you," Jace added, his voice steady despite the fresh bandages on his arm.I stayed silent.It wasn't that I didn't care or didn't want to speak up for Hayden. I just knew the more we tried to reason with Bruno, the more he'd dig in his heels.Bruno wasn't someone you could easily talk sense into. I'd barely been around him, but already, I could tell he was unpredictable—like a storm waiting to tear through everything in his path. The more you tried to stop him, the harder he pushed.Sure enough, Bruno's answer was exactly what I expected. "People haven'
I knew how heavy a snooker ball was. It wouldn't break bones, but it could definitely leave a mark if it hit you hard enough.I tried to dodge, but the second I moved, strong arms wrapped around me. There was this huge thud, then more thuds, one after another.Balls were flying at me—like, everywhere. I was spinning with them. And Hayden—Hayden was the one spinning me.His hand was clutching my waist, yanking me this way and that as we tried to avoid the chaos.I'd only ever seen stuff like this in action movies, but now it was real. Balls were coming straight for my face, and all I could do was watch. But Hayden? He was either pulling me out of the way or taking the hits himself."Bruno, enough!" I heard Jace yelling through the noise, but it didn't matter.I had no idea how long this was going on, only that the balls felt endless, pounding down on us. And I could feel Hayden getting slower, his grip on me weakening.He was getting tired.The sounds of the collisions started t
'Hayden! Hayden!' I tried to scream, but it felt like something was crushing my throat.I couldn't even move to check on Hayden."Hayden, please, talk to me!" Yara's voice cracked as she shook him, but he stayed dead silent, not even a twitch.I'd never seen him like this. Even when we shared a bed before, he always moved, always woke up at the slightest sound, telling me, "Don't move."But now, nothing.What the hell is happening?!"Bruno, call an ambulance! Now!" Yara screamed, her face wet with tears.The word "ambulance" sliced through the fog in my brain, and suddenly, everything hit me like a shock to the chest. It was like a breath I hadn't been able to take before, and for the first time, I could actually move. I shoved myself up, scrambling toward Hayden."Rea, Jace," Steve's voice cut through the chaos, and then people were everywhere.He grabbed me, pulling me back, blocking me from getting to Hayden.By the time I turned to look again, Hayden was being hauled out
"He..." I opened my mouth, but I had no idea what to say.Yara must've read my mind because she jumped in."You know he was in the military, but what you don't know is that he was in some super secret ops squad. For three years, he ran these insane international missions. Took down the biggest crime syndicate out there. Bruno and Hernan? Just small-time compared to what he's dealt with."She went on. "Once his mission was done, Hayden went back to normal life. But with Steve's mess, Hayden realized those small-timers are starting to come back, and people are out for revenge. He knows how dangerous they are. They can't go after him directly, so they'll target the people he cares about instead."Yara looked at me. "That's why he broke up with you. That's who he really is.""Have you...and him..." My brain was a mess, but all I wanted was to know how Yara knew so much about Hayden. Had they worked together?But the words wouldn't come.Yara gave a bitter smile. "Our relationship wa
"What do you mean it wasn't successful?"Yara looked just as stunned. She grabbed the doctor, her voice sharp, demanding the answers I was too afraid to ask."You can go in and see for yourselves," he said, giving us nothing but a cold response.Yara didn't let go, pushing for more, but it was the assistant doctor who spoke up. "The back of his skull was severely crushed. We repaired the fracture, but the brain hemorrhaging was uncontrollable, with multiple active bleed sites. You should see him now—there's very little time left."Yara finally released her grip on the doctor's arm.She was trying to stay composed, but her body shook as she took a step forward. Then she stopped, like she'd remembered something, and turned back to help me stand, leading me into the room.The bright lights inside were blinding, almost painful to my eyes.Hayden was lying there in a surgical gown, an oxygen mask over his face, and his head wrapped in bandages.I couldn't bring myself to move closer
I tried to move closer, but just as I did, Yara let out a choked sob. "Hayden."It felt like my heart had been ripped out. Slowly, I lifted my head to look at him. His eyes were half-closed now, no longer fluttering. The hand that had been resting by the bed hung limp at his side."Hayden," I whispered.But he didn't respond.I shook my head, disbelief crashing over me. I cupped his face, frantic. "Hayden, please. You haven't finished talking—just say something. Please!"The words caught in my throat, choking me. I leaned in, kissing him everywhere—his nose, his eyes, his cheeks, his lips—desperately trying to wake him.But he didn't move.He wasn't going to say, "Kiki, stop it," ever again."Hayden, don't leave me. You're all I have left," I screamed.The emptiness inside me was unbearable, swallowing me whole.This was worse than losing my parents. Back then, I was too young to fully get it—but now? Losing Hayden was like being dragged underwater, suffocating, helpless.Th
Aaron didn’t give Nate an answer, but silence itself was an answer. Lena’s test results came back negative: no traces of snake venom were found in her system. The wound had been treated, and in the end, it turned out to be a false alarm. “Sorry, Uncle,” Lena said apologetically. “I ruined your camping trip.” When she had been bitten by the snake, her screams were so terrifying that they startled everyone else. The others quickly packed up and left, bringing the camping trip to an abrupt, messy end. “It’s fine. You can make it up to everyone another time,” Aaron replied in a way that defied all expectations. Shouldn’t he be comforting her? He didn’t play by the rules, and Lena decided she wouldn’t either. “I’m not making it up to anyone. If anything, you owe me, Uncle.” “How would you like me to compensate you?” This time, he sounded more reasonable. Lena blinked mischievously. “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll let you know when I figure it out.” After saying that, she sigh
Nate stared at her face, carefully observing her expression and movements. He had a rough idea of her condition but still asked, "Bitten on the ankle, right? Let me see the wound." As he spoke, he bent down. However, before he could touch Lena, she was moved away. Nate looked up at Aaron. "Mr. Ace, even if the snake isn’t venomous, its teeth carry a lot of bacteria." Aaron’s response was as sharp as ever. "Oh, so you can see the bacteria and have a chat with them, asking them to leave? Or can you wipe them out with your bare hands?" Without waiting for Nate’s reply, Aaron scooped up Lena and walked off. Nate crouched there for a few seconds, stunned, before standing up and following quickly.-Lena was seated in a chair as the doctor lifted her leg. Just as Nate reached out to roll up her pant leg, Aaron had already done it. Nate had no choice but to awkwardly withdraw his hand. The doctor began cleaning the wound with disinfectant. Meanwhile, Aaron gently placed his hand
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