"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
Neither Jace nor Steve said a word. They just stared at me.I lifted my head slowly and asked in a daze, "You don't know?"I tried to sit up. "Then I'll go find him.""Rea." Steve pressed me back down. His eyes were red.I blinked. "What's wrong?"Jace's voice soft. "Hayden's already gone."I nodded. "I know..." I forced a weak smile. "I know he's gone... that's why I need to go be with him."Steve's grip on my hand tightened—hard, almost painful. I looked at him. "You're hurting me.""Rea..." His voice was rough. "You won't see him again."I stared at him, something inside me twisting, clawing, breaking. But I shoved it back down. "I can. Just let me go.""Rea," Steve said again, his voice desperate.But I couldn't stop. I pushed harder against his grip. "Let me go."That raw, desperate need bubbled over, burning in my chest. I had to see him. If I didn't, I'd lose what little was left of me."You can't see him," Jace snapped suddenly. He hesitated, then added, "He's alre
Steve steadied me as I took a shaky step forward.We reached the door just as someone walked out, cradling a small black box in their arms. Their face was etched with grief, and I froze. My breath caught in my throat.My gaze locked on that box.Steve's grip on my hand tightened, grounding me, keeping me from falling apart then and there. He guided me inside.And that's when I saw her.Yara stood in the middle of the room, her back to us. She was stiff, unmoving, her entire frame radiating the kind of despair that mirrored the storm inside me.I stopped dead. My legs refused to move.Steve froze beside me. Neither of us said a word.Yara must have sensed us, because she turned slowly. Her hands cradled the same black box, and the sight of it sent everything spinning. My vision blurred, my knees buckled.She walked toward me. "This is what Hayden wanted... He said for you to take him back. To bury him in that place you both loved."I stared at the box, but I wasn't really seei
I brought Hayden back to Kehlmark.One evening, as the sun melted into the horizon, I laid him to rest in the place where we'd once dreamed of growing old together.But I couldn't leave—not yet. I stayed, keeping him company, pretending he was still there.When I was a kid, I overheard my mom talking about how a person's soul doesn't just vanish after they die. She said it lingers for a while, staying close to the people it loved—especially for the first thirty-something days.I didn't know if it was true, but I clung to the thought. I didn't want Hayden's soul to feel alone, so I stayed. Watched over him until I felt like he was truly gone. Only then did I let myself think about leaving.During those days, I cut myself off from the world. My phone stayed off. I lived like Yuna used to—reading books, picking wildflowers, brewing tea from petals, and painting.I painted Hayden, again and again. Every stroke reminded me of the portraits Wayne had made of me, hidden in that house.
For someone like me reading medical books was no joke. But somehow, I got into it. Maybe the stillness of the past month had shifted something in me, grounding me in ways I didn't expect.When Lena walked in, she stopped for a second. Then she came right over and hugged me tight. "Welcome back."She was the only person I'd told about Hayden's death—and the only one who knew where I'd taken his ashes.Leaning into her, I caught the faint smell of disinfectant."I want a feast," I said."Say no more! I'll make it happen." Her voice had that slightly stuffy, emotional edge.She'd probably been waiting for me to crawl out of my dark hole.And I was finally doing it.Hayden was gone. But I was still here, and there was a life waiting for me to live.***At the restaurant, I took a bite of my food and asked casually, "Have you seen Jace lately?""Seen him?" Lena snorted. "Try every day. He's been in the hospital this whole time—ever since, you know, the crocodile bite."I frowned
"Rea, you're back?" Wayne's voice carried a mix of surprise and excitement as his eyes met mine."Yeah, just got back today," I replied, putting extra weight on 'today.'Lena didn't miss a beat. "Just got back and already bumped into you? What are the odds?" Her tone was all innocent charm, but the undertone was sharp enough to slice through Wayne's polished demeanor.He gave a quick nod toward the upper level. "Some high school friends organized a get-together here a few days ago."Before I could respond, someone called out to him. "Wayne, we're heading out!"He waved toward the group but lingered, glancing back at our table. "Do you two need anything else?" His tone was casual, but the offer was clear—he was ready to cover the bill.Lena beat me to it, flashing a polite smile. "Already paid through my phone. Thanks, though."Wayne's focus shifted back to me. "Rea, after you've had time to settle, come over for dinner. My parents have been asking about you.""Let me treat you
If Jace actually lost his arm over this, I'd owe him big time—like, a lifetime of "owe you." But honestly, I didn't want to get tangled up with him any further. All I could do was try to talk some sense into him."It's not that bad," he muttered, clearly lying through his teeth. His face was so pale. "A few more treatments, and I'll be good as new."Uh-huh. Sure. But since he looked like he was about to pass out, I held back my argument.Instead, he glanced at me and said, "Now that you're back, I feel like I'll heal faster."I understood the meaning behind his words, but he quickly switched gears like it was nothing. "Steve's been asking about you, by the way. If I hadn't stopped him, he probably would've filed a missing person's report."Cutting everyone off for a few days had definitely caused a ripple effect."Is he coming by today?" I asked, rolling with the topic change."Don't know. Let me check." He started to grab his phone, but the moment he moved, pain shot across his
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