'Hayden Hart?! Isn't he just a taxi driver? How did he end up being the lighting engineer I've been waiting for?!'For a second, I felt like I was hallucinating."Hayden, this is Keira Kay!" Eugene introduced us. "Ms. Kay, this is Hayden Hart!"Hayden extended his hand toward me. "Hello, Ms. Kay."His tone and expression were like he didn't know me at all.I was still seated, and from my angle, I could see his perfect jawline and that... sexy Adam's apple that I'd thought about more than once.Demi nudged me with her elbow, snapping me back to reality. I stood up and shook his hand.Our fingers barely brushed before he spoke again. "Ms. Kay, go ahead and eat. I'll go check the site.""No need, I'll come with you," I said, ready to follow, but Hayden didn't move.He turned to Eugene. "Have you eaten? I haven't had anything yet. Is there something to eat here?"Eugene smiled and said, "I've already eaten," then glanced at me. "We can order takeout."Catching his drift, I turne
I worried that Demi would totally stir things up between Hayden and me later, making it super awkward.Besides, Hayden's attitude earlier made it clear he wanted to act like he didn't know me, so no one would find out we had any connection."I don't know him," I lied."Then how do you—" Demi started, but I cut her off."I'm just guessing."Demi barely touched her food, her mind totally fixated on Hayden. Normally, she could eat a ton, and today she had ordered her favorite chicken chop.But with a hot guy around, even her favorite food lost its charm."Guess?" Demi was the type to dig until she got to the bottom of things. "How did you guess? Did Mr. Hart have it written on his face?"That was a tough one to answer, but if I didn't say something, Demi would keep prying.As I was pondering what excuse to give, I noticed a small charm on Hayden's bag. It was a cute little white bunny, absolutely adorable."That," I pointed my lips toward the charm, "that's proof enough.""That
I thought, 'Girlfriend? A few days ago, he was on a blind date with me and talking about marriage. And now he already has a girlfriend?'Thinking about how he wanted to marry me right away, it seemed he was desperate for a woman. Since I rejected him, he immediately found someone else.Maybe it was for the best. Now I could face him without any worries.I tossed the takeaway box into the trash and waited off to the side.Demi showed up in under two minutes, still holding her half-eaten chicken chop. She'd lost her appetite because the guy she liked was already taken.Demi sighed as she walked over. "All the good guys are always taken. No chance to even have a little fun."I laughed at her. "Demi, good thing your mom had you as a girl. If you were a guy, you'd be such a playboy."Just as I said that, Hayden walked over. He was rocking a black T-shirt, cargo pants, and ankle boots, standing tall and radiating serious hotness."He's so hot!" Demi sighed. "Keira, look at those musc
I turned my head and met his eyes, feeling unexpectedly guilty for a moment.I looked away and took a step forward. "It's not that. I just don't want others to overthink it.""Oh." His response left me unsure of his feelings.I didn't push it. We were adults, after all. We should understand boundaries and propriety. Plus, he didn't seem like the type to gossip.The silence between Hayden and me grew awkward. Finally, I broke the ice again. "How long will it take to finish adjusting these lights?""Hard to say," Hayden replied.I felt exasperated. "We have twenty days," I reminded him, thinking about the promise I made to Jace.Hayden glanced at me, and I half-expected him to say something, but all I got was a low "Mm."'Does that mean he agrees?' I wondered.With that topic wrapped up, there wasn't much left to say. I could've brought up Macy, but that'd only make things more awkward.The rest of the walk was painfully silent. Each minute dragged, and I even started sweating
Demi asked, "Keira, did you fall on purpose just now?"I couldn't believe she'd even ask that. My waist was still throbbing, and it was definitely gonna bruise. I felt like lifting my shirt to show her. Sure, I might be into Hayden, but I wasn't that desperate.I shot her a glare, but she just kept going. "What did it feel like when he held you? Is his arm really strong? Did his embrace feel—""Demi Young!" I cut her off. "Do you ever think about anything serious, like, ever?"Seeing I was genuinely upset, Demi stuck out her tongue and muttered something under her breath I couldn't catch.I held my sore side and left the power distribution room. It hit me that Hayden had called me over but hadn't asked me anything, making me embarrass myself and get hurt in the process.I decided I needed to keep my distance and stay clear-headed, treating him just like any other client. After all, what we had before was just a blind date, nothing more.Demi handed the documents to Hayden and qu
"Ms. Kay," Hayden's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.I turned around quickly, realizing he was standing there with Demi and the electrician.'Is it just me, or does Hayden look kinda cold?' I couldn't help but wonder if something had gone wrong. "Did you find any problems?" I asked."The electrician is already fixing them," he replied, his tone icy."Oh," I said, feeling a bit lost.Before I could ask what was next, he added, "We're not adjusting the lights today.""Huh?" I was caught off guard.The electrician chimed in, "There's a voltage issue in the wiring that needs to be fixed."I frowned. "How long will that take?""We should be done today."I sighed in relief, worried it might drag on for days."Do you need anything else from me?" I asked Hayden."No."I frowned slightly, but Demi spoke up before I could. "So, we don't need to stick around? We can finish early?""Yeah, you guys can go take care of other stuff. If anything comes up, we'll let you know," Hayden
Hayden walked up, looking cool and collected. "Let's go."'Huh? Is he not going to explain why he wanted to stay so close to us?' I wondered but felt too awkward to ask."Mr. Hart, why do you want to stay so close to us?" Demi, always quick to speak, asked for me.Hayden pressed the elevator button. I caught a glimpse of his room key card: 308, right next to mine."For convenience," he said, just two words.'Convenience for what?' I thought, my mind racing with possibilities.Demi looked just as confused. She turned to Hayden. "What do you mean by convenience?"I wanted to shake some sense into her. 'Is she really that curious? Does she have to dig into everything?'The elevator walls were polished, reflecting our images. I watched Hayden in the mirror, and he looked up, meeting my gaze.Our eyes locked for a moment before he quickly looked away and answered Demi, "Convenience for everything."Both Demi and I were at a loss for words.Finally, Demi stopped talking and just t
"Mmm."With that, he hung up the phone.Since he was the expert in lighting adjustments, someone who could affect the amusement park project, I couldn't afford to offend him.I quickly wrapped a jacket over my pajamas and went to knock on his door. Hayden opened it, his gaze falling on my still-wet hair, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly."Does it still hurt?" he asked.I was momentarily confused. "Huh?"His eyes shifted down to my waist, and I understood.For some reason, my heart skipped a beat. "Oh, it's fine.""Wait a sec," he said before turning away, leaving me standing at the door.Looking into his room, I noticed his laptop on the table. It seemed he'd jumped straight into work after getting back while I was in the shower.'Not bad. His dedication is impressive.'Hayden came back, his tall frame filling the doorway. I glanced at him. He was still in the same clothes, but now his T-shirt was tucked into his pants, making his legs look even longer.He looked like h
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