I gripped the admission letter, heading to find Yuna. She was a kindergarten teacher now, surrounded by little giggling kids. Her laugh mixed with theirs, so bright and full of life it was hard not to smile.For a second, I froze. Was this really the right move? Pushing her to go back to school when she seemed so happy here?"Keira!" Yuna called, jogging over once the kids were settled. Her cheeks were flushed, and sweat dotted her forehead and nose. "If you hadn't come today, I was totally about to hunt you down this weekend!"I handed her a tissue, shaking my head. "You've been running around like crazy. Are you sure you're feeling okay? No weird pains or anything?""Not a thing! I feel amazing," she said with a bright smile, pressing a hand over her chest. "This heart feels like it's really mine now—it's been so good to me."Her words made me think of Narelle and Wade, and all the complicated feelings Wade couldn't quite put into words."So, you and Wade?" I asked, jumping rig
This lifetime, neither of us would ever reach Hayden again.The thought twisted something deep in my heart, the way it always did when I thought of him.The worst part? I couldn't tell her. Not yet. Not until I was sure her heart—both physically and emotionally—could take it. I'd need to talk to Lena, get Nate to give her a thorough check-up.Because eventually, the truth would have to come out. Hayden was gone, and while I could shield her from that heartbreak for now, I knew I couldn't keep it buried forever."What do you want to tell Hayden?" I asked, forcing my voice to stay light. "Just a quick thank-you?""Exactly!" Yuna's face lit up as she hugged the admission letter close, her joy practically glowing.I cleared my throat. "No need for that. Just thank me instead—I'm the one who got you the letter."Yuna blinked, surprised, and then her face broke into a playful grin. She gave me a goofy thumbs-up. "You're the best sis-in-law ever, Keira. Thanks!"I accepted her gratitu
It hit me then—I'd completely overlooked the Hart family. As the newly named heir, Hayden's absence should've sent alarms blaring. They should've been looking for him, not sitting back.But instead of a real investigation, they were just sending people to Yuna, fishing for details through her.Something didn't add up.Trying to ignore the slump in Yuna's shoulders, I asked, "Yuna, who from the Hart family came to see you?""A guy about Hayden's age. His name was... Kylian."Kylian Hart. His face popped into my mind like a bad memory."How many times did he come? Was he always alone?" I pushed."Yeah," Yuna said with a small nod.She wasn't in the mood to keep talking, and I didn't want to push her further. Instead, I shifted gears. "Whenever you're ready to start college, let me know. I'll take you."Yuna looked up, her gaze steady. "I want both you and Hayden to take me."Her simple request landed with weight. I forced a smile, swallowing hard. "Sure. I'll let him know. Hope
Yara's question hit me sideways. I hadn't dared let my mind go there.I hadn't dared to entertain such a thought.I mean, I saw him collapse, heard the doctor say the surgery didn't work, and yeah, I even held his ashes. That's as final as it gets.Sure, I've dreamed about him coming back. But those were just desperate little fantasies.Life isn't some cheesy movie. Hayden died. End of story. No rewrites, no miracles. I hated it, but the truth didn't care about my feelings."I wish he wasn't," I said, my voice barely above a whisper."Then why are you here, grilling me if you've already made peace with it?" Yara shot back.I studied her for a moment. "Because something feels off," I said finally.Her eyes narrowed. "What exactly feels off?""The Hart family's reaction doesn't add up. And you..." I paused, narrowing my eyes at her. "You're way too calm. Not even a little wrecked—that's what feels off."Yara didn't even blink. "Who says I'm not devastated?" she replied flatly.
"This design was your boyfriend's work, wasn't it? It's so unique—and it even matches your bracelet," the clerk said, her sharp gaze locking onto the connection."Why didn't he come with you? Should we hold onto the ring for him to pick up, or are you taking it?" she asked, genuinely curious."I'll take it," I said, grabbing the men's ring and sliding it onto my thumb without hesitation.She blinked in surprise, then smiled. "I have to admit, it actually suits you.""Thanks," I replied flatly, turning to leave with both rings in hand.Not even five minutes after stepping out of the store, I noticed someone trailing me.I caught the guy's reflection in the side mirror of a parked car as I walked past. Acting like I hadn't seen anything, I let him follow. He didn't try to confront me or even come close—he just kept his distance. For two days.It wasn't about money—or me, for that matter. He wasn't looking to hurt me.But why the shadow act?That was his question to answer. So, I
I let out a scream—not because I was scared, but because, well, why not?A car horn blared, and tires screeched as a car swerved into view.The door slammed open, and out stepped the guy Kylian had sent to tail me. His glare locked on the wannabe kidnapper holding me. "Let her go.""Why should I? Who even are you?" My captor's voice cracked like a middle schooler's. I bit my lip to keep from laughing.Kylian's guy wasn't amused. "If you value your life, let her go," he said, dead serious.The wannabe snorted. "Oh, tough guy, huh? Bring it!" He puffed out his chest.I rolled my eyes. This guy couldn't even act his way out of a TikTok skit, let alone a hostage situation.Kylian's man took a step forward, and my "kidnapper" panicked. "One more step and I'll—I'll slit her throat!"Slow applause echoed from behind us.Lena sauntered into view, clapping. "Wow. Five stars. Really thrilling stuff."The kidnapper dropped the act entirely. "Uh... Miss, did I scare you?" he asked, grinn
I was stunned.Lena, ever the doctor, wasn't about to rely on guesswork or theories.She grabbed my hand, her expression soft but resolute. "Rea, you need to move on. Hayden was incredible, but he's gone. Holding on like this isn't good for you—or for him."Her eyes dropped to the ring on my finger. "You and Jace used to go to monastery services, right? You've heard the saying—when someone who's passed is held onto too tightly, they can't find peace or move on."At the end of science lies superstition. I didn't dismiss her words outright; my mom used to tell me the same thing when I was little."Rea, let him go. Live your life—really live it. That's the best way to honor him."It wasn't about not being able to let Hayden go—it was the unanswered questions surrounding his death that refused to leave me alone.For the first time, I felt like Lena didn't get it. I couldn't blame her, though. Anyone else in her position would've thought the same thing—that I was just stuck on Hayden
My heart skipped a beat. "Did someone die?" I asked instinctively."No... It's not that," Wayne replied. I let out a breath of relief.At least no one was dead. That meant it wasn't a catastrophe."All the lights just stopped working," he said.I glanced out the window at the glittering city skyline. "The lights all went out at once?""Yes, everything. It all went dark suddenly. The technicians have already checked—it's not a power outage, the wiring is fine, and the equipment is operational. But there's no lighting effect," Wayne explained, his frustration coming through loud and clear.His words left me equally frustrated. I didn't know much about lighting systems, but I did know one thing: the entire design and post-production of the park's lighting had been Hayden's work.If only he were here.But there were no "if onlys" in life."Are all the lights completely off?" I asked, slipping on my shoes."No, they're... white," Wayne said, catching me mid-step."White?" I repea
"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