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
There was no surprise in Hayden adding me on social media.Given our collaboration, we'd need to communicate a lot, and adding each other would make things easier.But I didn't accept his friend request right away. Instead, I replied to Lena's message, but she didn't respond—probably busy again.Next, I opened Wayne's message, thought for a moment, and replied: [I've been busy with the amusement park project. I'll show you around once I'm free.]I added another word: [Sorry.]Wayne responded quickly: [No worries. Just make sure to take care of yourself.]I was about to reply with a simple 'okay' when another message from Wayne came through: [I'll wait for you.]Those four words made my drafted 'okay' hard to send, so instead, I replied: [Are you staying here for a while?]Wayne: [Yes, I'm not leaving anytime soon.]That line was unexpected.After a few seconds, I replied: [Your parents must be happy.]Wayne's status showed he was typing, but no new message came through.I d
'But why would he ask that?' I wondered.I couldn't figure it out, so I just replied with a quick [? ].Hayden didn't respond. By the time I got to the restaurant, he'd already had breakfast and headed out to the amusement park.Overnight, they'd fixed up the park's electrical circuits, and Hayden had jumped right into testing the lights. I was pretty much his QC, checking the lights as he adjusted them. If something wasn't right, he'd tweak it until it was.It hit me that he was dead serious about not letting my health get in the way of work. He was like a machine, barely taking a break, which meant I had to keep up with him like I was on some crazy hamster wheel.I could barely get a few sips of water in, and I was scared to drink too much since that meant bathroom trips. If I took too long, he might finish adjusting a set of lights. Every time I missed an inspection, he'd have to wait, dragging out the process even more.After three days of this grind, I had ulcers in my mouth
I spun around, and sure enough, there was Jace. He shot a glance my way but aimed his question at Demi. "Where are you headed?""Keira's got ulcers. I'm grabbing her some spray and meds," Demi replied, not missing a beat.The moment she finished, Jace made a beeline for me."Have you not been drinking enough water?" he asked.He knew me too well. My body had a thing for overheating if I didn't stay hydrated, which meant plenty of water and porridge-like meals. Skip either of those, and I'd be dealing with nosebleeds or mouth ulcers.After ten years together, Jace had all my quirks down pat.But hearing him bring it up now felt like some twisted reminder of what he'd told Steve—that we "just know each other too well"."To well" that I no longer intrigued him. Not like that Tanya did."Mr. Johnston, is there something you need?" I shot back, my voice icy and formal, ignoring his question altogether.Jace's face darkened. He opened his mouth to say something, but then he caught s
It was time to let Jace know exactly where I stood."Jace, what you're calling a 'small mistake' is something I just can't brush off. You know me well enough to understand that I don't tolerate any kind of betrayal," I said, stepping back to put some distance between us."My love doesn't need to be a whole soap opera, but my guy can't be out here sending mixed signals to another girl—not even a little. If I'm in, I'm all in," I added, glancing sideways to see how Jace was reacting.As I did, I caught Hayden's gaze a few steps away. It seemed like he'd overheard at least part of our conversation.Our eyes locked for a second before I refocused on Jace.Jace's expression was a mix of impatience and annoyance, like he thought I was being totally unreasonable. "You should know by now that in today's world, no one stays faithful forever. You need to stop living in a fantasy."He wasn't wrong—temptation was everywhere, and the days of slow, deliberate love, where you only had eyes for
"I'm just amazed that pregnancy has made you smarter. Most people say pregnancy makes women forgetful for three years," Hayden teased Keira with a rare grin. Keira gave him a gentle kick. "Did Aaron ask you to pass on his thoughts?" "No, it's just what I think," Hayden replied earnestly. He would never lie to her. Keira sighed softly. "Love between two people isn’t something outsiders can meddle with. But maybe Aaron’s actions today will help Lena realize what’s in her heart." "Let’s wait and see," Hayden said, finishing the massage before applying lotion and stretch mark cream to Keira's belly. "Baby, give Dad a little kick," Hayden said, stroking her belly. Right after he spoke, the baby really did kick. Keira couldn’t help but laugh; this little one was so obedient to their dad. "Just a few kicks, alright? Mommy needs to sleep, so don’t bother her," Hayden instructed. The baby obediently kicked a few more times before settling down. Keira was curious. "I think our ba
Keira stared at the messages Lena had just sent her. She could sense something was up, so she immediately called her, but Lena declined the call. Instead, she replied with another message: [I’m at my grandparents’ house, and my mother is here too.] Keira had no choice but to keep texting her: [Did Aaron upset you today?] Lena sent Keira a string of ellipses. That endless row of dots made her even more curious. [What happened exactly?] Keira pressed. Lena replied: [He brought his girlfriend home today.] After sending that message, she also sent Keira a screenshot of a payment receipt and added: [Spot the highlight.] Keira zoomed in on the image and finally noticed the note: Name Change Fee. [Wow, how generous! 600,000 dollars just for a name change fee. What did you call her to make it worth that much?] Keira was shocked. Lena then sent Keira a voice message, explaining the situation in detail. At the end, she added: [He used to tell me how long he’d liked me, but now he’s
"Aaron, I want to add Lena on WhatsApp." Xandra actually asked Aaron, gently tugging on his sleeve with a delicate and endearing expression that made her look pitifully lovable. Aaron glanced at her, his gaze filled with a warmth Lena was all too familiar with. Once upon a time, he had looked at her the same way. Now, he could look at other women like that. So, never believe a man when he says things like, I've liked you for years. "If you want to add her, then add her," Aaron's approval made Xandra look at him with delight. Lena, however, truly didn’t want to add her. She and Xandra weren’t close, and they likely wouldn’t ever be. Lena didn’t enjoy socializing with strangers, so she smiled faintly. "Aren’t you afraid I might tell her something about you, Uncle Aaron?" Aaron’s gaze turned cold and distant, his voice calm. "There’s nothing about me that Xandy can’t know." Ha! Lena sneered inwardly. If that were the case, why had he just warned her earlier? Double stand
Under the table, Lena felt her mother's foot nudge her—a clear signal: Let Xandra win. Lena gritted her teeth. Why was everyone fawning over a girlfriend who hadn’t even officially joined the family? Annoyed, she huffed inwardly. The more you tell me to lose, the harder I’ll fight to win. The game began, and Lena’s starting hand was exceptional—practically a heavenly draw. She was only one card away from winning while the others still struggled with mismatched cards. It seemed like an easy victory was in the cards for her. But then, as if under a spell, her luck took a sharp turn. None of the cards she needed showed up. Worse, every time she reached for a card, Xandra would intercept it with a call, blocking her progress entirely. As the rounds continued, even her mother, Briana, reached a ready hand, while Lena was still stuck with the same cards she started with. Soon, her grandmother joined the fray, and eventually, even Xandra declared readiness. Three players were now
Lena’s heart fluttered in panic. Why was he standing here? Had he overheard what she’d said earlier? There was no use regretting it now. She could only pretend he hadn’t heard anything and called out, trying to sound natural, “Uncle!” She had just given herself a pep talk in the bathroom, but seeing him standing so close now, her heartbeat still faltered. Aaron’s deep, starry eyes fixed on her. “Xandy is very simple and innocent. She doesn’t take well to certain things. I trust you understand what I mean?” Lena’s chaotic heartbeats suddenly settled. So this was why he had waited for her—to make sure she wouldn’t tell Xandra about his past feelings for her. A strange, sharp pain twisted in her chest, so intense it stole her breath for a moment. Clenching her fist by her side, she pinched herself hard to suppress the ache and avoid showing any emotion. “What ‘certain things’ are you referring to, Uncle? I don’t believe there’s anything you’ve shared with me that’s worth m
“Come here,” Deborah called, motioning for Lena to approach. She introduced her to Xandra with a cheerful smile. “The two of you may be the same age, but from now on, you must properly call her your aunt. Understand?” Xandra’s face flushed red. “There’s no need for that. Just call me Xandy.” Nervously, she tugged at Aaron’s sleeve. He glanced at her before responding calmly, “Our family values etiquette. Generational hierarchy matters.” Etiquette? Wasn’t this just a ploy to make her call Xandra “Aunt”? Was he in such a rush to give her a title to avoid any misunderstandings? Whether it was to clarify things for Xandra or to distance himself from her, Lena couldn’t help but feel a petty frustration bubbling up. Fine. If Aaron wanted her to say it, she would. “Aunt Xandra,” Lena said, her tone neutral but deliberate. Xandra’s face turned even redder. “No, really, you can just call me Xandy.” “I should call you that, and it’s not for free. As my elder, you owe me a red e
“Mr. Ace, why the sudden preference for plain water?” Elaine asked as she poured a glass. “It’s not for me. It’s for Xandy,” Aaron replied, his eyes flicking toward Lena, who kept her head down, still rinsing the same tomato. Elaine chuckled. “Your girlfriend is very pretty. She seems like a sweet and kind young lady. I bet your parents can finally relax now.” “Mm, everyone can be at ease,” Aaron replied, his tone carrying a subtle undertone. Lena didn’t lift her head, but she heard the implication clearly. “Not just at ease—happy too,” Elaine said as she handed him the glass of water. Taking it, Aaron thanked her. “Thank you, Elaine.” Then he left the kitchen. Elaine watched him go, sighing wistfully. “His parents have been waiting for this day for so long.” Turning back, she noticed Lena was still rinsing the same tomato—again. Elaine reached over and turned off the faucet. “Miss Lena, if you keep washing that tomato, it’s going to lose all its skin,” she teased.
"Do I need to change my shoes?" A gentle female voice came from the doorway. Lena thought she must be hearing things. She snapped her head up, and her eyes landed on a tall girl in casual attire standing by the entrance. Next to her was Aaron, dressed in a dark coat. They hadn’t looked into the house yet, as the entryway was positioned just out of sight from the main living area. However, from her spot on the sofa, Lena had a clear view of them. “No won't be necessary. My parents don’t wear slippers at home,” Aaron explained patiently. Lena felt as if she were frozen in place, her mind going blank as she stared at the two of them. Hearing the commotion, Briana walked out from the kitchen, and she, too, stopped in her tracks. It was rare—unheard of, even—for Aaron to bring a girl home. The implications were obvious. “Sister,” Aaron greeted Briana first, then introduced the girl beside him. “This is my friend.” Briana nodded quickly, her surprise evident. “Hello!” The g
The weekend had arrived, coinciding with the end of the year. The timing couldn’t have been more fitting—or more ominous. At the hospital, Lena’s colleagues were busy making plans for New Year’s Eve celebrations, but she sat at her desk, preoccupied with how to get through the weekend. Tomorrow, Aaron was going to formally announce his decision to sever ties with the Ace family. Even though she had tried to comfort her grandparents and they seemed to accept it, she feared the actual impact would be far greater than any preparation could soften. “Dr. Lane, any plans for tomorrow? Join us!” someone invited her. Lena snapped out of her thoughts. “No, I’ll be at home with my grandparents.” She’d even be taking an emergency kit, just in case her grandparents couldn’t handle the shock. Her mother, Briana, had been equally anxious, sending multiple reminders throughout the day to ensure Lena would go to the Ace house right after work. The last time she visited, she’d managed to