I got what Xander meant—if I wanted to see Demi, tonight was my chance.When we reached the preschool, Yuna was outside, leading games with the kids. The scene was pure magic—laughter, joy, no stress, just living in the moment. Honestly, preschool might be the happiest time in life.Xander and I stayed back, watching quietly. But kids being kids, their curiosity soon turned to us—especially Xander. One cheeky kid called out to Yuna, "Miss Hart, is that your new boyfriend?"Leave it to kids to say whatever's on their minds.Yuna laughed, shaking her head. "He's not my boyfriend. He's my brother."The kid didn't buy it, rallying the others to chant, "Boyfriend! Boyfriend!"Yuna sighed, trying to laugh it off as Xander and I stepped forward with the gifts we brought. That shut them up—mostly. One bold kid still grinned and said, "Thanks, boyfriend!""These little brats are too much," Yuna joked, walking over to us, her smile lighting up her face.Then her gaze landed on Xander. My
The promise of more gifts had the kids scattering like a flock of birds, rushing toward him with hands outstretched. Their boldness made it clear—Wade was no stranger here.I sat up, smoothing my hair, still messy from the kids' ambush, and wiped my face, damp with their kisses.Wade approached, handing me a tissue. "These kids can be a handful.""They are, but they're adorable," I said with a smile. "Being around them makes you feel young again."My gaze drifted to where Xander and Yuna stood a little ways off, deep in conversation."Sometimes they drive you crazy," Wade said lightly. "They've brought Yuna to tears more than once."I turned to him, catching the shift in his tone. His eyes flickered with guilt before he quickly looked away.I knew what he was trying to avoid, but I couldn't help but ask, "Have you figured out how you feel about Yuna yet?""Yuna isn't Narelle," he said firmly, dodging the question.I got the message. He wanted it clear—he didn't conflate Yuna w
They say fixing relationships is better than breaking them, but here I was, playing the villain.I'd had the same conversation with Wade so many times I'd lost count. If he couldn't figure out his feelings for Yuna by now, it was clear—he didn't love her.Dragging this out would only hurt her more. It was better to push him to let her go."What are you saying? That I should leave Yuna?" Wade asked, confusion written all over his face.I paused, choosing my words carefully. "That's exactly what I'm saying. Step back, give yourself space. Then you'll know who you miss and who you actually love."Wade's eyes drifted to Yuna, standing not far away. "She... relies on me a lot. If I don't message her, or if I text her less, she overthinks things."Exactly. A girl in love doesn't just want attention—she craves being part of someone's life completely."And that's why you have to do this," I said bluntly.Wade lowered his head, silent. I leaned in. "So, what is it? Are you unwilling to
Xander kept that stone-cold poker face, and honestly? I was over it. I grabbed my phone and started scrolling, pretending not to care."You really pull guys in, huh?" he said out of nowhere.I glanced up, raising a brow. "Obviously. I'm a total catch. Everyone's obsessed with me."I smirked. "What's the problem? Wade getting too much of my attention for your liking?"He sipped his water, cool as ever. "No."Yeah, okay. Sure, Jan.I was ready to roll my eyes and move on when he hit me with: "You only love Hayden."Yikes. Cue the most awkward silence ever.I almost laughed. Like, really? The guy was walking around all smug thinking I was still hooked on him?Spoiler: not completely wrong. I mean, I still had the ring he gave me and this bracelet with the dumb little bell charm.The bell jingled softly when I flicked it, breaking the tension. "Yeah, you're right—I do love him," I said, voice light. "But let's be real, how sustainable is that? Loving someone you can't even touch?
Yuna's phone was on the ground.Her eyes trembled as she tried to make sense of it all. Yeah, she'd heard everything."Yuna," I called softly, stepping closer.But she wasn't looking at me. Her glare locked onto Wade. "What did you mean about my heart?"Wade froze, lips pressed tight.I jumped in, "Yuna—""Don't!" Her voice cut through me like glass—sharp, defensive, and totally out of character.She didn't want my comfort. Only Wade's answer. And from her face, she'd already guessed the truth.Wade finally moved, giving me this awkward, apologetic glance. "You should go. Let me talk to her."I knew he was right, but leaving felt wrong. So I stepped off the balcony but stayed just out of sight, leaning against the wall, eavesdropping like my life depended on it."My heart..." Yuna's voice cracked. "Whose is it? Is it... your ex's?"Oof. There it was. The bombshell.Yuna might've been new to love, but she wasn't clueless. Sure, she'd never dated before Wade, but those romanc
"Yuna..." I called out, desperate to say something—anything.But she didn't even look back. She just ran.Wade, who was rushing after he, paused shot me a pained, almost pleading glance."Don't just stand there—go after her!" I snapped. "If something happens to her, that's on you forever."That lit a fire under him. Without another word, he took off.I let out a shaky breath before heading back to the private dining room.As soon as I stepped inside, Xander's piercing gaze locked onto me. "If you hadn't come back soon, I was about to come looking."Normally, I'd throw out some sarcastic comeback, but now? I didn't have it in me.I hesitated, then muttered, "Yuna found out..."I laid it all out, every messy detail. Xander didn't say a word. He didn't have to—the way his expression darkened said everything. Anger, shock, guilt—it was all there.He'd known Wade back when he was Hayden. Trusted him with Yuna. And now this? It was clear Xander was beating himself up just as much a
The two cars collided with a screech so loud it felt straight out of an action movie—except it wasn't. This was real, happening right in front of me.Panic hit me like a brick, but with Xander next to me, I clung to a tiny shred of calm. My hand clutched the seatbelt as I turned to him. "This Wayne's doing?""Could be. Might just be a test."A test. It clicked instantly. They wanted to see if he was really Hayden."What now?" I asked."Sit tight. Don't freak out, no matter what," he said.Uh, yeah, easier said than done.Something about his words felt... off. "What are you planning?" I asked."I'm going to make sure they give up," he replied. Then, he added, "Hold on."Before I could process, the car jerked violently, slamming me back into the seat. My breath whooshed out as the car screeched to a halt. Xander's door was shoved open.A crew of guys stormed out of the other car, yanking him out before I could even blink. They were beating the crap out of him.And Xander? He d
"Where did you bury that urn?"The question blindsided me.A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to bring up old stuff," he murmured.He shifted, clearly struggling, like he wanted to get closer. I leaned in, bringing my ear near him. His voice was barely above a whisper, but the weight of his words hit me hard."Listen carefully. That urn has a data sync device inside. My phone's synced to it. There's... a lot of critical info in there. If anything ever happens to me, take the device and give it to the authorities."I froze. The urn... it had been hiding something this huge all along?It was Yara who gave it to me. Did she know about this, too?The thought of her made my stomach twist a little. "Why not have Yara deal with this instead of me?" I blurted.Hayden let out a quiet laugh. "You're jealous right now? Really?"I huffed, but he kept going. "She and I are just comrades. Nothing romantic, I swear. And besides..."He took a shaky breath before c
"Should we drink a little today?" Lena asked. Nate nodded. "Let’s have a drink." They warmed a bottle of wine and ordered a few small dishes. Neither of them spoke, simply sitting quietly, gazing out at the river and the occasional boats passing by. "Lena," Nate called her softly. Lena turned to look at him. The warm yellow light above cast a gentle glow on his nose, brows, and lips. His gold-rimmed glasses exuded elegance, and the texture of his shirt spoke of refined taste. Even after their breakup, Lena had to admit that Nate was precisely her type. In all her life, among all the men she had met, only Aaron and Nate could truly be called attractive in her eyes. Even Hayden and Jace were merely "not bad." It wasn’t that her standards were excessively high—it was simply that if someone didn’t resonate with her, no matter how perfect they were, she wouldn’t care for them. "Thank you," Nate said softly. Lena was momentarily stunned, assuming he was referring to their wor
Recently, Lena had been in a constant state of distraction. Aaron's decision to sever ties with the Aces weighed heavily on her mind. He hadn't told her the reason, only saying that she would find out in due time. She could live without knowing why, but she feared the fallout. When the truth came to light, she worried her grandparents and her mother would crumble under the weight of the news, collectively breaking down. Aaron had assured her he would handle everything, but she didn’t trust that he could shield the family from such devastation. Most importantly, she couldn’t understand why he would choose to leave the Aces. Could it really be, as the old saying went, that someone else’s child was like an ungrateful wolf? If it were anyone else, she might believe it, but this was Aaron. She couldn’t bring herself to believe he would be so heartless, so ungrateful. And yet, he had said it to her himself. It felt so unreal that Lena wondered if she had imagined it all. This tur
Mrs. Lane finally pieced together all the questions Lena had asked her and understood everything. Gabriel furrowed his brow and looked at Lena. "Is this really what you think?" Lena stayed silent. She did have those suspicions, but seeing how her mother had reacted so strongly, she began to wonder if she had been overthinking it. Aaron, who had already figured out the situation, looked at Lena and spoke up. "She must have misunderstood something." And he knew it was his fault. "She’s just an ungrateful brat! She doesn’t appreciate the kindness she’s been given and can’t stand seeing me be good to someone else," Mrs. Lane fumed again. Gabriel wiped away her tears gently. "Alright, maybe she was just joking with you." "Ask her if she was joking! Look at the things she’s been asking me—let her tell you herself!" Mrs. Lane pointed an accusing finger at Lena. "Big Sis," Aaron called out softly, "I’ll take Lil' Lena out for some fresh air." Without waiting for a reply, he r
"You’ll find out soon enough," Aaron’s answer echoed in Lena’s ears, leaving her restless and unable to sleep. The next day, Mrs. Lane arrived with chicken soup for Aaron and a bag full of fresh produce. "These vegetables are from a village I visited. They’re all organic, no chemical fertilizers," she gushed proudly. Lena's gaze followed her mother’s every move, scrutinizing her intently. Wherever she went, Lena's eyes followed, making her incredibly uncomfortable. "What are you staring at me for? It’s creepy," Mrs. Lane said. "Mom, why are you so good to my uncle?" Lena finally asked. "He’s my brother. Isn’t it normal for me to care for him? You think everyone’s as heartless as you?" Mrs. Lane scolded her, throwing in an insult for good measure. Lena didn’t retaliate to the insult. Instead, she pressed further, "It’s normal, sure, but the way you care for him doesn’t feel like how you’d treat a brother. It feels more like..." She paused before continuing, "Like how you’d
Keira chuckled softly. "Well, a DNA test isn’t a bad idea. At least then you won’t have to worry about being related to Mr. Ace if you two get together." Lena's eyebrows shot up instantly. "What nonsense are you spouting? Do you want me to hit you?" "Go ahead. If you break anything, you’ll have to compensate me," Keira said smugly, knowing full well she had a trump card—her precious little one growing inside her. Their playful banter caught the attention of the people in the room. They exchanged amused glances. "The things girls find joy in are beyond us," one of them said with a smile. "Let’s hope they stay happy forever," Aaron added, just as his phone began to ring. Glancing at the caller ID, he nodded at Hayden. "I’ll take this call." Aaron walked toward his study. Hayden also pulled out his phone, while Lena and Keira moved to the sofa. Keira recounted Lena’s gossip to him. "Hayden, do you think I could be the person the Mitchell family owes a debt to?" "It’s not
"I don't know them!" Lena shook her head. Was she joking? Keira pinched her lightly and looped her arm through hers as they continued walking inside. Lena began, "I heard some gossip from my colleagues, something about the Mitchell family of Windy City." "Let’s hear it," Keira said, strolling leisurely alongside her. Meanwhile, Hayden had already marched ahead, carrying the luggage into the hall. He was always efficient and precise, a trait ingrained in his very being from his military days. It showed in his every move, even in his stride. "A while back, the only legitimate heir of the Mitchell family in Windy City had an accident. Apparently, he fell from something high, hit his head, and ended up as a vegetable," she said. Keira had already heard Hayden mention this earlier. "That’s it?" she pouted dismissively. Lena huffed. "There’s more." "The Mitchell family has spared no expense trying to treat him. They’ve consulted every expert in the country, flown in wave afte
Hayden took out his phone and made a call. “There’s a car tailing me and my wife. Find out their identity, but make sure they don’t realize we’re onto them,” he instructed. “Why don’t you want them to know we’ve noticed?” Keira asked, puzzled. “Don’t startle the snake. If they really have ulterior motives, taking care of this group might just bring another wave,” Hayden explained. His reasoning made sense, and Keira nodded in understanding. They picked up Lena’s suitcase and were on their way to deliver it when the car behind them got rear-ended. They stopped to check, and Hayden received a message—a series of photos and some information. “Windy City… the Mitchell family?” Hayden muttered under his breath. Keira leaned over to look at the photos. One showed the driver partially visible, cautiously keeping the car windows barely open. The backseat passenger was only captured in silhouette. But Hayden’s people were well-prepared and used high-definition cameras, managing to cap
Ever since the matter with the Drago family and Wayne was resolved, and Hayden returned safely, Keira thought all the danger was behind them. But now, with Hayden’s sudden remark, unease crept back into her. It wasn’t fear; it was something else. Now that she had a baby on the way, she just wanted to get through each day peacefully, ensuring her child could come into this world happy and safe. Through the rearview mirror, she saw the car tailing them. It was a large SUV—imposing and sturdy. "If you were to collide with them head-on now, what are our chances of winning?" she asked Hayden. He let out a soft chuckle. "What do you think?" To make getting in and out of the car more convenient and comfortable for Keira, Hayden had chosen to drive a corporate vehicle. In terms of size, the car behind them was far larger than theirs. "Even if we could win a collision, we won’t do it," Hayden said, taking her hand in his. "Don’t worry. Once we reach the next stop, I’ll let you out
Keira hung up the phone, chuckling to herself. When Hayden returned, he found her smiling. “What’s got you in such a good mood?” he asked, glancing at the TV, which was off, and then at her phone, which she wasn’t using either. Keira reached for the durian he had bought her. Lately, she’d been craving it like an addict. No idea why—it was as if she couldn’t get enough of it. “I’ll wash my hands and cut it for you,” Hayden said, stopping her from handling it. “You just need to eat.” He pulled her along to wash her hands as well. Hayden stood behind her at the sink, his arms wrapping around her protectively. As he washed her hands, she recounted the story about Lena. “The car accident on the news is probably the same one,” he commented. “But it only mentioned the White family.” “Aaron has always kept a low profile,” Keira replied, but as she turned her head, her words were cut off. Her lips brushed against his. It was completely unintentional, yet somehow, it was a perfect