Me: [👊]No response.I fired off a couple more messages, but still nothing. She was probably swamped—again.And yep, nailed it. Turns out the mom of the 1,385th baby had a serious postpartum bleed, so Lena had to ditch her phone and bolt back into the OR.***By the time Lena finally stepped out of the OR, the sun was up, and she was still wearing the chaos of the night—scrubs streaked with blood, hands showing traces of the battle. But the mother had made it."Have the family meet me in my office," she told a nurse on her way to the locker room.During the surgery, Lena found out the real reason for the mother's bleeding: stress. And not just any stress.Turns out, the husband had completely lost it over the baby being a girl. He'd spewed garbage about how they'd "wasted ten months" on her, pampering her with good food and care, just for her to pop out something "worthless." Oh, and the cherry on top? He casually mentioned selling the baby—apparently, someone out there would
He spun her around, their laughter cutting through the chaos of the airport like a rom-com on full blast. The crowd? Totally eating it up. A few claps, some knowing smiles—yeah, they were that couple.Lena clung to Nate, grinning like she'd just won the lottery.Nothing else mattered. Not even Retta, who strutted out of arrivals with her patented death glare. Lena clocked her but brushed it off. Retta could sulk all she wanted; Lena was too wrapped up in her "main character moment.""Dr. Lane, your boyfriend's so handsome!" a voice called.Turning, Lena spotted a woman juggling a baby. Oh, right—one of her patients. Flashing a smug smile, she leaned into Nate. "Of course he is. He's mine.""Congrats! And I hope you two have an adorable baby soon—just like mine!" the woman added, grinning."Noted!" Lena shot back with a playful thumbs-up.Unbothered by the interruption, they walked out hand in hand."You're still mad at me, huh?" Nate asked, his voice cautious. He wasn't clueles
"Alright, today, I'm all yours." Lena stretched up on her toes and left a quick kiss on Nate's chin.But Nate wasn't about that half-hearted action. He pulled her in, kissing her slow and deep, making sure she felt it.Neither of them noticed the black sedan parked nearby, idling for a second before quietly rolling away.With his phone on silent, Nate was all in for their day together. They hit up a movie, stuffed themselves with amazing food, and cruised on bikes as the sunset painted the sky.For once, it was just about her. No interruptions. No distractions. And honestly, it felt perfect—everything Lena had secretly wished for.But while Nate's phone stayed quiet, Lena's buzzed unexpectedly. A message from Retta popped up:[Lena, if you don't want Nate's career to crash and burn, make him call me back.]Yikes. Retta wasn't just mad—she was nuclear. Apparently, Nate had been dodging her calls all day.Later, as the sun dipped low, they flopped onto the grass, sitting back-to-
Even Nate, with his ice-cool composure, couldn't keep it together when Lena turned up the heat.Lena burst into laughter, her soft giggles breaking the tension. "You're adorable," she teased.***Lena led Nate to the hospital room where Keira's aunt was resting.Once there, Nate flipped straight into doctor mode, scanning the records. After a beat, he looked up, his expression serious. "With everything going on—her heart, the cerebral infarction—I wouldn't recommend another surgery. It's too risky."As a fellow doctor, Lena knew no physician would crush a patient's hope without reason. If Nate was this firm, it meant more procedures weren't the right call.She nodded. "I'll talk to Keira. Whether to hang on to this slim chance will be up to her and the family. But... if they insist on the surgery, could you take it on?"Nate hesitated, visibly torn. His plate was already overflowing.Lena picked up on it immediately and didn't push. "I'll speak with Keira first.""Alright," Na
Retta's words were definitely meant to pressure Nate.For once, he didn't argue. Yeah, he was crazy talented, but the world didn't always care. Even the best could get left in the dust if they didn't play the game right.Lena wasn't about to make it worse for him. Even if Retta was laying it on a little thick, better safe than sorry. The last thing she wanted was for his career to tank because of them. That kind of strain could mess up everything."Retta's right, Nate. You should go," Lena said, her voice calm.This wasn't about Retta—it was about him.Nate hesitated, like he wanted to argue, but instead, he brushed his fingers along her cheek. "I'll make it quick and come right back to you.""Okay," she murmured.He leaned in, kissing her slow and steady. "Wait for me."Smiling, Lena nudged her forehead against his before giving him a playful shove. "Now go. Don't drag it out."As Nate walked away, Retta nodded briefly at Lena before falling into step beside him.Lena watche
"The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable."Nate stared at his phone, frustration creeping in as the automated message played for the fifth time.Something wasn't right. Even if Lena was in surgery, her phone would usually just ring. Completely unreachable? That wasn't like her.Could her phone have died? Maybe, but in their line of work, that was rare. They always stayed connected—for emergencies, if nothing else."Nate." Retta's voice cut through his thoughts.He slid his phone into his pocket and looked up, his expression cold and unreadable. He didn't bother saying anything.Retta noticed his mood but pressed on anyway. "Mr. Jahn's family still has a few questions for you.""Didn't I already explain everything?" Nate's voice was sharp, a warning in every syllable.Retta's lips curved into a faint, almost resigned smile, her tone softening with a coaxing edge. "I get it, but you know how families are. They just want to be sure—see if there's any way to fin
Glancing at his watch, Nate realized it was nearing midnight. His fingers hovered for a moment before he dialed Keira's number."Keira, is Lena with you?""No... why?" Keira's voice was thick with sleep, but her tone sharpened. "What's going on? You can't find Lena?""I just finished up, but I can't reach her. Maybe she's home," Nate replied, keeping his voice steady before quickly ending the call.Next, he dialed Lena's dad.He and Mr. Lane had exchanged numbers during a previous visit, so he knew it was worth a shot."Nate, what's up?" Mr. Lane's voice answered, groggy."Has Lena come home?" Nate kept his tone light."No, she hasn't been home in a while. Why? Did something happen? You two fight?" Mr. Lane sounded casual."No, no fight. I just got back today," Nate said quickly, but Mr. Lane wasn't fooled. He could tell Nate wouldn't have called unless he was desperate.After a few pointed questions, Nate cracked."This is serious!" Mr. Lane's voice went razor-sharp. "If so
Cole smirked. "What's with this Len-a? All I know is you've got me down here feeling ' lame-a'!"God, he was disgusting. But the way he said it? Yeah, he had no clue where Lena was.So if it wasn't him, then who?Wayne?Same trash, different can. If it wasn't Cole pulling the strings, it had to be Wayne.I leaned into the threat, my voice cold. "Cole, last warning—stay away from my people, or you will regret it."He let out a scoff, his curses coming rapid-fire. "You forget who you're talking to, Keira? You think I'm scared of you?""Don't care if it's you or one of your goons," I snapped back. "The message better be clear. Lena gets home safe, or you'll wish you were scared."Without waiting for a reply, I hung up, cutting him off mid-scoff.Sure, my words would probably stick with Cole, but the unease still clawed at me.And let's be real—I had no one to lean on. Hayden? Gone. Steve? Checked out of this mess ages ago.I sank into my chair, the weight of helplessness pressi
"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