Not only did Lena grab Aaron's thigh, but as she fell to her knees, her face ended up dangerously close to his crotch.Her face went nuclear red—redder than that one time they'd accidentally walked in on each other in the bathroom, years ago.She jerked back, yanking her hand away so fast she nearly toppled over again. Before she could fully process the horror, Aaron swept her into his arms, all stoic and wordless, and marched off the rooftop.By the time they reached the hospital, Lena spotted her parents, their worried faces a beacon in the chaos, with Nate right there beside them."Lena, are you hurt? What happened?" her mom asked"Aaron, is she okay?" her dad added.Aaron replied, "She should be fine, but I recommend a full examination just to be sure."Her parents nodded like he'd handed them a prescription for calm down juice.Then Nate stepped forward. "Lena, are you hurt?"Her throat tightened, and her eyes stung, but she shook her head, biting back the tears."What a
I ran into Aaron in the hospital lobby, and he was carrying a bag that looked like it was packed with ointments."Where's Lena?" I asked, skipping over any formalities. Calling him "Mr. Ace" felt too stiff, and "Uncle Aaron"? Yeah, no. He wasn't much older than me or Lena, so that was a hard pass."She's upstairs getting checked," Aaron replied, glancing at his watch. "She should be done by now.""I'll go check on her," I said, heading toward the elevators."Wait." Aaron held out the bag. "Her wrists and ankles are bruised. Use this."I took the bag. "You're not coming up?""No," he said. "I'll wait in the car. When Gabriel and Carol are done, can you help send them downstairs?"He meant Lena's parents.His response left me confused, but since we weren't close, I didn't want to pry.Still, I couldn't stop myself from asking, "How did you even find her?""It wasn't hard if you really wanted to find her."The words made sense, but something about them didn't sit right. Nate an
"Mmhmm," Lena mumbled. The sting was way worse now than when she'd first scraped it.Nate hesitated. "I'll be gentler.""It's not the pressure," she whispered, barely audible.He got what she meant. "Lena, I'm sorry. I couldn't protect you or find you sooner."He didn't need anyone else piling on—he was already kicking himself. What kind of boyfriend couldn't even keep his girl safe?"I never blamed you," Lena said, looking straight at him. And she meant it. This wasn't on him; it was part of the deal with her job."But I blame myself," Nate admitted, his eyes glued to her injuries. Guilt and heartbreak were all over his face.Lena leaned in, switching to a playful tone. "Then show me some care. I'm hurt, so you've gotta pamper me."He couldn't argue with her when she looked at him like that."Alright," he said.Lena laughed. "So, are you skipping work now?""Definitely," Nate said, no hesitation. "Nothing's more important than you.""I was kidding. Work's still more import
Running into Yuna at a bar this late was the last thing I expected.Lately, I'd been so wrapped up in my own mess that I hadn't been paying her enough attention. But that didn't mean I'd stopped caring. Not even close.Yuna stood out in her mint-green dress—modest, elegant, and so out of place in the chaotic bar scene.I didn't call out to her. Instead, I trailed behind, curious and a little uneasy. What was she doing here?She moved through the crowd with purpose, heading straight for the back. When she stopped in front of Tanya's office, my stomach tightened. Tanya reached out to her?Every instinct screamed at me to be on alert. I crept closer and positioned myself outside the door. It wasn't fully closed, leaving just enough of a gap to peek and listen."Ms. Twain, I'm starting school next week, so I won't be able to come here anymore. Could you settle my performance fees from the past few weeks?"Her words hit me like a brick. Yuna had been working here? For weeks?"KRA?"
Tanya didn't give up. She pulled out an envelope stuffed with cash—Yuna's earnings—and pushed it toward her alongside the box. "If you don't take this, you won't get anything at all."She really knew how to corner someone.That's when I decided to step in. I pushed the door open and strolled in like I had no idea what was going on. "Well, well, Tanya. Entertaining guests, are we?"Yuna didn't even blink at my sudden arrival. No acknowledgment, no reaction—she acted like we were total strangers.Tanya, though, stiffened for half a second before slipping her mask back on. She turned to Yuna and smiled. "This is all yours. Take it."Without hesitation, Yuna grabbed the envelope but left the box behind, making her stance clear.As expected of a girl raised by Hayden—she had her pride."Thank you," Yuna said before turning to leave.From start to finish, Yuna didn't say a single word to me. I couldn't tell if she was still mad at me or just didn't want Tanya knowing we were connecte
Jace had been our only real connection, but now? He wasn't tied to either of us anymore. Life's funny like that."Oh? Haven't seen him lately?" I asked, my smile faint but knowing.Tanya didn't dodge it. "No, I haven't.""Already missing him?" I teased, half-joking."Maybe a little," she replied, unexpectedly blunt."Then go find him."Tanya smirked. "If I could find him, do you think I'd waste my time asking you?"Talking to Tanya was like tiptoeing through a minefield—one wrong move, and boom.The more combative she got, the calmer I felt. "Crazy, isn't it? The guy who used to bend over backward for you just vanished. Men's hearts—so 'reliable', right?""No need to rub it in," she snapped.I studied her for a moment. She wasn't the same Tanya from before. I couldn't help but wonder what Jace would think if he saw her like this."Do you regret it?" I asked casually, leaning against the doorframe."No." Her answer was sharp, no hesitation.Which, of course, only made it mo
At most, I'm just her sister-in-law, but lately? I've felt more like her mom.Maybe it's some latent maternal instinct, or maybe it's just time I started thinking about having a kid of my own. It's strange, though—I've been thinking about it a lot more lately."No need. I just wanted to say thank you," Yuna said suddenly, catching me off guard.I knew what she meant. It wasn't easy for her to stay mad at me yet still offer a genuine thanks.Yuna's always been direct—clear about what she likes and dislikes. I gave her a small nod, accepting her gratitude without overcomplicating it."Where's Hayden? Did he get himself into trouble again?" she asked out of nowhere.I internally groaned. Questions about Hayden were a nightmare. Yuna was relentless, and once she started digging, there was no stopping her. But when it came to him, there wasn't much I could share."Nothing's going on," I said, sticking to Hayden's rule about keeping her out of it."You two love lying to me, don't you
A muffled groan echoed as the man hit the ground, clutching his side.I pressed the bat against him and leaned in to get a better look.It wasn't Hayden.It was a stranger."Who sent you? Who let you into my apartment?" I asked.The man shook his head, refusing to talk. I didn't bother playing nice. Pulling out my phone, I said, "Fine. Let's see what you tell the cops.""Don't call the police!" he blurted, panicking. "I just wanted to steal a few things! I'll give them back right now, okay?"His hand moved toward his pocket, and my instincts flared. "Don't move," I snapped, tightening my grip on the bat.He froze mid-motion, then slowly pulled his hand out, revealing a handful of my jewelry."I only took these. That's it," he said, trying to sound sincere.Just a petty thief? Yeah, right. These were probably the first things he grabbed to make it look that way.I wasn't buying it. My finger hovered over the call button as I stared him down."M-Miss, please! Don't call the c
"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