"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
Cole liked the post within seconds and even dropped a comment: [Chaos has its own beauty.]Wayne, on the other hand, didn't react. Maybe he hadn't seen it, or maybe he was just playing clueless.Deciding to humor Cole, I replied under the post:[Officer Friendly said the same thing.]Cole shot back: [Why bother Officer Friendly for something so minor? I could've handled it for you.]Me: [I was afraid you'd make an even bigger mess.]Cole: [You don't trust me?]Me: [Nope.]Cole: [Great, now I'm hurt first thing in the morning.][Take some painkillers,] I wrote back.Cole: [Nah, I need emotional healing.]His words had a suggestive tone that made me roll my eyes. I was just debating how to respond when my phone buzzed—Wayne's call."What happened? Your place got broken into?" His voice was low and rough, like he'd just dragged himself out of bed."Yeah. I caught the guy. He said someone sent him," I said casually, letting the words hang with just enough weight to drop a hint
I froze, completely stunned.I knew Aunt Abby's condition had been critical—if she'd passed, I could've braced myself for it. But Uncle Damien? He'd been fine. How could he be gone, just like that?"H-how did my uncle... what happened?" I asked, my voice trembling."It's better if you come here. We'll explain everything," the nurse said before hanging up abruptly.I stared at the phone for a long moment, struggling to process the call. The initial shock gave way to a growing wave of unease, one that dragged me back to the day I lost my parents.I remember it like it was yesterday. The day had been so sunny, so perfect, it felt almost cruel. My teacher was mid-lesson when the homeroom teacher came in, whispered something, and pulled me out of class.Standing outside was Matthew.The moment he saw me, he wrapped me in a hug and said softly, "Keira, you still have us from now on."Even as a kid, I knew something was wrong. "Mr. Johnston, what happened?"His eyes filled with tears
Peter's expression darkened at Hayden's playful jab, but Hayden merely smiled lightly, as if relishing the discomfort. "From what you’ve said, Mr. Mitchell, you must be quite the romantic," he teased. The tea began to boil, releasing a rich fragrance into the air. Hayden had done his homework on Peter. Despite his dignified reputation, Mr. Mitchell had married three times, fathered no children with his wives, and even had an illegitimate child with a mistress. This mistress had borne him a son and then tried to leverage the child to gain the title of "Madam Mitchell." Peter, stubborn and prideful, refused her demands and even sent people to take the child by force. But the mistress, knowing Peter’s methods, preemptively entrusted the child to someone else. When Mitchell’s men came to seize the boy, an explosive argument broke out. In a fit of rage, Mitchell struck her, and in defiance, the mistress stabbed herself in the chest, intending only to scare him. Unfortunately, the blad
When Hayden arrived at the teahouse, Ron glanced at his watch and tapped it meaningfully before saying in a low voice, "The man’s been waiting for half an hour." "Getting impatient?" Hayden asked casually, his tone devoid of concern. His attire was simple and understated, nothing to draw attention. If not for his sharply defined features and the naturally aloof aura he carried, his outfit would have rendered him almost invisible in a crowd. "No, not at all. I’m quite patient," Ron replied with an exaggerated expression of innocence, as though pleading not to be falsely accused. Hayden gave him a glance that seemed to say, Then why bother pointing it out? "But arriving this late does come across as impolite, doesn’t it?" Ron added, his tone that of a model citizen, someone who might have been a class leader or an exemplary student back in the day. "I did it on purpose," Hayden replied, cutting him off with five simple words that silenced Ron. Hayden pushed open the door an
"Because this love didn’t give me the happiness I imagined," Lena explained with a faint smile. "It’s like going to the supermarket, picking out a snack you’re excited about, and then finding out it doesn’t suit your taste. After that, you just don’t like it anymore and won’t bother with it again." Her metaphor was strikingly apt. "And what does the happiness you imagine look like?" Aaron asked, as though playing the role of a persistent interviewer. Lena, softened by the alcohol, answered obediently, "I don’t know. But whatever it is, Nate didn’t give it to me." Aaron observed the peaceful resignation in her expression and pressed further. "Do you still believe in love? Do you still want to start a new relationship?" "Of course," Lena said, finally lifting her gaze to meet his. Her eyebrows arched into a cheerful expression. "I’m not the kind of person who gets scared off by a bad experience. If I meet someone who makes my heart race again, I’ll love them boldly and passiona
He was waiting for her? What for? "Uncle, you didn’t skip dinner, did you?" Lena’s first thought was his meal. In truth, he hadn’t eaten. After receiving her message, he had been uneasy all evening, unable to focus on food. "You didn’t eat? I’ll make something for you," Lena assumed his silence was confirmation. "There’s no need," Aaron refused. "Then why were you waiting for me? Is something wrong?" In Lena’s view, Aaron would never wait for her without a reason. He gazed at her, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "You’ve been drinking?" She nodded, flashing him a sweet, soft smile. She even gestured with her hand, "Just a little." Aaron stepped closer, his tall frame looming over her with an intensity that made her feel small. Though the light above bathed his eyes, they remained dark and inscrutable, filled with a depth that was hard to read. Lena sensed something was off. "Uncle, what’s wrong?" She looked into his deep, clear eyes, untouched by any impurity.
"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