The second I raised the fire extinguisher, I made up my mind—I'd take Wayne down with me if it came to that.He was unhinged, a ticking time bomb ready to explode and take us all out."Rea," Jace said weakly, his voice soft, like he was trying to stop me from doing something reckless.It wasn't Wayne he was worried about—it was me.But Wayne wasn't fazed. He gave us that same condescending look, like we were ants scrambling under his shoe.Why wouldn't he? Jace was barely conscious, Isabel wasn't young anymore, and I was a pregnant woman. He thought he had all the power.Wayne smirked. "Rea, think about it. You've seen how things are. Come with me, and you and your baby will be safe. Do you really want your child to grow up without parents—or worse, not grow up at all? Hand over what Hayden gave you, and I'll make sure you live in wealth and comfort. Stay here or move wherever you want—it's your choice."Even now, he was trying to play the nice guy."Wayne," I said, "if I did t
"If Lena hadn't stuck her nose where it didn't belong, we wouldn't even be here," Wayne grumbled, clearly trying to wrap this up. "Take her and leave. End of story."Aaron just smiled. "So that's how you handle things? Snatch someone up whenever you feel like it, then pretend it's no big deal when you let them go?"Wayne knew Aaron wasn't here just for Lena—this was about more than her.Both of them were playing it cool, trying to keep things from blowing up, but Wayne was clearly hoping Aaron would take the hint and back off.Too bad for Wayne—Aaron wasn't going anywhere.Wayne finally sighed, sizing up his options. With Cole gone and Jace refusing to back him, Wayne knew he didn't have much leverage. Last thing he needed was to tick off someone like Aaron Ace."What do you want from me? An apology?" Wayne muttered, taking a small step back.Aaron just glanced at Lena. "Not my call. You should be asking her."Wayne's face twisted like he'd swallowed a lemon. He hated being hum
Aaron wasn't backing down. Not even a little.Wayne wasn't looking for more trouble, but Aaron? He wasn't budging. If this guy kept pushing, Wayne was ready to go all out.Still, there was something about Aaron's confidence—like he knew something Wayne didn't.But what could Aaron even have? He'd only been back a few months. No way he'd built up serious power that fast. Right?Wayne couldn't figure it out. Aaron had always been a ghost, flying under the radar, no alliances, no moves worth noticing. Wayne had written him off as a non-issue.Big mistake.Wayne wasn't reckless, though. He'd faced down bigger threats and messier situations. Aaron might've been an unexpected wildcard, but Wayne wasn't convinced he could actually cause problems.Wayne let out a sly smirk. "Since you're so eager to stick around, how about you wait here for tomorrow's funeral?"With a dramatic wave of his hand, Wayne called in more backup. Instantly, the room exploded into chaos as his guys stormed in,
Aaron bowed respectfully in front of Matthew's portrait, his expression so solemn it almost had me fooled into thinking he was here purely to pay respects.But after the whole car garage showdown? Yeah, this was definitely more than a funeral visit."Mom," Jace said softly, stepping up to Lindey.She barely looked at him, her eyes glassy with tears. "Go change and stay by my side for the memorial," she murmured.Jace, looking steadier now, left to change. When he came back, fresh and composed, he quietly stood by her side, the picture of a dutiful son.The room wasn't exactly packed, though. Makes sense—when a family's power crumbles, the people who once flocked around them tend to scatter.The Johnston empire had been on a downhill slide ever since Jace handed the reins to Wayne. And with Wayne's sketchy dealings with the Dragos? Let's just say people were keeping their distance.After all, Matthew was already gone. Paying respects or not wouldn't change anything.When Aaron f
That slap wasn't just aimed at Wayne—it was Thorsten's way of smacking down the whole Johnston family.Classic Thorsten move. No subtle shade, just a straight-up way of venting on his son's behalf."Kid," Thorsten sneered, taking a silk handkerchief from his assistant, "even when your dad was alive, he knew better than to cross me. And you? You're still too green to change the game."Wayne's lip was bleeding, but instead of blowing up, he plastered on this calm, submissive smile. Wiping the blood away, he said, "You're absolutely right. My mistake. I'll be more careful."Ugh. Watching Wayne grovel was awkward.But I knew him too well—this wasn't submission. It was strategy. With Aaron already stirring the pot, Wayne wasn't about to pick another fight with Thorsten, not with everything riding on tomorrow.Thorsten wasn't here to mourn Matthew. He was here to send a message: 'stay in line.' And Wayne got it, loud and clear.Tomorrow was supposed to be about peace, but now? It was
Aaron must've felt her staring because he turned, locking eyes with Lena.She immediately dropped her gaze. "Uncle Aaron.""What are you doing hovering in the doorway?" he asked, and she shuffled inside without protest."Thanks," she mumbled. If he hadn't shown up, who knows how long Wayne would've kept her tied up.This whole mess started with her stalling Wayne, pretending she was helping as a doctor to buy Keira time to save Jace. But Wayne caught on and didn't hesitate to have her restrained."Let me see your hand," Aaron said, holding out his own."I'm fine. No injuries," she insisted. "I'm a doctor, remember?"He wasn't buying it. "If you're fine, then what's the harm in letting me check?"Under his intense stare, Lena caved, holding out her hand.His fingers brushed over her wrist, and he immediately noticed the damage—red marks, swelling, raw scrapes where the ropes had bitten into her skin."This is fine?" he asked, raising an eyebrow."Not like I'll die," she mutte
Aaron and Hayden working together? Lena couldn't wrap her head around it.She tried to figure out how it happened, but no matter how she turned it, the puzzle pieces didn't fit."I met Hayden four years ago," Aaron said, almost like he could read her mind.His voice was deeper now, smoother, like it had aged with him. Back then, it had been rough around the edges, just like him.They say wine gets better with age. Guess men do, too."Back then, I was being blackmailed by some foreigners," Aaron started. "When I refused to pay, they came after me. Things got ugly, and they nearly killed me. Hayden's the one who saved my life."Lena froze. He'd never mentioned this—not to her, not to her mom, not even to their grandparents. All she'd ever heard about his time abroad were the headlines: success stories, promotions, starting his own company. Nothing about struggles, let alone life-threatening ones.He'd hidden the bad and only shared the good."Hayden took me to the hospital," Aaro
It had been years since she'd been this close to him—close enough for him to ruffle her hair, like when she was a kid.***Lena and I barely slept that night. The tension was unbearable.We weren't the only ones. Lindey stayed in the mourning hall all night, ignoring Jace's repeated attempts to get her to rest.Wayne? Completely MIA. At one point, Lena even joked he might've bailed for good.But I knew better. Wayne had burned every bridge; running wasn't his style. Another shady move? Totally possible.We needed proof—something solid to bring him down."Rea, you up?" Lindey's voice came from behind my door.I got up to open it. "Yeah?"She smiled faintly. "Come eat. You'll need energy for today."She was wearing an apron. Cooking? Now?Lena raised a brow. "What if she poisoned the pancakes for Wayne's sake?"I smirked. "You're a doctor. You'll survive."Still confused, we went to the table. Wayne's spot was set, like he'd pop in any second."Wait for him?" I asked.Lind
"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