Lena wasn't a stranger to Aaron's place. He'd bought this penthouse before moving abroad, and honestly? The whole thing had been her idea.She'd told him she loved homes that were spacious, open, and calming. And Aaron? He didn't even blink—just handed her the reins to design it however she wanted.But now, standing here again, it felt... different."You remember which room is yours?" Aaron's deep voice snapped her out of it.Lena pressed her lips together lightly and glanced at the far-left room—the one with the floor-to-ceiling windows. The master bedroom.Back then, she hadn't even hesitated before claiming it as her own. And Aaron? He'd just nodded like it was no big deal.Now, the memory made her cringe. The audacity of her younger self. "I don't remember," she lied."Come on, I'll show you," Aaron said. He grabbed her luggage, heading toward the master bedroom."Uncle Aaron," she said, stopping him mid-step.He turned, his expression calm and steady, as always.Lena swa
There had been a time when Lena had unconsciously pushed Aaron to the back of her mind.As she unpacked in her room, the evidence of his meticulous care was everywhere. From the bathroom to the closet, every detail was already handled. Her personal essentials? Perfectly stocked.When she was younger, being with Aaron meant she never had to think or plan—he always had it covered. Apparently, nothing had changed.When Lena stepped out, the dining table was set with a spread that looked straight out of a food magazine."Uncle Aaron, don't tell me these are pre-made meals," she said, narrowing her eyes in disbelief.It had only been a short while since they'd arrived, yet he somehow managed to have everything ready."For your first meal here? No chance. Come try it," Aaron replied, already sitting down.What Lena didn't know was that he'd started prepping before picking her up—soup simmering, ingredients chopped, everything ready to finish when they got back.The table held honey-g
"Keira, what are you doing here?"Demi looked stunned to see me, but there was a flicker of excitement in her expression.Her hair was cropped short, and the prison uniform she wore was a stark contrast to the vibrant girl I used to know. But her eyes—bright and determined—were different. Stronger.Seeing her like this stirred a strange mix of relief and sadness in me. She had avenged herself, yes, but at a cost so high it could never be undone."I came to see you. What, am I not welcome?" I teased lightly, trying to keep the mood up."Yeah, and what are you even doing here? This isn't good for the baby," she said, catching me off guard.She knew?"It's fine. My baby will be proud to have such a brave friend," I said softly. Then, after a pause, "I've spoken to a lawyer. I'm going to fight for the lightest sentence I can get you."Demi shook her head. "Keira, it's okay. I'm doing fine here. In here, everyone's equal—no ranks, no games. It's not like the outside world, where peo
"I thought you weren't going to show up," Tanya said as soon as I walked in."Just tell me—what do you want?" I replied, studying her. Memories of her flooded back, some sharp, others faded, but one thing stood out: Tanya had completely upended my life.If not for her, maybe Jace and I would still be together. Maybe we'd even have a child by now, crawling around our home."Have you been to Desmond's parents' house recently? Seen the child?" she asked, catching me off guard.The child. A pawn in her games. She hadn't even looked back after giving birth, hadn't visited once in over a year. Now she wanted to know about him?"I have. The boy is doing well," I said.She nodded and smiled faintly. "See? He's fine without a mother.""Stop dressing up your negligence," I snapped. "What's your point? Don't tell me you suddenly want to claim that boy now."Tanya let out a hollow laugh. "I'm not that delusional. If he saw me, he'd probably cry.""At least you know," I said coldly. "That
I stayed quiet after leaving the prison. Hayden didn't push me either; he could tell I wasn't in the mood.When the car stopped, he pulled me into one of those warm, Hayden-style hugs, his hand stroking my hair. "If something's eating at you, just say it. Keeping it in will mess you up.""How can someone's life be trashed so easily? Tanya... she deserves to die!" I mumbled into his shoulder, my voice shaking.She'd destroyed so many lives. For what? Money? Power? She even killed her own husband to climb the social ladder. And then she used girls who trusted her, selling them out for more cash.The girl Demi mentioned—the one who went to Tanya for help—was assaulted by someone Tanya set her up with. After that, she couldn't take it anymore and ended her own life. I couldn't even figure out how to tell Demi."She'll get what's coming to her. Karma always hits back," Hayden murmured against my ear.But what difference does it make? Lives don't come back.Like my parents. Even thoug
It had been forever since Hayden and I shared such an uninterrupted, feel-good moment."Isn't it kind of a waste for just the two of us to hog this whole yacht?" I sighed after the kiss ended.Before Hayden could answer, a familiar voice rang out. "We're coming up! Hope nothing R-rated is happening up there!"My jaw dropped. I spun to glare at Hayden. "You didn't—""What better way to enjoy this view than with your favorite people? Besides me, obviously, that means Lena."By the time Lena appeared on the deck, Hayden had already set me down. I held out my arms dramatically. "Come here, hug me.""Whoa, what's with the extra love? You trying to make your honey jealous?" Lena teased as she pulled me into a big, warm hug.Behind her, I spotted someone else climbing aboard. Leaning closer, I whispered, "Your Uncle Aaron's been glued to your side lately.""Has not!" Lena hissed, giving me a sharp pinch at my waist—my ticklish weak spot."He's here because your honey invited him. We
Lena pinched my arm hard—just enough to hurt. Classic Lena: subtle but effective.Okay, fine. Blurting out Aaron's feelings in front of everyone? Definitely not my smartest move. Some things are better left for private jokes, not public mic drops. Especially when family dynamics are involved—blood-related or not.Ron finally caught on and asked, "Wait, what did you just say?"Hayden cleared his throat. "She said you should hurry up and start the barbecue. Everyone's hungry.""Pretty sure that's not what she said. She said—" He hesitated, his usual sharpness suddenly absent. Was he playing dumb on purpose, or did he just realize poking the bear wasn't worth it?Before he could dig himself deeper, Aaron cut in. "Stay away from Lena."His voice was casual, but the warning? Crystal clear. Dude wasn't budging.He stayed calm, face totally unreadable, like he was some overprotective dad stepping in for his kid.For a second, I felt bad for stirring things up. But come on, anyone with
The black silk shirt Hayden wore clung to his chest and billowed behind him in the sea breeze. Leaning lazily against the railing, he radiated an air of casual freedom. “Ready to act?” “We’ve already begun,” Aaron replied. Unlike Hayden, who carried a hint of unruly charm, Aaron exuded a steady composure. Hayden thought of how Aaron had already brought Lena back home and tested the waters with a question. “Figured out how to explain things to your family?” “No rush,” Aaron said lazily. “It’ll be easier to explain once she’s made up her mind.” “Looks like you’ve set the stage long ago, just waiting for the right time to close the net,” Hayden remarked. The two of them had met overseas in their early years, never expecting to reconnect under such circumstances. The irony wasn’t lost on either of them—the women they loved most were best friends, as close as sisters. “Do you regret it? Regret waiting so long to act?” Hayden asked, alluding to Lena’s past relationship with Nate.
“Hey, pretty lady, want to move this party somewhere else?” In the center of the dance floor, a man leaned closer to Lena with an inviting smile. Lena tossed her rarely unbound long hair over her shoulder, swaying slightly as she replied, “To your bed, perhaps?” “If that’s what you want,” the man said with a grin, moving even closer. Lena pressed a single finger to his forehead, stopping him in his tracks. “I think my bed would be more suitable.” “Your bed works too,” the man smirked. Leaning in closer, Lena gave a sly smile. “My bed happens to be a surgical table.” The man laughed, assuming she was teasing him. “So, what’s on the menu? Heart or liver?” “Heart and liver,” Lena replied smoothly, her finger pressing precisely on the corresponding points on his body. The man hesitated, clearly startled by her precision, but before he could react, Lena pushed him away with a flick of her finger. She had danced enough and left the floor, catching her breath. From the cro
Lena’s father and grandfather poured themselves some wine, but before they could take a sip, they were scolded. “When it’s time to talk, you’re mute, but when it comes to lifting a wine glass, you’re the most enthusiastic.” “Aaron, when you find a wife, don’t pick someone like your sister or your mom, or you’ll spend your whole life getting nagged,” Lena’s father teased, earning laughter from everyone at the table. Although the homecoming had started awkwardly, the evening turned out enjoyable, with a lively and pleasant conclusion. “Why don’t you both stay the night? Don’t leave,” suggested Mrs. Lane after dinner. Lena: “No way!” Aaron: “I’ve got work!” Their simultaneous refusals drew the attention of everyone at the table. Lena kept her composure, her face impassive as she explained, “I’m currently preparing for a fetal surgery on a pregnant patient. There’s a lot of prep work involved. I was supposed to work overtime tonight, but you called me here at the last minute.
Lena’s mother’s face flushed with embarrassment at the questioning but quickly retorted, “Aaron, what kind of talk is that? Lena is my daughter. I gave birth to her and raised her. How could I possibly harm her?” “Then what do you call what you’re doing today?” Aaron’s voice and gaze were both ice-cold. “Your sister is just worried that Lena hasn’t moved on from Nate,” Lena’s father chimed in, trying to mediate. “That’s right, Aaron. Your sister and brother-in-law would never hurt Lena. Besides, the Goodwick family isn’t bad. It’s just that from the moment you two walked in, you’ve been giving them attitude, making sharp remarks at every turn,” added Aaron’s father, who had been silent until now. As the person in question, Lena couldn’t remain silent any longer. “Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad, I know you all care about me and want the best for me, but I really don’t want to start a new relationship right now. That doesn’t mean I’m stuck in the past with Nate, though. Can you just
“Yes!” Lena and Aaron replied in unison. Mrs. Goodwick froze for a moment, then gave an awkward laugh. “You two are uncle and niece, having grown up together, but now that you’re adults, you should have your own spaces. What if Mr. Ace brings a girlfriend home? It wouldn’t be convenient, would it?” She certainly knew how to mind others' business. “I don’t have a girlfriend, so there’s no inconvenience,” Aaron replied flatly, blocking her attempts at argument like swatting away a fly. “But men and women are different,” Arthur said, his gaze toward Lena taking on a peculiar edge. “Only dirty-minded people think that way,” Lena shot back without hesitation. The back-and-forth between Aaron and Lena left no room for the Goodwick family to save face. Their expressions darkened considerably. Mrs. Lane had to step in to smooth things over. “It’s just that Lena had some trouble with a medical dispute recently. We were worried about her safety, so we let her stay with her uncle fo
“Lena, you’re back! Aaron…” Mrs. Lane immediately waved at Lena, signaling her to come over quickly. Lena had a sinking feeling and didn’t step forward. Just then, Aaron walked over and stood beside her, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room. As his sleeve brushed against Lena’s hand, the accidental touch gave her a sudden boost of courage. What was there to be afraid of? With Aaron here, her mother wouldn’t dare go overboard. It was a confidence she had grown up with—so long as Aaron was around, her mother was nothing more than a paper tiger. To this day, Lena couldn’t quite figure it out. Aaron wasn’t even biologically related to the family, yet everyone seemed to hold him in unusually high regard. Whatever he said, no one would dare contradict. It was precisely because of this unique favoritism that Lena often rode on his coattails, benefiting from his influence. “Chairman Goodwick, Mrs. Goodwick,” Aaron greeted the unfamiliar guests first, acknowledging the fa
“It doesn’t hurt anymore. It’s completely healed,” Lena said as she sat down. “Any new issues or discoveries today?” “None,” Nate replied, his dark, deep gaze lingering on her with a complex expression. Lena noticed but pretended not to. She had no intention of asking. When she lowered her head to focus on work, Nate withdrew his gaze. For the rest of the day, he didn’t say another word to her. This behavior was unusual for him. Ever since he returned to promote his research project, Nate had always carried himself with humility, desperately seeking her forgiveness. But today, he acted like just another colleague, a completely different person from before. Although this change was what Lena had hoped for, she couldn’t help but feel unsettled. What had brought on this sudden shift? She thought back to the incident yesterday when she had asked Nate and Aaron to leave while her wound was being treated. Could it be that her uncle had said something to Nate? On the drive bac
Aaron didn’t give Nate an answer, but silence itself was an answer. Lena’s test results came back negative: no traces of snake venom were found in her system. The wound had been treated, and in the end, it turned out to be a false alarm. “Sorry, Uncle,” Lena said apologetically. “I ruined your camping trip.” When she had been bitten by the snake, her screams were so terrifying that they startled everyone else. The others quickly packed up and left, bringing the camping trip to an abrupt, messy end. “It’s fine. You can make it up to everyone another time,” Aaron replied in a way that defied all expectations. Shouldn’t he be comforting her? He didn’t play by the rules, and Lena decided she wouldn’t either. “I’m not making it up to anyone. If anything, you owe me, Uncle.” “How would you like me to compensate you?” This time, he sounded more reasonable. Lena blinked mischievously. “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll let you know when I figure it out.” After saying that, she sigh
Nate stared at her face, carefully observing her expression and movements. He had a rough idea of her condition but still asked, "Bitten on the ankle, right? Let me see the wound." As he spoke, he bent down. However, before he could touch Lena, she was moved away. Nate looked up at Aaron. "Mr. Ace, even if the snake isn’t venomous, its teeth carry a lot of bacteria." Aaron’s response was as sharp as ever. "Oh, so you can see the bacteria and have a chat with them, asking them to leave? Or can you wipe them out with your bare hands?" Without waiting for Nate’s reply, Aaron scooped up Lena and walked off. Nate crouched there for a few seconds, stunned, before standing up and following quickly.-Lena was seated in a chair as the doctor lifted her leg. Just as Nate reached out to roll up her pant leg, Aaron had already done it. Nate had no choice but to awkwardly withdraw his hand. The doctor began cleaning the wound with disinfectant. Meanwhile, Aaron gently placed his hand
The black Cayenne roared through the night, the driver pushing the car to its limits as if his foot might break through the gas pedal. Yet, Aaron wasn’t satisfied. "Faster," he barked. "There’s no need to rush. Safety first," Lena said, her voice calm despite her pale complexion. As a doctor, she knew the basics—judging by the snake that bit her, it was likely just a common green snake, non-venomous. Despite her reassurances, Aaron remained tense, his entire body rigid. The driver, responding to the urgency, raced toward the hospital with record-breaking speed. What should have been a twenty-minute drive was reduced to eight. By the time they screeched to a halt, the driver’s legs were trembling from the adrenaline rush. It was the first time in his life he had experienced such an intense, heart-pounding ride. Aaron didn’t wait for the car to stop completely. He leapt out, carrying Lena straight into the emergency room. "Doctor, she's been bitten by a snake," he said urgently.