"Come on, be honest. Have you ever slept with Keira?"The guy's deep voice stopped me just as I was about to walk in. Peeking through the crack in the door, I spotted Jace Johnston lounging in a fancy chair, his thin lips pressed together."She made a move, but I'm not into her," he said."Don't say that. Keira's a real catch around here. Lots of guys are into her," replied Steve Smith, Jace's friend, who knew all about our ten-year history.Jace frowned. "We just know each other too well, you know?"When I was fourteen, I was sent to the Johnston residence and met Jace for the first time. Everyone told me he'd be my future husband. Since then, we'd lived together for ten years."Exactly. You guys work at the same company, spend the whole day together, then head home to eat at the same table. You probably even know each other's bathroom schedule by now," Steve teased.He continued, "These days, relationships thrive on mystery and the excitement of wanting what you can't have. Th
Jace looked up at the sound, his eyes meeting mine. I didn't need a mirror to know how bad I looked."Not feeling well?" he asked, frowning a little.I walked silently to his desk, swallowing the bitterness in my throat. "If you don't want to marry me, I can tell your mom."Jace's frown deepened. He knew I'd heard his conversation with Steve.My throat felt tight. "I didn't think I'd become something 'lacking flavor'. Jace—""Rea, in everyone's eyes, we're already married," Jace interrupted me.Rea was my nickname ever since I started living with the Johnstons.'So what? He wants to marry me for appearances?'I wanted him to marry me because he loved me and wanted to spend his life with me.With a snap, Jace closed the pen and looked at the marriage license application form I was holding. "Next Wednesday, we'll get the license."These were the words I'd been waiting for, but they made me feel awful, really awful...I looked down, shaking my head slightly. "Jace, you don't ha
I spent the whole day thinking about this question. By the time Jace came to get me in the afternoon, I still didn't have an answer, but I followed him anyway.Habit is a tough thing. After ten years, I had gotten used to him and going home to the Johnston residence after work."Why aren't you talking?" Jace probably sensed my mood and started the conversation.I was quiet for a few seconds. "Jace, maybe we should--"Before I could finish, his phone rang. The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number, but I noticed his grip on the steering wheel tighten.He was nervous, which was rare.I looked at his face, but he quickly disconnected the call from the car's Bluetooth and switched to his earpiece. "Hello... Yes, I'm on my way."The call was brief. He hung up and looked at me. "I've got something urgent to handle, so I can't give you a ride home."It wasn't the first time. Even if he hadn't said anything, I knew he was going to leave me behind. But I still hoped he might take me hom
I never thought I'd end up in police station for indecency.The person I knocked over was a 17-year-old teenager. He was sure I had bad intentions. Even though I denied it, he kept saying that I touched him."Where did she touch you?" the police asked, scrutinizing every detail.Brad Twain looked at me, pointed at his chest, then gestured down to his waist. "She touched me here, here...and even here."'That's total bullshit!'I almost cursed, I had never touched a man as handsome as Jace. How would I be interested in a kid like him?The officer looked at me again, and I denied it before he could ask. "I didn't lay a hand on him; it was just an accidental bump.""Have you been drinking?" the officer asked, giving me a knowing look.It was normal for men to drink a lot, but if a woman drank even a little, she was seen as improper.I nodded. "Yes, I did.""How much?" The officer's question seemed unrelated to the situation at hand.Still, I answered honestly, "One bottle of bee
My hand hurt from his grip. It was clear Jace was angry.'Is he jealous?'Just as I wondered, Jace let go of my hand, his eyes cold. "Rea, are you doing this to get back at me because of what I said?"I was shocked. I didn't think he'd see it that way."I didn't, I--" I began to explain but he interrupted me."Where did you touch him? Did you really touch him there?" Jace's jaw was tense, and his eyes had a fierce glint.But this rare display of jealousy eased a lot of my frustration. It showed he did care about me. If he only saw me as a sister or a friend, he wouldn't care if I touched another guy."No," I said again.Just then, Brad walked out and whistled at me. "Hey creep, why are you hitting on my brother-in-law?"Rudeness was typical from him, and this was no exception.Looking at him, I couldn't help but wonder what I did to deserve this.Tanya came over too. When I thought of her touching Jace earlier, I instinctively took Jace's arm.However, I didn't expect to fe
Tanya had a close call; her baby was saved, and now she was back in her hospital room.Her face was pale and drawn, her eyes red and puffy, making her look fragile and pitiful."Don't worry, the baby is fine," Jace reassured her."Jace, I was so scared," Tanya began to cry.Jace handed her a tissue, and she took it, grabbing his hand and resting her tear-streaked face on it.'She might be pitiful, but does being pitiful give her the right to treat my fiancé as her own?' I thought.I walked over. "Mrs. Blake, the doctor said that strong emotions are bad for the baby. You barely managed to save the child. If something happens again because you're crying like this, it would be terrible."I reached out to support her, subtly pulling her away.Seeing her tears on Jace's hand still made me uncomfortable, like something of mine had been tainted by someone else. I was a bit of a clean freak, both in life and in love.Tanya seemed taken aback when I called her Mrs. Blake. Her face visi
Even though I wasn't so turned on that I'd lose control, if Jace answered the phone or left right now, I'd be mortified.He swallowed hard and grabbed his phone, pressing the button to hang up. He continued kissing my neck and collarbone.But the phone rang again a second later. I knew that if he didn't answer, there would be no peace for either of us.Turning my face to the side, I said, "You should answer it."Jace looked uneasy. He pulled the blanket over me, picked up the phone, and walked to the balcony.Even though he closed the sliding door, I could still hear him."I can't come over. Ask the nurse to help you."I didn't say I wouldn't take care of you... I know it's my fault..."Fine, stop crying. I'm coming, I'll be there soon."Then I heard the click of a lighter.Jace was smoking.For the first time, he was smoking at home.It was nearly ten minutes before Jace returned. The air was tinged with the tobacco smell.His eyes looked uneasy as he said, "Um... I have
"Keira, Mr. Johnston is looking for you."Demi Young, who had followed me, held out her phone.I had really underestimated Jace's persistence. With no other choice, I took the call. "Mr. Johnston, what can I do for you?" I asked formally."Rea," Jace's voice was hoarse and full of guilt. "Why'd you leave so early today? I didn't see you when I got back."Realizing this wasn't a work call, I stepped away. "I went out for breakfast.""I'm sorry, I... I couldn't leave last night, so I didn't come back."A cold chill ran through me, and I felt a mocking smile on my lips. "Why couldn't you leave?"Jace went silent.I held my breath, giving him an out. "Was it because you couldn't find a caregiver?""Yes..."I didn't say anything else, but Jace continued, "Rea, when will you be done there? I can pick you up, and we can grab lunch together."We hadn't had a meal together in a long time. According to Brad, Jace had been spending his time with Tanya. So, this sudden lunch invite—was
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.
"Then why are his photos identical to yours?" Keira demanded. Lena didn’t answer immediately. She understood what Keira meant, opened her social media app, and found Aaron’s post. Sure enough, he’d shared the exact same photo as hers. To make things worse, the comments underneath included a particularly mortifying one from her mother: [You’re with Lena, huh?] Her mother probably didn’t mean anything by it, but the comment still felt inappropriate. As Lena silently cursed her mother’s lack of tact, she noticed another reply under that comment. This one, from Aaron himself, read: [Wherever she goes, I’ll take her with me and make sure she’s well taken care of. Don’t worry, Sis.] Lena was absolutely speechless. These two siblings were a perfect match: one was clueless, and the other oblivious. Her mother, as an older woman, could be excused for her lack of social awareness. But Aaron? Why was he commenting like this, knowing full well that their mutual friends could see it?
Lena hastily withdrew her hand, but her movements were too abrupt. As she stepped back, she tripped over the support pole of the tent and fell backward. Just as she braced herself for a painful landing, Aaron’s long arm reached out and caught her waist, pulling her into his embrace. Her cheek pressed against his chest, and the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat filled her ears, blending with her own erratic pulse. This suffocating feeling... It was almost intoxicating. It reminded her of the time she had accidentally walked in on him while he was showering. Awkward. So awkward that she didn’t even know how to extricate herself, nor did she have the courage to pull away from his arms. “You’re already an adult, yet you’re still so clumsy,” Aaron scolded lightly, his voice coming from above her. Then he released her and added, “No wonder your mom worries about you so much and insists on you staying at home.” Lena’s suffocating embarrassment was instantly eased by his rem