Lena didn’t need to turn around to recognize the voice—she had just heard it last night. "Aunt Xandra," Lena greeted Xandra, who approached her excitedly. "It really is you!" Xandra looked at Ron in surprise. "Cousin, so Lena is your girlfriend?" Ron raised an eyebrow. "Why is she calling you ‘Aunt Xandra’?" Xandra blushed slightly, and Lena explained, "She’s my uncle’s girlfriend." "Oh? What a coincidence. Looks like we’re about to become one big happy family," Ron teased, his tone laced with amusement. Lena hadn’t expected to run into Xandra there. Fortunately, her relationship with Ron was fake—otherwise, things would get complicated. If she called Xandra "Aunt Xandra" while Xandra called Ron "Cousin," their family connections would become a mess. "Your uncle will be here soon. I’m waiting for him," Xandra said cheerfully, making Lena’s head ache. Why did she keep running into Aaron wherever she went? There was no avoiding him. "Well, you wait here. We’re heading i
Lena: “...” Who said that just because someone delivers vegetables, the garden is guaranteed to have a bountiful harvest? She glanced at Ron, silently signaling for help. He immediately understood—but instead of refusing on her behalf, he reached out, took her hand, and assisted his grandmother in slipping the bracelet onto her wrist. Lena: “...” She had wanted him to help her reject it! Why was he helping her wear it instead? "If you don’t accept it, my grandma will think you don’t like me and will scold me," Ron whispered, his fingers gently pressing against her hand. Then he lowered his voice even more and added, "Be good." His words weren’t loud, but they were just enough for everyone to hear. Lena shuddered. The sheer cheesiness of it sent a wave of goosebumps across her skin. Left with no other choice, she forced out a polite, "Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma." As she spoke, she unintentionally lifted her gaze—and locked eyes with Aaron. Bright sunlight streamed
Lena was so startled that she was about to ask what he was doing when, suddenly, her wrist tightened. A sharp pain shot through her wrist bone, and the heavy weight in her hand disappeared. Aaron held the bracelet, staring at her for two whole seconds before turning around and walking away. Watching his retreating figure, Lena’s lips parted slightly, but in the end, she said nothing. After all, she had planned to return it anyway. Since he wanted to take it back himself, she might as well let him. At least it saved her the trouble of dealing with it. She just wondered what excuse he would come up with to return it on her behalf. Naturally, after that, it would be awkward for her to go back inside. So, she sent a message to Ron, saying that an emergency had come up at the hospital and she had to rush back. At times like this, she was grateful for her profession. No matter when she used this excuse, no one would question it—after all, it was a matter of life and death. Afte
"Then even fate is helping you two," Keira looked at her seriously. "Have you thought it through? Do you actually like him? Do you want to be with him? Or are you just uncomfortable when you see him being good to another woman—maybe even jealous?" "No," Lena answered without hesitation. Keira chuckled. "That means yes." "I said no! Are you losing your hearing along with being pregnant?" Lena denied it firmly. "You’re trying too hard to deny it, which means you’re lying," Keira exposed her outright. There was no need for Lena to hide things from her. She stared at Keira for a few seconds before sighing. "You’re just so smart, aren’t you?" "Lena, if you really like him, can’t you be brave just this once?" Keira encouraged her. After Hayden had talked some sense into her that day, she realized that the biggest issue between Lena and Aaron wasn’t whether their parents could accept them being together—it was whether she was willing to take that step. And Keira had to admit,
"You’re spending the holidays with your boyfriend, right?" Lena jumped in. Keira hadn’t even considered that possibility until she mentioned it. At Yuna’s age, dating was perfectly normal—especially in college. She lifted her gaze to Lena, a flicker of panic in her eyes. Keira assumed she was worried she’d tell Hayden. Keira chuckled. "If you weren’t dating at your age, that would be the real problem. Your brother and I would start worrying." Just as Keira finished speaking, Hayden walked out, carrying freshly blended juice and coffee. He placed the juice in front of her and handed the coffee to Yuna. "We were actually planning to visit you at school in the next couple of days," he said casually. Hayden had always cherished his little sister, remembering every little thing about her. But he was also thoughtful enough to include Keira, making it seem like it was their shared idea. "You’re on break now, right? Any plans?" Hayden asked as he sat down. "I want to go abroa
At that moment, Yuna was acting like a rebellious teenager. If they pushed too hard, it would only backfire. If she didn’t want them asking questions, they could always find out behind her back. "Alright," Hayden finally said under Keira's pointed gaze. "But you still need to tell us when you’re leaving." Yuna visibly relaxed, exhaling in relief. "I’ll leave as soon as the holidays start." "When does your break begin?" Hayden asked. "...next Friday." Hayden nodded. "Then we’ll pick you up and take you to the airport on Friday." "No," Yuna refused without hesitation. Hayden’s brows furrowed. That expression of his meant he was already holding back his emotions. Sensing this, Keira stepped in. "Are you traveling with someone?" "Mm… a senior from school," Yuna answered, avoiding Keira's gaze. Keira had a pretty good guess who that "senior" was. Under the table, Keira nudged Hayden’s foot again. After a pause, he said, "I’ll transfer you some money. Check in with me w
Lena drove down the road as night lights flickered on. The city streets were filled with people rushing home—not to work overtime, but to return to the ones waiting for them. Suddenly, she thought of the days she had lived with Aaron. Every time she went home, he was always there. The moment she pushed open the door, she would either see him sitting on the couch, reading the newspaper or watching TV, or be greeted by the aroma of freshly cooked meals. Back then, it hadn’t felt special, but now… the memory felt oddly comforting. Unfortunately, those days had been fleeting. Maybe it was time for her to find someone—a person to share simple meals with, someone to come home to after work, where a warm light would be on and dinner would already be set on the table. The more Lena thought about it, the less she wanted to go back to her cold, empty apartment—a place that was nothing more than a space to sleep. Even when she pulled up outside her building and saw the darkened windows, s
With a loud bang, the man's face was slowly stained with blood. A passing woman caught sight of the scene and let out a sharp scream. Immediately after, the man’s companions rushed over, ready to attack Lena. But she wasn’t the least bit afraid. Holding the bottle in her hand, she lifted it slightly and sneered, “Come on, go ahead and try.” She was just one woman, alone, yet she carried the presence of an entire army, so overwhelming that no one dared to make a move. The bar manager, seeing the situation escalate, called the police. Lena was taken to the station. The surveillance footage clearly showed that the man had struck first, so she wasn’t entirely at fault. However, she had retaliated too ruthlessly, and the man in question was a privileged young master. That complicated things. “You used excessive force in self-defense,” the officer in charge—whom Lena mentally dubbed the hatted man—concluded. Though she was a surgeon by profession, she knew a fair bit about the la
"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