《Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right》 Chapter 1 Rosie Steppe 9.76% ¡°Come on, be honest. Have you ever slept with Keira?¡± I Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. 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 ¡°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¨C 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¡¯ ¡°Exactly. You guys work at the samepany, spend the whole day together, then head home to eat at the same table. You probably even know each o He continued, ¡°These days, rtionships thrive on mystery and the excitement of wanting what you can¡¯t have. That¡¯s what keeps things interesting.¡± Jace stayed silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Steve¡¯s words. ¡°Will you marry her?¡± Steve¡¯s question made my breath catch. Jace¡¯s parents wanted us to get married, but he never gave a clear answer, and I never as 1. me. Jace stayed quiet. Steve chuckled.¡± You don¡¯t want to marry her?¡± -¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°So, you do want to marry her, but you¡¯re feeling conflicted, huh?¡± Steve, having grown up with Jace, understood him perfectly. ¡°Have you heard this saying?¡± Jace asked with a faint smile. D AA cigarette. The smoke blurred the face I had loved for a decade. My heart clenched as I thought, ¡®So, I¡¯ve be something he found hard to discard but had no taste for.¡® ¡°So, are you marrying her or not?¡± Steve pressed. Jace nced at him. ¡°Why are you so interested? Do you have a thing for her too? How about I just hand her over to you?¡± His words made me feel like I was something he could give away casually. Even a pet would earn some affection after ten years. But I was nothing to him, w His words cut deep, and I felt a lump in my throat. I looked down at the marriage license application form in my hand and bit my lip hard. Steve chuckled. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯d never go after my friend¡¯s girl. I¡¯m not that desperate.¡± Jace stubbed out his cigarette and stood up. ¡°Get lost. You¡¯re getting on my nerves.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me that¡¯s bugging you, it¡¯s Keira. If you¡¯re not really into her, just let her go. Don¡¯t waste her time,¡± Steve said, grabbing his coat from the couch a As Steve opened the door, he saw me standing outside and froze. Then, he rubbed his nose awkwardly, realizing I had overheard their conversation. He forced a smile. ¡°Looking for Jace? He¡¯s inside My fingers felt numb as I gripped the form, unable to speak. Steve nced at the paper in my hand and moved closer. ¡°Take a moment and really think about what you want.¡± He brushed past me and left. The form in my hand felt like it weighed a ton. After a moment, I took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and pushed the door open. P Chapter 2 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 be something cking vor. 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?¡® Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. 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 have to force yourself. I don¡¯t need your charity.¡± ¡°Keira Kay!¡± he called my full name firmly. I trembled, looking up to meet his impatient eyes as he reached out his hand. Tightening my grip on the form, I saw his jaw clench. ¡°Give it to me,¡± he demanded. I stayed still. The tension hung in the air. After a few seconds, he stood in front of me and sighed softly, with a hint of exasperation. ¡°I was joking with Steve. Did you really take it seriously?¡± ¡°Was it really a joke?¡± He added, ¡°You know men like to save face.¡± His hand slid from my arm to my hand, gently taking the form from me. ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡± He turned and put the form in a drawer, grabbing his coat. have to go out for a bit. lot and each time, he¡¯d be gone for a long time ¡°Jace,¡± I called out, ¡°do you like me?¡± He stopped and stared at me with dark, intense eyes. After a moment, he smiled, a faint dimple appearing on his left cheek. Jace¡¯s the Johnston residence; he walked up to me with that same smile and called my name. That smile warmed my heart and made me fall for him Smile had always been charming and warm. I remembered the first time I arrived at My head suddenly felt heavy as he ruffled my hair. ¡°Of course, I like you. Why else would I go all the way across town to get your favorite baked pears, b Every time I wavered, just a smile from Jace and a few sweet words would make me surrender. I felt like a kite, with one end of the string firmly in his gra But his conversation with Steve had affected me deeply. This time, his words didn¡¯t pacify me like they used to. I looked into his ¡°Is it a romantic kind of li eves As soon as I finished speaking, he stopped smiling and paused his hand on my head. He moved his hand to my cheek and gently pinched it. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Let¡¯s head home after work. You love fish, right? I got some fresh salmon deliv He walked away, avoiding my question as he had many times before. I could still smell his hand cream on my nose and feel the warmth of his palm on my cheek but my heart felt cold. He treated me well, pampered me, and liked me, but it felt more like family affection than a romantic love. Yet, my heart was full of him. I had loved him for ten years. I couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡®So, what should I do? Marry him and live a dull, unromantic life? Or leave him and let him find his true love?¡± Chapter 3 Support 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 anyw 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. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. 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 home first. A sharp pain hit my heart, and I held back my sadness. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Jace¡¯s jaw tightened. He didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he stared out the window and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off up here. You can catch a cab home.¡± He didn¡¯t even bother to exin and had already made arrangements. What could I say? Questioning him or making a fuss would only humiliate myself. ¡°Let me know when you get home¡­ Shoot me a text.¡± He said while parking on the side of the road. I tightened my grip on my bag and got out of the car. It wasn¡¯t my imagination. From his reaction to the call to his refusal to let me hear it over the car speaker, I had a bad feeling. But I said nothing. Obviously, he was doing something behind my back, but I kept pretending otherwise. ¡°Be careful!¡± He gave me a reminder before leaving in a hurry, but in the end, he drove off without a second thought. I stood there, staring in the direction he left for a long while, then I looked down at my toes. My phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket. It was my best friend, Lena Lane, calling. ¡°Hey Rea, where are you? Want to have dinner?¡± Lena was an obstetrician and gynecologist. Despite being young and single, she had extensive experience in delivering babies. ¡°Sure,¡± I agreed without hesitation. Lena immediately teased, ¡°Did hell freeze over today? You always say you need to check with Jace first. Why¡¯d you agree so quickly?¡± A lump formed in my chest. For ten years, I¡¯d lived like Jace¡¯s sidekick, always checking in with him before hanging out with Lena, afraid he¡¯d freak out if But Jace words today made me realize I had be a burden to him. ¡°Are you at the hospital or at home?¡± I didn¡¯t answer Lena and asked instead. Lena gave me an address and told me to go there. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you have a fight with Jace?¡± Lena immediately sensed something was off when she s 1. me. She was one of my few friends, and I didn¡¯t hide anything from her. After listening, Lena cursed, ¡°What a jerk! Saying you¡¯re cking vor¡®? As if he¡¯s slept with you a thousand times!¡± Her words didn¡¯tfort me. Instead, they made me feel humiliated. In all the years I¡¯d been with Jace, we had never been intimate. There were moments of closeness, like that one time I got drunk and made a move on him, but he just wrapped me up and sent me back to my room. I used to think Jace respected me, not wanting to take advantage of me when I was drunk. Today I realized he just wasn¡¯t interested in me. Didn¡¯t they say if a man really loved a woman, he¡¯d want to sleep with her? But Jace never showed any desire for me. ¡°Lena, I think I¡¯m ready to let go.¡± The difficult question I had been wrestling with all day suddenly had an answer. ¡°Good, I support you,¡± Lena clinked her ss with mine. ¡°There are plenty of hunks out there, and with your looks, you can have your pick. Why settle for a two¨Ctiming jerk?¡± Lena was right. At eighteen, I won a beauty pageant. If Jace hadn¡¯t stopped me, I¡¯d probably be a celebrity by now. With my beauty, I had received countless admirers and suitors over the years, but none of them moved me. ¡®Because the only one I want is Jace!¡® The thought made my nose sting. I didn¡¯t want Lena to see me cry, so I hurried to the restroom. In my rush, I collided with someoneing out, knocking them down andnding on top of them. Just as I was about to apologize, the person screamed, ¡°Help! She¡¯s molesting me!¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Chapter 4 I never thought I¡¯d end up in police station for indecency. The person I knocked over was a 17¨Cyear¨Cold 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¡¯ty a hand on him; it was just an idental 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 unrted to the situation at hand. Still, I answered honestly, ¡°One bottle of beer. He looked at me in disbelief. I immediately thought of Lena, who could vouch for me. But just my luck, while I was on the ground with Brad, she texted me saying she had been called back to the hospital to save a bleeding mother. I understood what the police were implying and exined again, ¡°I wasn¡¯t drunk, and ! definitely wasn¡¯t taking advantage of this kid.¡± The officer noted my words and then looked at Brad. ¡°Are you sure she touched you? Making. false usations has legal consequences.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure,¡± Brad insisted. I was so angry I wanted to get up and hit him. Before I could act, Brad¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up.¡± Sis, you¡¯re here?¡± As a minor, he needed a guardian called in. I turned, wanting to exin to his family, but when I saw who had arrived, I was stunned. Jace walked in with a woman who had long, straight hair and wore a white dress. She looked like the ssic unattainable crush from every romance drama. I knew who she was. Her name was Tanya Twain. ¡°Brad, what happened?¡± Tanya asked anxiously. Brad didn¡¯t answer her but instead pouted at Jace. ¡°Sis, is this your new boyfriend?¡± Jace¡¯s face tightened, his look shifting from surprise to coldness as he stared at me. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Jace, you know this woman? She¡¯s a total creep. She touched me all over¡­¡± Brad kept lying with exaggerated gestures. I had no energy left to exin. I just stared at Jace. It had only been a few hours since he left me, and now he was someone else¡¯s boyfriend. The reason he had to drop me off so urgently earlier seemed clear now. Tanya also looked at me. ¡°Hi, Keira. I¡¯m Tanya, Brad¡¯s sister.¡± Her voice was gentle. At first, I was a bit surprised she recognized me. But then I thought, ¡®Of course she knows me. I¡¯m Jace¡¯s sidekick, always trailing behind him. Anyone who knows him knows about me.¡± However, Tanya and I had never interacted. I only knew about her because her husband, Desmond ke, had died in a car ident recently, and Jace, I swallowed the bitterness in my throat. ¡°I just identally knocked over your brother and fell on him. I didn¡¯t do any of the things he¡¯s saying. Tanya smiled apologetically. ¡°I know, he¡¯s always been a troublemaker.¡± She walked over and gave Brad two quick smacks on the head, then exined the situation to the police. They checked the surveince footage and confirmed I was telling the truth. ¡°Since you all know each other, why don¡¯t you try to make up? Otherwise, the kid could be detained for making a false report,¡± the officer suggested. Tanya immediately tugged on Jace¡¯s sleeve. It was a small gesture but seemed very intimate. Jace had a high status and an aura that kept most people at a distance. Casual touches like that weren¡¯tmon, and he didn¡¯t usually like being touched. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. But Tanya¡¯s touch didn¡¯t seem to bother him at all, indicating this wasn¡¯t the first time. It was something I didn¡¯t want to think too much about.. As for the officer¡¯s suggestion, I was about to speak when Jace cut in, ¡°It was all a misunderstanding. Let¡¯s just drop it.¡± Then, he grabbed my hand tightly and pull- Chapter 5 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 exin 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 disy 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 g ¡°No,¡± I said again. Just then, Brad walked out and whistled at me. ¡°Hey creep, why are you hitting on my brother- inw?¡± 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 feel his muscles tense up. ¡°Enough!¡± Tanya said, pinching Brad. She stood in front of Jace and me, her face full of apology. ¡°Jace, Keira, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Jace said. Then he looked at Brad. ¡°If you cause trouble again, no one will bail you out.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Brad scoffed, ring at Jace. ¡°Who do you think you are? Why should I even bother listening to you? If you want to be my brother¨Cin¨C law, then maybe I¡¯ll consider it.¡± ¡°Brad Twain!¡± Tanya scolded, hitting him again. Brad dodged. ¡°Sis, he likes you. Why else would he stick around day and night, taking care of you?¡± 1 pulled my arm away from Jace the moment I heard that. It hit me¨C these past days, he had been absent day and night, frequently leaving work for hours. It turned out he was spending all that time with Tanya. She was Desmond¡¯s wife. Desmond had passed away in a car ident, so it made sense for Jace to take care of her. But did he need to be there every day? To the point where others would misunderstand? ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Tanya¡¯s face flushed red as she hit Brad even harder. The seventeen¨Cyear¨Cold, rebellious and unyielding, instinctively raised his hand as Tanya hit him, causing her to stumble sideways. I felt a push and staggered, nearly falling. When I regained my bnce, I realized Jace had pushed me away and rushed to Tanya¡¯s side. He knelt on one knee, holding her. ¡°Tanya, are you okay? ¡°My stomach hurts, Jace,¡± Tanya¡¯s voice was weak. She clutched Jace¡¯s arm in pain. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital. Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± he said, his voice trembling with panic. I stood there like a deer in headlights. I had seen Jace in countless situations, but this was the first time I had seen him so frantic. And it was for another Jace carried Tanya to the car and shouted, ¡°Rea, you drive.¡± I remained frozen. ¡°Hurry up! If anything happens to Tanya, you¡¯ll¨Cregret it!¡± Brad stormed over and grabbed me roughly. The moment he touched me, I didn¡¯t know what came over me. I raised my hand and pped him hard. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Five clear finger marks appeared on Brad¡¯s cheek. Jace and Tanya, sitting in the car, stared in shock, and Brad was stunned. He probably didn¡¯t expect me to hit him, but after a brief second, he lost it and lunged at me. You bitch!¡± ¡°Brad!¡± Jace¡¯s voice was icy. ¡°If youy a hand on her, I¡¯ll make sure you end up back in the police station.¡± The threat worked. Brad withdrew his hand, ring at Jace and me with fury before storming off. ¡°Brad!¡± Tanya called out, but then clutched her stomach in pain. ¡°Jace, it hurts so much! Hurry and take me to the hospital!¡± ¡°Real¡± Jace called me again. Seeing Tanya in such pain, I shoved all other thoughts aside, jumped into the car, and drove. straight to the hospital. When we saw the doctor, Jace, who was carrying Tanya, urgently said, ¡°Doctor, she¡¯s pregnant. She just fell, and now her stomach hurts a lot.¡± ¡®Pregnant?¡± My steps suddenly felt heavy, and my heart sank ¡®Desmond¡¯s gone. How can she be pregnant?¡± I looked at Jace¡¯s panic¨Cstricken face. ¡®Why is he so worried? Could it be¡­.?¡® Tanya was rushed into the ER, and Jace and I waited outside. I didn¡¯t know, Tanya well and didn¡¯t have any particr feelings for her, so I wasn¡¯t exactly Jace, on the other hand, was visibly anxious. I watched him for a while, but he kept his eyes fixed on the ER door, as if he had forgotten I was standing r Bitterness welled up inside me. I swallowed hard before finally speaking. ¡°Is the baby¡­ yours? I didn¡¯t want to specte, so I asked directly. Jace turned, a look of shock shing in his eyes, followed by a deeper gaze. ¡°What are you talking about? Of course not. It¡¯s Desmond¡¯s child.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief. Desmond was Tanya¡¯s husband and Jace¡¯s friend for many years. He had died in a car ident a month ago. ¡°I¡¯m taking care of Tanya because Desmond asked me to,¡± Jace exined. I remembered how Jace looked when he came home after Desmond¡¯s ident: hair disheveled, beard scruffy, looking like he hadn¡¯t slept in days. Their bond must have been incredibly deep. Now that Desmond was gone, it made sense for Jace to look after his widow. In that moment, I felt a pang of guilt for my earlier suspicion. I gently took hold of Jace¡¯s arm and exined what had happened. ¡°I didn¡¯t touch that kid. He was just trying to smear me.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Jace looked at me, his lips moved slightly, and after a moment, he reached out and pinched my cheek. ¡°No more drinking in the future.¡± I wanted to say I only had a little when the ER doors swung open. The doctor came out and walked over to Jace. ¡°Are you family? Please sign here.¡± Jace nced at me, then took the doctor¡¯s pen. Before signing, he asked, ¡°Doctor, how is she doing now?¡± ¡°Your wife has a threatened miscarriage. We¡¯ll do our best to stabilize the pregnancy, but there¡¯s a chance it might not work. We need your signature,¡® the doctor exined. ¡°Please do everything you can to save her.¡± Jace¡¯s voice was urgent. ¡°Of course. Now, please sign.¡± Under the doctor¡¯s urging, Jace signed his name in the family member section of Tanya¡¯s medical record. I knew signing didn¡¯t mean anything significant on its own, but I hadn¡¯t expected my fianc¨¦ to be another woman¡¯s ¡°family member.¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you D Chapter 6 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¨Cstreaked face on it. ¡®She might be pitiful, but does being pitiful give her the right to treat my fianc¨¦ as her own?¡± I thought. I walked over. ¡®Mrs. ke, the doctor said that strong emotions are bad for the baby. You barely managed to save the child. If something happens again it would be terrible.¡± I reached out to support her, subtly pulling her away. Seeing her tears on Jace¡¯s hand still made me ufortable, like something of mine had been tainted by someone else. I was a bit of a clean freak, bot I Tanya seemed taken aback when I called her Mrs. ke. Her face visibly stiffened but she quickly regained herposure. ¡°Jace, I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡± She reached for a tissue to wipe Jace¡¯s hand. I stopped her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t move around too much right now.¡± Her face stiffened again, her tear¨Cfilled eyes looking at Jace with obvious affection. Once Jace and I left the room, I asked him directly, ¡°Does Tanya like you?¡± ¡°No!¡± he denied immediately. ¡°Do you like her?¡± I pressed, wanting to clear things up once and for all. Jace¡¯s face tensed, and after a few seconds, he finally muttered, ¡°We¡¯re just friends¡­¡± ¡®Just friends?¡± ¡°Desmond isn¡¯t here anymore. When he was dying, he held my hand and asked me to take care of her¡­¡± Jace¡¯s voice trembled, his hands shaking as w It was clear that bringing up Desmond¡¯s death always upset him. This wasn¡¯t the first time. Seeing him like this made my heart ache. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything, it¡¯s just that Tanya seems very dependent on you.¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably just feeling insecure because she¡¯s pregnant and alone,¡± Jace exined, hist gloomy eyes falling on my face. ¡°Rea, I¡¯ll be more careful i Since he had said this much, what more could I say? Still, I reminded him, ¡°Even if you¡¯re looking after her for Desmond¡¯s sake, there are boundaries.¡± I didn¡¯t want to see another scene like the one earlier. It made me ufortable. ¡°Yeah, I understand¡­¡± He had barely finished speaking when we heard the urgent sound of wheels scraping against. the floor nearby. I turned my head and saw a group of people rushing toward us with an emergency stretcher. Just as I was about to step aside, I heard Jace¡¯s voice, ¡°Watch out!¡± and he pulled me out of the way. The stretcher sped past us from behind, I found myself pressed against his chest, his heartbeat loud and fast in my ears. The sound reminded me of something that had happened soon after I arrived at the Johnston residence: I had fallen during a school event, and Jace ha That was the first time I heard his heartbeat, so rapid and frantic. That was also the moment I truly fell for him. Now, his heartbeat was still fast, still because of me. I closed my eyes, pushing away all other thoughts, and snuggled closer to Jace¡¯s chest. ¡°Let¡¯s go home. I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let Tanya know, Jace said, kissing my forehead as he released me. I waited at the door instead of going into the room. I didn¡¯t hear what Jace said to Tanya, but as he came out, I heard her sobbing. When we returned to the Johnston residence, his parents, Matthew Johnston and Lindey Jewell, were still awake, sitting on the couch watching TV. Neit Usually, Matthew and Lindey didn¡¯t talk much. I once asked Lindey about it, and she said that after so many years of marriage, seeing each other every d Jace had told me that their love had been passionate when they were young, but it eventually settled into this calm routine. Perhaps this was what love would look like in the end. ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯m home.¡± ¡°Hi, Lindey, Matthew.¡± Jace and I greeted them. ¡°Have you guys eaten? If not, there¡¯s some food left for you,¡± Lindey said gently. ¡°We¡¯ve eaten,¡± Jace replied, then turned to me. ¡°Are you still hungry? Do you want to eat something?¡± I hadn¡¯t eaten much for dinner, but I wasn¡¯t hungry at all now. ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Then go upstairs and rest. I¡¯ll have Isabel bring you some milkter,¡± Lindey said with a smile. Isabel was the family maid. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was just my imagination, but something about her smile felt off. I didn¡¯t dwell on it, though, and headed upstairs. When I opened the doo to look at Jace. He stood at the doorway, looking back at me. Before we could go back downstairs, Lindey had alreadye up. ¡°Rea, I forgot to mention, earlier, we need to get Jace¡¯s room ready as your wedding your room.¡± ¡°Mom, after we get married, we¡¯re moving out. Why bother preparing a wedding room here? Jace questioned. ¡°Moving out doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll never stay here. During holidays or when it getste, you¡¯ll still need a ce to stay,¡± Lindey replied, giving him a yful re. She pulled him to my door. ¡°You two are getting married soon. There¡¯s no issue with you sharing a room.¡± ¡°Rea, you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± Lindey asked me. Jace¡¯s words to Steve echoed in my mind, leaving me momentarily speechless. ¡°No problem,¡± Jace answered for me. I looked up at him, and the next second, he had his arm around my shoulder, guiding me into the room. ¡°Goodnight, Mom!¡± Jace called out as he closed the door. Neither Jace nor I spoke, and the atmosphere was awkward, with a hint of something more intimate. Especially with the bed made up in wedding¨Cthemed linens, it felt like tonight was our wedding night. My face flushed. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll change it¡­¡± I pulled away from Jace¡¯s arm, but he grabbed me, his deep eyes locking onto mine, making my heart race and my breath quicken. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he stepped closer. Every nerve in my body tightened. He got closer, his hand moving from my arm to my shoulder, then to the back of my neck. His face lowered toward mine. Nervously, I gripped his arm. ¡°Jace¡­¡± But my words were cut off by his lips. His kiss was fierce and fiery, unlike any before. Over the years, we had kissed, of course, but he had always kept it light, never probing deeper. Tonight was different; his kiss was intense. I was so nervous that my teeth chattered, making it impossible for him to deepen the kiss. Jace didn¡¯t press further but whispered in my ear, ¡°Rx.¡± Then, I felt my body lighten as he picked me up and ced me on the bed. As his fingers moved to unbutton my shirt, my toes curled with tension. I could see the veins bulging on his forehead, and his Adam¡¯s apple moved more prominently. Though I had never experienced it, I knew what wasing. I could sense his excitement matching mine. Maybe when he said he wasn¡¯t interested before, it was just because he hadn¡¯t tried it yet. Wasn¡¯t there a saying that ¡°once you try it, you¡¯ll want more¡°? I closed my eyes, anticipating the start of our intimate journey. As I felt a coolness on my skin with my clothes being removed, his lips brushed against my neck. Then Jace¡¯s phone rang. My nerves jolted, and I instinctively clutched his arm. ¡°Jace¡­¡± P Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 7 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 corbone. But the phone rang again a secondter. 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 nket 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¡¯te 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¡¯ming, 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 tobo smell. His eyes looked uneasy as he said, ¡°Um¡­ I have to go out for a bit. It¡¯s Tanya, she¡¯s in the hospital, and there¡¯s no one to look after her¡­¡± For once, he didn¡¯t lie to me or try to hide the truth. A chill spread through my body under the nket. ¡°Is it appropriate for you, a man, to take care of her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to find a caregiver for her,¡± Jace said, straightening his clothes. I knew I couldn¡¯t keep him here. Embarrassment and sadness welled up inside me, ¡°Jace.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± He looked up at me, his eyes still uneasy. He must¡¯ve been afraid that I¡¯d cling to him and not let him go. As a business magnate of Seavora, he had never shown fear. Yet here he was, nervous and uncertain in front of me. In that moment, the words I wanted to say stuck in my throat. I forced a bitter smile and said, ¡°Be careful on the road.¡± After saying that, I curled up under the nket and closed my eyes. A momentter, I heard Jace¡¯s footsteps approaching. He kissed my forehead. When his lips left, he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± So he knew this would hurt me, yet he still did it. Maybe my constant forgiveness made him think that hurting me once or twice was no big deal. Jace left, but the desire he ignited inside me hadn¡¯t died down, I submerged myself in the bathtub to cool it down. I was lying in the tub, staring nkly. As thest bit of my emotional turmoil finally faded away, Lena¡¯s call came through. ¡°What¡¯s Jace doing in my department? Who is that Tanya Twain to him?¡± I wasn¡¯t surprised that Lena knew, and I didn¡¯t hide the truth from her. Lena instantly got angry. ¡°He¡¯s your fianc¨¦, but he¡¯s going to take care of a widow in person? Is he out of his mind? Doesn¡¯t he know that will bring unnecessary trouble? Why would he get involved?¡± Even Lena thought it was inappropriat I didn¡¯t mind sharing my humiliation with her. ¡°What if I tell you he left right in the middle of something?¡± Lena was stunned for a few seconds. ¡°Did you two do it?¡± ¡°No, we only got halfway,¡± I said, feeling like a fool as the words left my mouth. ¡°Damn!¡± Lena, usually so elegant, swore loudly. ¡°Jace can stop halfway even with his pants off? If it¡¯s not that he can¡¯t do it, then it¡¯s¡­¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She trailed off, not finishing her thought. She didn¡¯t say it, but I understood. She meant that Jace didn¡¯t love me enough. If he loved me, he wouldn¡¯t have left me like that. If he loved me, he wouldn¡¯t be spending the night with Tanya. It was sad for Tanya losing Desmond, and it was right for Jace to take care of his close friend¡¯s widow, but he had crossed a line. ¡°You are thinking about giving up on him, right? Then just let him go and find someone better, Lena advised me. I stayed silent. ¡®Giving up on Jace is simple, but what about his family?¡± Now his family felt like my own. Matthew and Lindey treated me like their daughter. They had raised me all these years. Lindey, especially, was like a mother to me. She was the one who taught me what to do when I got my first period and washed my stained clothes for 1. me. Lena seemed to get why I was quiet. ¡°Rea, maybe we¡¯re overthinking this. Think about how good Jace has been to you over the years. ¡°Everywhere he goes, he says you¡¯re his fianc¨¦e. Maybe he¡¯s just being super nice, taking care. of a widow. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯d cheat on you with a pregnant widow. He wouldn¡¯t want to be a stepdad, right?¡± But I thought about the way Tanya looked at Jace. ¡°What if she¡¯s the one in love with him?¡± ¡°What?¡± Lena was surprised for a second, then sighed. ¡°That¡¯s not impossible. Jace is the perfect guy for a lot of women, especially a widow like her. ¡°He really needs to keep his distance from her, especially now. ¡°When a woman is vulnerable, even a little kindness can be her lifeline, something she clings to desperately.¡± Lena paused for a moment before adding, ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on things tonight and make sure, nothing happens.¡± I realized that Lena was only working a temporary shift. ¡°No, you should rest after your shift. You can¡¯t keep watch forever. If something¡¯s really going on I paused, thinking about Jace¡¯s recent behavior, before finishing my sentence. ¡°¡­then it¡¯s probably been happening for a while.¡± Lena snorted. ¡®True, but Rea, don¡¯t get too caught up in this. If Jace really cheats on you, just cut him off and move on. You haven¡¯t lost a thing. Trust me ¡°Heh,¡± Iughed. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, should I be grateful that Jace has kept our rtionship proper and restrained all these years?¡® I purposely yawned and ended the call with Lena, On nights like this, I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep. By dawn, Jace still hadn¡¯te back. I had an early field assignment today, so I got up early and left before Matthew and Lindey woke up. Leaving so early was partly to avoid their questions. Jace¡¯s room renovation was real, but Lindey¡¯s real goal was to create a romantic atmosphere for Jace and me to take things to the next level. But their hopes were dashed, and for me, that was also humiliating. As a woman, if you couldn¡¯t get a guy to drop his pants, it could feel like a total fail. Around eight o¡¯clock, just as I arrived at RiverwaveCorp¡¯s business partner¡¯s office, Jace called. I stared at the number, hesitated for a few seconds, and didn¡¯t answer. DIC SALE¨C1500 Chapter 8 ¡°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 leavest night, so I didn¡¯te 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. ording to Brad, Jace had been spending his time with Tanya. So, this sudden lunch invite¨C was it to make up forst night or just a sudden pang of guilt? I didn¡¯t know, nor did I want to waste brain cells guessing. I replied ndly, ¡°I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll be done, maybe around noon¡­ but it might drag on. Be do every noon these days?¡± *Rea,¡± Jace said heavily. He must¡¯ve caught the sarcasm in my voice. After a two¨Csecond pause, he added, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± ¡®Huh? He pulled up his pants and left when we were halfway there. What does he expect me to think?¡® It was work time, and I didn¡¯t want to discuss personal matters with him. ¡°I¡¯m busy now. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m hanging up.¡± He didn¡¯t speak, so I hung up. Today¡¯s fieldwork included discussions with our partners and an on¨C site inspection. After finishing the discussions at ten in the morning, Demi and I headed to the site. This was an amusement park construction project, and I was responsible for overseeing 000 everything. The project was already 80 percentplete, and I needed to check if the progress matched the design blueprints. The partners were following the blueprints precisely, so the chances of issues were small, but I still had to go through the procedures. After making the rounds, my feet were swollen and my toes were aching. I found a ce to sit down and rest. Demi noticed something was wrong. ¡°Keira, are you okay?¡± ¡°My feet hurt,¡± I admitted. If we weren¡¯t outdoors, I would¡¯ve taken off my shoes to give my feet a good rest. Demi looked at me. ¡°Do you feel sick besides your feet hurting?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I was slightly taken aback. Demi pointed to her own face and added, ¡°You don¡¯t look good.¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t look good. After barely sleepingst night, it would be strange if I did. No amount of makeup could hide a woman¡¯s bad mood. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because my period ising,¡± I found an excuse, then took out my phone, pretending to check messages. Demi was a talkative girl, and I feared if she kept asking, I¡¯d run out of lies. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over me. Thinking it was Demi, I didn¡¯t pay attention until I felt a familiar warmth on my ankle. I looked down to see a familiar hand. Jace had taken off my shoes, cing my foot on his knee, massaging it gently. ¡°Are the shoes ufortable?¡± I didn¡¯t speak, my throat tightening. He looked up at me. ¡°Still mad?¡± His voice was low and soothing. ¡°No,¡± I said, trying to pull my foot back. Jace didn¡¯t let go, continuing to massage my foot. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again¡­¡± Today, he was wearing a royal blue suit with a white shirt underneath. The custom cufflinks gleamed in the sunlight, standing out just like him. He massaged my left foot, then moved to the right, ignoring the people walking by. Some girls nced over enviously, whispering about seeing such a c I admit, I was moved too. My frustrations fromst night started to melt away with his massages. 2/44 ¡°Keira, you¡¯re so lucky!¡± Demi mouthed from a distance. Jace had gone to such lengths. If I kept holding on tost night¡¯s incident, I¡¯d not only seem petty but also like I was desperate for sex. ¡°What do you want for lunch?¡± Jace asked me. ¡°Anything,¡± I replied, I didn¡¯t really have an appetite, even though I was feeling a bit better. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to have grilled fish. They also serve grilled foie gras; it¡¯s really good,¡± Jace said as he helped me into the car. I was just about to fasten my seatbelt when he leaned over, his soapy scent brushing past my nose, making my breath hitch. Noticing my reaction, he chuckled and fastened my seatbelt for me. As he straightened up, he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. ¡°Rea, you look shy jus I was taken aback. Though it was just a brief peck, it lifted my spirits entirely. I had always been so easily pleased. A little kindness from him, and I¡¯d be overjoyed. Thinking of Tanya, I asked, ¡°How is Tanya now? ¡°¡­She¡¯s fine, discharged from the hospital.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything else, and Jace nced at me. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± I answered honestly. As I said it, his words from a previous conversation with Steve-¡°we just know each other too well¨Cshed in my mind. ¡®Exactly, we just know each other too well, to the point where we know everything about each other, to the point where there¡¯s nothing left to say, I mutte Jace took me to a restaurant. The waiter led us to a window seat where a bouquet of white roses I loved was already set. He had reserved the table in advance. Grilled fish, foie gras, and my favorite desserts were served. This meal clearly showed his effort. I took a picture, posting it on social media¨Cfood, flowers, and Jace¡¯s long, slender, beautiful hands. My colleagues from thepany immediately liked the post. Demi sent a pouting emoji with a teasingment: [Why didn¡¯t you take me along?] 15 BONUS Jace had told her to handle her own lunch and submit the receipt for reimbursementter. Lena saw it too. She didn¡¯t like it but sent me a DM: [Given his effort, I can tell he knew he was wrong. Not bad. I asked the nurse on dutyst night, and he really was just in t I didn¡¯t reply to her. ¡°Hey, stop looking at your phone and eat,¡± Jace reminded me, cing a piece of foie gras he had cut in front of me. I picked up my fork, about to take a bite, when a familiar figure caught my eye. Tanya saw me too and walked over with a smile. ¡°Hi, Keira.¡± Then she turned to Jace. ¡°Jace, you¡¯re here too?¡± she said, as if surprised to see him. As if my fianc¨¦ not being here would make sense. ¡°What a coincidence. What brings you here?¡± I asked directly. ¡°I went to Desmond¡¯s grave and happened to pass by. The smell of foie gras tempted me, Tanya said with her delicate features and soft voice. ¡°You¡¯re alone?¡± Jace asked. ¡°Yes, so if you don¡¯t mind, can I join you?¡± Tanya said, already cing her coat on the seat next to Jace. D Chapter 9 *Join us!* Jace agreed without consulting me. Tanya sat down, looking at the food in front of her with a foodie expression. ¡°Grilled fish, I¡¯ve been craving thistely.¡± ¡°Shall I order you some foie gras as well?¡± Jace¡¯s tone was casual, ¡°And add some dessert, yogurt ice cream with strawberry sauce, and orange juice,¡± Tanya said, then turned to me, ¡°Keira, would you like some orange ju ¡°No, I¡¯ll have water,¡± I replied, putting a piece of fole gras into my mouth. It was smooth, delicate, with a faint milky aroma¡­ *Jace, was the foie gras you brought me before from this restaurant?¡± Tanya¡¯s words made me pause mid¨Cchew. I looked at him, noting his slightly stiff expression, ¡°¡­Yes.¡± No wonder he knew the foie gras here was good. He had bought it for Tanya multiple times, while today was my first time having it¨C only because he felt guilty. Suddenly, the foie gras in my mouth lost its vor, making it hard to swallow. ¡°No wonder the smell seemed familiar, Tanya said, smiling at Jace with a tender look that made me feel stifled. She then looked at me. ¡°Keira, Jace must¡¯ve brought you here often, so he knew the foie gras was good and brought it for me.¡± As if stabbing my heart wasn¡¯t enough, she twisted the knife. The feeling was utterly clear now. I looked at Jace. ¡°No, this is the first time. I¡¯m not as lucky as you, ¡°Mrs. ke¡®.¡± Tanya¡¯s smile faltered, and she lowered her gaze. ¡°Desmond left me and¡­ our child. Where¡¯s the luck in that?¡± Her voice quivered Tears rolled down her cheeks. I was taken aback, thinking, ¡®Huh? Just one sentence and she¡¯s crying?¡± ¡°Real¡± Jace called out sternly. He handed Tanya a tissue. ¡°Tanya, don¡¯t think too much. Don¡¯t cry now; it¡¯s bad for the baby.¡± If Desmond were here, I wouldn¡¯t have to eat alone,¡± Tanya said, taking the tissue from Jace. and wiping her tears. ¡°Sorry, my emotions are unstable due She began to stand up, but Jace grabbed her hand to stop her. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. Besides, we already ordered the food. Try this grilled fish; it¡¯s delicious.¡± Jace released his grip and picked up a piece of fish to ce on her te. I C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. spoke up, ¡°Jace, why are you using your cutlery to serve her? Use the serving utensil.¡± Jace¡¯s hand froze mid¨Cair. The current atmosphere became awkward. Tanya nced at Jace and spoke considerately ¡°Jace, there¡¯s no need to serve me. I can do it myself.¡± Jace ced the fish portion on his own te. He then took my te, ced another portion on it, and removed the bones for me.. I had once choked on fish bones, and ever since, Jace always removed the bones for me whenever he was around. Jace was always like this, giving me a hard time and then cating me with a sweet gesture. ¡°Keira, Jace is really good to you,¡± Tanya sighed. ¡°Who else should he be good to if not me?¡± I replied, putting the fish into my mouth. After swallowing, I continued, ¡°If he were good to other girls too, that would Tanya nced at Jace again, her voice soft, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true.¡± Her flirtatious behavior was obvious unless I was blind. ¡°How far along are you?¡± I changed the subject. Before she could answer, Jace cut in, ¡°Rea, your foie gras will get cold. It won¡¯t taste as good.¡± I wasn¡¯t dumb. I knew he was trying to stop me from asking Tanya that question. He had told me the baby wasn¡¯t his, so why couldn¡¯t I ask? Even if there was nothing to hide about the baby, Jace¡¯s behavior showed he was way too worried about Tanya. And his fianc¨¦e was me. ¡°The taste is already bad now.¡± After learning he had brought Tanya the same food, I didn¡¯t want to eat another bite. Jace noticed my tone and looked at me. I met his gaze, and we stared at each other silently. The warmth and happiness from when we had entered the restaurantpletely gone. It was true, a moment meant for two couldn¡¯t easily include a thir Just then, the waiter brought over the foie gras, dessert, and orange juice Tanya ordered. He set them down and asked politely, ¡°Would you like the foie gras cut?¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Tanya said, then turned to Jace. ¡°Jace, could you cut it for me? You always do it perfectly.¡± I interrupted, ¡°The restaurant offers a cutting service. Let¡¯s not bother Jace, especially since he needs to take the bones out of my fish. He might be too busy.¡± Tanya bit her lip. ¡°Sorry, Keira, I didn¡¯t consider that. I¡¯ll cut it myself.¡± a!¡± Jace called out sternly for the third time. ¡°Tanya doesn¡¯t trust food handled by others. She needs to be careful because of her pregnancy.¡± Iughed right away. ¡°Then which of the food here wasn¡¯t handled by others?¡± Jace fell silent. Tanya looked upset and worried. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s my fault. Jace, don¡¯t be mad at Keira. If it¡¯s like this, I should leave.¡± She started to stand again, but Jace held her back. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. She¡¯s on her period and is emotional. Besides, she¡¯s always like this.¡± Jace¡¯s words had barely settled when I felt a warmth below. I looked at him. ¡°You¡¯re right. My period just started, and I didn¡¯t bring any pads. Could you buy a pack for me?¡± Jace frowned slightly. ¡°You know your period is due. Why don¡¯t you have any in your bag?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who remembers my cycle, my thoughtful fianc¨¦?¡± I smiled, but it didn¡¯t reach my eyes. Though clearly annoyed, Jace stood up. ¡°You two eat first. I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡± Only Tanya and I were left at the table, but neither of us touched the food. We sat in silence. A few secondster, Tanya spoke first: ¡°Keira, you really hate me, don¡¯t you?¡± I thought, ¡®At least you get it.¡± I didn¡¯t bother pretending. ¡°Hate is too strong a word, but you do make me ufortable.¡± I pursed my lips, looking at her pitiful, pretend¨C sad face. ¡°Jace is my fianc¨¦. We¡¯re about to get married. You constantly seek him out, even calling him away in the middle of the night. Don¡¯t you think th Chapter 10 Tanya¡¯s face went even paler, her already fair skin now almost ghostly. She gripped her juice ss, her hands shaking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± She looked so fragile and pitiful that it seemed like I¡¯d said something to hurt her feelings. But I didn¡¯t stop. Since I¡¯d started, I might as well finish. ¡°Maybe you didn¡¯t mean to, but it has affected us. If it wasn¡¯t on purpose, just be more mindful in ¡°If Desmond were still here, I would never trouble Jace,¡± Tanya said, tears streaming down her face again. She sure knew how to turn on the waterworks Her words were cleverly chosen, leaving me at a disadvantage. Tanya looked at me, her eyes shimmering. ¡°I turn to Jace because Desmond entrusted him with that responsibility before he passed, and Jace agreed.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ?? Her hands kept rubbing the ss as she added, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that, I wouldn¡¯t bother Jace.¡± This was her way of excusing herself while subtly ming me. But we were all adults here. Who didn¡¯t have a few tricks up their sleeve? She could act pitiful and fragile; I could y the role of a saint. ¡°Jace agreed to help you because your husband asked him to, but there should be some boundaries. ¡°Now that your husband is gone, people might start talking if they see you and Jace together all the time. ¡°It won¡¯t bother Jace much, but for you, as a woman, rumors can be tough. ¡°And it would be even harder if your child heard those rumors, right?¡± Tanya¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Keira, you say all this because you mind Jace taking care of me. Do you not trust him, or are you insecure about yourself?¡± Her sharp retort was entirely out of character for her. I looked at her and chuckled. Finally showing your true colors, huh? Not pretending anymore? Before I could say anything, Tanya¡¯s tears started falling again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If you¡¯re still upset, you can hit me or scold me, but please don¡¯t talk about my child.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I hadn¡¯t even mentioned her child. Tanya stood up, her hand on her belly, looking every bit the expectant mother, and made to leave. Jace took a big step forward and grabbed her, stopping her from leaving for the third time tonight. His eyes were filled with anger as he looked at me, ¡°R At that moment, I understood why Tanya suddenly brought up the child. This melodramatic tactic, too clich¨¦d even for TV dramas, was something she a ¡°What did I do?¡± Seeing the coldness in Jace¡¯s eyes, I felt let down. He med me without even asking what happened. Ten years together, and I was no match for Tanya¡¯s tricks. ¡°Jace, don¡¯t argue,¡± Tanya said, grabbing his arm. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I know I trouble you a lot and take up your time. It¡¯s my mistake¡­¡± Her words weren¡¯t meant to console but to make Jace even angrier. ¡°Jace, I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you two,¡± Tanya added, pulling away from his hand and quickly running outside. ¡°Tanya!¡± Jace called out, ready to chase her. I stopped him. ¡°Jace, my clothes are stained.¡± He nced at his other hand and seemed to remember that I had my period. In the next second, he ced the sanitary pads he bought for me on the table and took off his, jacket. ¡°Rea, Tanya is pregnant and emotionally unstable With that, he threw the jacket at me and was about to leave. ¡°Jace Johnston, if you go after her, then we are over.¡± My words made him stop. D Çú Support Chapter 11 Jace turned, his eyes wide with surprise, quickly reced by anger. ¡°Rea, try to be reasonable. Tanya-¡± ¡°I¡¯m your fianc¨¦e!¡± I cut him off. Saying that made me feel so pathetic. Watching TV, I always thought the heroine in these scenes was too weak, that it wasn¡¯t worth arguing with a jerk. ¡°Tanya is pregnant; I can¡¯t let anything happen to her! Jace said, stepping back. After a few steps, he turned and ran outside. In the end, he chose her over me. Sitting there, I saw him catch up to Tanya. They were pulling at each other, and finally, Tanyal clung to him and fell into his arms. I lowered my head, unable to watch any longer. Whether there was anything between them or not, his choice today gave me the answer to my wavering heart. I barely touched the food but ended up paying the three¨Chundred¨Cdor bill. Instead of going back to Jace¡¯s ce, I went to Lena¡¯s. ¡°Are you really breaking up with him? Lena, the amazing gynecologist, asked as she gave me a massage to ease my period cramps. She could heal my body, but not my heart. ¡°Yes,¡± I said, lying on her bed, out of her sight, my eyes red¨Crimmed. ¡°Breaking up with him won¡¯t be that easy.¡± Lena paused before adding, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re still working for him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll quit!¡± I had thought about this on my way over. Lena nodded. ¡°Alright, but even if you quit and stop working for Jace, what about his family? They raised you for so many years. ¡°You can¡¯t just cut ties with them because of a breakup, right? ¡°As long as you stay connected with his family, you won¡¯t be able to sever ties with Jace.¡± Her words struck a chord. She was right. I owed the Johnstons ten years of care and support. ¡°This has nothing to do with it. I¡¯ll exin everything to Lindey. I can still be her goddaughter,¡± I said Lena didn¡¯t say much after that, just added, ¡°No matter what decision you make, I¡¯ll support you.¡± That night, I turned off my phone. I fell asleep without any sad thoughts, and when I woke up, Lena had already prepared breakfast. ¡°Creamy avocado soup, packed with Vitamin B3, Lena said, ncing at my face. ¡°Drink up.¡± I didn¡¯t disappoint her. I had two bowls and ate two poached eggs. Lena had the early shift today, and I needed to go to the office, so we left together. But as soon as we got downstairs, we saw Jace leaning against his c roses. ¡°Herees the apology,¡± Lena nudged me. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. As she passed Jace, she remarked, ¡°You really picked the wrong time to upset her, Mr. Johnston, Got it?¡± With that, she moved on, leaving Jace to approach me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry aboutst night,¡± Jace said, extending the flowers toward me. I didn¡¯t take them. ¡°Jace, we¡¯re done.¡± I had already said itst night, and I wasn¡¯t going to take it back just because he was being nice now. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Chapter 12 Jace¡¯s face stiffened slightly. ¡°Last night, I was worried something might happen to Tanya. You know Desmond was his parents¡® only son. Now, the baby He didn¡¯t finish, but I got it. ¡°So, as long as it¡¯s about her, you¡¯ll always put her first, right?¡± I asked coldly. Jace was quiet for a couple of seconds before he said, ¡°Once the baby¡¯s born, things will be different.¡± Iughed. As I turned my head, the rising sun stung my eyes. baby I looked at him. ¡®Jace, even after the baby¡¯s born, there will be other problems. The might get sick or have idents. As long as you can use this kid as a Jace didn¡¯t say anything. I made my stance clear. ¡°Jace, after getting married, I don¡¯t want my husband taking care of another woman every few days.¡± ¡°Rea, give me some time. I¡¯ll sort this out.¡± Jace¡¯s eyes showed conflict. ¡°What is there to sort out? She¡¯s someone else¡¯s wife. Even if she needs help, it doesn¡¯t have to be from you. And¡­¡± I paused, then continued, ¡°Desmon other close friends too, right? Like Steve and a few others. Why are you the only one so involved?¡± Jace¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Because I was the only one with Desmond when the ident happened.¡± Hearing the pain in his voice and knowing his guilt over Desmond¡¯s death, I asked, ¡°Jace, did you do something to Desmond?¡± ¡°Rea, Jace said coldly, ¡°do you really want to keep this up?¡± ¡°Yes, because it¡¯s affecting me now.¡± I pursed my lips before I continued, ¡°If you need to take care of your friend¡¯s widow so badly, then let¡¯s break up. ¡°This way, you won¡¯t have to choose between me and Tanya. ¡®Besides¡­ ¡°¡­you¡¯re not interested in me anymore, so why make it hard on yourself?¡± As I said it, I realized how deeply Jace¡¯s words the other day had hurt me. ¡°Rea!¡± Jace¡¯s anger spiked. After a moment, he asked coldly, ¡°Break up? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure,¡± I replied without hesitation. ¡°Fine, don¡¯t regret it,¡± Jace said, turning around and tossing the white roses into the trash. He walked away. I stared at the discarded roses, my eyes stinging with sadness and anger. ¡°Don¡¯t regret it.¡± Those three words revealed his true thoughts¨C he believed I could never leave him. I muttered inwardly, ¡®So, that¡¯s why he thinks he can keep hurting me.¡± Even though Jace and I had a falling out, I was still his employee and had to keep working. including handing over my duties. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I didn¡¯t quit right away because I wanted to finish the project I was working on, especially the amusement park project. I had proposed this project, and it meant a lot to me. Every year, 1 Before my parents died, I was a happy girl, loved dearly by both of them. took me to different amusement parks. My dad had once said he would build an amusement park for me someday. But after he and my mom died in a car ident, I became an orphan. A year ago, Jace bought a new piece ofnd. When we were discussing what to do with it, I suggested building an amusement park. To my surprise, he agreed and put me in charge. I was grateful to him for that. He had allowed me to fulfill my dad¡¯s wish. I had dreamed of the day the amusement park opened, riding the Ferris wheel with Jace, and telling myte parents not to worry about me, that I was ha Now, it seemed that dream wouldn¡¯te true. ? Support Chapter 13 The amusement park was almost finished, and I didn¡¯t want to bail at such a crucial time. Around noon, while I was organizing my stuff, Demi came up to me with a weird look on her face. ¡°Keira, are you on your period?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I stared at her. ¡°Why? Am I not allowed to?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Demi shook her head frantically. ¡°I mean, Mr. Johnston¡¯s been in a terrible mood today. Guess he¡¯s just sexually frustrated.¡± I paused, then realized what she meant. I tapped her head with my pen. ¡°Focus on your work during work hours and stop with the nonsense.¡± Demi giggled and handed me the report we reviewed at the site yesterday. ¡°I¡¯m not just making this up. Everyone¡¯s scared of Mr. Johnston today. Anyone I remembered Jace angrily throwing the roses in the trash this morning. I couldn¡¯t tell if he was in a bad mood because I didn¡¯t let him off the hook like I u ¡°Did you guys have a fight?¡± Demi pried. Snapping back to reality, I shot her a look. ¡°Get back to work, or you¡¯ll be the next one looking miserable.¡± After shooing Demi away, I sat there for a moment, lost in thought, then got back to organizing my work. I reviewed and edited Demi¡¯s report and sent it t He didn¡¯t reply, and I didn¡¯t follow up. Around three in the afternoon, I went to the break room to grab some water and ran into Jace. His expression was as dark as Demi had described, and i I greeted him anyway. ¡°Mr. Johnston, please review the report I sent. If there are no issues, I¡¯ll inform the partners.¡± He ignored me and walked away. I didn¡¯t dwell on it. Back in my office, my phone rang with an unfamiliar number. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Keira, it¡¯s me,¡± Tanya¡¯s voice came through the line. J wondered why she was calling me. Before I could ask, she said, ¡®I¡¯m at the caf¨¦ downstairs from your office. Can we meet?¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t we just meetst night?¡® I thought, so I declined. ¡°I¡¯m at work. If you have something to say, say it now.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait until you get off.¡± I underestimated her stubbornness. But I knew this was just a tactic to force me to meet her. I didn¡¯t indulge her. ¡°Fine, wait all you want.¡± True to my word, I continued working. It wasn¡¯t until everyone had left for the day that I headed to the caf¨¦, surprised to find Tanya still there. I walked over but soon heard familiar footsteps behind me. Jace strode past me, heading straight to Tanya. ¡°Jace!¡± Tanya called out, looking both excited and flustered. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Jace¡¯s face remained stern. I had no choice but to keep walking. ¡°She came to see me.¡± Jace¡¯s expression grew colder. Tanya quickly exined, ¡°Jace, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I came to exin things to Keira about yesterday. I don¡¯t want you two to have any misunderstandings because of me. I smirked. ¡®This bitch certainly knows how to y her cards. She deliberately ruined my with Jacest night, and now she¡¯s ying the peacemaker.¡± date ¡°Our issues are none of your concern. If you really don¡¯t want to cause problems between us, stay home and stop running around!¡± Jace scolded Tanya, BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Chapter 14 Tanya¡¯s face went pale, tears welling up in her eyes, making her look so pitiful. ¡°Jace, you¡¯re tired of me, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked, tears starting to fall. Jace stayed silent, a cold aura around him. ¡°But if Desmond were still here, I wouldn¡¯t be bothering you¡­¡± Tanya¡¯s voice had a desperate edge. ¡°Being bothered by you is one thing, but don¡¯t bother her,¡± Jace said, referring to me. It looked like they were about to argue. I didn¡¯t know if I should stay or leave. ¡°I get it. I won¡¯t bother you anymore, or her,¡± Tanya said, turning abruptly and walking out. This time, Jace didn¡¯t chase after her. He turned to me instead. I lowered my head slightly and started to walk away. Jace followed closely behind me. As we stepped out of the caf¨¦, a loud screeching of brakes caught our attention. We both looked up to see Tanya being hit by a caring out of a car park. *Tanya!¡± Jace yelled, running toward her. I hesitated for a few seconds, then followed him, ¡°Jace, the baby¡­¡± Tanya¡¯s face was pale, one hand on her stomach, the other gripping Jace¡¯s arm tightly. I scoffed inwardly, ¡®Didn¡¯t she just say she wouldn¡¯t bother him anymore? Now, she acts like he¡¯s her lifeline. She should really consider a career in acting. The driver who had hit Tanya was our employee. He was panicking and kept saying, ¡°Mr. Johnston, she just ran in front of the car!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Jace shouted, picking Tanya up and rushing toward his car. It was rush hour, and employees wereing and going. Everyone saw what happened, and whispers had already started. ¡°Mr. Johnston seems really worried about that woman. Who is she?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point. She mentioned a baby¡­¡± ¡°Oh my God, did Mr. Johnston get her pregnant and now she¡¯s here?¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Shh, lower your voice. Be careful, his fianc¨¦e might hear.¡± They stopped talking as soon as they saw me approaching. The few gossiping girls looked. scared and quickly walked away. I didn¡¯t hold it against them. As thepany¡¯s big boss, Jace was naturally a topic of interest when employees gossiped. I walked over to the employee who hit Tanya. He still had his intern badge on. ¡°What happened?¡± Seeing me, the intern, pale and trembling, exined, ¡°Ms. Kay, she ran out suddenly¡­¡± I had seen Tanya¡¯s emotional state earlier. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. There are cameras all around. here. Don¡¯t be too nervous.¡± Everyone in thepany knew I was Jace¡¯s assistant and his fianc¨¦e. My words seemed to calm the intern a bit. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Kay!¡± ¡°Go back inside. Any issues will probably be dealt with tomorrow,¡± I reassured him before walking away. I then called Lena and told her about Tanya¡¯s situation, finishing with, ¡°Let me know her conditionter.¡± ¡°Why do you care so much? You weren¡¯t the one who hit her,¡± Lena said, puzzled. I paused for a couple of seconds. ¡°The person who hit her is apany employee. I don¡¯t want him to get dragged into this.¡± Chapter 15 Lena sensed I wasn¡¯t telling the whole truth but didn¡¯t press further. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you know if there¡¯s any news. By the way, where are you going tonight Lena was on the night shift tonight, so staying at her ce made the most sense. I I really didn¡¯t want to go back to the Johnston residence, especially since Jace and I were sharing a room now. But crashing at Lena¡¯s ce forever wasn¡¯t a great idea either. Even though she didn¡¯t have a boyfriend, everyone needs their own space. ¡°Alright,¡± I agreed. Until I found somewhere else, her ce was better than a hotel. Even though I had a spot at Lena¡¯s for the night, I didn¡¯t head straight there. Instead, I drove to Emberholm. Emberholm was an old town, but it was still home to a lot of people, mostly renters, because the rent was cheap. I came here because my parents¡® apartment was here. Before my parents passed away, the three of us lived here. Back then, it wasn¡¯t an old town yet; it was booming and in a prime spot. But in ten years, the ce had really gone downhill. Most of the apartments and houses in our neighborhood were rented out now, but ours stayed the same. My parents¡® clothes and shoes were still right w Whenever I missed them, I¡¯de here. Buttely, I hadn¡¯t visited much. It was like they were fading from my life and memory. It took me about half an hour to drive there. I grabbed the keys from the glovepartment. and headed upstairs to unlock the door. As soon as I walked in, the musty smell hit me. Dust covered everything. The electricity had been shut off since no one had been here in so long. Fortunately, I had the ount number for the electricity bill, so I paid it, and soon the power was restored. With the lights on, I walked through each room, ending up in my bedroom, looking at the pink bedspread. Suddenly, I made a decision: I didn¡¯t need to st Sure, it was a thirty¨Cminute drive, but that wasn¡¯t too far. It usually took me that long tomute from the Johnston residence to the office anyway. With this new n in mind, I started cleaning right away. I worked until ten at night to get the apartment in order. My phone stayed silent, except for one message from Lena: [Tanya and her baby are fine.] Good. That meant the intern wouldn¡¯t get fired. That night, I slept in my parents¡® apartment. Surprisingly, I didn¡¯t feel scared at all; I actually slept really well. The next morning, instead of heading to the office, I went to the amusement park. While reviewing the report yesterday, I had noticed a discrepancy betw and the original design and wanted to check it out in person. Sure enough, the inspection revealed a deviation from the design. I called the project manager over, and we discussed modification ns on¨C site. By the time we finished, it was already noon. I decided to go to the mall to pick up some supplies for the apartment. While choosing bed linens, I ran into Tanya. Apparently, she was fine despite her dramatic panic yesterday. It was obvious now that her performance was just to make Jace worry. And it worked. Jace had denied having any special feelings for her, and I believed him. But now, I realized his concern for Tanya was not normal. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Tanya was talking to the sales assistant, exining her preferences. ¡°Nothing too shy. Something mature and ssy, with a bit of an understated vibe ¡°Miss, is this for your boyfriend?¡± the sales assistant asked. Tanya just smiled and didn¡¯t answer. ¡®Boyfriend?¡¯ I was confused but didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, I moved to another section to pick out my bed linens. We ended up crossing paths again. As the sales assistant was ringing up my purchase, Tanya came over to pay. When she handed over her card, I froze It was Jace¡¯s supplementary card. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free lou you Chapter 16 ¡°Keira, please don¡¯t get the wrong idea.¡± Tanya¡¯s words almost made meugh. Remembering what she said earlier about her ¡°boyfriend¡¯s¡± preference for bed linens, it turned out she was talking about Jace. ¡°Is this for Jace?¡± I asked, ncing at the bed linens she picked. Blue and gray¨Ctotally his favorite colors. But that was back then. Now, thanks to me, his taste had brightened up a lot. Tanya bit her lip and hesitated for a few seconds before shaking her head. ¡°No, don¡¯t wrong idea, it¡¯s for my brother.¡± get the I was too tired to deal with her games, so I cut to the chase. ¡°So Jace is moving in with you now?¡± Didn¡¯t he say he couldn¡¯t let Tanya¡¯s baby get hurt? Watching over her all the time seemed like the next step. ¡°How can you say that?¡± Tanya snapped. ¡°You¡¯re even buying his bed linens. How can I not say that?¡± I shot back, mocking her. ¡°You¡¯re too jealous. Jace won¡¯t like that,¡± she replied, making meugh. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Her innocent, wary eyes were fixed on me. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. ¡°Even if Jace likes me, no one can resist being seduced.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so harsh,¡± Tanya snapped, her face turning red. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case? Yesterday, you said you came to thepany to exin things to me, but you really wanted to see Jace, right?¡± Even though I didn¡¯t think about itst night and slept well, I realized the truth when I woke up. Tanya showing up at thepany, deliberately getting hit by a car, making Jace worry and carry her in front of everyone¨Cthese were all her ns. Tanya widened her eyes, pretending to be innocent, and shook her head. ¡°How can you think. that of me?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Then exin why Jace was at the caf¨¦ yesterday?¡± I demanded. Tanya fell silent, a hint of embarrassment in her eyes as I exposed her. ¡°If you want to be with Jace, do it on your own. Don¡¯t use me as a steppingstone. And¡­¡± 1 paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already broken up ¡°What?¡± Tanya looked genuinely shocked. ¡°Thanks to you,¡± I added. ¡°By the way, the dinner with the foie gras the other night¨CI paid for it. If we¡¯re splitting the bill, you owe me a third, or you can pay Jace¡¯s share too.¡± I held out my phone. Tanya¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money in my digital wallet right now.¡± I didn¡¯t believe her and was a bit surprised. ¡°Since Desmond¡¯s ident, no one has been giving me money. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be using Jace¡¯s card,¡± Tanya said pitifully. Whether true or not, insisting on the money would make me seem heartless. ¡°Forget it then,¡± I said, pulling back my phone. But Tanya stopped me. ¡°How about this- I¡¯ll add you and transfer it to youter.¡± ¡°No need!¡± ¡°No, I insist,¡± Tanya persisted, pulling out her phone. Seeing her determination, I had a thought and opened my phone for her to scan my QR code. As she sent the friend request, I said, ¡°You just want to add me so you can post stuff to disgust me, right?¡± Tanya¡¯s eyes lit up for a moment. ¡°Keira, don¡¯t think so badly of people.¡± ¡°Hopefully, you prove me wrong,¡± I replied, putting my phone away and walking off. Chapter 17 7 Although Tanya¡¯s presence had been annoying, it didn¡¯t ruin my appetite. I enjoyed arge te of creamy pasta before heading back to the office. As soon as I got there, I received a call from Lindey. I hadn¡¯t been home for two days, so it was normal for her to call. ¡°Hey, Lindey.¡± ¡°Rea, don¡¯t stay at your friend¡¯s ce too long. Come home tonight. I made gnhi with cumin and ground beef,¡± Lindey said, making me smile. already T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It seemed Jace had alreadye up with an excuse for my absence. I had decided to move back to the apartment in Emberholm, so I had to go to the Johnston ce to pack my stuff. I told Lindey, ¡°I¡¯ll be back tonight,¡± and left it at that. As the workday was ending, Demi came up to me. ¡°Keira, you doing okay?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± I asked, puzzled. ¡°Office gossip. Ignore it. I¡¯ve seen how much Mr. Johnston cares about you,¡± Demi said, hiding her phone behind her back. ¡°Hand it over,¡± I said, my tone serious. Reluctantly, Demi gave me her phone and opened their private gossip group. The stuff they were talking about was simr to what I had heard yesterday Jace¡¯s past. Turns out they were college ssmates, along with Desmond. There were even rumors about a love triangle back in the day. I hadn¡¯t known any of this. Even if it was just gossip, there might be some truth to it. After giving Demi her phone back, I drove off. But instead of heading to the Johnston residence, I went to see Steve at his pool hall. When I arrived, he was ying billiards and invited me to join. ¡°Want to y a few games?¡± I had been here before with Jace. He was the one who taught me how to y pool. I I took off my coat, grabbed a cue, and joined Steve. ¡°Not bad, you¡¯ve learned from the best,¡± he said,plimenting Jace. ¡°Did you go to college with Jace?¡± I asked as I lined up my shot. ¡°Yeah, why do you ask? Digging for some school¨Ctime gossip?¡± Steve was sharp. ¡°Did anything happen between him and Tanya back then?¡± I asked bluntly. 12 Steve stopped and looked at me. I smiled faintly. ¡°I know you won¡¯t lie to me.¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t,¡± Steve said as he made a perfect shot. ¡°I guarantee it.¡± He looked at me. ¡°Why the sudden interest?¡± ¡°Just curious,¡± I replied and took a shot. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to get married tomorrow. If you¡¯ve decided to be together, you need to trust each other,¡± Steve added. ¡°Congrats in advance on your wedding.¡± ¡°We broke up,¡± I said, making Steve¡¯s hand falter. After a moment, he nodded. ¡°Better to break up now than divorceter.¡± He was straightforward. Remembering his earlier advice, I said, ¡°Thanks, Steve.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± he responded, puzzled. I didn¡¯t exin further and left, heading back to the Johnston residence. As soon as I entered, I saw Jace¡¯s car already parked in the driveway. Walking toward the house, I heard Matthew¡¯s angry voice from inside. ¡®Rea is your fianc¨¦e! How could you be carrying another woman outside the office Apparently, the office gossip had reached Jace¡¯s parents. Now I knew why they had called me back. ¡°Jace Johnston, if you don¡¯t marry Rea tomorrow, don¡¯t bothering back to this house,¡± Matthew yelled again. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Chapter 18 My heart was touched. Even though I was a foster child in this family, Jace¡¯s parents treated me with the same care and love as their own daughter. They made me feel like one of them. I remembered Jace¡¯s brother, Wayne, joking that ever since I joined the family, both he and Jace had been knocked down the pecking order Lena was right. I could break up with Jace, but breaking away from his family would be much harder. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to me, and Lindey quickly got up and came over. ¡°Rea, you¡¯re back. We were just waiting for you to have dinner,¡± ¡°Hey Lindey, Matthew,¡± I greeted them. Jace, who had been kicked by Matthew, stood up and came over. He took my bag. ¡°Why are you back sote?¡± ¡°I yed some pool,¡± I said. I knew Steve would tell him about our meeting, so there was no point in hiding it. Jace frowned a bit. ¡°Next time you want to go, call me to join.¡± He didn¡¯t like me hanging out for fun, especially without him. He definitely didn¡¯t want me spending time with his friends alone. Yet, he went out with his card he never gave me. I didn¡¯t respond and headed to the bathroom instead. Jace followed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, washing my hands and giving him a smile in the mirror. ¡°Rea, I¡¯ve exined everything. Stop making a fuss.¡± Jace¡¯s words made me lower my eyes. I scrubbed my fingers, noticing the small dent in my left middle finger. Four years ago, I had cut it while trying to pull Jace away from a fight when he was drunk. A chunk of flesh had been lost, and though it healed, it left a p Jace had promised to fill it with thergest diamond ring, but I was still waiting for it. ¡°Today I saw Tanya. She was using your supplementary card to shop,¡± I said amidst the sound of running water. Jace¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. Desmond¡¯s parents med her for his death and cut off all her cards. She needs to live, so I gave her one.¡± I turned off the faucet and faced him. ¡°Jace, are you indebted to Tanya or Desmond in some way?¡± Jace¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and I could see the veins on his forehead bulging. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± I ¡°If not, why are you so attentive to Tanya? Or¡­ thought about the gossip on Demi¡¯s phone.¡± Did something happen between you two in college?¡± ¡°Rea!¡± Jace¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°Are you investigating me?¡± Seeing the anger on his face, I gave a faint smile ¡°Everyone at thepany has seen the video of you hugging her. Do you think that hasn¡¯t caused a st All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. My words left Jace silent. Seeing his reaction, I pressed on. ¡°So, there really is something between you and Tanya.¡± ¡°No, there was absolutely nothing back then, Jace denied. I caught the slip. ¡°You mean there¡¯s something now?¡± Panic shed in his eyes. He grabbed my still¨Cwet hand. ¡°Rea, stop overthinking. I told you, I¡¯m done with her.¡± once she has the baby I remained silent. He added, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange for a caregiver and a confinement nurse for her. I won¡¯t see her alone anymore. She can contact Gavin if she needs anyth Chapter 19 Gavin Lawson was his secretary. I stayed quiet, and Jace looked down. ¡°Rea, what do you want me to do? Just tell me, okay?¡± He sounded powerless, helpless, even somewhat despond ¡°Jace, we¡¯ve broken up. You don¡¯t need to worry about this. Take care of her however your want,¡± I said. He shook his head and stepped closer, trapping me between the sink and his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. We¡¯re getting our marriage certificate tom Jace, do you really want to marry me?¡± I remembered the conversation he had with Steve and spoke directly. ¡°We know each other too well. So well that ¡°I told you it was just a joke. That night, I was- I ¡°Jace,¡± I interrupted him, not wanting to revisit that night, ¡°that night is a shadow that will haunt me for the rest of my life. Do you get that? His eyes narrowed, and he asked helplessly, ¡°What do you want me to do so you¡¯ll forgive me and not break up?¡± I¡¯d already told him, yet he kept asking. I didn¡¯t want to repeat myself. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I pushed him. ¡°Move aside, I¡¯m hungry and need to eat.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll never contact Tanya again,¡® he said, taking out his phone and blocking her on all social media and from his contact list. ¡°Happy now?¡± Hearing the irritation in his voice, I gave a bitter smile. ¡°Jace, are you just worried your parents will freak out if I tell them we broke up? I can wait to tell them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. I really want to marry you. Jace paused, then added, ¡°Even though we haven¡¯t gotten our marriage certificate, had a wedding, or even been rtionship like that, in my heart, you¡¯ve always been¡­ my wife.¡± My heart skipped a beat at the word ¡°wife¡°. When my parents were alive, my dad always introduced my mom as his ¡°wife¡± in public. He said ¡°wife¡® was the highest and most respectful title, way mo partner. If Jace called me his wife, he must really mean it. My heart started to soften. ¡°Rea, we heard about what happened at the company yesterday and gave Jace a good talking- to. He knows he messed up,¡± Lindey said during dinner. 172 ¡°It¡¯s fine, I didn¡¯t let it get to me,¡± I replied. Even though I thought of them as my parents, I couldn¡¯t act as openly as a real daughter might, showing my fe ¡°Rea is a smart girl. She and Jace have known each other for so long; they get each other,¡± Matthew added. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m so scared of losing such a great girl. Jace needs to marry her ASAP,¡± Lindey said, smoothly changing the topic to getting the marriage certificate tomorrow. Jace looked at me, his eyes full of worry. I met his gaze. ¡°Jace, tell your parents again. Do you really want to marry me?¡± ¡°What kind of question is that, Jace? Answer her Lindey cut in. Jace kept his eyes on me, filled with emotions I couldn¡¯t read. ¡°Rea, I want you to be my wife. Please, don¡¯t say no.¡± After he spoke, everyone looked at me, waiting for my response. Chapter 20 Seeing the hopeful eyes of Matthew and Lindey, finally nodded. But deep down, I promised myself: if Jace had any more dealings with Tanya, even after we got married, I¡¯d leave him without a second thought. Everyone at the table sighed in relief when I agreed, and the atmosphere turned warm and rxed. After dinner, I couldn¡¯t just leave. Back in the bedroom, the awkwardness between Jace and me was even worse. ¡°You go take a shower,¡± Jace broke the silence first. Just then, my phone rang. It was Lena. I nced at Jace. ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll take this call.¡± Jace went into the bathroom, and I answered the phone. Lena¡¯s voice had a hint of usation. ¡°Rea, you didn¡¯t sleep at my cest night, and you¡¯re not here tonight either. you go back to Jace¡¯s?¡± Did Looking at the big bed in the middle of the room, I replied softly, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You and Jace are back together? Lena sounded surprised. I bit my lip. ¡°We¡¯re getting our marriage certificate tomorrow.¡± Lena was silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± I walked to the window and looked at the crescent moon outside. ¡°People change. He blocked Tanya¡¯s contact and promised not to see her again. I want to give him one more chance.¡± After a pause, I added, ¡°Thest chance.¡± Lena knew me well. Once I made up my mind, there was no point in arguing. She just said, ¡± Rea, just remember you deserve someone who can make y ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied, ending the call. I stood there, lost in thought. My mind was nk, my emotions neither happy nor sad. A chill on my back made me realize Jace was hugging me from behind. He wasn¡¯t wearing a shirt, just pajama pants. His arms, still damp from the show His lips found my neck, gently nipping and sending shivers down my spine, making my nerves tighten. I knew what he wanted, but I stopped his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until tomorrow.¡± We were getting our marriage certificate tomorrow. One more day wouldn¡¯t make a difference. Jace stiffened, his grip tightening, but he didn¡¯t push further. He kissed my cheek. ¡°Alright, you go take a shower and get some rest. Tomorrow morning, w T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He sounded eager. Iughed. ¡°Is there a prize for being first?¡± He paused before replying, ¡°Yeah.¡± He was ready, but I wasn¡¯t, so I made a quick exit. I went to the bathroom and stayed there for almost an hour, hoping he¡¯d be asleep by the time I came out. Jace, worried about my difort, had indeed fallen asleep. His phone was on the nightstand,pletely silent. Even though nothing would happen tonight, the memory of thest time still made me anxious it might ring any moment. I didn¡¯t sleep well that night, constantly dreaming. I dreamed of Jace driving to a riverside, of him drinking in a cave with his car door open, and a snake s When I woke up, the sky was still dark, and Jace was deeply asleep. I gently turned to look at him. His high nose bridge, long lashes, and perfectly shaped lower eyelids looked like artwork. His lips were not thin, a bit on the fuller side, which was said to be a sign of good fortune Lost in my thoughts, Jace suddenly opened his eyes, catching me in the act. Despite our familiarity, my heart skipped a beat, and my cheeks flushed. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Johnston.¡± Jace¡¯s voice was husky from sleep. I froze, the heat in my cheeks intensifying. Quickly, I moved away from him and got out of bed to wash up. By the time I came out of the bathroom, Jace had left the bedroom. I chose a white dress from the wardrobe and paired it with a light yellow coat, making Chapter 21 Looking at myself in the mirror, I forced a smile. ¡®Smile today. Be happy. Live happily ever after from now on,¡® I told myself. When I went downstairs, Matthew and Lindey had already made breakfast. They¡¯d even swapped the regr tableware and couch covers for the special family asion sets. ¡°Rea, once you get your marriage certificate,e back so we can celebrate and discuss the wedding party details,¡± Lindey said, sounding more excited than I was. ¡°Sure!¡± I replied. Lindey looked at me. ¡°You look beautiful today. It would look even better if it was embellished with pearls or Swarovski crystals.¡± ¡°That would be too conspicuous,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her. It¡¯s not a wedding ceremony; there¡¯s no need to dress extravagantly just to get a marriage license. Rea, wear whatever you like,¡± Matthew cut in, correcting Lindey. I smiled, feeling warm inside. Lindey dragged me to the table. Along with the usualvish breakfast, there were two extra eggs and a sausage arranged in a way that made me blush. Before I could ask, Lindey whispered in my ear, ¡°This is our family custom. It symbolizes the hope for a child soon. But I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a boy or girl; I just hope you and Jace have a child soon.¡± My face burned as I looked at the eggs and sausage, feeling too embarrassed to eat them. ¡°Just take a bite,¡± Lindey said, peeling an egg and handing it to me. Not wanting to disappoint her, I took a bite, my face still red, and then focused on my oatmeal. It wasn¡¯t until I was almost finished that I noticed Jace wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Where¡¯s Jace?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯te down yet,¡± Lindey replied, just as we heard footsteps on the stairs. Jace wasing down. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that his expression was more serious than usual. My heart sank as I watched him walk over. ¡°Rea, I talked to Abbot Levinsky, and he said the best time to get the certificate is at 10:58 a.m., so we don¡¯t need to go so early.¡± ¡°Oh, I mumbled, feeling my excitement fade. I knew Abbot Levinsky; he was Jace¡¯s spiritual mentor. Here in Kehlmark, Harmonism ruled the roost. People turned to Harmonism monks or sisters for the best dates when nning important events. Lindey and Matthew chimed in, ¡°Yeah, listen to Abbot Levinsky.¡± Jace sat down to eat. He finished the fancy breakfast quickly¨Cnot rushed, but faster than usual. Lindey handed him the rest of my egg and sausage, which he ate without hesitation. ¡°Rea, wait for me at home. I need to prepare something,¡± he said mysteriously. Lindey winked at me, mouthing that he was getting a gift ready for me. Remembering he¡¯d mentioned a prize for being first yesterday, I figured the same and watched him leave. I went upstairs to change. Just as I took off my coat, my phone rang. It was Gavin. ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Johnston.¡± Looked like Gavin knew about our n to get married today. I smiled. ¡°Good morning, Gavin. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sending you an address. Come over, and I¡¯ll be waiting for you there. Mr. Johnston has a gift for you,¡± Gavin said mysteriously. ¡°Alright,¡± I agreed and hung up. Gavin sent me the address for a neighborhood called Splendor Heights. I drove there and found Gavin waiting for me. Without a word, he handed me a set of keys. It hit me then that Jace¡¯s gift was a penthouse. He knew me well. Even though the Johnston residence was nice, he knew I still wanted my own space. A mix of sweet and warm feelings filled my heart. Feeling happy, I grabbed the keys and opened the door. The bright space inside instantly delighted me. I stepped in, but as soon as one foot crossed the threshold, a familiar figure emerged from the bedroom. It was Tanya, wearing a nightgown. I stood frozen in ce. Chapter 22 Gav¨ªn looked just as surprised as I was. ¡°Ms. Twain, what are you doing here?¡± Tanya adjusted her nightgown. ¡°I live here.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She noticed the keys in my hand. ¡°Do you always just walk into other people¡¯s homes without knocking?¡± Gavin stepped forward. ¡°No¡­ this ce was supposed to be a gift from Mr. Johnston to Ms. Kay.¡± He fumbled with his phone, identally putting the call on speaker. ¡°Mr. Johnston, about the Splendor Heights penthouse¨C¡± Before he could finish, Jace interrupted, ¡°That¡¯s for Tanya.¡± Tanya¡¯s smile widened right in front of me. ¡°And Ms. Kay¨C¡± Gavin tried to continue, but Jace cut him off again, ¡°I¡¯ll get another house for Keira. And¡­ don¡¯t let Keira know about this.¡± Gavin looked at me, red¨Cfaced and embarrassed, like he was the one who had betrayed me, not Jace. He didn¡¯t dare say more, realizing that bringing me here without checking with Jace first was a huge mistake. He should have cleared it with Jace, but now it was toote. I didn¡¯t expose Jace during the call, knowing it would cost Gavin his job. With the economy tanking, lots ofpanies wereying off people, and good jobs were hard to find. Plus, Gavin had just started dating someonest month. Losing his job now could ruin his rtionship In that moment, I admired my ownposure for not blowing up. Gavin awkwardly ended the call, his face full of guilt. ¡°Ms. Kay¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I said, pausing. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit and have some tea while I chat with Ms. Twain?¡± I didn¡¯t send Gavin away because I didn¡¯t want Tanya pulling any stunts, like pretending to faint or faking another one of her pregnancy tummy pains that I¡¯d have to handle by myself. After calming Gavin, I nced at Tanya. Her eyes were wary, defensive, and ready for a confrontation. But I didn¡¯t give her the satisfaction. Instead, I began to take in the penthouse. The ce was over 200 square meters, with a simple yet detailed decor. A bean bag chair and a small. coffee table by the floor¨Cto¨C ceiling windows caught my eye. The setup reminded me of a painting I once made. Morning sunlightzily streamed through the ss, instantly calming my agitation, This house was in the best location in Seavora, with an ideal floor level. To the left was the CBD business center, offering a view of the RiverwaveCorp Tower, and to the right, the vast ocean with its rolling waves and soaring seagulls. This was my dream home! Gavin told me it was a gift from Jace, and I could tell he really put some thought into it. But now, everything felt wrong. I looked around the living room, then checked out the other rooms. The bedroom, bathroom, and open kitchen were all designed in the style I loved. Theyout matched the one in my painting perfectly I didn¡¯t say anything, just took it all in, making Tanya and Gavin more and more ufortable. Tanya finally broke the silence. ¡°Keira, you heard it clearly. This ce is mine now. Please leave. I need to rest.¡± I turned back to her, remembering the bedding she picked out yesterday. ¡°Has Jace slept here?¡± Tanya pursed her lips. I gave a small smile. ¡°Let me be clearer. Have you two slept together?¡°. ¡°Keira, why do you have to be so rude?¡± Tanya¡¯s face went pale as she tried to look dignified. ¡°Did you?¡± I asked, my eyes dropping to her belly. ¡°Oh, right, you can¡¯t because of your condition.¡± Chapter 23 Tanya¡¯s face turned red, then white again. Honestly, her act was pathetic. If she wanted to steal someone¡¯s fianc¨¦, she should just own it. Jace gave her the house meant for me, after all. She cou But no. She did shady things and still tried to act all innocent. ¡®Really, this bitch wants to have her cake and eat it too,¡® I cursed inwardly. ¡°Keira, Jace won¡¯t like this behavior,¡± Tanya dared to talk to me about this. Iughed out loud. If I still cared about Jace¡¯s affection now, I¡¯d be out of ¡°Keep his affection for yourself,¡± I shot back, shutting her down again. my mind. Tears welled up in Tanya¡¯s eyes, and I was d I had Gavin around. Without him, her tears would¡¯ve made things way tooplicated. ¡°What do you mean? Aren¡¯t you getting married today?¡± Tanya asked, hope flickering in her eyes. Look at her, so ambitious.¡® Suddenly, I didn¡¯t want to give her the satisfaction, so I said, ¡°Yeah, we are. We¡¯ll get our certificate soon. Jace consulted an abbot about the best time, and he said 10:58. Supposedly, it¡¯s to ensure a long and happy marriage with lots of kids.¡± The sparkle in Tanya¡¯s eyes shattered. Seeing her hopes dashed, I delivered another blow. ¡°After Jace and I get our marriage license, make sure to send us a wedding gift.¡± Tanya staggered, almost falling. Remembering her past dramatics, I added, ¡°Jace isn¡¯t here to catch you if you fall.¡± My retort left Tanya speechless. She just bit her lip, a look that would definitely trigger a protective instinct in most guys. Maybe that was how she snagged Jace¡¯s heart. But it didn¡¯t matter anymore. From today on, Jace was just another person in my life. Weirdly, it didn¡¯t hurt as much as I thought it would. You don¡¯t get over someone overnight. After Jace¡¯s repeated betrayals, today¡¯s incident didn¡¯t break me any further. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Gavin,¡± I called out, walking away. ¡°Ms. Kay, this might be a misunderstanding. Let¡¯s hear Mr. Johnston¡¯s exnation,¡± Gavin pleaded as we stepped outside. He probably knew what my decision would be after seeing all this. ¡°If you were me, would you believe his exnation?¡± I asked, leaving Gavin silent. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Jace about this,¡± I added. With that, I left. Back at the office, everyone was totally shocked to see me. ¡°Ms. Kay, isn¡¯t today your big day with Mr. Johnston? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Just remembered a few important things I gotta wrap up,¡± I replied casually, leaving them all staring. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. I¡¯d always been on top of things at work, never cking even though I was Jace¡¯s fianc¨¦e. [You¡¯re really setting the bar high,] Demi teased, adding a cute emoji. I didn¡¯t say anything, staying focused on my tasks. At ten, Jace called, ¡°Rea, where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at the office.¡± He hesitated, then asked, ¡°Why are you still there? I¡¯lle get you.¡± ¡°No need. We¡¯re meeting at the clerk¡¯s office, right? I¡¯ll head over now. Just wait for me,¡± I said, hanging up. I sat in silence for a moment before grabbing my bag. However, I intentionally left the filled¨Cout marriage license form in the drawer. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Chapter 24 When Jace called me again, I was at the Cloudscape Monastery listening to a sermon.. ¡°Rea, it¡¯s almost eleven. Why aren¡¯t you here yet?¡± Jace sounded urgent. ¡°I¡¯m almost there, just wait a little longer.¡± I was doing this on purpose. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I¡¯d loved him for a decade, and lost track of how many times I¡¯d waited on him. Today, though, I made him wait on me. It was a small payback for a decade of love and youth. ¡°Hurry up, don¡¯t miss the time my mentor rmended,¡± Jace urged me once more. At that moment, I was sitting in front of Abbot Levinsky, who hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about my marriage. It was clear he didn¡¯t know I was supposed to register with Jace today, let alone any auspicious timing. I softly hummed in acknowledgment, hung up, and switched off my phone, focusing back on Abbot Levinsky¡¯s sermon. Jace was a believer ever since he miraculously recovered from a serious illness as a child. Lindey had prayed nonstop at the monastery for three days and nights, and somehow, Jace had pulled through Since then, Lindey had be an even more devout believer, urging Jace to ept Abbot Levinsky as his spiritual guide. Naturally, I tagged along with Jace whenever he visited Abbot Levinsky, who personally blessed our rtionship. But despite all that, my rtionship with I didn¡¯t leave Cloudscape Monastery until three in the afternoon. My phone stayed off as I headed straight to the clerk¡¯s office. Jace wasn¡¯t there anymore. I wasn¡¯t surprised. I didn¡¯t know how long he waited for me, but it couldn¡¯t have been as long as I¡¯d waited for him in the past. I parked my car and turned on my phone. Countless messages and missed calls bombarded my screen, most of them from Jace. There were fifty¨Cthree missed calls and seven texts from him: [Rea, you here? Why¡¯s your phone dead?] [Rea, it¡¯s time. Hurry up or we¡¯ll miss the best time.] [Rea, what¡¯s going on?] [Rea, seriously, hit me back.] [Rea, 20 mins till the clerk¡¯s office shuts. We won¡¯t be able to get the certificate.] [Rea, are you messing with me?] [Rea, can¡¯t believe you¡¯re pulling this¡­] Seeing those texts, I could practically hear Jace going from panicked to pissed off, and finally just in frustrated. Thest message was sent at 11:55. His patience had worn thin, barelysting an hour. Staring at the fifty¨Cthree missed calls, I dialed him back. It rang once before he hung up. He was clearly furious, angry that I had stood him up and wasn¡¯t picking up his calls: I didn¡¯t call again, but I responded to Lena, who had also been trying to reach me. Jace had reached out to her while searching for me. Instead of texting back, I sent her a voice message. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lena. I¡¯m okay. I just needed some time to pray.¡± Lena¡¯s video call came through right away, and she asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I hesitated, biting my lip. ¡°It¡¯s kind of a long story.¡± Lena said, ¡°Then make it short.¡± I smiled and was ready to talk when Jace, who had just hung up on me, rang back. I wasn¡¯t going to respond. I was entirely over it. In the past, I would have dropped everything for his calls, but not anymore. Lena heard my phone ring and asked, ¡°Is that Jace?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Answer it. He¡¯s been freaking out trying to find you.¡± ¡®Huh? Would he ever lose his mind for me?¡® I thought. P Support Chapter 25 I smirked. Lena could tell something was up. ¡°Did you dig up something about him and Tanya?¡± She totally got where I stood. ¡°He handed Tanya a penthouse that was supposed to be mine,¡± I spilled quickly. Lena went quiet for a beat, then clenched her jaw. ¡°Are you gonna¡­¡± She didn¡¯t need to finish¨CI knew exactly what she meant. ¡°I¡¯m not falling for him again.¡± ¡°What a jerk! If you take him back, he¡¯ll just keep pulling this crap!¡± Lena shared my take on rtionships. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s figure out our next move. Take his call, hear him out, then meet me,¡± Lena paused. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to cover half my shift.¡± I wanted to tell her not to bother, but she¡¯d already hung up. Jace¡¯s call kepting. Finally, I picked up. ¡°Hey¡­¡± ¡°Keira Kay, what the hell are you doing? What¡¯s going on?¡± Jace¡¯s voice boomed through the phone. I pulled the phone away from my ear, letting him vent. When he settled down, I brought it back. ¡°Jace Johnston, I told you yesterday in front of your parents that it was your final shot.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. Where are you? Why didn¡¯t youe to get the license with me today?¡± he demanded. Apparently, Gavin and Tanya hadn¡¯t told him about my visit to the penthouse, and I didn¡¯t bring it up either. I just answered his question. ¡°I went to Cloudscape Monastery to hear Abbot Levinsky preach.¡± My words seemed to stun Jace into silence. He knew he¡¯d been caught in a lie. ¡°Rea, let me exin¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to exin. You¡¯ve had plenty of chances to exin before. Jace, it¡¯s over. ¡°Rea!¡± ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve finished organizing all my work and sent everything to the right people, including¨C¡± Before I could finish, he cut in with a shout, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking my annual leave.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you?¡± Jace sneered. J remained silent, listening to the faint rustle of him removing his tie. ¡°Fine. If you want to throw tantrums, be my guest.¡± Click! He hung up. I smiled softly, gazing up at the sky. A bird soared past, free and unhindered. I could finally be free¨Cfree from Jace, free from the Johnston family, free to live my own life. While the Johnston family had supported me, I¡¯d always felt like a caged bird, unable to explore the world I craved. Starting today, I could spread my wings and reach for the world I¡¯d always dreamed of. I headed out to find Lena. She¡¯d ditched her shift for me, and I knew meeting her face¨Cto¨Cface would calm her concerns. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Lena understood the depth of my feelings for Jace. Even if I tried to downy it, she¡¯d worry about me. ¡°That was fast. Did you run red lights to get here?¡± Lena quipped as soon as she spotted me. ¡°Maybe, but you¡¯re worth it.¡± My words left Lena speechless, and she pulled me int I closed my eyes, leaning against her. ¡°I¡¯m tougher than I look, you know¡­¡± And it was true. I didn¡¯t feel hurt or sad. It was more like losing a business deal¨CI felt nothing. Lena took off her white coat, grabbed her bag, and hopped into my car. Just then, my phone buzzed- it was Lindey calling. Lena nced at the caller ID and remarked, ¡°You don¡¯t have to pick up if you¡¯re not ready.¡± I hesitated briefly. ¡°I can¡¯t avoid it forever.¡± With a deep breath, I answered the call. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Chapter 26 ¡°Rea, I¡¯ve got a huge bash nned for you guys and invited everyone. Make sure you¡¯re back by six tonight,¡± Lindey¡¯s upbeat voice on the phone caught me off guard. I hadn¡¯t figured she wouldn¡¯t know we didn¡¯t get the marriage license. Jace must¡¯ve kept her in the dark, probably afraid of her reaction afterst night¡¯s disappointment. As I listened to Lindey¡¯s excitement and anticipation, a wave of apprehension washed over me about breaking the news. The fact that Jace and I couldn¡¯t get married was already set in stone. I couldn¡¯t hide it forever, and certainly not now. Besides, if she found outter with all the guests she had invited, it would only m things worse. ¡°Lindey,¡± I called softly. ¡°You¡¯re about to be my daughter¨Cinw. You should start calling me ¡®Mom,¡® don¡¯t be shy,¡± Lindey teased. For a moment, I felt a sharp pang in my heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡­ I may never have the right to call you¡® Mom.¡°¡± There had been so many moments over the past ten years when I had longed to call her Mom. But it seemed that wish would nevere true. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lindey sounded confused. ¡°Rea, are you ufortable? Then don¡¯t change- ¡°We didn¡¯t get the certificate,¡± I interrupted her. ¡°And we never will.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°What?¡± Lindey was stunned. ¡°What happened? Rea¡­¡± ¡°We broke up.¡± It felt like a huge weight off my shoulders to say those words. There was silence on the other end, and I dreaded Lindey¡¯s reaction to my news. She¡¯d raised me like her own, hoping today would mark the day I¡¯d finally be part of the family officially. She had been so happy this morning, waiting for me to call her ¡°mom¡± when I returned home. But now, facing her disappointment, I took a deep breath. ¡°Lindey,¡± I began cautiously. ¡°What happened, Rea? Tell me,¡± Lindey¡¯s voice softened with concern. Memories swirled in my mind before I finally spoke. ¡®Lindey, Jace and I¡­ we¡¯re just not right for each other.¡± I kept Jace¡¯s faults to myself; it wasn¡¯t something I wanted others to know. didn¡¯t want to get into a rivalry with another woman over a guy, but the reality was I had been defeated by another woman, and she was even a pregnant widow. ¡°How can you say that? You¡¯ve been together for years, know each other like the back of your hand. You love him, and he¡¯s always had your back. How can it all just fall apart like this?¡± Lindey couldn¡¯t ept it. Her reaction hit me like a wrecking ball to the chest. ¡°Lindey¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m calling Jace. It must be something he did to wrong you,¡± Lindey¡¯s words hit me hard, and tears welled up. Because of her final words, ming Jace for wronging me. Lena squeezed my hand, and I forced a smile at her. But in Lena¡¯s intense gaze, I saw the shattered reflection of my facade. Externally, I remained collected, but inside, chaos reigned, visible in my eyes. When Lindey called again, I ignored it. I knew she wanted me back at the Johnston residence, hoping to sway my decision. But I wasn¡¯t going back to hear Lindey and Mathew try to talk me out of it. I¡¯d made up my mind, so there was no need to listen to their whole spiel. It would only drain us both. Chapter 27 Len¨¢ read my thoughts. ¡°Where do you want to go? I¡¯lle with you, or-¡± ¡°Help me pack up my ce,¡± I cut her off. She looked surprised. ¡°You¡¯ve been nning this?¡± ¡°Not really. It just sort of happened a couple of days ago,¡± I said, gesturing toward the bed linens at the backseat. ¡°Yesterday, I was at the mall picking these up when I ran into Tanya,¡± I added, observing Lena¡¯s expression shift from surprise to curiosity. On the way to my ce, I told Lena everything. She nodded emphatically, her frustration evident.¡± Skipping out on that marriage certificate was the right call. Jace Johnston is just another jerk of this century who thinks he can have it all.¡± ¡°Jerk is jerk, no matter the century,¡± I quipped in response. Lena looked at me closely. ¡°Rea, you don¡¯t have to pretend you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really not that upset,¡± I replied, keeping my eyes on the road ahead. ¡°Maybe my feelings for him were just as worn out as his for me¨C like we knew each other too well to spark any emotions.¡± I genuinely believed it at the time, but little did I know, those quiet emotions were aging like fine wine, ready to hit me harderter. Jace was in the same boat. Lena had no idea about myte parents¡® ce in Emberholm. We¡¯d be friends back in school, right after I moved into the Johnston residence. ¡°This apartment¡¯s not bad, just a bit far and kinda old,¡± Lena remarked, always one to speak her mind. ¡°Yeah, this is where I grew up with my folks. I don¡¯t want to change everything here,¡± I said, tossing the bed linens onto the couch and grabbing the new kettle to rinse Lena wandered around, checking out the ce before leaning against the kitchen doorframe. ¡°It¡¯s nice, despite its age. Cozy. I can see you had a happy family here.¡± Yeah, if it weren¡¯t for that car ident. Even now, it felt like a terrible nightmare. My parents dropped me off at school that morning, saying - they had to discuss some contract. Dad even promised that if the deal went through, he¡¯d build me an amusement park. But they never came back. ¡°Rea, Rea,¡± Lena called, snapping me back. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± I looked up at her. ¡°Say what?¡± Lena noticed my distress. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, just¡­ missing my parents,¡± I said, my throat tight. A wave of indescribable sadness rose in Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. my chest. Though I¡¯d known since moving into the Johnston house that Jace would be my boyfriend someday, we only made it official three years ago. It was on the anniversary of my parents¡® death. I was crying at their graves, and Jace hugged me, saying that I still had him. He promised at their tombstone th love me just like they did. I naively believed I had found someone to rely on again. ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on them now. Focus on your future,¡± Lena said, changing the subject on purpose when she saw how sad I was. ¡°So, what will you do now that you¡¯ve broken up with Jace?¡± Lena asked. The water had just boiled. I poured us two cups of instant coffee. ¡°I¡¯ve sent all my work handovers to the right people and written my resignation letter. I¡¯ll leave after the amusement park project is done.¡± ¡°Quitting is the right move. Staying friends after a breakup is bullshit. Distance is the only way to move on,¡± Lena said, totally supporting me. I nodded. Lena, seeing my mood, didn¡¯t press further and looked around the apartment. ¡°You might want to get some appliances, like an automatic washing machine, a coffee maker, and a vacuum cleaner.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that when I get back,¡± I said. Lena looked up from her coffee. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Chapter 28 It took me four hours on the high¨Cspeed train to reach Chiverton. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. As I arrived, the town was just lighting up. It wasn¡¯t as bustling as Seavora, but it had its own charm with twinkling lights and a cozy, small¨Ctown vibe. Lena called almost as soon as I arrived. ¡°Are you there yet? Found a ce to stay?¡± She hadn¡¯t expected me to leave so suddenly. When she asked where I was headed, I gave her the address and train time. She wondered if I was leaving so fast to avoid Jace, thinking he might try to stop me. But she was wrong. Jace wouldn¡¯t bother. He¡¯s probably furious, mad that I stood him up and disobeyed him. So far, I seemed to be right. After he asked why I didn¡¯t show up for the marriage registration, he hadn¡¯t sent a single message or made another call. I hurried here because I¡¯d always wanted to visit. Another reason was to avoid getting tangled up¨C not with Jace, but with Matthew and Lindey. They¡¯d definitely try to reach me and change my mind. But I¡¯d already made up my mind. If I stayed, it would only waste their energy and exhaust me. Given that, it was better to leave quickly and not give them a chance. I even put my main phone number on airne mode. Lena was calling my backup number, one even Jace didn¡¯t know about. This number had been my now, it was finally being used. ¡°I haven¡¯t found a ce yet, but I¡¯m not in a rush,¡± I said, looking around this unfamiliar ce. I suddenly felt a sense of tranquility. ¡°Why not? It¡¯ste. Find a good hotel, make sure it¡¯s safe, check the wardrobe and under the bed before you sleep, lock the windows, and bolt the door¡­¡± Lena rambled on. I smiled, touched by her concern. ¡°Alright, I will. I promise.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t forget to eat something. You should be able to find takeout there,¡± Lena said just as a delivery guy passed by. ¡°Want me to order a hunk to keep youpany?¡± I teased. Lena sighed in relief. ¡°Rea, no matter what, always remember to take care of yourself.¡± ¡°I know. You get some rest too. You have an early surgery tomorrow,¡± I reminded her before ending the call. I wasn¡¯t in a hurry to find a ce to stay because I didn¡¯t want to stay in a hotel. I came here because this was my hometown, more precisely, my parents¡® birthce. My parents weren¡¯t from Seavora. They moved there hoping to make a fortune in business. In the end, they didn¡¯t make money but lost their lives instead. I was born here, but my parents took me away not long after. Even though I grew up in Seavora, my dad often talked about Chiverton. He always said that one day, when I was older, they¡¯d bring me here to see where we used to live and visit the orphanage where they grew up. Both my parents were orphans, abandoned by their families because of their disabilities. My dad was born deaf and mute, and my mom had congenital heart disease. Thankfully, they received help from some kind¨Chearted people and underwent surgeries that allowed them to lead normal lives. I opened my phone¡¯s photo album, scrolling to a picture of an address from my dad¡¯s journal. gging down a taxi, I said, ¡°Mister, please take me to Oldbridge Street.¡± The driver nced at me, and I took a closer look at him, a bit surprised. He had a buzz cut, with stern, rugged features, and skin tanned to a near¨Ccoffee shade. Chapter 29 The driver looked rough and tough, a bit intimidating. The guys I was used to were always clean¨Ccut, with fair skin, dressed in suits, ties, and overcoats. But this guy? He looked like he might¡¯ve just gotten out of prison. I instinctively tightened my grip on my bag, remembering the pepper spray and self¨Cdefense knife Lena had slipped inside before I left. But before I could even think about reaching for them, the driver had already started the car and stayed silent. ¡®What was that look he gave me supposed to mean?¡® I wondered. I couldn¡¯t figure it out, and my brief moment of calm was suddenly reced by unease. Because I was on high alert, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to the townscape. When the car finally stopped, I quickly paid and got out, watching the taxi drive away before letting out a sigh of relief. It was already ten at night, and I realizeding here at this hour might not have been the smartest move. I could have waited until the next day to search for my parents¡® old home. But since I was already here, there was no point in second¨Cguessing. The area in front of me was incredibly run¨Cdown, with crumbling walls and pothole¨Cridden streets filled with puddles. My rolling suitcase was useless on this kind of street, so I had to carry it. My dad¡¯s address was 42 Oldbridge Street. I checked each house number until I found it, marked with a sign at the entrance indicating it was for rent. ¡®Who would want to rent a ce like this? Only an idiot,¡® I thought to myself as I walked in. It was a small courtyard surrounded by buildings. In the middle stood a tree, barely visible in the darkness. I knew it was a ginkgo tree, the one my dad had watched grow. ¡°Are you looking for someone or a ce to stay?¡± an elderly voice asked. I turned to see a granny with gray hair, leaning on a walking stick, scrutinizing me. ¡°I¡­ I want to rent a room,¡± I said, pointing to the easternmost room. ¡°That one.¡± My dad had told me this courtyard had three bedrooms. The main hall in the middle was for guests and daily activities, the kitchen was on the west side, and the bedrooms were on the east. When my parents left, they sold the property. It had since been renovated, and the old traces were gone, but I wanted to stay in the room where my pare ¡°That room is upied. You can stay in this one,¡± the olddy said, pointing to the adjoining room. I didn¡¯t respond, still wanting the easternmost room. Sensing my hesitation, the olddy exined, ¡°That room is old. This one is newer and better for a young girl like you. Let me show you. By the way, I¡¯m Macy Matchley. You can just call me Macy.¡± ¡°Keira Kay.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Macy then led me to the room, and inside, it was clean, with fresh white walls and tidy bedding. ¡°It looks nice, but I still want that room,¡± I insisted, my stubborn streak showing. Macy sighed. ¡°You can wait for the tenant toe back and see if he¡¯s willing to switch with you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± I agreed. Even if I couldn¡¯t snag that exact room, I was dead set on staying here, all because of that ginkgo tree. I handed some cash to Macy, grabbed the hot water she¡¯d boiled to make tea, and made my way back to my room. Just as I was about to get cozy, my phone buzzed. I figured it was Lena checking up on my digs, but I froze when I saw the caller ID. Someone I hadn¡¯t talked to in forever was calling me¨Con a number that had been silent for ten years. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Chapter 30 ¡°Hey Cutie Pie.¡± The voice on the other end was husky and familiar, yet distant. A familiar face popped into my mind, and I blurted out, ¡°Wayne!¡± I had hoped that changing my number would keep me off the Johnston family¡¯s radar, but I never expected Wayne to find this number and actually call me. ¡°Looks like you kept my number and didn¡¯t forget about me,¡± Wayne¡¯s voice had that teasing edge. He was only two years older than Jace. Before he left for abroad, he used to look out for me a lot and loved calling me Cutie Pie. For a moment, I had no idea how to respond. His words sounded almost like he wasining. In the first couple of years after he left, I¡¯d sometimes reach out, just to see how he was doing. But eventually, we lost touch. Wayne was never the type to keep in contact. He barely talked to his family, so it was no surprise he didn¡¯t stay in touch with me. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Now, out of the blue, he was calling me. I knew it had to be about my canceled wedding with Jace. Even if Wayne rarely spoke to his family, they always shared important news. ¡°How¡¯d you get this number?¡± I asked straight out. I hated ying guessing games. ¡°You asked me for money to top up your phone credit back then.¡± Wayne¡¯s response made me admire him. No wonder he was a top student. He remembered my number for ten years after topping up my credit just once. After my parents¡® ident, my dad¡¯s phone became my cherished keepsake. One day, I found the number suspended due to unpaid bills, so I needed to At the time, I had no money and felt too embarrassed to ask Lindey and Matthew, so I turned to Wayne. He questioned me about why I needed the money, thinking I might use it for something else. When I exined, he still didn¡¯t believe me and went with me to the payment center. Eventually, he paid for the recharge and remembered the number. I had forgotten to repay him, so when I saw his call now, I joked, ¡°Are you calling to collect the debt?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± he admitted. I knew he wasn¡¯t serious but yed along. ¡°I can transfer the money to you right-¡± ¡°Rea.¡± Wayne cut me off. My grip on the phone tightened, but I said nothing. Wayne stayed silent for a moment too. After a brief pause, his calm voice broke the silence. My parents are freaking out about you. They can¡¯t find you, and my mom¡­ she fainted from the stress.¡± My heart sank. I knew they¡¯d be worried, but I hadn¡¯t expected it to be this bad. Guilt and concern weighed heavy in my chest. ¡°Is Lindey okay?¡± ¡°She¡¯s hanging in there, just a spike in blood pressure from all the stress,¡± Wayne reassured me before hesitating. ¡°Rea, did Jace mess up?¡± It seemed like I couldn¡¯t dodge this question. I knew I¡¯d have to exin it over and over once people knew about it. Just the thought gave me a headache. I rubbed my temples. ¡°Didn¡¯t you talk to him? Maybe you should ask him first?¡± ¡°I did. He said he has no clue,¡± Wayne replied, almost making me want tough. ¡°Did he also mention how unreasonable and overreacting I am?¡± I asked, my smile tinged with bitterness. Wayne didn¡¯t answer directly but instead said, ¡°You loved him so much, you were determined to marry him. If you suddenly changed your mind, he must have done something to hurt you, right?¡± His words pricked at my heart, a dull ache settling in. Despite being abroad for years, Wayne seemed to understand my feelings for Jace better than Len We had shared meals and lived under the same roof. Wayne had witnessed firsthand the little gestures of my love for Jace- the candies I left out for him, the chicken wings I saved, the hidden slices of watermelon, and the secret diary entries I wrote¡­ Chapter 31 I hadn¡¯t really thought about any of this until Wayne¡¯s words brought those memories flooding back, like an old movie reel ying In my head. ¡°What did he do? Can you tell me?¡± Wayne asked softly when I didn¡¯t say anything. If I didn¡¯t exin, they¡¯d be confused. Jace would think I was just being dramatic, and when I got back, Matthew and Lindey would totally grill me about it too. The easiest thing was to spill it now, so I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with all the questionster. ¡°He cheated on me,¡± I said, making Wayne go silent on the other end. Knowing he wouldn¡¯t believe it, I added, ¡°It was his close friend¡¯s wife. Even your parents know about their affair.¡± Wayne didn¡¯t say anything. I smiled. ¡°You know it¡¯s true, don¡¯t you?¡± No secret stayed hidden forever. Jace and I didn¡¯t even get our marriage certificate. Matthew and Lindey would definitely ask questions and find out, and ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Jace loved you so much. Maybe there¡¯s some misunderstanding.¡± Wayne said, still holding onto his belief in Jace¡¯s love for me. It wasn¡¯t surprising. Back then, Jace always called me his fianc¨¦e and made sure no other too close. If Wayne and I even got a little friendly, Jace would ¡°Wayne, people change,¡± I said. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. guys got Suddenly, heavy footsteps echoed outside the door. I nced up just in time to see a rugged figure pass by the window. Macy¡¯s voice carried from the yard. ¡°Hayden, you¡¯re back, It had to be the guy I wanted to swap rooms with. Macy¡¯s question confirmed it, she must have already asked him for me. His response was loud and clear: ¡°No.¡± The walls were so thin I could hear everything, and Wayne heard it too. ¡°Rea, where are you? It¡¯ste, and it¡¯s not safe to be out.¡± Wayne¡¯s concern snapped me back to our conversation. ¡°Tell your parents I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just taking a few vacation days to have some fun. Even though Ja ¡°And what about me?¡± Wayne asked, chuckling. I smiled, catching my reflection in the window. ¡°You¡¯ll always be like a brother to me. ¡°Take care of yourself,¡± Wayne sald. ¡°Sure, let me know when you¡¯re back,¡± I replied casually. To my surprise, he said, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want me toe back.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I was puzzled. ¡°It¡¯ste, get some rest,¡± Wayne said before hanging up. I sighed, setting my phone down. Just then, I heard the sound of running water outside. ¡°Hayden, why are you washing your hair with cold water again? You¡¯ll catch a cold,¡± Macy scolded. Remembering how stubborn he was earlier, I got up and opened the door. Under the dim light of the yard, there he was, washing his hair in an army¨C green tank top. Water sshed as he quickly scrubbed his hair with his defined fingers, moving efficiently and swiftly. When he turned off the tap, he stood up. He had broad shoulders, chiseled muscles, a narrow waist, and long legs. A brown belt cinched his waist, entuating his rugged, powerful look. I was captivated until he suddenly turned around. Our eyes locked, his gaze darkening with intensity while I stood frozen. It was him¨Cthe taxi driver I thought looked like he had just been released from prison. COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus Chapter 32 ¡°Hayden, this is the girl I mentioned who wants to switch rooms. Can you two discuss it?¡± Macy¡¯s voice cut through the staring contest between Hayden I stepped forward. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Keira Kay. Would you mind switching rooms with me?¡± ¡°Hayden Hart, and no.¡± He dismissed me as fast as he¡¯d washed his hair earlier. My lips twitched in irritation, my stubborn side kicking in. ¡°Why not?¡± Hayden nced at me but didn¡¯t answer. He just slung an army¨Cgreen towel over his shoulder and walked past me, sending a chill through me. Macy came over. ¡°Hey, Keira. Don¡¯t be upset. Hayden isn¡¯t good at sweet¨Ctalking girls. I¡¯ll talk to himter.¡± My temper red, and I raised my voice on purpose. ¡°No need. It¡¯s just a room. Whoever wants it can have it.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. cy pulled me aside. ¡°Don¡¯t be so harsh. He¡¯s an ex¨Csoldier. If you push him too far, he might carry you out and toss you outside.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh at myself. How could I mistake an ex¨Csoldier for a freshly released inmate? ¡°I¡¯m serious, Keira. I¡¯m not making this up. The widow across the street, Molly Ruth, kept banging his door until he finally wrapped her up in a sheet and ¡°Huh? Another widow?¡¯ Weird how I keep running into them. ¡°Seriously? Did she make it into his bed?¡± I asked, curious. ¡°She tried, but she didn¡¯t get that far. He tossed her out before she could. It was quite the show,¡± Macy said, clicking her tongue. I smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not into guys who attract widows.¡± Just as I said that, Hayden showed up, now wearing a ck T¨Cshirt and a ck leather jacket. He looked tough. ¡°Hayden, heading out thiste?¡± Macy asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied curtly. ¡°Don¡¯t stay out toote. I have to lock up, and it wouldn¡¯t be good if a thief got in¡­¡± Her words trailed off as Hayden disappeared. As I turned to head back to my room, Macy added, ¡°Hayden¡¯s a good guy, really upright. Any girl who ends up with him is lucky.¡± Lucky or unlucky, it had nothing to do with me. My heart wasn¡¯t shattered, but it felt pretty beat up from past heartbreak, ¡°Keira,¡± Macy called as I was about to enter my room I turned around. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Hayden never locks his door when he goes out. Want me to show you around his room? If you like it, I can talk to him again tomorrow.¡± She seemed determined to help. I smiled. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be right.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with it. We¡¯re not taking anything, and he doesn¡¯t bring any girls here. It¡¯s fine,¡± she insisted, already making her way to Hayden¡¯s room. ¡°No, thank you,¡± I declined. ¡°I don¡¯t want to switch anymore. I like my room as it is.¡± She stopped, and I gave her a warm, grateful smile. Thanks. You should get some rest too.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± she muttered as I closed my door. Actually, I couldn¡¯t sleep either. Even though today had been more eventful than the past decade, I should have been exhausted and eager for rest. Chapter 33 But lying on that hard bed, my mind was a chaotic mess, with no trace of sleepiness. Eventually, I picked up my phone and opened my messaging app. There were messages from Demi and Gavin. Demi: [Keira, today was insanely busy, but I finished all the tasks you assigned. Remember to give me some drag¨¦es as a reward tomorrow. Congrats o I smirked at the message and didn¡¯t respond. Gavin: [Ms. Kay, please don¡¯t take this the wrong way about Mr. Johnston. It¡¯s super important you guys don¡¯t have any issues, or it¡¯ll all be my fault.] I didn¡¯t bother replying. Instead, I opened my social media, found a selfie of my shadow at an amusement park, and posted it with the caption: [Happy vacation!] Afterwards, I purged my profile of anything rted to Jace¨Ca ssic move after a breakup. Since we weren¡¯t a thing anymore, it was best to clear out anything about us to avoid any bitterness and self¨Cpity. By the time I finished, it was 3 a.m., my eyes strained. I tossed my phone aside and closed them. Then, I heard footsteps outside, passing my door and fading as a door opened and closed nearby. I knew it was Haydening back. Despite going to bedte, I woke up early due to the noise outside, which made it impossible to sleep. My eyelids felt heavy, and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to open them, so despite being awake, I remained in bed. ¡°Hayden, could youe back earlier tonight? I¡¯d like to invite you and Keira for dinner,¡± Macy¡¯s words brought a smile to my face even in my drowsy sta She was truly enthusiastic, even wanting to invite us to dinner. But it felt nice, giving me a sense of being home. ¡°I won¡¯t be back. You two go ahead.¡± Hayden¡¯s voice was as gruff as his demeanor. ¡®Boring. If girls were into guys like him, they must have a masochistic streak,¡¯ I grumbled inwardly. After two encounters, he had managed to hit all my pe Shortly after Hayden left, I rolled out of bed, still in my pajamas. Lazily, I pushed open the door. The courtyard was bathed in sunlight filtering through the ¡°You¡¯re up. I just cooked some sweet potatoes. Want some?¡± Macy held out a bowl. I loved simple, homey food and didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Sure ¡°Come over and eat then,¡± she said, already seated at the table under the ginkgo tree. In that moment, I felt like I was seeing my parents and my childhood life. My eyes suddenly grew red. ¡°Macy, I was actually born here,¡± I said as I ate, sharing my parents¡® story and mine. Macy nodded vigorously, visibly excited. ¡°You¡¯re n¡¯s child? What are the odds! Why didn¡¯t you say so yesterday?¡± I felt a wave of emotion. ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d have other thoughts and wouldn¡¯t let me stay, or worse, you¡¯d kick me out.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°What nonsense. I bought this house from your parents fair and square. I¡¯m not worried about anything.¡± Macy looked at my face. ¡°You take after your m My memory of my mom was blurry, but I knew she was indeed beautiful. ¡°You¡¯re here alone, so you must be single. How about I set you Macy¡¯s words made me choke. up with Hayden?¡± COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus Chapter 34 I didn¡¯t expect Macy to y matchmaker for me. Hayden¡¯s cold, indifferent face shed in my mind. Recalling his direct and emotionless refusal to switch I agreed, but it was just a casual remark; I didn¡¯t take it seriously. After breakfast, I borrowed a bicycle from Macy and spent the day riding around Chiverton. When I returned to the rented house, it was already evening, and I had a sketchbook in addition to what I had left with in the morning. I loved drawing. Before my parents passed away, they had enrolled me in dance sses, drawing sses, and even harp lessons. These all ended whe Today, besides exploring, Ipleted a drawing of the current Chiverton. My parents had always wanted toe back and see the ce, but since they ¡°Keira, why are you just getting back?¡± Macy came over as soon as she saw me, then gave me a knowing look. I was a bit puzzled. ¡°Macy¡­¡± ¡°Hayden is back. I already talked to him,¡± she said, modding toward Hayden¡¯s room.. I remembered her matchmaking n from the morning and chuckled. ¡°You actually told him? I was just kidding.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t joke about such things,¡± she replied seriously. ¡°Anyway, I told him.¡± ¡°And what did he say?¡± I asked casually as I parked the bike. ¡°He said he wants to talk to you in person,¡± Macy said, nudging me with a smile full of anticipation.¡± There¡¯s a chance.¡± Iughed too. ¡°If it works out, I¡¯ll treat you to a wedding feast.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± she replied earnestly. ¡°Now go freshen up. I¡¯ll tell Hayden to get ready too.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. It¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t seen each other before,¡± I said, thinking about how we had both seen each other in our most unguarded ¡°That¡¯s different. This is a formal meeting,¡± she insisted, making meugh even more. I had to admit, I was genuinely happy here. Being able to wander freely, sketch as I wished, and speak my mind made me feel truly free. Despite Macy¡¯s Insistence, I went to my room and flopped onto the bed without freshening up. I pulled out my phone, which had been buzzing with notifi My heart sank when I saw that Demi was the one who had sent me messages. I had been hoping for a message from Jace. Not that I wanted an apology or reconciliation, but He didn¡¯t even care where I was after I vanished without Even if he only saw me as a family member or a colleague, with no romantic feelings, shouldn¡¯t he be worried enough to ask? Like Wayne, who had called me from another country after hearing the news. But Jace hadn¡¯t. I opened Demi¡¯s messages¨Cthere were several. Demi: [Keira, is it true you didn¡¯t get the marriage license with Mr. Johnston? What happened?] Demi: [People at thepany are saying Mr. Johnston was cheating on you. Was it the woman he was hugging that day?] Demi: [Keira, where are you?] Demi: [Did you run away? Don¡¯t do anything rash. There are plenty of men out there.] Demi: [Keira, please respond. I¡¯m really worried about you.] Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Seeing her flurry of messages and the crying emoji at the end, I decided to reply: [Don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t overthink or specte. Just focus on work. I¡¯ll be back soon.] Demi replied instantly: [What happened with you and Mr. Johnston?] I responded with two words: [Don¡¯t worry.] As Demi¡¯s status showed she was typing, Macy called from outside, ¡°Keira, are you ready?¡± Chapter 35 Hearing Macy call, I tossed my phone aside and yelled, ¡°Coming!¡± Kicking off my shoes, I slid into my slippers and opened the door. The first thing I saw was Hayden filling up a bunch of white buckets in the courtyard. He hoisted the full buckets, his shoulder muscles showing even through his shirt. Talk about strength. ¡°Why are you getting so much water? Is there a water outage or something?¡± I asked as I walked over. Macy nced at my slippers and discreetly rolled her eyes. Hayden stayed quiet, so she answered for him, ¡°Just in case.¡± Then she patted Hayden. ¡°I¡¯m making fish chowder tonight. You two go buy some fish¨Cwild¨C caught if you can. Also, get sometro, garlic sprouts, potatoes, and ms.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. It was obvious she just wanted to get us out of the house to talk. I knew my slippers weren¡¯t the best choice, but going back to change felt awkward. ¡°Go change your shoes,¡± Hayden said. Now it would be even more embarrassing, so I forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Hayden didn¡¯t argue. He just started walking, and Macy gestured for me to follow, calling after him, Hayden, wait for Keira.¡± I shuffled out the door in my slippers. They might not be the best, but they werefortable. After a few steps, Hayden stopped abruptly. ¡°I heard you want to date me?¡± I froze. ¡®Did Macy phrase it like that? This guy¡¯s blunt. ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to date?¡± I asked, taking a moment to really look at him. His features were sharp and defined, with deep¨Cset eyes; his lips were just right, not too thin or too thick. Macy was right; his face was more striking than Jace¡¯s, except for his slightly tanned¨Cskin. We were told not to judge a book by its cover, but who didn¡¯t check out someone¡¯s face first when meeting them? You couldn¡¯t exactly strip them down to I¡¯m thirty¨Cone. Served eight years in the army, now I He started to introduce himself but got interrupted. ¡°Hayden!¡± A teenage boy, probably seventeen or eighteen, called out, whistling and checking me out. ¡°Is that taxi yours?¡± I asked after the boy wandered off. ¡°No, it¡¯s a friend¡¯s,¡± he said, exining that he worked with a buddy driving the taxi. ¡°Ever been with a widow?¡± I asked, cutting to the chase. Hayden¡¯s eyes darkened a bit. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Think you will in the future?¡± I asked, feeling my own scars and insecurities. I was sensitive and fragile, though no one could tell. ¡°No,¡± he answered sinctly. I smiled a bit. ¡°I¡¯m twenty¨C four. Just got out of a rtionship that almost ended in marriage. My parents are both gone, and I¡¯m not looking to date right now.¡± Iid it all out. Macy¡¯s idea of trying things out with Hayden was just me being impulsive. I wasn¡¯t ready for another rtionship, especially not a setup with a stranger. Hayden looked down but didn¡¯t say anything. I figured he got it, so I turned to leave. ¡°Then how about getting married?¡± His words froze me in ce. I stared at him, stunned. Hayden straightened up and met my eyes. ¡°How about a marriage license?¡± he repeated. COIN BUNDLE: got more free bonus Chapter 36 I never thought in my wildest dreams that a guy I¡¯d only met twice would want to marry me. Meanwhile, the guy I¡¯d loved for ten years was secretly seein After a moment of shock, I smiled at Hayden. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit too sudden?¡± Hayden stayed serious. ¡°Isn¡¯t dating supposed to lead to marriage? Since you don¡¯t want to date, let¡¯s just get married.¡± ¡®He has a point. But seriously, who casually suggests marriage to someone they barely know? This might work in fiction, but this was real life. I raised an eyebrow, smirking. ¡°Do you propose this quickly to every girl you meet?¡± The setting sun cast long shadows, and Hayden¡¯s shadow wrapped around me. ¡°You¡¯re the first.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. A tickle of difort rose in my throat. ¡°We¡­ don¡¯t know each other well.¡± Hayden didn¡¯t say anything more, and we stood there in silence. Heat crept over my skin, and even my nose started to sweat. As I nervously scratched at the wall behind me, trying toe up with something to say, Hayden broke the silence. ¡°I¡¯m heading out to buy the fish.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t eattro.¡± I blurted out without thinking. Hayden just nodded and walked away. Watching him walk away, I couldn¡¯t help but notice his tall, straight posture. At over six feet, he gave off this vibe of security under the evening sun. A bold thought suddenly crossed my mind. Maybe a marriage with someone like him wouldn¡¯t be so bad. After all, he had been a soldier, a guy tested by the nation, probably tough enough to handle anything life threw at him. When I got back to the rented ce, Macy was nowhere to be found. Otherwise, she would¡¯ve cornered me with questions or tried to sell me on Hayden I pushed open the door to my room, and my phone buzzed on the bed. It was a call from Lena. ¡°How was the first day of your trip? Any fun or new discoveries?¡± Lena¡¯s voice sounded tired. She wasn¡¯t called a medical prodigy for nothing, often spen Iy on the bed, thinking back over the day¡¯s events. Finally, I replied to Lena, ¡°Does a romantic encounter count as a discovery?¡± ¡°What? That sounds exciting!¡± Lena¡¯s voice instantly perked up like she¡¯d just had a shot of espresso. I chuckled and told her about Hayden. Lena sighed, ¡°Rea, when one door closes, another one opens.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t even met him. How can you be sure it¡¯s a door? Besides, I¡¯m not in the right time for this,¡± I said, feeling a cold draft pass through my chest ¡°A guy who wants to marry you right away can only mean one thing: he fell for you at first sight,¡± Lena said like she knew it all. I snorted. ¡°Why not just say he finds me attractive?¡± I was confident in my looks, having won a beauty pageant. ¡°You said he was a soldier. Trust the nation,¡± Lena¡¯s logic matched mine. I didn¡¯t respond, so Lena kept going. ¡°I was worried you¡¯d be lonely on this trip, but with this romantic twist, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get over Jace¡¯s betrayal soon enough.¡± Just hearing Jace¡¯s name made me feel a mix of resentment and suffocation. I didn¡¯t feel like this yesterday. Now, the feeling made me a bit nauseous, like I might need to run to the bathroom. For some reason, whenever I was nervous, upset, or unsettled, my stomach acted up. ¡°Rea, if I were you, I¡¯d marry the soldier, bring him to meet the Johnstons, and show that jerk what he¡¯s missing. It¡¯d save you the trouble of dealing with Chapter 37 I nodded slightly. ¡°That¡¯s a good suggestion. I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Seriously consider it,¡± Lena said, pausing for a moment. ¡°Rea, the best way to get over someone and a past rtionship is to start a new one quickly.¡± ¡°Alright, love guru, I get it,¡± I replied, hanging up the phone and flopping onto my bed, staring nkly at the ceiling. I heard Hayden¡¯s footsteps outside. I recognized them instantly¨Csteady and strong. Soon, I heard the faucet running and Macy mumbling, ¡°Why are you alone? Where¡¯s Keira?¡± I didn¡¯t catch Hayden¡¯s response, but he did say, ¡°Don¡¯t addtro to the fish chowder.¡± Hearing this, Iughed. But as Iughed, tears started to fall. In these years with the Johnston family, I had been eatingtro, though I never ate it when I was with my parente There¡¯s a saying, ¡°When in Rome, do as the Romans do.¡± Although I moved into the Johnston residence as Jace¡¯s fianc¨¦e, and Lindey said I was like he Johnston. In a lot of small ways, I madepromises to avoid seeming demanding or spoiled. For example, I forced myself to eattro, even though I hated it. I fell asleep before Macy called me for chowder. And I had a dream¨Ca dream where Hayden and I were getting our marriage certificate, and just as we were about to sign, I woke up. ¡°Were you not able to talk things out with Hayden?¡± Macy asked me at the dinner table. Thinking about my interrupted dream, I grunted, ¡°We were about to get the certificate, but¡­ you woke me up, and we didn¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Macy looked confused. ¡°You two were getting the marriage certificate? So soon? Shouldn¡¯t you date a little longer first?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I was speechless. ¡°Kelra, you¡¯ve got good taste. If you miss out on Hayden, you¡¯ll regret it. If I were fifty years younger, I¡¯d chase after him myself.¡± ¡°Pfft-¡°I couldn¡¯t help butugh at acy. ¡°Don¡¯tugh, I¡¯m serious. If you don¡¯t act quickly, Molly will.¡± Macy grumbled. It was just Macy and me at the table, so I asked, ¡°Macy, where¡¯s Hayden?¡± with friends.¡± C +15 BONUS I scooped some chowder with a spoon, savoring its delicious taste. ¡°Isn¡¯t he on call today? Why is he drinking?¡± ¡°He only helps friends drive asionally. It¡¯s not like he does it all the time,¡± Macy said, looking at me intently. ¡°Are you really getting the certificate?¡± ¡°No, I meant I dreamed about getting it.¡± My exnation made Macy roll her eyes at me. I didn¡¯t see Hayden the whole evening, but just as I was lying down, I heard hime back and Macy saying, ¡°Lock the door, there¡¯s a girl in the house.¡± ¡°It¡¯s locked, you can sleep now!¡± Hayden¡¯s voice, soft and soothing in the night, drifted over. I smiled to myself, but then I heard Macy say, ¡°Hayden, you better hurry up. Keira said she dreams about getting married to you.¡± Thud! I shot up in bed. ¡°When did I ever say that?¡® Macy really needed to watch her mouth, spreading all kinds of stuff. ¡®Great, now I really can¡¯t face him.¡® As I fumed silently, I heard Hayden reply, ¡°I know, I¡¯ll hurry.¡± I waspletely speechless. COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus Chapter 38 That night, I slept like a rock until some noise outside yanked me awake. It wasn¡¯t Hayden talking, but some woman with a local ent. From the sound of it, she wasn¡¯t young. Younger women usually have soft, clear voices, while older women¡¯s voices are heavier and rougher. I had a knack for recognizing people by their voices, yet I couldn¡¯t tell that the man I had loved for ten years was actually a jerk. They say you only truly forget someone when you stop thinking about them all the time. Clearly, I wasn¡¯t there yet. I still found myself thinking about Jace I stayed in bed, straining to hear the conversation outside. ¡°Macy, where¡¯s Hayden?¡± the woman asked.. ¡°He left early this morning,¡± Macy replied, the sound of running water in the background. ¡°He left, huh? I thought he was still asleep,¡± the womanughed lightly. ¡°Molly, why do you care if Hayden¡¯s up or not? He doesn¡¯t like you, so stop wasting your time,¡± Macy shot back, no sugar¨Ccoating. Most people couldn¡¯t handle that kind of bluntness, but Molly, standing outside the door, didn¡¯t even flinch. She chuckled. ¡°What do you know? Guys like I snickered. Molly seemed pretty confident. ¡°Well, all I know is that he tossed you out like yesterday¡¯s trash,¡± Macy¡¯s sharp tongue didn¡¯t let up. ¡°Ugh, what do you even know, you old hag?¡± Molly shot back, clearly annoyed. ¡°I know about self¨Crespect and dignity,¡± Macy replied, earning my silent cheers. ¡°We¡¯re neighbors. I¡¯ve helped you a ton. If you can¡¯t help me, at least don¡¯t make things worse,¡± Molly tried to guilt¨Ctrip her. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Macy wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve helped, but not out of kindness. You just wanted to see Hayden. more.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± I stifled augh under the covers. Macy¡¯s sharp wit was something to admire. ¡°Alright, enough of that. I heard you took in a pretty girl?¡± Molly asked, her curiosity piqued. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s got smooth, soft skin, Most importantly, she¡¯s single and hasn¡¯t married before. Even I find her delightful.¡± Macy¡¯s praise made me instinctively touch my skin. Indeed, it was smooth and soft. ¡°Is that so? I¡¯d like to see her. Where is she?¡± As Molly spoke, I sat up. It seemed she was here because she was worried I might steal Hayden¡¯s attention, I slipped my feet, polished toenails and all, into my slippers. My silk nightgown was a creamy color, with straps so thin they looked ready to snap any sec Combined with my freshly woken, tousled hair, I exuded a sultry charm. I opened the door, yawning as I stepped out. ¡°Macy, your ce has the worst soundproofing. I get woken up every day.¡± As I said this, Molly was already staring at me, her eyes wide with surprise and envy, then jealousy and admiration. Macy nced at me. ¡°Not much I can do. It¡¯s a small ce. I¡¯ll close the door next time to keep out any unwanted guests.¡± I chuckled to myself. ¡°Thanks.¡± I reached for my toothbrush and toothpaste on the sink rack. Next to mine was a military green toothbrush holder¨Cdefinitely Hayden¡¯s. Mine was pink, his was green. His was bigger, mine was smaller. They actually looked pretty cute together. ? Chapter 39 I grabbed my toothbrush and a cup, filled it with water, Molly the whole time, but she didn¡¯t take her eyes off me. She checked me out from head to toe. I started brushing my teeth. I didn¡¯t look at ¡°Keira, this is Molly Ruth,¡± Macy said, introducing us. ¡°Molly, meet Keira Kay.¡± With my mouth full of toothpaste, I nodded at Molly. She had a round face but wasn¡¯t overweight. She wore a floral dress and had clearly put effort into her makeup. ¡°Molly¡®, she¡¯s the one you wanted to meet. Didn¡¯t I tell you? Look how pretty she is,¡± Macy said, scrubbing some clothes by hand. When Molly and I locked eyes, I caught a flicker of insecurity in her gaze, but she wouldn¡¯t show it. She¡¯s younger, of course she¡¯s pretty. I wasn¡¯t bad at her age either.¡± Macy sneered, and Molly rolled her eyes. Their silent feud felt like I was watching aedy. I As I finished brushing my teeth, Molly spoke up, ¡°Keira, are you visiting rtives here or just traveling?¡± I Traveling,¡± I said, turning on the tap to rinse my toothbrush and cup. ¡°Did youe alone? No boyfriend tagging along?¡± Molly¡¯s question made meugh. ¡°I¡¯m single!¡± I said, watching her face twist in annoyance. *Hayden¡¯s totally into her. He even asked me to set them up. Molly, don¡¯t you think they¡¯d make a cute couple?¡± Macy added, trying to be helpful. Molly¡¯s lips twitched before she snapped, ¡°He can dream all he wants, but she¡¯s out of his league. She¡¯s gotta like him back first.¡± Even in her jealousy, she admitted I was out of Hayden¡¯s league. Macy turned to me. ¡°Keira, isn¡¯t he the one you said you dreamed of marrying?¡± I hesitated. ¡°Yeah.¡± Molly was left speechless, ring at me with frustration before saying, ¡°Miss Kay, let me make it clear, Hayden is my man. Don¡¯t get any ideas.¡± I brushed a lock of hair from my face. ¡°What? Have you slept with him?¡± Molly¡¯s face went bright red, just like when Macy said Hayden tossed her out.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°If you haven¡¯t slept together, aren¡¯t dating, and aren¡¯t married, then what happens between him and me is none of your business,¡± I said, not holding ba Molly couldn¡¯t respond. She just red at me for a moment before shooting Macy a dirty look and leaving. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone so shameless. She¡¯s a disgrace to women,¡± Macy said, clicking her tongue as she wrung out clothes to hang. ¡°Macy, let me help you,¡± I offered. We hung the clothes on a thin wire in the yard. I hadn¡¯t noticed before, but now I saw Hayden¡¯s green tank top among the drying clothes. I couldn¡¯t help but picture him wearing that tank top, muscles flexing as he washed his hair. My face felt hot for some reason. I didn¡¯t see Hayden that day, or the next. When I asked Macy, she told me he¡¯de back and then left again. I had a hunch he was avoiding me on purpose. ¡®Is my rejection that big of a deal to him?¡± But why should I care? I didn¡¯t let it bother me. After three days, I was getting the hang of life on Oldbridge Street, really digging the busy afternoon farmers¡® market packed with Even if I didn¡¯t need anything, I¡¯d take a walk, sometimes grabbing some fruit or veggies. Today, the watermelons at the market looked awesome, so I bought one. Just as I was nearing the house, I suddenly slipped and felt a sharp pain in my ankle. My body tilted to t COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus Chapter 40 GET IT I looked up and saw Hayden¡¯s rugged, chiseled face. Not only did he catch me, but he also snagged the watermelon from my hand. This surreal scene, straight out of a TV drama, was actually happening to me. He steadied me and let go, but the second I moved, pain shot through my ankle. Grabbing his arm, I said, ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Following my gaze, he saw my ankle already turning red. ¡°It¡¯s sprained?¡± Hayden was really close, his deep voice sounding especially sexy andforting. I nodded, and the next second, he handed me the watermelon and scooped me up in his arms. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. In all the years I was with Jace, he never held me like this. Hayden carrying my heart race, and even my nose started to sweat. That was my thing; whenever I got nervous or excited, my nose would sweat. e like his princess made Theard gasps around us¨Cit was the neighbors and passersby. In a small town like this, such behavior between a guy and a girl wasn¡¯tmon. Hayden seemed unfazed by the onlookers, carrying me briskly into the yard. As we entered, I saw Molly, holding a spat, looking at me with resentful e ¡°Wow, you¡¯re carrying her in your arms! You two are moving fast,¡± Macy teased, her eyes gleam¡­g. ¡°She¡¯s hurt,¡± Hayden said as he set me down on a bench in the yard. He crouched down and took off my slipper, holding my foot. His hands were cool, and as his palm enveloped my foot, a strange sensation spread from my sole, making my toes curl instinctively. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Hayden said, holding my swollen ankle. ¡°Ouch, that hurts¡­¡± I whimpered. But he didn¡¯t let go. He pressed on my ankle bone and asked, ¡°Does it hurt here?¡± I shook my head. He pressed around some more and then said, ¡°Looks like a muscle strain, not a bone injury. ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± I blurted out. Hayden shot me a sidelong nce, and Macy jumped in, ¡°Because he was in the army. He knows everything.¡± ¡®Does being in the army turn someone into a jack¨Cof¨Call¨Ctrades? I wondered. But Hayden had already stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll get some ointment.¡± With quick strides, he walked off. That¡¯s when I noticed his ck fitted T¨Cshirt and dark blue cargo pants, looking straight out of Mission Impossible. ¡°How¡¯d you twist your ankle?¡± Macy asked, jumping at the chance to find out. I pointed outside. There seemed to be something on the road, and I slipped.¡± ¡°Where exactly?¡± Macy pressed. ¡°Right past Molly¡¯s ce,¡± I replied. As soon as I finished, Macy was already heading out. Hayden came back with some pain relief ointment. He knelt down beside me, putting my foot on his knee. I knew what he was about to do. ¡°I can handle it myself,¡± I said quickly. He gave me a look. ¡°It needs to be massaged in to work. You don¡¯t have the strength.¡± With that, he rubbed the ointment between his palms and started working it into my swollen ankle. The pain mixed with a faint numbness, spreading from where he was rubbing.