Ch. 341..350

Chapter 341

"This is good," I said, feeling grateful toward Nate-I hadn't expected him to be so all-in.

Considering his status as a professor, just having him personally perform But now, he was also fully focused on finding the right heart donor.

I knew this extra effort had everything to do with Leno

"Any word on when the new donor heart will arrive?" I asked again.

Hayden dropped his gaze. "Still no idea."

the surgery was a huge deal.

I glanced down the cold, sterile hospital corridor. "So, What's Prof. Neumann suggesting? Should we stick around or go home and rest?"

"Let's head back for now," Hayden said, his voice soft. "Yuna's barely left home because of her health. She's never even been to Seavora thinking I'd take her out, let her see the city for a bit."

That made sense. Yuna hadn't experienced much beyond her little world. She hadn't even tried coffee or milk tea before. Everything she knew about the outside came from books, but she'd never actually lived it. "Yeah, I think that's a great idea," I nodded.

But I couldn't shake what I overheard at the staircase earlier. So I decided to test the waters. "But if you spend all this time with her, isn't it going to be hard to keep up with stuff at the company?"

He didn't respond, so I sighed and added, "If only you were the boss. Then you could just ditch work and focus on family."

Still, silence. I bit back a smirk. I bet he was feeling guilty.

Hayden had always said he wouldn't lie to me, and I believed him. But when it came to this, I couldn't figure out why he was pretending to be broke-why he was hiding the truth.

Was there something deeper going on?

Or did he just not trust me?

"Hayden," I said suddenly, the question popping out before I could stop myself. "Why do you think some people pretend to be poor?"

His eyes narrowed a little, but still no answer.

I let out a dry laugh, mocking the whole situation. "You know, in books and TV shows, when a guy hides. his wealth, it's usually because he doesn't trust the girl. He's testing to see if she's only in it for the money." I kept my gaze locked on Hayden, waiting for some reaction. But he didn't flinch. He met my eyes, completely unfazed.

But I knew what I'd overheard.

"Everyone has their reasons for doing things. If someone's hiding something, they must have their reasons, Hayden finally said under my stare.

A wave of bitterness hit me. "Oh, they must have their reasons, huh?" I shot back. "Seems to me like it's

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just a lack of trust"

His expression froze, like he wasn't expecting me to call him out so directly. But even then, he wouldn't come clean. It felt pointless to keep pushing. "Kiki..." he started.

"I'm going to find Lena," I cut him off, handing over the cup I'd been holding. I pulled the keys from my pocket and dangled them in front of him. "I'm giving her keys back."

He let out a quiet "Hmm," as I turned and walked away, my steps steady, even though inside I was still fuming.

Why had Hayden lied? Was he seriously afraid to reveal his wealth? Did he think I was with him for money?

If that was the case, the Johnston family fortune was no less than his.

T

Even though Jace and I were ove, if money was my goal, I could've just gone for Wayne, who clearly had feelings for me.

But I didn't. Hayden knew I didn't care about money. I had my own and never relied on anyone else for it.

He said there were reasons for keeping it secret. Maybe there were. But it still stung.

I made my way to Lena's office, but a nurse told me she was in surgery.

Of course she's busy.

I left the keys in her desk drawer and walked out. But instead of heading back to Yuna, I wandered the halls, Hayden's refusal to be honest still lingering in my mind.

I eventually found myself in front of Matthew's hospital room. Standing outside were two men in black suits, one of whom looked familiar.

It hit me he was one of Thorsten's bodyguards.

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I eventually found myself in front of Matthew's hospital room. Standing outside were two men in black. suits, one of whom looked familiar.

It hit me he was one of Thorsten's bodyguards.

Thorsten wasn't even trying to keep a low profile. It's like he didn't care if people thought he was straight-up mafia or something.

Since he was already there, I wasn't about to just waltz in. But going back to Yuna's room wasn't happening either, so I wandered over to the hospital's little garden.

I barely sat down on a bench when this tiny voice piped up, "Miss, will you play ball with me?"

I looked down to see a little girl, maybe three or four, staring at me with these big, puppy-dog eyes. Ugh. I wasn't really in the mood, but how was I supposed to say no?

"Sure," I said, figuring it'd be five minutes, tops. But once we started, I got all these flashbacks of playing ball with my parents when I was a kid.

"Miss, you're kinda clumsy.

"Oops, you missed again. "Miss..."

I

I was not only stuck playing, but I was getting roasted by a toddler. Awesome. But, honestly? I was kinda having a good time.

"Milly!" a voice called, snapping us out of our game.

I looked up and saw this drop-dead gorgeous woman in a strapless top and high-waisted pants, strutting

over.

"Mommy, I'm playing with this lady!" Milly said, brushing her messy hair out of her face.

"Milly, your dad's done visiting. We gotta go," her mom said.

Milly puffed out her bottom lip in full pout mode. "But I wanna play longer!"

"No, we'll be late, and your dad won't wait for us," the woman said, strutting over in seven-inch stilettos like the grass was a runway.

Watching her try to walk on soft grass in those heels made me nervous. One wrong step, and she'd be down. But nope, she totally had it under control, moving like it was no big deal. Without even glancing at me, she reached for Milly. "Come on, let's go. You're getting harder to handle every day."

"No! I just wanna play a little longer, Just a bit!" Milly whined, holding up one finger.

"Fine, stay and play, I'm leaving," her mom said, sounding super frustrated, clearly hoping to scare Milly into listening.

The whole thing was getting awkward, so I tried to help "Milly, how about you head home for now? Next

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time you're here, I'll play with you again, okay?"

Milly crossed her arms, her voice sharper than a four-year-old's should be. "Next time I won't see you. You're a stranger."

Ouch. Kid wasn't wrong. I gently patted her head. "Maybe, but who knows? If fate lets it, we might meet again."

"Come on, come on," the woman muttered, tugging at Milly's arm. Then, under her breath, she added, Didn't I tell you not to talk to strangers? What if she kidnaps you?"

I was completely speechless.

"She's not a kidnapper! She's my friend. At least she plays with me. You and Dad never do," Milly shot back, hands on her hips, totally standing her ground.

The woman's eyes flared. "You're really pushing it-"

She raised her hand, and before I could think, I stepped forward, instinctively shielding Milly. But then, a deep voice sliced through the air.

"Sasha Grey, life must be too easy f

That voice sent a chill down my spine.

if you think you can lay a hand on my daughter."

I looked up, and there he was. Thorsten. Of course.

I blinked, glancing from Milly, still in my arms, to Thorsten's gaze, then to the woman, Sasha Grey, who looked about my age. My brain was doing flips.

"Daddy!" Milly wriggled out of my arms and ran straight to him.

Thorsten scooped her up like she weighed nothing, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Don't worry, I've got you now."

The tension on Sasha's face was obvious, even under her thick layer of makeup. She quickly sashayed over to Thorsten, trying to defend herself. "Thorsten, I was just teaching her not to talk to strangers. You know how it is-kidnappers everywhere. What if something happened to her?"

She shot a sharp look my way, like it was very clear who the "stranger" was. I gave her a half-smile, feeling awkward, and started to turn to leave.

But then Thorsten, with his usual cool, said, "She's not a kidnapper." He looked at me and, with the slightest smirk, asked, "Right?"

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I knew I had to say something, but the words that came out were more offhand than thoughtful. "I might not be one now, but who knows about the future?"

Thorsten burst out laughing, and Milly, still nestled in his arms, giggled along with him.

"Daddy, this lady is nice. She played with me." Milly chimed in.

This kid definitely thought I was a rockstar.

Her mom, though? Yeah, not so much. Sasha's face darkened, and she gave me this look like she was already convinced I was Thorsten's latest fling or something,

"Well then, from now on, you can always come find this lady to play." Thorsten said, like I'd somehow become a regular in their lives.

I opened my mouth, unsure what to say. Arguing in front of Milly didn't feel right, so I just brushed it off like he was humoring her.

Then Thorsten walked up to me, still holding Milly, "Got time to play with my daughter? You can name your price."

Wait-was he seriously asking me to babysit? Did he think everyone had as much free time as he did?

Refusing him outright would've been super awkward, especially with Milly watching, so I forced a smile. You're joking, right? I'll play with her, but you don't need to pay me." Thorsten nodded, then turned to Sasha, who was standing there looking anxious. "Get her contact info. Anytime she's free, take Milly to meet her.

Sasha immediately nodded. "Of course, Thorsten. I didn't realize you knew this beautiful lady."

The jealousy dripping from her words was almost too obvious.

Thorsten didn't even acknowledge her comment, and Sasha made no move to actually get my number. It was pretty clear she wasn't taking any of thi seriously

"Alright, didn't we say we were going to have lobster today? Let's go, Daddy's taking you to eat," Thorsten said, kissing Milly again. His love for her was undeniable, and it made me think of Cole. Cole was older than me, yet here was his much younger sister-and his stepmother, who wasn't much older than us either. I couldn't imagine what it was like for him to be part of this mix.

"I want her to come too," Milly suddenly said, looking up at me.

This girl was really warming up to me fast.

Before I could even respond, Sasha, clearly flustered, jumped in. "She's busy today, sweetie. We'll see her some other time, okay?"

"No, I want her to come," Milly insisted.

'Please, don't drag me into this, I silently begged her.

I was just about to come up with an excuse to let her down easy, but Thorsten, ever the troublemaker,

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smirked and said, "Come along if you're free."

Even if I had all the free time in the world, there was no way I was going.

I jumped at the first excuse I could find. "Thank you, Mr. Drago, but I need to stay with Matthew."

Thorsten grinned like he'd expected that answer. "Well, in that case, we won't push it. Funny enough, we were just talking about you earlier."

Talking about me? What could they have been saying?

I wasn't about to ask, and Thorsten didn't explain. He just turned back to Milly, soothing her as they walked off.

Sasha followed close behind, but the way they looked together-her trailing a step behind with that uneasy look-you'd think she was walking with her father and daughter, not her partner and child. It was such a strange scene. After they left, I headed to Matthew's room.

He must've been tired from talking to Thorsten because his eyes were closed, resting.

I didn't want to disturb him, so I quiet sat beside his bed, keeping him company.

As I watched him, the silver strands....s hair caught my eye, and my mind wandered back to the man he was ten years ago, and everything he'd done for me.

Lost in thought, I suddenly heard him murmur, "Rea."

"Matthew," I whispered softly, leaning closer, but his eyes stayed shut.

He didn't respond, like he'd said my name in his sleep.

I hesitated, then cautiously called again, "Matthew..."

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Matthew didn't respond at first, and a sudden chill ran down my spine. Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Matthew... Matthew..."

He finally took a heavy, ragged breath, then slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was distant, unfocused." Rea... I almost didn't wake up just now." My heart raced. "I'm getting the doctor."

But before I could move, Matthew, weak but determined, caught my hand. "No need to panic. I'm fine. This isn't the first time-it's just sleep paralysis."

Sleep paralysis? I'd heard of it before, usually in a casual, "freaky dream" kind of way. But in his condition- severe cancer-this felt far from ordinar gut told me it was a sign something deeper was going wrong.

I wasn't a doctor, but I wasn't clueless either. And with Lena, my best friend, being a nurse, I'd picked up more than just the basics.

"Matthew, let's get the doctor to check on you anyway. I won't feel right unless we do," I insisted, my voice firm. I wasn't taking any chances.

A doctor came by, running a few routine checks, and reassured us that everything seemed fine. He explained that Matthew had slipped into a deep sleep phase, hearing me call him but unable to wake up right away. "See? Told you it was nothing." Matthew said with a soft chuckle, clearly amused by how freaked out I'd been.

But he didn't see his own face in that moment-the pale, almost ghostly look of someone who'd been right on the edge of something serious. I tried to play it off, forcing a small smile. "Better safe than sorry. You always claim you're fine, but look at you-hospital bed and all." "Growing old is like a machine needing repairs. It's just part of the deal," he said, totally unfazed.

I had to hand it to him-His positive outlook was something else. If it weren't for his attitude, he probably would've lost his mind long ago, especially dealing with Lindey's unpredictable, erratic behavior.

But even someone as strong as him had succumbed to illness. They say stress can manifest physically, and while his cancer wasn't caused by just one thing, I knew Jace's situation had been the trigger.

And I... I was part of that trigger. If it hadn't been for me, Matthew might not have gotten so worked up.

"Matthew, at your age, you've got to learn to let go. Stop worrying about everyone's business. Stop worrying about Jace," I said, my voice gentle but firm. "Whatever choices he makes-whether you or Lindey agree or not-you have to let him live his life." Matthew stayed quiet, but his silence only confirmed what I already knew: he wasn't ready to let go. For as laid-back as he could be, he was just as stubborn when it came to the people he loved.

I gently massaged his arm. "Do you believe in fate?"

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He didn't answer, but I sighed softly. "I do. What's happening with Jace and me... It's fate."

I stared off, gathering my thoughts. "You know, my parents are the perfect example.

"They were orphans who worked hard, built a family, and turned their lives around.

*Just when things were finally looking up, they died in that accident. That was their fate."

They never got to enjoy the life they built. Fate didn't give them the chance to live out their days surrounded by the love they'd fought so hard for.

Matthew listened, but his face held a hint of resistance, like he didn't quite agree. "Your parents didn't believe in fate when they were alive," he said quietly. "They didn't give in to it."

He wasn't wrong. My parents always believed you could shape your own destiny, that if you tried hard enough, you could change the course of your life.

But fate didn't care. It took them anyway.

Just thinking about the crash that killed the had about Matthew. I swallowed hard. "Matt

He gave me a confused smile. "Why?"

ide my chest tighten. And it brought back the doubts I'd w... I'm sorry."

"I went to the police. Asked for the report on my parents' crash," I told him the truth.

He stayed quiet for a moment, then sighed. "You always were stubborn."

"Yeah," I chuckled. "Headstrong and unreasonable. You've known that forever."

He shook his head, smiling but tired. "You really are... still that little girl.'

I gave his arm a playful squeeze. "You keep calling me a little girl. Makes me feel like I haven't grown up

yet."

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Matthew's expression softened, almost like a dad looking at his kid. "To me, you'll always be that little girl. But listen, being serious and stubborn is great for work, not so much for life." I knew why he said it, but people don't change overnight. We are who we are.

"Rea, sometimes not knowing everything brings a little happiness. You don't have to figure it all out, you know?" His words were soft, almost fatherly.

Seeing the worry in his eyes, and thinking about his illness, I nodded, even though deep down I still held onto my beliefs.

"Rea," Matthew said softly.

"Yeah?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing."

"No, it's something You've definitely got sc

back

ing on your mind," I pressed, sensing he was holding

Matthew chuckled. "Nothing gets past you, does it?"

"Why hide it? Whatever secret you've got that you can't tell Lindey or Wayne, you can tell me. I'll keep it locked up. promise." I raised my hand like I was swearing an oath. He laughed, amused. "I don't have any secrets."

Thinking back to what happened earlier on the lawn with Thorsten, Sasha, and their daughter, I couldn't resist. "What if it's something like... I don't know, a secret family?" Matthew nearly choked. "What nonsense are you talking about? I don't have anything like that."

"Really? Nothing?" I tilted my head, feigning suspicion.

"Really, nothing," he said, shaking his head firmly.

"Well, your best friend does, doesn't he? They say you're influenced by the company you keep..." I trailed off, teasing.

Matthew looked surprised, like he didn't expect me to know. I didn't keep him in suspense for long. "I played with his daughter earlier on the lawn. She's sweet."

Matthew sighed. "People are different. Just because Thorsten's my friend doesn't mean I agree with everything he does. I'm not like him."

Seeing how serious he'd gotten, I smiled. "Relax, I was just kidding. I know you and Lindey are solid. You'd never hurt her."

He stared off at the blank white wall, his voice low. "Rea, I've been meaning to tell you... my illness isn't mild. It might not be something I can beat.

"And if-if the day comes when I'm not here anymore, I want you to promise me something: don't cry.

"Just... promise me you'll keep your head up and keep going."

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A wave of sadness and fear tightened around my chest. My eyes burned, and my throat felt like it was closing up. I gripped his arm tightly. "You're not going anywhere. You'll be fine. You have to be..." Matthew rested his hand gently on my head. He didn't say anything more.

Neither did I. I just stayed there, my head resting on the side of his bed, listening to his breathing.

At some point, I drifted off.

When I woke up, Matthew was still asleep, and his jacket was draped over me. I carefully placed it back over his blanket before quietly slipping out of the room

As I stepped into the hall, my phone buzzed in my pocket. The number was unfamiliar.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Is this the owner of Unit 402, Block 6, Willow!

"Yeah, that's me. Who is this?"

ences, Emberholm?"

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"I'm calling from the demolition office. We posted the demolition notice earlier, and now there are some final procedures you need to complete. You're the last one holding things up, so please come by as soon as you can." My mood, already low, sank even further.

I'd known for a while that I needed to sign the demolition papers, but I kept putting it off.

It felt like, as long as I didn't sign those papers, the place couldn't be torn down. And if it wasn't torn down, my home would still be there.

But now, no matter how much I'd delayed, I had to sign. The place was getting demolished.

I couldn't be the one holding up the whole process, keeping people from moving into their new homes.

After all, the neighborhood was old. Who wouldn't want to live in a shiny new development with fresh houses?

"Okay, I'll come by now," I agreed, without e.

nesitating.

After hanging up, I let out a long sigh, got in my car, and drove to the demolition office.

I signed the papers like they asked, though the property deed still had my parents' names on it. Now, I needed their death certificates and cremation documents before I could officially inherit it.

I knew it was just procedure, but to me, it felt cruel.

It'd been over ten years since they passed, but I never officially closed their accounts. In my heart, as long as all three of our names stayed together, they hadn't really left.

But now, I had to finalize everything. I had to erase them from the world.

The weight of that hit me, sharp and heavy, Brutal.

Still, no matter how much it hurt, I couldn't run from it.

At the registration office, the clerk informed me that I needed a death report from the accident investigation unit to close their accounts.

So, I returned to the department that handled the accident all those years ago. This time, the process went smoothly. But the officer handling my request looked at me and asked, "It's been years since the accident. Why are you only dealing with this now?" My throat tightened. "Because I didn't want to."

He gave me a look, probably thinking I was being difficult, but didn't push it. He turned back to his computer, typed for a moment, and then looked at me again.

Sensing something was off, I asked, "Is there a problem? Do I need to bring more documents?"

"No, everything's fine," he replied, focused on his screen as his fingers flew across the keyboard.

Soon, the printer hummed to life, and a warm sheet of paper slid out. He stamped it and handed it over.

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"Take a look," he said.

My eyes fell on the bold text, "pronounced dead at the scene". It felt like my heart stopped all at once.

I wasn't there when it happened, but I'd seen the case files. It almost felt like I had been.

Images of the crash flooded my mind. My body started trembling, and it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.

I couldn't breathe. I had to get out of there. Without a second thought, I turned and rushed for the door. But the officer called after me, "Wait a second."

I froze and turned back. My voice wouldn't come, so just stood there, waiting for him to say something.

"Are you... okay?" His eyes searched my face.

I must've looked awful for him to ask.

I shook my head, trying to pull myself toget! info, please."

le got up and walked towar

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347

Thinking about how long it had been since the accident, I let out a dry, bitter laugh. "Is that even necessary anymore?"

"If something comes up, we'll need a way to reach you, he replied, surprising me.

I couldn't imagine what could come up after all these years, but I scribbled down my number and walked

out.

With the death report in hand, the only thing I still needed was the cremation documents. For that, I had to turn to Matthew. But since he was still unwell, I decided to reach out to Lindey instead. "Rea, what brings you here?" Lindey looked more surprised than pleased when she saw me.

Irained-whether it was from running around

"I need to talk to you. Let's go inside," I said, fer because of Yuna's situation or just my period, I

t sure, but I felt lightheaded.

er arm

"Oh, okay. Well... let's sit in the gazebo instead; it's too stuffy inside," Lindey suggested, linking her through mine as she led me toward the garden.

I didn't think much of it and followed. She called out to her housekeeper, "Isabel, bring some fruit and the rice pudding I just made over to the gazebo."

The housekeeper nodded, and Lindey turned back to me. "Rea, you don't look so good. Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, it's just my period," I said, using it as an excuse.

"Maybe a little rice pudding will help. I'll have Isabel bring some over, Lindey said, getting up. "Just sit tight for a second."

I hadn't come for small talk, so I stood up too. "Lindey, I actually have something important I need to handle today."

She looked a little taken aback. I pulled out the death report from my bag. "I need to finalize my parents' death registration, but I'm still missing the cremation documents." "Death registration? Her eyes flashed with surprise, then softened with sympathy. "Why now?"

I looked down at the paper in my hand. "Their apartment is being demolished. I can't sign off on anything without getting all the documents sorted."

Lindey didn't say anything right away, but after a moment, she hugged me. "Maybe... maybe it's for the best."

She held me a little longer before pulling back. "The documents are in Matthew's desk drawer. I'll go grab it for you."

"Wait here for me," she said, brushing her hand over my head and gently nudging me back into my seat.

I had wanted to go inside with her, grab the documents, and leave quickly, but the way she was handling things made it hard to push back.

Right then, Isabel arrived with the fruit and rice pudding. Lindey gave her a quick instruction before

Chapter 34

leaving. "Rea's not feeling well. Make her some chamomile tea."

Isabel nodded, setting the rice pudding down in front of me, then said she'd go prepare the tea. I tried to stop her. "That's really not necessary, Isabel," "No, it is. Madam will be upset if you don't have it. She treats you like her own daughter."

I understood she was just trying to avoid trouble, so I let it go.

A few minutes later, she returned with the chamomile tea and left me alone again.

The rice pudding was just as good as I remembered. Over the years, I'd had it plenty of times.

But since leaving the Johnston family, I hadn't had many chances to enjoy it. Life had been too chaotic.

I finished the bowl, but Lindey still hadn't returned. Was she having trouble finding the documents?

I glanced at the time. The offices were closing in just over an hour, and I still had a few more errands to run to finalize everything.

Not wanting to wait any longer, I got up and headed toward the house. But just as I reached the door, I heard Lindey's voice.

You better behave and stay right here. If you cause any trouble, don't think I won't handle it."

Her tone was sharp, harsher than usual for Lindey.

But who was she talking to?

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I held my breath.

Then, a familiar voice reached my ears. "Mrs. Johnston, I don't want to cause any trouble. I just want to see Jace. If you let me talk to him, I'll leave and won't make a scene." Tanya.

She actually showed up here!

And from what she said, she was looking for Jace. I'd assumed he might've already reached out to her after I called him, but clearly, I was wrong.

This woman had some nerve for asking the Johns

about Jace's whereabouts

"Is that a threat?" Lindey was clearly not one to back down.

"It's not a threat. I just want to see Jace," Tanya replied, using that same innocent, helpless tone she always pulled.

People say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and Tanya was the perfect example.

The first time I met her, I thought she was sweet, pure-the kind of person who made the world feel a little brighter.

But that illusion shattered fast.

"And I told you, Jace isn't here," Lindey shot back, frustration creeping into her voice.

"I know he's not here," Tanya said, her tone unnervingly calm.

Lindey, on the other hand, was anything but calm. She wasn't one to lose her temper often, but she had no patience for nonsense. "So, what? Are you accusing me of hiding him from you?" Tanya stayed silent. But that silence said enough.

Lindey let out a short, bitter laugh. "You've got some nerve, I'll give you that. No wonder Keira couldn't beat you. Now I see why my son would choose a pregnant widow like you over a girl like Keira-who's better than you in every way."

Her words were cutting, dripping with sarcasm aimed squarely at Tanya. And, of course, I wasn't spared

either.

1 couldn't even beat a pregnant widow. That was the label now stuck to my failed relationship with Jace.

"Mrs. Johnston, if you want to insult me, or even hit me, I won't fight back. Just... please, let me see Jace," Tanya shifted her approach, voice softening, now pleading.

At this point, after crossing paths with her a few times, I knew better. The innocent act was just that-an act. Beneath the surface, she was calculating, always armed with some new tactic.

"I can't live without Jace," she continued. "A few days ago, my mother-in-law caused a scene at the hospital, and now videos of me are all over the internet I can't even work properly anymore. If I don't see Jace, I really have no other choice but to die," Tanya's voice broke.

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"Don't try to scare me with that," Lindey snapped, not buying Into Tanya's emotional manipulation.

I'm not trying to scare you. I'm telling the truth," Tanya responded. Then, silence.

Suddenly, Lindey gasped. "What are you doing?! If you don't stop, I'm calling the police!"

The panic in Lindey's voice told me something was seriously wrong. I rushed forward and saw the scene unfold.

Tanya stood there, gripping a green bottle in her hand.

Lindey was pointing at her, clearly shaken, "Put it down. Let's talk this through, but you need to put that down."

Her fear was obvious-Tanya had her cornered.

I glanced at the label: Paraquat. A toxic pesticide.

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But I knew Tanya wouldn't actually drink it. She had worked too hard, clawing her way toward wealth and status. If she didn't give up after that hospital fiasco, there was no way she'd quit now. This was just another ploy to get Lindey to spill about Jace. Tanya probably thought Lindey and Matthew were hiding him, keeping them apart on purpose.

"Tanya Twain, your games are getting real creative," I said, stepping into the room.

Lindey spun around, panic flashing across her face.

oked terrified I'd get the wrong idea.

But Tanya? She wasn't surprised. She must've seen me coming. Even so, the way her hand shook on the bottle gave her away.

Her expression shifted, turning all pitiful. "Keira, I had no choice. Jace is gone. His phone's dead. You've seen it-I've got nothing left."

She was laying it on thick, but I wasn't buying it.

I nodded toward the bottle. "Isn't your way out right there?"

Her face darkened. Yeah, she wasn't drinking it. This was all about squeezing Lindey for answers.

Shameless. That's Tanya to a T.

"I know you'd love to see me dead. Fine, I'll die-right after Jace comes out and says it to my face." Her endgame was clear she wanted to see Jace.

"If you wanna see him, go find him. Don't come here," I said, stepping right in front of her.

She was sitting, so I towered over her, making her look up at me.

Tanya flinched but kept that defiant glare. "If I could find him, I wouldn't be here."

"And have you found him here?" I leaned in closer.

Her lips twitched, but nothing came out.

"What do you think Jace will do when he hears you came here, bothering his parents?" I asked, watching. the panic flicker in her eyes.

She quickly stammered, "I... I didn't have a choice. If there was any other way, I wouldn't be here."

"No, you've been plotting this for a while. You wanted to walk in here and secure your spot in this family," I said, letting all my contempt show. Tanya's eyes widened.

"Tanya, did you really think you could fool everyone? That no one would catch on to what you're really after?"

She swallowed hard. "I... I don't know what you're talking about."

""You don't?" I scoffed. "Then let me break it down for you. You

were in love with Desmond, but he was just

a regular office guy. Sure, his paycheck was decent, but compared to Jace-a CEO-it was pocket change.

Chapter 34

*Jace and Desmond were close, and Desmond adored you. He spoiled you. Jace took you two to all these fancy places, and you got hooked on that lifestyle-the luxury, the status.

"It didn't take long for you to realize Desmond wasn't enough to satisfy your hunger for more. You started resenting him."

Tanya shook her head, trying to deny it, but I kept going.

Today, her mask was coming off. She needed to know the rest of us weren't stupid.

"But Desmond was too good to you, wasn't he? Youldn't just dump him. And you knew if you wanted the life you craved, Jace was the ticket. So you chance to be around Jace, building up this image with Desmond, playing your part, using every being irresistible. Am I wrong?"

"No, that's not true," Tanya whispered, but her hand trembled so hard she could barely grip the bottle.

"If it's not true, then why are you shaking?" I leaned in, my voice low in her ear. "In fact, I've been wondering... was Desmond's accident really an accident? Or was it someone's plan?"

The moment I said it, Tanya let out a scream and shoved me, hard.

Chapter 350

Lindey caught me as I stumbled back.

My heart pounded as I stared at Tanya-her face pale, completely rattled. Had I hit a nerve?

I was just speculating, trying to push her into reacting, but her meltdown made me wonder: Was Desmond's death really an accident?

If Tanya had a hand in it, she was way more dangerous than I'd thought.

No wonder Desmond's parents had cursed her out. Maybe they knew more than anyone realized.

"Tanya, you're feeling guilty, aren't you?" I pushed

mined to make her crack.

She was already shaken, but now it was time to t

own her entire façade.

-25 BONUS

Tanya shook her head, still clinging to her denial.

"You set Desmond up," I continued, my voice steady. "He became a roadblock in your climb to wealth and status. He had to go so you could chase what you really wanted."

Her eyes widened in pure horror as I laid it all bare. "But you knew being twice-married would make it harder to win over Jace. So, you staged a scene-something Desmond would stumble upon. You knew that after his death, Jace would feel guilty. He'd take care of you, no matter what."

"No! No, that's not true!" Tanya screamed.

"It doesn't matter what you say. The truth always comes out. People always leave traces," I added, watching her unravel. She wasn't used to this kind of pressure-she hadn't done many terrible things in her life, which is why she was falling apart over a few words. But she'd still caused someone's death.

"I didn't want Desmond to die. I didn't..." The bottle slipped from her trembling hands, hitting the floor with a sharp clatter. She cradled her head, breaking under the weight of her guilt. She hadn't planned for him to die, but he did anyway. And that was all the confirmation I needed- Desmond's "accident" had been orchestrated by her.

A chill ran down my spine as I glanced at her swollen belly. "And I bet you didn't plan on being pregnant with Desmond's baby, either. Did you?" Tanya curled into herself, looking utterly broken.

Seeing her like that, I didn't say anything more. The truth was out.

"You're terrifying. There's no way I'll ever let Jace end up with you," Lindey said, her voice thick with disgust and shock. She'd pieced it all together, too. Tanya slowly raised her head, her face pale, but her eyes locked onto mine with seething hatred. She despised me for exposing her lies. Then she turned her glare toward Lindey, her voice dripping with venom. "None of you will stop me. If your try, I'll make sure we all go down together."

Chapter 350

"Don't you dare threaten me with that crap," Lindey shot back, her anger flaring up.

Tanya dropped the innocent act completely, a mocking smile curling her lips. "Then try me, and see what happens."

A sense of dread crept through me as I watched her. Something wasn't right. "Tanya, what are you planning?"

She looked at me coldly. "Keira, you're so clever, right? You always figure things out. So why don't you try guessing what I'll do next?"

This bitch...

I clenched my fists, bracing for whatever twisted

she had planned. Then Tanya turned back to

Lindey. "In three days, I want to see Jace. If I don't, just wait-you won't want to miss the show."

With that, she stood up and walked out.

"I'm ready. Let's see what kind of nonsense you try pulling," Lindey muttered after her, unafraid. She was type who stayed chill until someone crossed her, and then it was game over.

the

But Tanya? She seemed beyond caring, like she'd reached the point of no return. She smirked as she left.

Lindey picked up the bottle Tanya had left behind, ready to chase after her. "Take this with you!"

I stopped her. "That's a dangerous substance, Lindey, Better not let anyone touch it."

Chapter 351 Chapter

351

Especially not Tanya. As awful as she was, the baby she was carrying was innocent, and Desmond's only

heir.

Once Tanya was gone, Lindey was shaking with anger. Jace totally fell for her trap! I always thought he was smart-how could he screw up so badly this time? She grabbed my arm. "Rea, you heard everything."

I let out a bitter laugh. Of course, I heard it. I was the one who said it.

"Rea, Jace was tricked by her. She deceived him!" Lindey sounded desperate, like she was trying to make me understand.

"Lindey, he wouldn't have fallen for it if he hadn't opened the door. If Jace got played, it's because he gave her the chance," I shut her down quick.

She opened her mouth like she wanted to argue, but just sighed. "How could she be so heartless? She even betrayed her own husband."

People will do anything for money.

Greed is ugly.

"I can't let Jace marry her. If she gets into this family, Matthew and I are next," Lindey muttered, more to

herself than to me.

Honestly, I didn't belong in this mess.

"No, we need to call the police. We can't let her get away with this. Once she's locked up, she won't be able to hold onto Jace," Lindey said, grabbing my arm like she'd just found the perfect solution.

"Rea, I used to think Jace left because he was mad, but now I see it-it was her who drove him away," Lindey shook her head, filled with regret.

She squeezed my hand harder. "You know everything. You go to the cops. Hand over the evidence and let them arrest hef

Looking at Lindey's anxious, hopeful expression, I dropped my gaze. "I don't have any evidence."

"No evidence? But you know everything-how could you not have anything?" Lindey said, clearly not buying it.

I smirked. "It was just a guess. I said it off the cuff."

I never expected to be right.

"Then we'll find the evidence, or call the cops and let them dig it up," she said, eyes lighting up with determination.

She'd already made up her mind-Tanya had to go.

I stayed quiet. Lindey sighed. "You shouldn't get mixed up in this. I'll handle it."

Well, at least that was one less problem for me.