LOGINLena turned to stare at him, breathing a sigh of relief."Thank you."Theon kept silent. The muscle in his jaw kept ticking. She could see him trying to control his emotions, his hands still gripping the steering wheel like he was holding himself back from doing something reckless.So she let him be."Erhm… you can just drop me at my old house. I don't want to go back to—""Are you avoiding your father?"Theon cut her off. His voice was flat, but she could hear the edge underneath.Lena didn't answer."Does your father know about this whole thing?" he pressed.She looked down at her hands."I think we should pull over first." Lena forced a small smile. "I can't risk another unexpected brake, please."Theon didn't laugh. But he eased his grip on the wheel.The rest of the drive was unbearably silent. The only sound was the hum of the heater and the soft crunch of snow beneath the tires. Theon reached over and turned on the radio."—breaking news. Health officials are urging the public
The line went completely silent on the other end.Then Theon's voice came through, cautious and measured. "Roman, calm down. It might just be stimulation from the drugs. They can create illusions like that once in a while."Roman's breathing was still uneven. He pressed his palm against his forehead."I'm sure you're perfectly fine," Theon continued. "Have you noticed anything else? Any other odd symptoms?"Roman thought for a moment. His hand was still trembling slightly. "No. Just the... the fragments. Voices. Some images I can't place.""That's normal for the medication you're on. The chemicals in your system sometimes react unpredictably. But it doesn't mean anything is wrong."Roman closed his eyes. He forced himself to take a slow breath. "What about Evelyn?"Theon went quiet for a moment. "Her emotions could be stimulated by postpartum hormones. It's common. She might feel down, agitated, stressed out, or anxious. Her body is adjusting after childbirth."Roman's jaw tightened.
Roman's expression flickered—a shadow passing over his eyes. He quickly masked it with a smile, but Evelyn caught it."What are you saying?" He twirled her gently. "You know everything about me.""Roman."He was about to twirl her again, but she held on, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders."Roman, I need you to listen to me."His hand, which had been resting comfortably against her waist, stilled. Roman closed his eyes for a brief moment. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat when he opened his eyes and saw her serious expression.Evelyn nodded, seeing he was finally allowing her to talk."Okay…" She cleared her throat. "Why do you… act like everything is fine? You act like everything is perfect, but I know it's not."Roman's brows furrowed. He let out a short laugh to lighten the mood. "Everything is fine. You're just overthinking.""No!" Evelyn's voice rose. Realizing her loud tone, she turned quickly toward the crib. The baby stirred faintly, then settled.She took
Lena and Theon stood frozen as the door slammed shut in their faces. Lena blinked at the door. "Did I just— did I just get… kicked out?" Before she could process the betrayal, the door swung open again. Evelyn's face appeared, holding out a small plate. "Here. Mrs. Chen made these. I saved you some." Lena stared at the slice of cake. Then at Evelyn. The door shut again. Lena let out a long scoff. "I can't believe I'm being abandoned by my own friend." She grabbed the rubber fork and stabbed a piece of cake, shoving it into her mouth with annoyed determination. Then she felt a heated gaze on her. She turned. Theon was staring at her. Intensely. Lena glanced at the cake. "Do you want some?" He shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. She sighed. "Why are you being so quiet? I noticed it." Theon's smile faded. He turned fully to face her. His expression shifted into something serious. "Is something wrong?" she asked, her voice dropping. Theon let out a deep sigh.
Theon didn't let go. His hands stayed cupping her face, gently pulling her back. “I don’t want to walk away again." His voice cracked. "I've tried and it’s not working." Lena's shoulders shook. "Theon…" "Just this once." His voice broke. "Let me be the one you lean on." Another tear slipped down her cheek. He caught it with his thumb. "I'm not asking you to choose me now," he whispered. "Nor am I asking you to forget him." He swallowed hard. "I'm just asking you to let someone be there for you." Lena stared at him as snow fell around them. "Why?" she whispered. "Why do you keep doing this?" Theon let out a shaky breath. "Because I can't stop." His forehead pressed against hers. “Because even when I try to hate you for making me feel this way… I can't." His eyes closed. “Because it's you, Lena. It's always been you." Lena's hands lifted slowly. They rested against his chest. "I'm scared," she admitted. "I'm so scared." "Of what?" "Of trusting and losing myself again.” Th
Lena was frozen in place.Mrs. Adler turned to stare at him, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.The crowd immediately fell silent.Theon’s grip tightened around her wrist. His sharp gaze swept across the onlookers.“Nothing to see here,” he said coldly. “Move along.”No one moved.His expression darkened. “I said move.”The authority in his voice finally snapped the crowd out of their shock. They began dispersing, muttering among themselves.“Isn’t he a doctor?”“He looks too young.”“He’s wearing a white coat. He must be.”Mrs. Adler finally recovered from her stunned state. She tried to yank her arm free.“What do you think you’re doing?” she snapped. “Is this how you treat your aunt?”Theon’s gaze remained icy. “If you continue causing a disturbance, I’ll have security escort you out of this hospital.”Mrs. Adler scoffed. “It’s bad enough that you’re a spoiled, arrogant brat. Now you’re meddling in my family affairs?”“You attacked a patient inside this hospital.”His voice turne
Evelyn couldn't believe what she was seeing. Parked beyond the soft glow of the runway lights was an enormous, gleaming private jet. Its silver body reflected the night sky like polished glass, faint golden lines tracing along its sleek length. The stairs were lowered, each step lit with a gentle
“Stay put,” Roman said.Evelyn didn’t move. She sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, trying not to look at the spots where her skin still burned. Every time she shifted, her palm throbbed, and the sting along her side and thighs flared like a warning.Roman walked out.For a few seconds, the room fe
TRIGGER WARNING: NON-CONSENSUAL TOUCHING(This chapter contains intimate physical contact without consent. Reader discretion is advised.)Lena stared at her laptop screen for a long time, her mind trying to process the headline.A scornful laugh burst from her lips.“No way.”She exited the page, an
Evelyn woke to bright light spilling through the curtains.For a while, her brain refused to work. Everything felt thick and slow, like she was underwater. Her body was heavy. Even lifting her fingers felt like effort.She blinked again.‘Where am I…?’Her head ached dully. She tried to sit up, but







