LOGINNeither of them moved for a long moment.The snow fell around them, settling on their shoulders, their hair, and the ground between them. Lena held his gaze, her breath fogging in the cold air.She finally couldn't hold it any longer, when the tremor in her chest became too much. "We should go inside," she whispered, turning her face away. "It's cold out here."Theon's hand curled at his side. He nodded, a faint smile touching his lips."After you then.”Lena glanced at him one last time before turning away.Theon followed behind.The distance between them wasn’t far. But neither of them knew how to cross it.—-The warmth of the hospital greeted them as they entered. The contrast made her skin prickle.Doctors and nurses hurried through the corridors. The waiting area seemed far busier than usual.Lena barely paid attention. She focused on walking.Unfortunately, Theon seemed determined to follow her.After several turns, Lena finally stopped and looked over her shoulder.“You…” her
Lena smiled to cover up her slipped composure. "Well… that took you long enough."Theon's intense gaze stayed on her. "I had good motivation."Lena could feel his gaze burning on her, but she refused to meet his eyes. So she busied herself with the napkins. "Is that so?""Hmm."The silence between them was charged. Heavy with everything unsaid.Leo's voice shattered it."Are you two going to set the table all night, or can we eat?"Lena turned to walk away.Theon's hands tightened on the plate he was holding.—-Dinner was lively and filled with laughter. The house felt warm, in contrast to the cold outside.Mrs. Chen joined them after being forced to sit down by Evelyn.Roman had personally requested an enormous seafood boil because Evelyn had spent the last week craving it.He sat beside her peeling crab shells and shrimp while she happily accepted the food.At some point the baby woke up. Immediately all attention shifted.“There he goes.”Mrs. Chen laughed.The tiny boy stretched
Theon held his breath.The world around him seemed to slow, the sounds of the room fading into a distant hum. He stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the woman in front of him.She was nothing like the person he remembered.Months ago, even though she had been weak and sick, she always had that sharp edge. Always wrapped in baggy clothes and filled with defiance. But now—something had shifted. She stood differently. In a more softer way. Her presence carried a quiet weight he hadn't noticed before.Her hair had grown past her shoulders, falling in soft waves that caught the light. It framed her face, highlighting features he had never taken the time to really see.His heart did something stupid."Hi."Her voice pulled him back. She was smiling.He couldn't speak. His mouth opened, but nothing came out.Roman's elbow dug into his ribs."Say something," Roman muttered.Theon blinked, then forced a smile."Hi." His voice came out rough. He raised his hand for a handshake.‘What am I doing?’H
Theon sat frozen long after Roman ended the call.The phone was still in his hand, the screen dark, but he kept staring at it. If he hadn't heard the cry—that sharp, indignant wail cutting through the speaker—he wouldn't have believed it.Roman Sinclair, delivering his own child. On a living room floor. In the middle of a snowstorm.Theon shook his head. "I have to see this for myself."He had already planned to return to Trevinia because of the outbreak spreading through the hospitals. Patients were increasing and the symptoms were too familiar.But he had delayed, hesitated, and made excuses. Part of him knew why.Trevinia meant facing the same person he had been desperately trying to avoid. It meant fighting feelings he still hadn’t buried.But this time, the hesitation disappeared.The storm outside weakened little by little. Without wasting another second, Theon called the pilot.“Prepare the jet. I’m leaving now.”—-Evelyn’s lashes fluttered open.A dull ache spread through her
Roman lifted the baby from the water. His hands were shaking. His breath caught in his throat.The baby was coated in a thick, white, waxy substance. It clung to the tiny shoulders, the creases of the elbows, the folds of the neck. Roman wiped the baby's face with a clean towel, his movements clumsy, almost reverent.Then he noticed the slightly protruding part of the baby’s sex."A boy." Roman stared. For a second, his mind blanked.Evelyn's head lifted weakly, breathing heavily. "What?""A boy." Roman repeated. Gazing at the tiny face, the clenched fists, and the open mouth wailing at the world. He let out a short laugh in disbelief. "It's a boy."His eyes grew wet.Roman had been so sure. That he turned the whole nursery pink and only bought dresses. The name he had picked was for a daughter. Buy all of it was wrong. Turns out Evelyn won.Staring at the baby, he no longer cared. All he saw was his first child. Born by the woman he loved more than anything. It was like a dream come
The line went silent."You can't be serious.”"I am.""Roman, you haven't practiced medicine in years."“She’s my wife.” His grip tightened.“And no one is putting her or my child at risk.”Theon exhaled. "Roman, you are not even specialized in this aspect, if something goes wrong—""It won't.” He paused. “I remember enough to get my wife and child through this.”Another silence settled between them."I'll catch the next flight," Theon said. "I should be there in—""You'll be too late." Roman cut him off. "The baby is coming now."The snow swallowed the road ahead."Keep your phone on," Theon said. "I'll talk you through it if you need."Roman didn't answer. He pressed the accelerator.***Back in Rosewood manor, Evelyn cried into a pillow. “Roman!”Her voice trembled. “I changed my mind!”Mrs. Chen blinked. “About what?”Evelyn burst into tears. “I don’t want the baby anymore!”—Roman's car finally screeched to a halt in the familiar driveway after a long ride.He barely put it in pa
Evelyn’s fingers fumbled at the buttons of Roman’s shirt, her hands betraying her nerves no matter how hard she tried to steady them.Roman watched her quietly, his gaze heavy and unblinking.“Always so flustered,” he murmured, a smirk tugging at his lips as he caught her wrist mid-motion.Evelyn fr
Roman only finally let Evelyn go after she agreed to pack his underwear for the trip.And worse—he stood there and watched her do it.By the time she was done, Evelyn was certain her skin would start bleeding from how hard her cheeks had been burning all day. Roman hadn’t stopped teasing her, his e
Roman swallowed hard, not daring to move.His legs had gone numb.“Darling,” he murmured close to Evelyn’s ear, voice low and tight, “please… don’t move.”Evelyn stiffened.She stayed seated on his lap, cheeks burning, eyes stubbornly lowered to the tablecloth. She could feel everything—his warmth,
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







