Chapter 1

I was head over heels for Jace Johnston for ten long years, but to him, I was just plain crackers: "Lacking flavor, but folks still nibble on them." Meanwhile, he was getting cozy with another girl behind my back.

After a decade of playing childhood sweethearts, I realized it led nowhere.I was done being his side dish. So, I decided to marry someone else.

"Be honest. Have you ever slept with Keira?"

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, his thin lips pressed together.

"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-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'd lived together for ten years.

"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 asked him. Steve was asking for me.

Jace stayed quiet.

Steve chuckled. " You don't want to marry her?"

"Have you heard this saying?" Jace asked with a faint smile.

"What?"

"Some girls are like plain crackers: lacking flavor, but folks still nibble on them."Jace said. The face I had loved for a decade blurred.

My heart clenched as I thought, 'So, I've become something he found hard to discard but had no taste for.'

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.

As Steve opened the door, he saw me standing outside and froze. Then, he rubbed his nose awkwardly, realizing I had overheard their conversation.

Steve glanced 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.

I took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and pushed the door open.

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 become something 'lacking flavor'. Jace—"

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. "I have to go out for a bit."

Lately, he had been going out a 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 smile had always been charming and warm. 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, bring you roses every birthday, watch stars with you, and... want to marry you?"

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 grasp. He controlled my emotions at will, according to his mood.

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 eyes. "Is it a romantic kind of like?"

He walked away, avoiding my question as he had many times before.

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?'

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 anyway.

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.

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 explain and had already made arrangements.

What could I say? Questioning him or making a fuss would only humiliate myself.

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, "That's rare! You always say you need to check with Jace first. Why'd you agree so quickly?"

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 he couldn't find me.

But Jace's words today made me realize I had become 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 saw me.

She was one of my few friends, and I didn't hide anything from her.

After listening, Lena cursed, "What a brat! Saying you're 'lacking flavor'? As if he's slept with you a thousand times!"

Her words didn't comfort 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 glass with mine. "There are plenty of hunks out there, and with your looks, you can have your pick. Why settle for a two-timing brat?"

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 someone coming out, knocking them down and landing on top of them.

Just as I was about to apologize, the person screamed, "Help! She's molesting me!"

I never thought I'd end up in police station for indecency.

The person I knocked over was a 17-year-old 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 him then gestured down to his waist. "She touched me here, here...and even here."

'That's total crap!'

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't lay a hand on him; it was just an accidental 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 unrelated 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 explained again, "I wasn't drunk, and I 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 accusations 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 explain 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 classic 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 explain. 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 Blake, had passed away in a car accident recently, and Jace, being Desmond's close friend, had been helping her out.

I swallowed the bitterness in my throat. "I just accidentally 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 explained the situation to the police. They checked the surveillance 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't common, and he didn't usually like being touched.

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 me away.

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 explain 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 display 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 guy.

"No," I said again.

Just then, Brad walked out and whistled at me. "Hey creep, why are you hitting on my brother-in-law?"

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, glaring at Jace. "Who do you think you are? Why should I even bother listening to you? If you want to be my brother-in-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?"

I pulled my arm away from Jace the moment I heard that. It hit me—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 accident, 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-year-old, 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 balance, I realized Jace had pushed me away and rushed to Tanya's side. He knelt on one knee, holding her. "Tanya, are you okay? Where does it hurt?"

"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 woman.

Jace carried Tanya to the car and shouted, "Rea, you drive."

I remained frozen.

"Hurry up! If anything happens to Tanya, you'll regret 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 slapped 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 tart!"

"Brad!" Jace's voice was icy. "If you lay a hand on her, I'll make sure you end up back in the police station."

The threat worked. Brad withdrew his hand, glaring 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!"

"Rea!" 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 having a child. She just fell, and now her stomach hurts a lot."

'Having a child?'

My steps suddenly felt heavy, and my heart sank.

'Desmond's gone. How can she?'

I looked at Jace's panic-stricken 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 particular feelings for her, so I wasn't exactly worried.

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 right beside him.

Bitterness welled up inside me. I swallowed hard before finally speaking. "Is the baby... yours?"

I didn't want to speculate, so I asked directly.

Jace turned, a look of shock flashing 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 passed away in a car accident a month ago.

"I'm taking care of Tanya because Desmond asked me to," Jace explained.

I remembered how Jace looked when he came home after Desmond's accident: 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 explained what had happened. "I didn't touch that kid. He was just trying to smear me."

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 glanced at me, then took the doctor's pen. Before signing, he asked, "Doctor, how is she doing now?"

"Your wife has risk losing the child. We'll do our best to stabilize her situation, but there's a chance it might not work. We need your signature," the doctor explained.

"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 fiancé to become another woman's " husband."

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-streaked face on it.

'She might be pitiful, but does being pitiful give her the right to treat my fiancé as her own?' I thought.

I walked over. "Mrs. Blake, the doctor said that strong emotions are bad for the baby. You barely managed to save the child. If something happens again because you're crying like this, it would be terrible."

I reached out to support her, subtly pulling her away.

Seeing her tears on Jace's hand still made me uncomfortable, like something of mine had been tainted by someone else. I was a bit of a clean freak, both in life and in love.

Tanya seemed taken aback when I called her Mrs. Blake. Her face visibly stiffened but she quickly regained her composure.

"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-filled 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 well.

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 expecting a baby and is alone," Jace explained, his gloomy eyes falling on my face. "Rea, I'll be more careful in the future."

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 uncomfortable.

"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 had caught me. He reassured me and carried me to the infirmary.

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.