Who Are You Again?

Chapter 13

Jae sat in the dimly lit bathroom, the pregnancy test clutched tightly in her trembling hands. She had faced betrayal, sabotage, and even near-death experiences, but nothing had ever shaken her quite like this.

Pregnant.

The word stared back at her, undeniable.

Her thoughts raced—Kellin. Jonah. Her career. The danger that still lurked in the shadows. Was this the worst possible timing… or the best?

When she finally told Kellin, his reaction was immediate. His face shifted from shock to sheer joy in seconds, and before she could even process it, he had dropped to one knee.

"Marry me," he said, his voice steady, filled with certainty.

Jae’s breath caught. "Kellin—"

"I don’t care about anything else. I just know I want this. I want us. I want our family."

Hesitation clawed at her. Marriage had never been something she dreamed about. Love had always been dangerous, something that could be used against her.

But this wasn’t just about her anymore.

So with a deep breath, she nodded. "Yes."

Kellin slid a simple gold band with a small emerald onto her finger. No flash, no extravagance—just something meaningful. The warmth of it against her skin made the reality settle in.

She wasn’t alone in this.

They agreed—only Vivienne and Lucas would know.

Jonah was too dangerous. If he found out, there was no telling what he would do. He had already killed to protect his ego. If he learned Jae was carrying Kellin’s child, he might completely lose control.

For now, secrecy was their best weapon.

Then, during a routine check-up, the second shock came.

"Twins," the doctor said, smiling. "Congratulations."

Jae’s stomach tightened. She had prepared herself for one life. But two?

When she told Vivienne, her grandmother simply took her hands and squeezed.

"This changes everything," Vivienne murmured. "And if it’s time for change… then it’s time for the world to know the truth."

For two years, Vivienne had carefully guarded their relationship. She had trained Jae as just another promising talent, never letting the world know that she was her granddaughter, her heir.

But now?

Now, she was done hiding.

The next morning, Vivienne called a company-wide meeting. The entire Deveraux team gathered, murmuring in curiosity. When Vivienne stepped forward, silence fell.

"I’ve kept something from you all," she said smoothly, her tone commanding the room. "For the last year, you have known Jae as a talented designer. But what you didn’t know is that she is also my granddaughter."

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Jae stood beside her, head held high.

Vivienne continued, "And as of today, she is also the lead designer for our next major project."

Jae blinked, stunned. She had expected the truth to come out eventually—but not like this. Not with another promotion.

But as Vivienne squeezed her shoulder, she understood.

This wasn’t just an announcement.

This was a warning.

To Jonah. To their enemies.

Jae wasn’t just some designer anymore.

She was the future of Deveraux Haute Couture.

The months leading up to the wedding were a delicate balancing act of joy and unease. Jae and Kellin were building something real, something strong, but beneath it all, a shadow still loomed.

Jae had been hesitant about marriage—not because she doubted Kellin’s love, but because marriage felt like a declaration, a signal to the world that she was settled, vulnerable. And Jonah? He was still out there. Still waiting.

But Kellin never wavered. His love was constant, a rock against the inevitable storm. Every morning, he pressed soft kisses against her stomach, whispering to their unborn children as if his words alone could keep them safe.

“You are everything to me,” he told her one night, his hands warm over hers. “And I will never let him take you away.”

Despite the fear that clawed at her in quiet moments, Jae believed him.

They built a life in the time they had. Kellin turned their Parisian apartment into a home, softening the edges of a life once built on war. One room became the nursery, filled with soft hues and shelves lined with books. Jae rose within Deveraux Couture, earning her place as one of the lead designers. Vivienne had made their connection public, securing Jae’s position and ensuring that no one—not even Jonah—could cast her aside. They trained. Every night. Self-defense, evasive maneuvers—Kellin refused to let her be vulnerable.

Despite the looming threat, there was love. Kellin played music against Jae’s stomach, laughing as she rolled her eyes but secretly adored it. Jae sketched late into the night, only for Kellin to drag her to bed, pressing a kiss to her forehead and murmuring, “Even geniuses need sleep.” Lucas and Vivienne remained their closest allies. Lucas even grumbled about being “Uncle Lucas” while secretly doting on her.

Through it all, Jae and Kellin held onto each other. Because they knew peace was fleeting. And somewhere, in the darkness beyond their reach, Jonah was waiting.

Jonah had always been a man of control. Meticulous. Calculated. Cold.

And yet, since the moment Jae had slipped through his fingers, that control had been crumbling.

He spent months watching, waiting. Trying to lure her out.

He spread rumors. Manipulated people in the industry. Made it impossible for her to ignore him.

But she never came. She never took the bait.

And that drove him insane.

Jae was moving forward, building something without him, and that infuriated him more than he could admit.

Jonah had been content to wait. To find the right moment to take her back.

But this? This changed everything.

When he learned about the wedding, a slow, twisted smile curled on his lips.

He had waited long enough.

Jae would soon learn—

There was no future without him.