Jade stood frozen as Jace walked toward the front door with long, unhurried strides. Harper’s soft whining filled the apartment,to notify that she needed some fresh air and was tired of staying locked up. but Jade barely heard it over the pounding in her ears.

“Jace!” she hissed, taking a step toward him.

He was already at the apartment door, pulling it open. “I’m heading out for some errands. We can finalize the utility split later.”

“No, wait!” Jade rushed forward, her voice a desperate whisper. “Mara is coming!”

Jace froze, his hand still on the doorknob. He slowly turned, his expression darkening with sudden comprehension. “Mara? Why? I thought we made an agreement?

Jade nodded frantically. “She just called. She’s bringing Harper a gift. She’ll be here any minute. You said you didn’t want her to know you were here.”

“So…?”

“I think you stay out there a little longer”

Jace’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrow and assessing Jade. Mara, his younger sister, had an uncanny ability to zero in on secrets. If she found him here, cohabiting with her best friend, she’d go crazy about it… and go tell her family about it and he doesn’t want that not after everything that happened recently.

He opened the door.

The hallway was empty.

No Mara.

No visitor.

Just silence.

Just then, her buzzed.

Mara calling.

Jade’s stomach lurched. She answered quickly.

“Mara?”

Her best friend’s voice blasted through the speaker, annoyed and out of breath. “Jade! I’m so annoyed. I was already halfway to your place but my car broke down. Can you imagine? The universe hates me today.”

Jade’s knees almost gave out. “Oh my God. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just stuck. I’ll head home once the mechanic is done. I’ll come tomorrow instead. I bought Harper a little Christmas gift and everything.”

“Tomorrow… okay. Just drive safe.”

“Give my baby a kiss!” Mara added before hanging up.

Jade lowered the phone and turned slowly.

Jace was still standing at the door, arms folded, expression unreadable.

“Jade, next time, make sure you stop her on time.” he said calmly.

Jade’s breath caught. “I… I tried.”

“Good,” he replied without hesitation. “But try harder next time. My stay is temporarily, so I really do not want conversations, questions, interference… none of that. I’m here to get through the holiday quietly.”

Jade nodded quickly. “I’ll handle it. She won’t come.”

“Good.”

Harper fussed louder from the room. pulling both Jade and Jace’s focus.

Jace’s eyes flicked to Jade. His jaw tightened. He wasn’t cruel… just uncomfortable.

“She’s… loud,” he muttered.

Jade shot him a look. “She’s a baby, Jace.”

“And I’m not used to babies,” he countered.

Jade’s eyes turned cold, and without say a word, she went to her room to go feed baby Harper. While cursing under breathe.

While Jace stepped out leaving just Jade and Harper at home.

Jade kept herself busy with the house chores, as her job is already on a break… she was in the kitchen with Harper playing in the living room all by herself.

“Serving out of my dish won’t be bad right?” Jade thought. Then she smacked her head hard “Jade, he said to keep out of his business!”

Jade wiped her hands on a towel, glancing toward the living room where Harper sat on her blanket surrounded by toys. The apartment was finally quiet… almost peaceful… until the front door slammed open.

And a sharp curse ripped through the air. “What the fuck!?”

Jace.

Jade’s heart skipped. She immediately rushed into the living room and saw Harper crawling dangerously close to the hallway.

“No, no… come here,” she whispered harshly, snatching the baby up. In one quick motion, she carried Harper to the bedroom, shut the door, and locked it.

By the time she returned to the living room, the smell hit her.

Harper had left a small, unmistakable mess on the floor.

“Oh God…” Jade muttered and hurried to clean it before Jace walked in any further.

Too late.

He stood at the end of the hallway, irritation carved into every sharp line of his face. “Are you kidding me?” he snapped. “I step out for an hour and return to this?”

“I’m cleaning it,” Jade shot back, breathless. “Just… give me a minute.”

“This is exactly what I was talking about,” Jace continued, voice low with frustration. “Keep the baby in your room. I can’t live like this.”

“I said I’m handling it.”

He let out a cold laugh. “Make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Jade stilled, anger simmering. “She’s a child, Jace. Children make messes. If you don’t like it, maybe you should’ve gone to an hotel.”

Jace stepped closer, his voice quiet but cutting. “The father of the child should be the one bearing this burden with you, not me.”

Jade froze… just for a split second. Her jaw clenched. Her chest burned.

“You’re right,” she said tightly. “But life doesn’t always give people what they deserve.”

They stood there, breathing the same sharp air, staring at each other with resentment thick enough to touch.

From that night on, Jade became stricter on her promise as she made sure to keep Harper in the bedroom. All day and Every day.

Jade ate in the room. Worked in the room. Sang to Harper in whispers.

Their presence in the apartment became almost ghostlike… barely seen and barely heard.

And Jace… got exactly what he asked for.

Jace felt bad at a point, but he didn’t know what to do or say as he was barely at home… so he let them be.

A Week Later…

It was early morning, sunlight dripping through the blinds. Jade stood in the kitchen preparing breakfast, Harper sat on the kitchen counter, babbling happily.

“Stop grabbing my hair,” Jade laughed, kissing her cheek. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

Harper giggled loudly, smacking Jade’s cheek with her tiny hand.

Jade gasped dramatically. “Ah! Assault! Harper you’re under arrest!”

Harper cackled… a bright, open mouthed laugh filled the kitchen.

Jace stepped in at that exact moment, heading for a glass of water.

He stopped half way.

The scene froze him.

Jade’s hair was messy, her face soft, and smiling like she hadn’t in weeks. Harper giggling with pure joy. And the Sunlight kissing her face.

And then… he saw it.

Harper’s smile.

Wide,Bright, And on the left side of her cheek… that tiny, unmistakable one sided dimple.

The exact dimple he had.

Jace’s breath caught in the cuteness before him, Jade and Harper looked like an artwork before him.

His glass nearly slipped.

Harper looked up at him, still giggling. her eyes sparkling with the same warmth his mother always said he had as a baby.

Jace felt something unfamiliar twist sharply in his chest.

But before either of them could speak…

A sudden, violent cough escaped him as smoke coiled towards the ceiling.

“Jade?” Jace coughed again. “The stove…”

Jade’s eyes widened. “Shit!”

She spun around, realizing the pot on the stove was overflowing with black smoke. She rushed to turn off the gas, fanning the air with her hand.

Jace grabbed Harper instinctively, lifting her out of the smoke filled kitchen as she began to cry.

“Open the windows!” Jade shouted.

Jace kicked one open, still coughing, holding Harper protectively against his chest.

The smoke thickened.

A sudden loud snap came from the stove… and a sound sharp enough to jolt both of them.

Jade froze.

Jace’s eyes widened.

And then…

BOOM!

The entire apartment shook.

Then, silence…

Jace’s voice broke through the haze, raw and tense as he shouted, “how can you be so careless that you forgot you were heating an oil?”

“Jace, not now,” Jade snapped, waving the smoke away with one hand.

Harper buried her face in his shirt, whimpering.

“Fuck…” Jade breathed.

Just then, a bang on the door, followed by a voice.

“Jade are you in there?”

Their eyes shot to the door… widened as they saw the doorknob twisted.

The door wasn’t locked?

“Harper….”

Jace and Jade stared at the twisted doorknob, their expressions mirroring the same horrifying realization.

"Mara," Jade whispered, almost choking on her words.

"Jade? Are you in there?" a voice called again.

Jace quickly shoved Harper into Jade's arms so fast that Jade barely caught her, then dashed into his room and slammed the door shut. The lock clicked violently behind him.

Jade swallowed hard, forcing her breathing to steady as she watched the knob turn.

The door swung open.

"Mara," Jade breathed, forcing a smile even though she still looked like someone who had seen the dead.

But Mara didn't notice. Her eyes were already glued to Harper.

"Harper!" she squealed, snatching the baby from Jade's arms and raining kisses on her face, rubbing her face against the baby's cheeks dramatically. "Oh my sweet girl, aunty missed you so much! Hope mama has been treating you well...huh?"

Harper giggled loudly, waving her tiny hands in the air.

Jade, who felt like she had just survived a building collapse, stood frozen. She stuttered out, "Hi... hi, Mara... good morning."

"Oh, Jade, I'm so sorry for not coming again the other day, my car has been bad. I finally got it fixed this morning and drove straight here! I needed to see my favorite girls."

"It's okay... hope you've fixed it?" Jade managed, clutching the empty space where Harper had been.

"Yes... I think I just need to save up to get a new one soon. But right now, I need something to eat," Mara announced, setting Harper down carefully on the living room floor before turning and stepping toward the kitchen.

She marched toward the kitchen...

And stopped dead in her track...

"What the bloody fuck, Jade?! What happened here?"

The faint smoke residue was still all over the kitchen, The opened windows and the pan soaking in the sink. She forced a laugh.

"It's nothing. Just... kitchen accident."

"Really? What sort of accident?" Mara gave her a long, suspicious look. She rolled up her sleeves and started opening cupboards like she lived there.

"Oh my God, Mara, it was so stupid," Jade rushed to explain, forcing a shaky laugh. "I was making breakfast.. fried eggs and I forgot a pot of oil on the back burner. I was distracted for just a second playing with Harper and it flared up. But thank goodness Jac.." then she quickly stopped herself from saying too much.

Mara who didn't get the last part, shaked her head. "You nearly burned the building down for fried eggs! Okay, well, let's get some real food going. I'm going to make us my famous mac and cheese!"

"Yeah, thank God," Jade whispered, rubbing her forehead.

And just like that, the tension seemed to dissipate into the normalcy of Mara's presence. Who was moving like the whole apartment belonged to her. She cooked loudly, talked loudly, and laughed loudly.

Soon, she turned on the music, singing off-key, and filling the air with the comforting smell of butter, cheese, and garlic.

Harper squealed as Mara danced around with her, making silly animal sounds and jokes. The baby laughed so hard that she snorted, and Mara swooned dramatically.

Over lunch, which Mara insisted they eat right there on the living room floor, as the conversation flowed easily, just like old times.

"Jade, I am so excited for Christmas," Mara said, scooping a large fork of mac and cheese. "It's the only thing keeping me sane right now."

Jade nodded without saying a word.

Mara's smile faded slowly. "Honestly, though, I'm dreading the family party. Since last year's own,it now gets harder." She poked at her pasta.

Mara set the spoon down. "can I tell you something depressing?"

Jade blinked. "Sure."

"My husband cheated on me."

Jade's stomach sank. "Mara... I'm so sorry."

Mara laughed, but her eyes glistened. "Yeah. It's awful. And guess what? I still can't let go... Our entire friend group knew. All of them. Acting like they loved me while knowing he was messing around with someone else. I swear, I hate them all."

Jade touched her shoulder gently. "You didn't deserve that. and it sad that the friendship group broke off."

"I'm surviving," Mara sighed. "It's just... the marriage, the cheating, the betrayal... it just makes the rest of the friend group so weird. Everyone is choosing sides. And it's affecting my relationship with my family. It's all just so dead right now."

"Mara, I'm so sorry," Jade said genuinely, reaching across to squeeze her friend's hand. "That's awful. But still, you've me and Harper so you'll be fine."

"And..." Mara's voice broke a little, "I miss my brother. Jace always handled things. He always had solutions. I hate not knowing where he is. Nobody does. Jade... I'm scared something's wrong."

Jade's heart lurched. "You didn't check his apartment?" Jade asked, pretending to sound casual.

"We did. Mom and Dad went over there, but his apartment is having some major piping replaced, so it's under renovation. We don't know where he went after that, and he isn't taking anyone's call... not even Mom's. He just sends these cryptic texts saying he's fine and out of range. But I think he's just avoiding us."

Jade swallowed hard. "Maybe he just needs alone time."

"I hope so," Mara breathed, eyes on Harper. "I really hope so Jade."

The afternoon flew by quickly... Mara still energized by the food and the company, played continued to every silly game she knew with Harper. Then she unpacked a pile of Christmas gifts she'd bought for Harper... toys, dresses, even a tiny Santa romper.

Then Mara stretched, yawning loudly. "I think I'll just sleep over. I'll use the second room."

Jade's entire soul left her body.

"Um... no!" she nearly shouted. "You can't. I... I booked fumigation for tomorrow morning.Early. They need that room to be empty."

Mara blinked. "Really? That's sad... Was thinking we can just order pizza and watch terrible Christmas movies, like old times."

"Yes, and that's sweet... but " Jade lied again without hesitation. "You'll be uncomfortable."

Mara reluctantly gathered her things, gave Harper a final, lingering kiss, and walked toward the door. "I wish I could take this little nugget with me, but I know you'd miss her too much!"

"More than anything," Jade agreed, walking her to the door.

The door clicked shut.

And guilt hit Jade like a punch.

She exhaled slowly, pressed her forehead to the door, then gathered herself and walked to Jace's room. She knocked softly.

"She's gone," Jade whispered.

When she heard no response, she went back to the living room to gather Harper, who was still happily batting at a toy Mara had given her. It was time to retreat to their prison.

As Jade bent down to lift the baby, the lock on Jace's door twisted, and the door creaked open.

Jace stood there, still in the same clothes, but he looked tired with his eyes dark, but there was a strange, subtle shift in his demeanor.

And then his voice came...

"You can let her play."

Jade froze

"You don't have to lock yourselves in there," he added. "Just make sure to keep an eye on her not to mess things up."

He walked past her, headed toward the kitchen, for another glass of water.

Jade stared at the kitchen door for a long second... then slowly set Harper down. Harper squealed happily and crawled toward her toys.

Soon, Jace emerged from the kitchen with a glass of water in his hand.

"Jade," he called.

She lifted her chin. "What?"

He hesitated... the first real hesitation she'd seen from him since he moved in.

"It must have really been had lying to your best friend..."

Jace met her eyes, something dark and unguarded flickering there.

"So sorry for dragging you into this."

"Jace... just call your mum," Jade sighed. "Please."

"I will. but not yet"

"Why? Why are you hiding?"

Jace's jaw tightened. "Miss Jade, don't forget rule number four: do not poke nose in each other's business."

Before jade could answer, Harper suddenly gasped sharply...

Jade turned instantly.

"Harper?"

But Harper wasn't looking at her. She was staring at Jace and pointing at him...

Her tiny voice whispered....

"Da-"

"Da-"

Harper's small finger pointed straight at Jace.

Jace froze, the glass of water midway to his lips. Jade's heart stuttered, her breath catching in her throat. She looked from Harper's innocent, insistent gaze to Jace's face, which had gone utterly blank... a mask of stone dropping instantly over the subtle vulnerability she had just witnessed.

"Harper, honey, no, what are you saying." Jade said quickly, moving to scoop the baby up. Her voice was too loud, too quick as she tried to laugh, a dry, nervous sound. "Do you mean Dance?"

Jace went to set the glass down sharply on the counter, the clink echoing like a gunshot. He didn't look at either of them.

"It's getting late, and almost time for quite hours," he stated, his voice flat and dismissive, returning to the cold tone that had defined their relationship since he moved in. "You should be in your room."

He turned and walked back toward his own door.

Jade watched him go, cradling Harper close. The baby was unfazed, already chewing happily on a stray piece of her paper. But Jade's mind was reeling.

Da-?

It was the first time Harper had made any sound close to a real word. And it wasn't 'Ma' or 'Mama.' It was 'Da.? And she had pointed it straight at the exact man.

"Just babbling," Jade muttered to herself, but the word felt thin and unconvincing. Harper was almost a year old. And Babies often said mama before Dada... But Harper's own was different and the timing, the pointer finger, Jace's reaction... it was a cruel, perfectly timed coincidence.

Jade retreated to the safety of her bedroom. She put Harper in her crib and watched her for a long time, the shadow of the afternoon's near discovery still heavy in the air. Lying down, she stared up at the ceiling, the comforting weight of normalcy Mara had brought now replaced by a crushing sense of dread and soon she drifted to sleep.

The digital clock read 1:47 AM. When Harper started crying. The apartment was utterly still, the silence thick and heavy only Harper's cries could be heard.

Jade slipped out of bed to get her out of her crib, rocking her gently, whispering her name, and pacing the room. But Harper's cries only grew louder... sharper... almost painful.

Across the hall, Jace stirred in his sleep.

He sat up in bed, jaw clenched, temples throbbing. The cries pierced straight into his skull. He ran a hand over his face, frustrated, exhausted, praying for the noise to stop.

he couldn't storm into her room... that would be crossing the line. So, when the noise didn't stop, he stood and walked the living room instead, hoping distance would help.

But It didn't.

Instead, the crying followed him like a haunting echo.

He dropped onto the couch, pressing his palms to his eyes.

Then Jade came out... Harper in her arms, the baby's sobs finally softening. Jade looked equally exhausted, as her hair looked messy, and her eyes were red.

Jace sat up, glaring at them. "For fuck's sake, Jade," he burst out, frustration leaking through every word. "Can you and your daughter just let me sleep? Huh?"

Jade's head jerked slightly, as though slapped by the words. "I'm sorry," she whispered, voice barely there.

"It's 1:55 AM now!" he snapped. "I pay for a rented apartment... can't I get one proper night of sleep? I thought you said she doesn't disturb. If she keeps behaving like this, then take her to a damn hospital and get her checked."

Jade flinched, pulling Harper tighter against her chest. The baby, momentarily shocked by the harshness of the sound, let out a fresh wail.

His words were bullets. Sharp and Cruel. Laced with something Jade couldn't place... anger... or hatred?.

Jade stood there in the dim light, holding her baby like a shield, wondering if she had made the biggest mistake letting this man into her home.

Jace didn't wait for any response from Jade. As he scoffed and ran a frustrated hand through his hair, and stormed back to his room. His door slammed shut with the kind of force that made Harper flinch against Jade's shoulder.

The crying slowly faded... then disappeared completely.

And Jace, exhausted, frustrated, and mentally drained, finally drifted off to sleep.

By morning, the apartment was quiet.

Jade woke up, too early. His eyes were still gritty with fatigue. He stepped out of his room, pulling his shirt over his head, already running late for a critical check in with the developers.

He paused when he saw them.

Jade and Harper were curled up on the living room floor. Both still wearing last night's clothes. A thin blanket thrown over them like an afterthought.

Jade's head was awkwardly propped on the edge of the couch, while Harper snuggled tightly into Jade's chest, thumb in her mouth, breathing softly.

For a second... just a second... Jace's expression flickered. Something unreadable. Almost... guilt.

But he didn't let it stay.

He grabbed his keys, walked past them without a word, and left the apartment.

Jade woke two hours later, her back aching from the floor. Harper still slept peacefully beside her.

She groaned, stretched, and then looked around the messy apartment.

"That's it," she muttered, surveying the slightly disheveled living space. "I am not a cleaner in this house."

She grabbed an easy-dry marker and marched to the small whiteboard she kept in the kitchen for grocery lists. She meticulously divided the apartment. The living room...theirs, Harper's room... hers, The kitchen... shared.

She drew a hard line. Jace's Room, Jace's Hallway, The Utility Closet, The Second Bathroom. She circled the last three areas boldly.

JACE'S RESPONSIBILITY.

"His mess, his side," she whispered, dragging Jace's clothes, shoes, and empty water bottles to one corner. "My mess, my side."

She cleaned her portion of the house spotless... and left Jace's exactly as it was.

A perfect line of separation.

Evening came so fast.

When Jace returned, he stepped inside and stopped.

He blinked.

The left side of the apartment was sparkling.

The right side... his side... looked like an hurricane had passed through.

Jade stepped out of the kitchen and handed him a folded paper.

"Those are your chores," she said simply.

Jace scoffed. "What is this? For what?"

"For the mess you create, I've been doing the cleaning for days now." Jade replied. "Rule number two... equal contribution. Remember?"

Jace glared at her, jaw ticking.

But the rule was real.

And she caught him with it.

"Fine," he muttered.

He grabbed a mop with the attitude of someone holding a weapon and started cleaning.

Night came again. And Harper started crying.

It was a sharp, high pitched wail that was impossible to ignore. Jade tried the usual tricks, rocking, shushing, singing off-key. But the cry continued, piercing and relentless.

This went on for two more nights. Two nights of fractured sleep, not just for Jade, but also for Jace in the apartment.

On the third night, shortly after 2 AM, the crying reached a frantic pitch. Jade was pacing, her patience evaporated,and Jace on the other hand was fed up... He shot out of his bed, furious, sleep-deprived, and stormed into Jade's room without knocking.

Jace barged into her room, his face dark with fury, his hair mussed from interrupted sleep.

"Where the fuck is her father?" he hissed, rubbing his temples violently. "Maybe she wants her daddy! This is insane, Jade!"

Jade froze, clutching Harper closer. The question hit too close, too hard. "You mind your own business, Jace," she spat back, her voice low and dangerous. "Get out of my room now!"

"Mind my...? I can't sleep!" he yelled, dropping his voice immediately for fear of pissing Harper up more, but the aggression was still there. "This thing has been crying for three straight nights! It's ridiculous! It's a silly cry! Can't you just give her a bottle or something?"

"Silly cry?" Jade repeated quietly, voice trembling with disbelief as she dropped Harper to the ground. "She's a baby, Jace! What do you expect her to do? File a complaint?"

They glared at each other, breaths heavy.

And then, just as suddenly, the crying stopped.

Jade and Jace paused their hostilities, looking down.

Harper was silent. She wasn't looking at Jade. She was staring past her, stretching forth her tiny hands to Jace.

Then she started to giggle. A wet, joyous sound.

"See?" Jade breathed, pushing Jace toward the door. "Now, get out!"

Jace turned, his anger returning.

The moment his back was to her, Harper let out a heartbroken, shuddering sob and started wailing again, louder than before.

Jace froze. He looked over his shoulder to little Harper.

Harper's tears vanished. Her face split into a delighted, gummy smile, her arms outstretched again, beckoning to him.

Jade cursed under her breath. "Oh, come on."

Harper stretched her chubby arms toward him again, making soft excited noises.

And something in Jace's fury melted Completely.

as he knelt down... hesitated... then opened his arms.