Bits of Love, Lines of Code
Chapter 99 - 94: “A Heartbeat Between Us”

Chapter 99: Chapter 94: “A Heartbeat Between Us”

The sun poured softly through the curtains, warming the wooden floor of the countryside home.

It had been three days since the attack.

Aoi sat quietly by the wide glass window, her knees tucked to her chest, wrapped in a warm cardigan. Outside, the fields swayed gently in the breeze, the distant trees casting shadows that danced across the landscape. The peacefulness was stark—a sharp contrast to the chaos that had nearly stolen her life.

Her hand rested protectively on her lower belly.

She still hadn’t cried. Not fully.

Ren entered the room holding two cups of warm tea. He didn’t speak. He just placed one beside her and sat down next to her in silence.

She looked at him, her eyes red but dry. "...She’s okay, right?"

Ren nodded softly. "Lucia confirmed it. The baby’s heartbeat is strong."

Aoi closed her eyes. "I thought I’d lost her... I could feel something shift. Like my whole world was shattering." She leaned against him. "I don’t think I can go back to the office. Or anywhere crowded."

"You don’t have to," Ren said, wrapping his arm around her. "The world can wait. You and her—your safety, your peace—is everything to me."

Aoi laughed softly, almost bitterly. "You sound like a house husband."

Ren smirked. "I can be. Housework, baby care, prototype AI system, occasional Iron Man suit deployment—I’m a multitasker."

That drew a real smile from her. "Idiot..."

She looked down at her belly again. "Do you think... she’ll be like me? Loud, flashy... stubborn?"

"She’ll be strong," Ren whispered, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Like you. Brave, even when terrified. And a little scary sometimes, too."

Aoi rolled her eyes, then sighed and rested her head on his chest. "I feel so tired... but also... I don’t know, safe. Because I’m here."

"You’re home," Ren said. "And this house was always meant for all three of us."

—

Later That Night

Ren gently tucked Aoi into bed. She was fast asleep, one hand resting on her stomach as she murmured something in her dreams.

Lucia’s soft voice whispered into Ren’s earpiece.

"All perimeter sensors are active. Threat probability: low. But new patterns are emerging in cyber activity near Tokyo’s tech clusters."

Ren walked to his lab and stood in front of the AI terminal.

"Lucia... I need a full lockdown system. And I need it now. No more risks."

"Understood, sir."

He looked out the window into the night.

Whatever Saki or Naruse—or whoever else—were planning next...They would find Ren was no longer just defending.

He was preparing.