Ch. 281..290
Chapter 281 Even though I'd moved on from Jace, the sting of what he did was still there, like an old bruise that hadn't quite faded.
"Rea, you poor thing," Lindey said, her eyes blazing with that fierce protectiveness she was known for. You went through all that and didn't say a word? That place was supposed to be yours. You should've kicked her out! I wouldn't let a stray cat stay there, let alone her!"
No wonder Matthew always tiptoed around her. Besides loving her, he was probably scared out of his mind to get on her bad side.
But Jace and I were history, so what was the point of dragging this up again?
I tried to calm her down. "It's over, Lindey. Let it go."
"Maybe you're over it, but I'm not. I'm getting that place back today, she declared.
I couldn't help but smile a little. "Even if you boot her out of that penthouse, Jace can just buy her another one."
Tanya might've been the one in the middle, but it was Jace who put her there in the first place.
He was the real problem, not her.
"If he buys another one, that's his problem. But that penthouse was meant for you. No other woman deserves to live there," Lindey said.
Her words warmed my heart a little.
It felt like she was defending me the way a mom would.
"I really appreciate it, but it's not worth it, Lindey," I said, trying to talk her down. "You don't need to go through all this trouble and get upset over something that's in the past."
If she went through with this, Jace would definitely think I was behind it. And the last thing I needed was to get pulled back into that mess or have Tanya thinking I was trying to one-up her.
"I'm not upset. I'm going to make them so mad they'll want to scream. Don't worry about it."
She was way past reasoning. There was no talking her out of it, so I just sighed and let it go.
"That rascal hiding his side chick in your own house... I see him, I'll knock his teeth out!" she ranted before hanging up.
I put my phone down and stared at the ceiling, replaying the memory of Gavin showing me the penthouse. How did Lindey even find out about that day? I was pretty sure Jace still had no clue why I'd really broken up with him.
I lay there for a bit, lost in thought, before finally getting up and heading outside.
I didn't see Hayden and figured he might be in the kitchen, but nope, not there either.
Maybe he went back to his room? I was about to turn around when I heard the bathroom door open, and Hayden walked out.
Chapter 281 He looked at me, his gaze different from usual, and my heart skipped a beat, a weird, uneasy feeling. washing over me.
Thinking about how we'd almost gotten carried away earlier, I awkwardly pouted, trying to break the tension. I'm hungry. Make me something delicious.
But Hayden didn't take the bait. Instead, he walked right up to me.
My heart sped up, thinking he was about to pick up where we'd left off, so I raised my hand, ready to stop him. But instead, he asked, "What's this?"
I looked down and saw he was holding the ointment Lena had given me. I'd left it in the bathroom, planning to use it after my shower tonight.
I hadn't expected Hayden to find it.
Instinctively, I snatched it out of his hand and hid it behind my back, my face heating up. "Why are you touching my stuff?"
*Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice low and serious.
I was too embarrassed to respond, so I bolted into the bedroom and slammed the door behind me.
Half an hour later, there was a knock. "Dinner's ready. Come out and eat."
I stayed quiet, too mortified to face him. After a pause, he added, "I'm leaving now."
I let out a sigh of relief and, feeling my stomach growl, cracked the door open. But there he was, leaning against the doorframe like he'd been waiting all along. He tricked me?!
"Hayden, you-" I started, but didn't get a chance to finish before he reached out, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his chest.
He pressed his forehead gently against mine. "I'm sorry, It's my fault..."
Chapter 282 +25 BON Guys can't handle it when a girl cries, and girls freak out when a guy shows he's vulnerable.
And let's be real, when it comes to sex, it's not surprising if he was a little rough the first time. It's all new, right?
Plus, Lena texted me this really sweet message, saying it's totally normal to feel a bit sore the first time and not to blame Hayden.
Honestly, Hayden owes Lena a big thank you. She not only calmed me down without even trying, but she also helped his sister by hooking her up with Nate for that surgery.
I was still healing, so no matter how much Hayden wanted me, he had to chill.
I thought he'd be good and go back to his own room, but instead, he stayed and wrapped me up in his arms.
""Hayden, isn't this Ing you crazy? I teased, leaning against his chest.
He just muttered, "Don't talk. Go to sleep."
I giggled. "But can you really fall asleep like this?"
"Kiki," he groaned, his voice all gravelly, "don't push it."
He was totally uncomfortable, struggling to keep it together.
If he went back to his room, he wouldn't have to deal with this torture.
But nope, he insisted on staying here with me, bringing it on himself.
I poked his side. "Why do you do this to yourself?"
He just pulled me closer. I couldn't help but smile. So even a tough guy like him could be a little stubborn.
"When are you bringing Yuna over?" I asked, shifting to something more serious.
"I'll set things up at work tomorrow, then go pick her up" Hayden said, his hand gently rubbing my shoulder.
"Are you coming right back, or staying a few days?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"How many days do you want me to stay?" he shot back.
I blinked, caught off guard. Oh. He thought I'd miss him Someone's feeling pretty confident.
I ignored his question and asked, "Are you taking the train or flying?"
"Whatever works with the schedule," he said, his deep voice almost lulling me to sleep.
When you're tired, you kinda just say whatever.
Without thinking, I murmured, "The high-speed train's more comfortable."
"Okay, I'll take the train," he agreed, like he'd do anything I suggested.
Chapter 202 My eyelids were already getting heavy. "Yuna's gonna be so excited to see you."
"She likes you too. She'll be happy to see you as well... heard him say as I was drifting off.
I smiled, thinking about how much Yuna adored me. "Yeah, I'm her future sister-in-law."
Hayden chuckled softly, and that was the last thing I heard before I fell asleep.
In the middle of the night, I rolled over and noticed Hayden wasn't next to me. I thought he'd left, but then I saw the living room light was on. I listened closely and heard faint grunting noises.
What was Hayden doing?
Half-asleep. I got up and tiptoed to the doorway, then froze.
Hayden was on the living room floor, doing push-ups.
Had he changed his workout routine?
I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was two-thirty in the morning. This wasn't some early morning exercise; this was late-night desperation. He couldn't sleep.
Was it because he was thinking about... that?
It hit me, and I quickly snuck back to bed, pretending to be asleep.
Yep, pretending.
I couldn't sleep either.
I heard him doing push-ups for half an hour, then he took a long shower before finally climbing back into bed.
Only then did I finally drift off, wrapped up in his arms.
Chapter 283
In the morning, I woke up to the smell of breakfast, and there was Hayden, already in the kitchen.
He'd changed into a short-sleeve shirt and cargo pants;
Apparently, he really liked this look. It gave off major special agent vibes, and honestly, it fit him perfectly
It wasn't just his build but all that training he did. I remembered him doing push-ups last night.
I had to admit, his form was seriously on point.
"Why are you staring at me? Eat," Hayden said, catching me in the act.
I grabbed a bite of the beef macaroni soup he'd made and, curious, asked, "Do you hit the gym a lot?"
He scooped some more side dish into my bowl. "Nah, I work out on my own."
"No wonder your push-up form is so perfect, I blurted out before I could stop myself.
He paused, then looked down. I thought he was embarrassed or something, but then he just asked casually, "You saw me?"
Now it was my turn to feel awkward, so I just focused on my pasta and nodded like I'd suddenly forgotten how to talk.
Hayden's cooking skills were no joke, though. I usually wasn't into macaroni soup, but this beef one was actually amazing "Hayden, if you ever get tired of engineering, you should totally be a chef," I said, half-joking.
Then I laughed. "You'd still be a 'Master' of something.
Hayden actually nodded. "Yeah, maybe."
I snorted. "You just go along with whatever I say, don't you?"
"A guy should listen to his wife," he said, dead serious, leaving me speechless. I felt my face heat up immediately.
Hayden chuckled softly. I playfully smacked his shoulder. He leaned in and whispered, "You're really adorable when you're blushing, you know that?" "Stop talking," I said, reaching up to cover his mouth.
He dodged and grinned. "But it's true."
"You're still talking..." I groaned, giving him a dramatic pout.
Just as we were messing around, my phone rang.
I realized how, for all their convenience, phones can be super annoying-always interrupting at the worst
times.
Still wrapped up in Hayden's arms, I pulled out my phone. The screen lit up with the name Jace Johnston.
I let out a sigh of relief, thankful I'd already changed his contact name. It used to be "My Mr. Johnston." If
Chapter 243
Hayden had seen that, who knows what kind of awkwardness would've followed.
"Answer it," Hayden said, releasing me and heading to clear the table.
Watching him busy himself, I finally picked up. "Hello?"
There was a long silence on the other end. I knew Jace had heard me; my cold, detached tone probably threw him off.
"If you've got something to say, just say it," I added.
"Didn't we buy some kind of insurance together once? Jace finally asked.
His question brought back memories of an event from four years ago. It was something an insurance company put together-a "Love Insurance policy for couples.
Jace and I had just started dating then, so we bought a policy. It promised that if the couple got married, the insurance amount would double. You could either cash it out or turn it into a marriage insurance policy. But if the couple broke up, the whole thing was voided. Now that Jace and I had split, it was pretty much useless. I had no idea why he was bringing it up now.
"Yeah, but it's not valid anymore," I replied, keeping my tone flat.
"Not valid?" Jace sounded genuinely surprised.
I was about to explain why it was void when Hayden called out, "Kiki, I warmed up some milk for you. Do you want it now, or should I pack it to go?"
I wasn't sure if he did that on purpose, but I was pretty certain Jace heard him.
Because right after, Jace asked, "Are you living with Hayden?"
His voice was all mixed up with surprise and anger. I snapped back, "You can keep your side chick in the penthouse we were supposed to get married in, but I can't live with my boyfriend?"
There was this long, awkward silence before Jace just hung up.
I stared at my phone for a second, still processing, then headed outside. Hayden was there, holding the cup of milk. "You should take it with you," he said, handing it over.
I couldn't help but think about how his words hit Jace like a truck. I called out, "Hey, Hayden."
""Yeah?" He glanced at me.
I stepped closer.
Chapter 204
Chapter 284
He looked a little nervous.
So, he's feeling guilty, huh?
I guess no guy's ever really chill when another guy's in the picture. Seeing Hayden all nervous-it was kinda funny. He almost never looks like this. But I kept my face serious on purpose.
I stood there, staring at him, not saving a word.
Hayden's lips moved, like he wanted to say something, but he held back, unsure if he should.
This usually straightforward guy, hesitating like a kid who's been caught doing something wrong.
I couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing
My laughter only confused him more. "Kiki..."
I took the cup of milk he made and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks."
Then I turned to leave, tossing over my shoulder, "Grab my bag."
Hayden followed me all the way downstairs, looking way more relaxed now.
When we got to the car, I switched things up and didn't head for the driver's seat. Instead, I walked over to the passenger side.
I threw the keys to Hayden. "You're driving."
He hopped into the driver's seat while I settled into the passenger side, sipping the milk he'd given me
and scrolling through my playlist, feeling more chill and content than I'd felt in ages.
Just as we were getting close to the office, Hayden pulled over at a bus stop.
"What are you doing?" I asked, glancing over at him.
"You said we should keep things on the down-low at work, right? I'll hop out here so no one sees us together and starts gossiping."
Oh, right. I'd almost forgotten about that.
Shouldn't he have forgotten about it too?
But no, of course he had to bring it up.
What did that even mean?
I thought back to the way the girls at the office had swooned over him after he shut down Brad's nonsense, and this weird feeling bubbled up inside me
"Are you worried that being seen with me will mess up your chances with the ladies at work?" I asked, my voice a little sharper than I intended.
No, Kiki, that's not it!" Hayden said immediately.
I reached over to unbuckle his seatbelt. "Just go, then
Chapter 284
#25 BONUS
Hayden grabbed my hand, stopping me. "Kiki, come on. Don't be like this."
I knew I was being ridiculous. I'd told him to keep his distance at work, and now that he was listening. I was mad about it. Typical..
Women can be so complicated sometimes. Even I had to admit that.
"Look, I don't care about anyone else. Just you," Hayden said softly, gently pushing my hand away. Then he started the car again, heading toward the office.
I stayed quiet the whole drive, stewing in my own feelings. When we pulled up and I got out, I threw one last line at him, mostly to save face. "Mr. Hart, we're just coworkers, remember?"
He gave me this helpless smile. "Got it."
One of his best qualities-he always knew when I was just messing around and when to take me seriously. He never got mad over the little things.
Jace was the total opposite. Back when we were together, I hardly ever joked because he could never tell when I was kidding. Even if he knew I was joking, he'd overthink everything, acting like I meant something deeper. It was exhausting Eventually, I just stopped trying to be playful around him.
Now, I kept finding myself comparing him to Hayden, and I couldn't even help it. I mean, they'd both been such a huge part of my life.
But, as they say, comparison's the thief of joy, right?
Thinking about Hayden and Jace, I finally realized just how different guys could be. Even being in love felt like two completely separate experiences.
""Morning, Mr. Hart!"
"Morning, Ms. Kay!"
Hayden and I stepped out of the elevator together, and our coworkers threw out their usual greetings. We both nodded and said, "Good morning," in that polite, professional way, then went our separate ways to our own offices. Business as usual, I mean, who says you can't date a coworker? As long as you keep it chill at work, what's the big deal?
After wrapping up a morning meeting with my team, Ron popped into my office. "Hey, Ms. Kay, can you finish up your current tasks?"
Chapter 285
I got the hint. "Is there something coming up? Do I need to travel?"
Ron nodded. "Yeah, you'll be out for a couple of days."
Great. I hadn't heard about any new projects, so this had to be a last-minute thing.
T
"Where to? What's the job?" I asked, needing the scoop
"Uh... we'll figure that out later," he said, looking all mysterious, which was not helpful at all.
I could tell he wasn't in the mood to share more, so I just nodded and got back to work. If this was coming from management, I'd better get all my stuff sorted and be ready for anything.
I didn't get a break until around ten-thirty, Grabbing my cup, I made a beeline for the break room. Just as I reached the door, I heard two girls inside gossiping over their tea..
"Mr. Hart just keeps getting hotter. Those cargo pants he's rocking today make his legs look like they go on forever."
"Are you serious? I think you're just totally obsessed with Mr. Hart. Weren't you crushing on Mr. Shane, like, last week?"
"Yeah, I thought Mr. Shane was decent, but now that Mt. Hart's here..." She let out a dramatic sigh. "Mr. Shane looks like a total knock-off next to him."
I had to stifle a laugh. These girls didn't hold back.
"From now on, Mr. Hart is my one and only! No one else stands a chance!" she declared just as I walked
1. in.
They turned and smiled at me. "Ms. Kay, tea or coffee?"
I held up my cup. "I've got it. Thanks."
I made myself a cup of coffee and joined them at the table. "So, you've got a thing for our chief engineer, huh?"
"Yeah, Mr. Hart is just so handsome, and I heard he used to be in the military," one of the girls said, totally comfortable chatting with me.
"He's definitely got the physique for it," I replied with a smirk, taking a sip of my coffee.
Hearing that, they practically lit up. "Ms. Kay, since you and Mr. Hart are both execs, can you find out if he's got a girlfriend?"
I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing
"Sure, I'll see what I can do," I said, playing along.
"Thank you!" The girl beamed,
1 took another sip of my coffee and then, feeling a bit mischievous, said, "I'm not sure if he has a girlfriend, but I think he might be living with a girl"
Chapter 285
"What?" Her face fell like a deflated balloon.
Satisfied with the little drama I'd caused, I got up to leave with my coffee. But she wasn't letting me off
I the hook that easily.
"Wait! How do you know? Did you see them together? Or did he tell you?"
Seeing her so determined, I decided to drop a bigger bombshell. "I... saw it."
Her face completely dropped, but she wasn't ready to give up just yet. "Have you seen his girlfriend? What does she look like? Is she super pretty?"
Man, Hayden sure had his own little fan club. But hey, he's mine, and I've got to put an end to this.
I gave her a small smile. "I haven't seen her."
She looked confused, so I raised my hand and pointed to my neck. "But this morning, I saw something on
him."
The girl froze, her mouth hanging open. I flashed her a grin and turned to leave.
Just as I reached the door, I heard her gasp, "A hickey?
I smirked to myself and strolled out of the break room, heading straight for Hayden's office. I knocked lightly on the door. "Come in!"
Hayden's voice carried through, and when I walked in, he was busy,typing away at his computer.
He glanced up and saw me. "Ms. Kay, have a seat."
Playing the part, huh? I liked it.
But I wasn't about to play along. Instead of sitting, I walked around his desk and stood behind him. Hayden hesitated, looking up at me, clearly wondering what I was up to.
I focused on his Adam's apple, leaned in, and gently bit down before giving it a teasing little suck.
Chapter 286 "Hiss Hayden let out a soft sound.
I knew it wasn't pain but sensitivity. Shivers...
I could almost picture him trying to keep it together. Honestly, I was getting pretty wicked, more and more mischievous by the day.
T After stirring things up, I straightened, took a casual sip of my coffee, and turned to leave like it was no big deal.
Hayden seemed too stunned to react. He just sat there, probably trying to figure out what the heck just happened. Back in my office, I sat down, set my coffee cup on the desk, and rubbed my face, chuckling softly.
I didn't even know why I was laughing, but I just felt like it.
It was that kind of pure, genuine happiness that bubbles up from your heart-the joy of pulling off a little mischief.
Like a kid who can't stop giggling after a prank, Just as I was enjoying myself, my phone buzzed with a new message.
I picked it up and saw it was from Cole: a location pin.
I opened it and saw it was an address in an industrial park on the outskirts of the city. The destination was a company called NewWealth Capital. Why would Cole send me this?
Did he send it by mistake?
Or was he just messing with me?
Before I could figure it out, another message from him popped up: [If you want to see my dad, come here.] Thorsten left Serenity Retreat? Was this for real, or was Cole playing some game?
I wasn't in the mood to guess, so I called him directly. As soon as he picked up, he didn't even let me get a word in. "If you don't believe it, then don't go." "Didn't you tell me not to meet your dad? That he wouldn't tell me anything even if I met him?" I reminded him, repeating his own words back to him. And now he was sending me an address, practically inviting me to meet his dad. None of this made any sense.
"Yeah, I did say that. But don't you want to know the truth? Cole snorted. "If you're not interested, then just pretend you never saw the message." Typical rich kid. He had that entitled attitude and a flair for being difficult..
I was about to clap back when he added, "Oh, and just so you know, I gave you the address. Whether you Chapter 200 actually get to talk to my dad or not, that's up to you."
Then he hung up, leaving me with my mouth open and no chance to say anything.
I sighed, spinning my phone in my hand. Should I go or not?
Lindey had already laid everything out for me, and Cole wasn't totally off base with what he said earlier.
If the car accident happened the way I suspected, then Thorsten would probably cover for the living and not give me the truth.
I stared at Cole's text, conflicted.
Not going would mean accepting that my parents' accident was just a tragic fluke.
But was it really?
My parents had no other relatives; I'm their only family. If they were harmed by someone and I didn't investigate, they wouldn't rest in peace.
Even if it was just my imagination, finding out the truth would at least bring me some peace of mind.
In the end, I decided to go.
Even if this was just another one of Cole's games, I wouldn't know unless I went.
As I stepped out of the office, I ran into the two gossiping girls from the break room again. They had their bags with them and seemed to be heading out as well "Ms. Kay, are you heading out too?" one of the girls greeted me.
I nodded, and the girls stepped into the elevator with me.
"Ms. Kay, did you see Mr. Hart today?"
I thought back to my earlier stunt and cleared my throat. "Nope, why?"
"You didn't see him?" One of them practically squealed "He was going around visiting every department. We saw him for real!"
"Huh?" I feigned surprise.
One of the girls pointed at her neck, leaning in like she had some major secret to share. "He had a hickey." "Yeah, right here," the other one chimed in, pointing to her throat. "All purplish-red."
Chapter 287 ne serious lung "Seriously, it was huge!" one of them said, wide-eyed. "Either his girlfriend's got some capacity, or- -Or he's just that good in bed, making her all crazy," the other finished with a knowing smirk.
I blinked, momentarily speechless. These two definitely knew way too much.
"You two sure don't miss a thing," I chuckled, though it came out kind of flat.
"He wanted us to see it. His shirt was practically hanging open," one of them said, nudging her friend. Right?"
"Totally. It wasn't just us. Every girl in the company saw it-even the cleaning lady!"
I didn't know what to say.
"Mr. Hart's usually so low-key. He barely leaves his office. But today, it was like he was on a parade or something."
"For real. You think he's trying to make a point or something?"
"Maybe..." The other girl gave about him."
a knowing look. "Or maybe he's just crushing any fantasies we might've had "Yeah, like, 'Sorry, ladies, but I'm very taken."
I couldn't help but be impressed by their insight. For all his boldness, Hayden was definitely making a statement, letting his admirers down easy-but very firmly.
It was kind of sweet, actually. And a little bittersweet.
You could tell when a guy really loved someone. He'd make sure she never had a reason to worry.
"Mr. Hart's a total catch. The more he does this, the more I'm obsessed."
"Seriously, he's so swoon-worthy."
The two of them were off in their own world, gushing over Hayden. I just smiled softly, a warm feeling blooming inside me.
I followed the location pin Cole sent and drove over. Sure enough, there were banners everywhere, celebrating the grand opening.
But once I got there, I realized that just being in the right place didn't guarantee I'd actually get to meet Thorsten.
So, after coming this far, I wasn't about to chicken out over something so minor.
I didn't know much about this NewWealth Capital, but for the boss to get Thorsten-who usually avoided everything to leave his wellness retreat and show up in person, they had to be pretty influential. And if they were that close to Thorsten, chances were they had good connections with Matthew too.
Chapter 207 I hated using the Johnston name to open doors, but sometimes you have to play the cards you're dealt.
Not taking a shortcut when you have one? That's just stupid..
I went straight to the front desk and dropped Matthew's name. The receptionist checked the list and waved me in.
Getting inside wasn't the real win. I was here to see Thorsten.
"I need to see Thorsten Drago," I said, not wasting any time. "Which room is he in?"
The receptionist glanced at me, waiting for an explanation, but I kept my cool, calm and composed. A few seconds later, she smiled politely and gave me the room number.
I didn't bother with a thank you, just nodded and walked away.
Being polite is one thing, but you don't have to overdo it. It's about reading the room, not putting anyone on a pedestal.
I stepped into the venue and scanned the room packed with guests, but I knew Thorsten wouldn't be mingling here.
Someone like him wouldn't be out in the open, which was exactly why I asked for his room number in the first place.
I flagged down a waiter and asked him to take me to Thorsten's room.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. It didn't take long before it swung open, revealing a tall, burly guy who eyed me suspiciously. "Who are you looking for?"
I kept my cool. "I'm here to see Mr. Drago.
Then I added, "I'm a relative of Matthew Johnston."
As soon as I said that, a deep voice rumbled from inside. "Let her in."
My heart skipped a beat. It was Thorsten.
He actually agreed to see me.
Chapter 288 I half-expected to get turned away.
Guess dropping Matthew's name still worked like a charm, especially with Thorsten.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside and was greeted by the sight of an old man with graying hair, moving through slow, deliberate self-defense routines in the middle of the room. He's Thorsten?!
I'd done my homework. He wasn't even sixty yet, around the same age as Matthew. In the photos, he looked younger and sharp, but now he seemed to have aged a whole generation beyond Matthew.
Even though I'd read everything I could find on Thorsten, it was hard to reconcile that image with the mant in front of me, focused on his forms like he was one with the air around him. For a second, I wondered if I'd gotten the wrong guy. "So, what do you want?" Thorsten asked, not even pausing his movements, executing each form with precision.
That voice left no doubt-it really was Thorsten Drago Why he looked so different now, I didn't want to guess took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Drago, hi. I'm Keira Kay."
"I know who you are," he replied, not missing a beat in his routine.
I froze, my heart suddenly racing.
He knew who I was. Did that mean he knew why I was here, too?
Had Cole already tipped him off?
"Matthew thinks of you like a daughter. He's mentioned you more than once," Thorsten added.
So that's how he knew.
His words left me momentarily speechless. My whole mental script went blank.
"Go on. What is it you want to ask me?" Thorsten continued, his hands and feet moving with a surprising mix of strength and grace. He didn't even break a sweat as he spoke.
I still hadn't seen his face directly, he kept to the side, almost like he was testing me.
I took a steadying breath. "Mr. Drago, I wanted to ask if you remember someone named Alan Kay. You talked to him about a contract over a decade ago."
Thorsten didn't respond right away. Instead, he kept up his sequence of smooth, powerful moves-steps. punches, and twists, all flowing like he was in his own world.
He repeated the routine a dozen more times before finally slowing down and turning to face me.
Standing with his legs together, he raised his hands to chest height and took a series of slow, deep breaths, lifting and lowering his hands in perfect sync.
Chapter 268)
For the first time, I saw his face clearly. It wasn't much different from the photos I'd seen, but there was a calmness and gentleness to it that the pictures didn't capture. The man in front of me wasn't anything like the rumors i'd heard.
They say you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their face, and his showed the effect of years of discipline and self-control I realized he was regulating his breathing.
I Even though I was dying for answers, I knew better than to interrupt.
After almost five minutes, Thorsten slowly opened his eyes and looked straight at me.
His eyes were piercing. They sent a chill down my spine, making my throat tighten and the words I wanted to say freeze in my mouth.
The bodyguard by the door stepped forward, handing him a towel. Thorsten took it and wiped his hands, then asked, "How old are you?"
He didn't answer my question, just threw out one of his own.
I swallowed and answered honestly, "Twenty-four."
Thorsten finished wiping his hands, and the bodyguard took the towel away. He headed over to the seating area.
A girl who'd been waiting nearby moved quickly, pouring him tea and handing him a blanket with the efficiency and precision of an attendant in a period drama. Seriously, what a life.
I couldn't help but stare. I thought of Matthew. He had just as much money, but he never acted like this. Sure, the Johnston family had household staff too, but more often than not, Matthew cooked his own meals. Lindey even made sure he did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen at least once a week.
Compared to Thorsten, Matthew seemed like a regular down-to-earth guy.
And yet, the two of them were so close. They didn't see each other often, but when they did, they'd hang out all day.
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:
I couldn't help but wonder if, when no one's around, Matthew secretly enjoyed this kind of pampering too.
My mind tended to wander, and in that brief moment, pictured all sorts of scenarios.
"Come, have a seat," Thorsten said, motioning to the chair across from him.
I walked over, and the attendant immediately poured me water, fussing over me like I was royalty.
I wasn't used to being waited on like this, but I reminded myself to just go with it and respect Thorsten's way of doing things.
"You're not married, are you?" he asked, taking a sip of his tea.
"No."
He smiled. "So, when are you joining the Johnston family?"
I was caught off guard. Did he not know that Jace and had already broken up? And his own son had tried to trick me into becoming his daughter-in-law.
I couldn't help but wonder what would've happened if I'd shown up last time as Cole's fiancée. Would Thorsten have blown a gasket?
"Not happening." I said bluntly.
Thorsten didn't seem fazed. He just let out a light laugh and asked, "Where are you working now?"
He was good. If I wasn't joining the Johnston family, he knew I wouldn't be working at Riverwave Corp anymore.
"A small company," I replied vaguely.
Even if I told him, he probably wouldn't recognize the name anyway.
"What kind of boyfriend are you looking for?" Thorsten asked, still steering the conversation away from my question.
I couldn't tell if he had some hidden agenda or if he was just being nosy. Either way, I answered honestly," I already have a boyfriend."
"Oh?" Thorsten raised an eyebrow, smiling as he lightly tapped his cup.
He didn't push it further, but I was getting frustrated. I asked again, "Mr Drago, do you know Alan Kay?" Thorsten shook his head slightly. "I don't remember."
My heart sank. I quickly pulled out the contract I'd found in my dad's notebook and handed it to him with both hands. "Please, take a look at this."
Thorsten didn't even reach for it, just gave it a quick glance before saying, "Get to the paint."
The point?!
What exactly was I trying to ask here?
L
Chapter 251
Was
sunnosed to ask why this unsigned contract ended up being awarded to Matthew?
Or was I supposed to ask if my dad's accident was connected to this contract-if someone caused it just to get their hands on it?
No matter how I phrased it, it all came down to one thing: I was suspecting that my dad's accident might be linked to Matthew,
But Matthew cared so much about me. Even Thorsten had just said it himself.
So how could I accuse him?
My silence made Thorsten chuckle. "You know what they say about people in love: treasure the one you're with, right?"
My throat tightened. Thorsten set down his teacup, and one of the attendants immediately handed him at napkin. He wiped his fingers and continued, "The dead are gone, and life goes on. You get that?"
I got it, but I still said, "I don't want my parents' deaths to be some unsolved mystery."
"And what kind of truth are you hoping to find?" Thorsten asked.
I was at a loss. He looked up with a faint smile. "I met a guy recently who got into a car accident. He suffered brain injury and now, even though he's in his forties, he lives like a child.
"All he cares about is food, drinks, and games. People think it's tragic, but his wife says he's happier now. "You know why?"
As he spoke, Thorsten picked up a small box from the table, ran his thumb over it, then held it up to his nose and took a deep breath.
It was some kind of scented balm, I realized.
"Because before the accident, he was always stressed, always needed everything to be clear and perfect, and it wore him out. Now that he's lost that part of himself, he's more at peace. Sometimes, not overthinking is a gift. Do you get it?" Thorsten asked, his words hitting me squarely.
I understood, of course. I took a deep breath, reflecting on my own habit of overanalyzing everything. "I just want to love the person who loves me without overthinking everything."
Chapter 290 Matthew and Lindey always treated me like family, likell was their own daughter.
I knew that. I really did.
But ever since I found that contract, it's like there's this constant knot in my chest whenever I'm around them.
I just want to untangle it. I want to love them freely and accept their love without holding back.
Thorsten chuckled. "Like father, like daughter."
I froze. He'd just claimed he didn't remember my dad.
So, he was lying to me.
And why.
I My chest tightened as I dug my nails into my palm.
Thorsten let out a soft laugh. "It's because Matthew keeps bringing it up. Otherwise, why would I remember someone I met twice, over ten years ago?"
My throat tightened. "Why does Matthew keep bringing up my dad?"
Thorsten got up. His bodyguard started to move, but Thorsten waved him off. He walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the lush lawn outside "What do you think Matthew would say about your dad?
He really knew how to play this game.
I had no idea what Matthew might've said, and I couldn't just make something up.
I joined him by the window. "Matthew was my dad's only friend."
Thorsten didn't respond, his eyes still on the view outside.
I glanced out, too. The wide stretch of green was calming, almost hypnotic.
It reminded me of the prairies my dad used to take me to. Even though my parents didn't have much money, they made sure we traveled every year.
They never took me to big cities, saying there was nothing special about concrete jungles. If we were going to travel, they wanted to experience the outdoors.
So, deserts, forests, oceans, and wide-open landscapes became my most vivid memories..
This green lawn reminded me of the times we stayed in little cabins, drinking fresh milk and roasting marshmallows by the fire.
"Dad once promised me he'd take me to see all the mountains and rivers in the world," I said. remembering his words.
But he's gone now, and I haven't been able to bring myself to travel since.
All these years living with the Johnston family, whenever Matthew and Lindey went on trips and invited Chapter 200 me, I always said no.
Traveling had become this deep scar in my heart.
I was afraid to touch it, afraid of how much it'd hurt.
"You're thinking about your dad, but you're not the only one," Thorsten said.
I held my breath, listening.
"I can't say for sure whether your dad's accident was caused by someone, but I can tell you it had nothing. to do with Matthew," Thorsten continued, finally addressing the question I'd been too afraid to ask. I stayed quiet, though I wanted to ask how he could be so But asking would put a wedge between me and Matthew.
o sure Even though Matthew was not here, Thorsten was so close to him, it felt like Matthew was watching me through his eyes.
Thorsten continued, "After your dad's accident, Matthew wanted to back out of the contract. But I knew how much it meant to them both, and I didn't want that partnership to fall apart.
kept reaching out to Matthew, again and again, until I finally told him that your parents practically paid. for that contract with their lives.
*If he let it go, it'd be like your dad's death meant nothing."
Thorsten's words hit me like a punch to the gut, making my heart clench.
"Matthew isn't the kind of person who'd kill for money or betray a friend. Do you think I'd stick around someone like that?" Thorsten's logic was sound.
I felt a weight lift off my chest.
Even though I had my doubts about Matthew, deep down, I was terrified they might actually be true.