Ch. 321..330

Chapter

321

Yuna totally understood how serious things were. If this surgery worked, it was like hitting the reset button on her life. If not, well, all this would just turn into a memory.

"You've got plenty of time for days like this," I said, leaning my head against hers. "Seriously. Trust me."

But then, out of nowhere, she switched gears. "Keira, don't be too hard on Hayden. He's stubborn, yeah, and not exactly Mr. Feelings, but he means well. So, go easy on him, okay?"

I thought she was spiraling about the surgery and was ready to reassure her when she kept going. you've been low-key punishing him lately."

"I know

Her words hit, and I felt my face heat up. I gave her a playful poke. "Where do you even come up with this stuff? Stop overthinking."

"Don't let my age fool you. I've read many romance novels. I know exactly what's going on here," Yuna said with this confident little smirk.

I didn't even try to deny it. "Yeah, well, he acted all tough, so I let him. Besides, he's been single for over thirty years-he can survive a little cold shoulder. You don't have to feel bad for him."

"He's my brother. Of course I care about him," Yuna said, licking her ice cream. "Hayden's the best brother in the world-and honestly? The best guy too."

Her words hit me right in the feels, and I almost teared up. "I'll take care of your brother, I promise

"I know," she said. "I could tell the second I saw you."

Wow, she really had a way with words,

"So, stop overthinking and focus on getting better. Once you're healthy, we can spoil Hayden together- make him the happiest man in the world," I teased, giving her a little nudge. "Okay, pinky promise on that," Yuna grinned, holding out her hand.

I laughed, linking my pinky with hers. "You're such a kid,

But then she hit me with, "Could you take me to the hospital today? I wanna get better, like, as soon as possible."

Her request threw me off. "No rush. Let's do the hotel today," I said, wanting to give her more of the world -knowing she wasn't chasing fancy stuff, just the pure excitement of experiencing life outside her bubble. She shook her head, determined. "I'll go after I'm better. But when I do, I want to stay in the best hotel here

the one where I can reach out and touch the stars."

Her words hit me so hard, my eyes stung. "Alright," I said softly, "I'll find you a place where you can lie back and just... stare at the stars."

In the end, we couldn't argue with Yuna's decision to go to the hospital, so Hayden and I took her there.

J shot Lena a quick message, and by the time we arrived, she was already waiting to take us straight to

the inpatient ward. Hayden handled all the paperwork.

Once everything was set, Yuna started waving us off. "You guys should just go home."

Chapter

"I'm staying right here," Hayden sald firmly.

But Yuna wasn't having it. "If you stay with me, what about Keira?" she teased, and Lena totally lost it, cracking up.

And Yuna wasn't done. "Go be with Keira! Don't forget, you promised me a niece or nephew. You and Keira better get to work on that. But, you know, mostly you gotta try harder." Pift-

This time, even I couldn't keep it together.

Lena and I were still laughing when Hayden's ears turned that telltale shade of red. He walked over and gently tapped Yuna on the forehead. "Watch your mouth."

Yuna immediately turned to me. "Keira, Hayden's being mean to me."

I was just about to pull Hay

away when the door swung open-and in walked Nate.

Dressed in white, he had this effortless glow that made me do a full double take. I mean, wow, the guy looked good.

Even Lena seemed caught off guard. "Nate, what are you doing here so late?"

"I'm here to check on the patient," Nate said, flashing a smile as he moved to Yuna's bedside. Her eyes lit up, practically sparkling, totally locked on him..

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"Lie down, let me have a listen," Nate said, slipping the stethoscope from around his neck.

We all stood there, watching nervously. Even Hayden-who usually had this calm, unshakable vibe-wast visibly tense. But it was just a routine check-up, not the surgery itself.

I could feel how much Hayden cherished Yuna in that moment, so I reached for his hand. He glanced at me, and I gave him a reassuring nod.

Yuna, though, was frozen, staring at Nate like she'd been turned to stone.

Noticing, Lena walked over and leaned in slightly. "Lie down and let Prof. Neumann check your heartbeat. It won't hurt," she said gently.

Yuna had already bonded with Lena earlier, so it didn't take much. After a second, she blinked, then finally lay down like an obedie- kid.

I couldn't help but notice runa's cheeks were flushed. There was this tightness in my chest as I saw the way her eyes sparkled-brighter than I'd ever seen.

I glanced over at Nate, fully absorbed in his task, pressing the stethoscope to her chest, listening intently. There's just something about a guy being so focused and serious that's ridiculously attractive. And, well, Nate was undeniably handsome. Oh no, Yuna had definitely fallen for him.

"Your heart rate's a little fast. Are you feeling okay?" Nate asked, his attention now on Yuna.

She bit her lip, hesitating. First, she shook her head-then quickly nodded.

Nate stayed patient, his tone calm. "Are you feeling comfortable or uncomfortable?"

Yuna's eyes stayed glued to him. "A little... fluttery," she said softly.

"Don't worry. Just relax, breathe slowly, and close your eyes," he advised, his voice soothing, trying to help. her calm down.

But Yuna shook her head again. I felt Hayden's hand grip mine tighter-his anxiety was building, and he hated not being able to fix this for her.

Nate shifted the stethoscope, listening once more before finally putting it away. "Your heart rate's a bit elevated, but nothing major to worry about," he assured her, his gaze flicking to Hayden and me, sharing a silent exchange before he stepped out.

Lena followed him, and Hayden, of course, went too. I wanted to hear what they were talking about, but I couldn't leave Yuna alone.

Yuna sat there with her hands pressed against her chest like she was trying to stop her heart from jumping out.

I glanced at Yuna's flushed face, her wide, dreamy eyes still fixed on the ceiling. Walking over, I asked, "Is your heart still bothering you?"

"Keira," she blurted out, "I think I've fallen for that doctor."

Chapter 322

Ah. Well, there it was-exactly what I'd suspected earlier.

They say good-looking people attract admirers, and Yuha was proving that true. Nate had barely done anything, and her heart was already doing flips.

But I knew this wasn't going anywhere.

It wasn't just about Lena having feelings for Nate, though I wasn't about to let Yuna mess up Lena's potential love life. It was also because I could tell from the way Nate looked at Lena-there was something there, even if they hadn't acted on it yet. And they probably would, eventually.

I needed to shut this down before Yuna got hurt. I smirked and teased her, "It's 'cause he's handsome, huh? I get it. Honestly, just looking at him is a treat. Hike him too."

Chapter 323

"Keira!" Yuna shot up, eyes wide. "What did you just say? You like Prof. Neumann too? No way-you can only like my brother."

She wasn't clutching her chest anymore, just staring at me with this sudden urgency.

I stifled a laugh, putting on a helpless face. "But he's so good-looking! The first time I saw him, I was like, Wait, is this a doctor or did someone rip him straight out of a magazine?"

"No way," Yuna clung to my arm, desperate. "Sure, he's good-looking, but if you look closely, he's not as handsome as Hayden.

"He doesn't have Hayden's... masculinity.

"And most importantly? Hayden's honest and genuine-unlike this doctor."

I raised an eyebrow, totally amused. "Oh? Prof. Neumann's not genuine? How can you tell?

Yuna pouted and shook my arm back and forth. "You can't like anyone other than my brother. You're his."

This girl had a serious ser f loyalty.

"You're a believer in that one true love, ride-or-die kind of romance, huh?" I teased. I knew exactly where she got it from-those romance novels she devoured.

In those stories, no matter what drama or obstacles the characters face, readers always want them to end up together. And Yuna, with her head full of those romantic fantasies, probably dreamed of that kind of love too-where the main characters are destined for each other, no exceptions.

"Exactly!" Yuna nodded, dead serious. "So, you and Hayden? That's it. You're not allowed to like anyone else."

"Prof. Neumann already has someone he likes," I said, gently steering the conversation. "If you like him, you'd either have to hope they don't end up together, or you'd be stuck as the second lead, dealing with unrequited love just like in those novels," Yuna's eyes widened in shock. "He has a girlfriend?"

Before I could even answer, she kept going. "Well, I guess that makes sense. A guy as handsome and. charming as him, of course, he'd have someone.

Seeing she was starting to piece it together, I nodded. "Exactly. Want to know who he likes?"

Yuna shook her head. "This was the first time I even saw him. How would I know?"

"It's Dr. Lane," I revealed.

Her eyes grew even wider for a second, but then I saw it-the sparkle in them started to fade, dimming as the reality hit her.

Yuna leaned her head on my shoulder and sighed. "No wonder a famous doctor like him came personally to check on me. It was because of his girlfriend." We sat quietly for a moment, both staring out the window. I decided to fill her in. "Dr. Lane's had feelings for Prof. Neumann since they were in school.

"She worked so hard to get into the same medical program just to be close to him.

"Everything she's accomplished today-It's all because of that love."

Yuna listened carefully, then exclaimed, "And he never knew? How could Dr. Lane keep quiet for so long? If you love someone, you have to say it out loud!"

"Exactly," I said. "I encouraged her to confess, but she never did. Prof. Neumann just happened to overhear our conversation, so now he knows about her feelings."

I glanced at Yuna, watching her process that before teasing, "And guess what? I saw the same look in Prof. Neumann's eyes when he was looking at Dr. Lane-the same sparkle you had when you were staring at him earlier."

Her face turned bright red. "Keira, stop! I get it. I won't like Prof. Neumann anymore," she muttered, then added, "But he really is the most handsome man I've ever met... well, except for Hayden."

I laughed at her quick save. "Yes, except for Hayden."

"You can only like Hayden, Yuna reminded me again, her voice full of concern, like she thought I might change my mind at any second

I patted her head, smiling.n't worry. Hayden and I still have to give you a baby to spoil, remember?"

Her face lit up. "Are you really going to have a baby with him?"

I couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. "Yep, and hopefully, we'll have a little girl as beautiful as you."

"Twins would be even better!" Yuna added, getting way too carried away.

*Sure, if he's up for the challenge," I teased just as Hayden's tall figure appeared in the doorway.

Yuna's eyes flicked to him. "Hayden, did you hear that? Keira said-"

"I heard," Hayden cut in, his eyes locked right on me.

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Hello 324

eing she was starting to piece it together, I nodded. "Exactly. Want to know who he likes?"

Yuna shook her head. "This was the first time I even saw him. How would I know?"

"It's Dr. Lane," I revealed.

Her eyes grew even wider for a second, but then I saw it-the sparkle in them started to fade, dimming as the reality hit her.

Yuna leaned her head on my shoulder and sighed. "No wonder a famous doctor like him came personally to check on me. It was because of his girlfriend." We sat quietly for a moment, both staring out the window. I decided to fill her in. "Dr. Lane's had feelings for Prof. Neumann since they were in school.

"She worked so hard to get into the same medical program just to be close to him.

"Everything she's accomplished today-It's all because of that love."

Yuna listened carefully, then exclaimed, "And he never knew? How could Dr. Lane keep quiet for so long? If you love someone, you have to say it out loud!"

"Exactly," I said. "I encouraged her to confess, but she never did. Prof. Neumann just happened to overhear our conversation, so now he knows about her feelings."

I glanced at Yuna, watching her process that before teasing, "And guess what? I saw the same look in Prof. Neumann's eyes when he was looking at Dr. Lane-the same sparkle you had when you were staring at him earlier."

Her face turned bright red. "Keira, stop! I get it. I won't like Prof. Neumann anymore," she muttered, then added, "But he really is the most handsome man I've ever met... well, except for Hayden."

I laughed at her quick save. "Yes, except for Hayden."

"You can only like Hayden, Yuna reminded me again, her voice full of concern, like she thought I might change my mind at any second

I patted her head, smiling.n't worry. Hayden and I still have to give you a baby to spoil, remember?"

Her face lit up. "Are you really going to have a baby with him?"

I couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. "Yep, and hopefully, we'll have a little girl as beautiful as you."

"Twins would be even better!" Yuna added, getting way too carried away.

*Sure, if he's up for the challenge," I teased just as Hayden's tall figure appeared in the doorway.

Yuna's eyes flicked to him. "Hayden, did you hear that? Keira said-"

"I heard," Hayden cut in, his eyes locked right on me.

I froze.

Chapter 325

Chapter 325

Hearing Lena's words, I couldn't help but feel a bit sad inside.

She'd had this secret crush on Nate forever, and if I hadn't nudged her, she probably would've kept it bottled up.

But Nate... the way he responded was so blunt, like he wasn't even trying to spare her feelings. If he wasn't into her, fine, but did he really have to be that harsh?

I was just about to step in and defuse the tension when Nate Interrupted Lena again, his voice steady but firm. "I'm not bothered by the trouble, and besides, you're only allowed to trouble me." Wait, what?

I blinked, totally confused. And by the look on Lena's face, she was just as lost.

"Nate-"

But Nate cut Lena off again. "Didn't you say you liked me?"

She froze.

"If you like me," Nate continued, "then why are you letting other guys give you attention? Why are you accepting someone else's affection?" Oh. My. God.

It finally clicked-he was jealous. Like, straight-up, out-in-the-open jealous.

Was this his way of confessing? Because if so, wow, dude was not messing around.

Suddenly, I felt this surge of excitement run through me

I glanced at Lena. She looked like she was short-circuiting. "N-Nate, are you saying... are you jealous?"

Girl, seriously? Isn't it obvious?

"Yes," Nate said, totally unbothered. "If you like me, then you can only like me. No half-hearted stuff."

Wow, Nate was maybe even more direct than Hayden.

Lena swallowed nervously. "I do like you, but... you never said you liked me, so I thought..."

She trailed off, clearly scrambling for words.

"I never said I didn't like you," Nate replied, completely confident,

Boom. There it was. He liked her. I knew it!

Lena stood there, totally frozen, but you could tell Nate's confession had her spinning. "Nate..."

"Lena," he said, diving even deeper, "I've liked you for longer than you've liked me."

My heart practically did a happy dance. My fists clenched as I silently cheered for Lena This was it-her moment! She should be leaping into his arms right about now. But... nothing.

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Chapter 325

Lena just stood there. Silent. Not moving at all.

Was she that shocked?

The awkward silence dragged on for what felt like forever. I was about to jump in and save the situation when Nate spoke again, clearly getting impatient. "Lena, why aren't you saying anything?" "Oh. Got it," she finally replied, totally calm.

I almost face-palmed.

Was this the Lena I knew? Or did she somehow morph Into Hayden? Because that response was peak Hayden energy.

She had to be overwhelmed. That was the only explanation.

I was worried Nate would get frustrated or mad, but instead, he smiled and said, "You're my girlfriend now. That means you can only accept flowers from me and eat the food I send you." Lena nodded, still in that dazed, robotic way. "Got it."

I was floored.

I had just witnessed tw

history.

art people deliver the most awkward, low-energy relationship confession in

At this point, I wondered if my standing there was making it harder for them to be themselves. So, I decided to slip out, quietly.

But, as soon as I stepped out of the office, I walked right into a firm, very muscular chest.

Chapter 326

'Ouch!" I winced.

A hand gripped my arm, pulling me back a bit. I glanced up and locked eyes with someone I didn't.

recognize.

He looked startled, like really startled.re I could even say a word, he let go of me and basically bolted down the hall.

-

Rubbing my now throbbing forehead, I watched him scurry off and then glanced back at Lena's office. It hit me this guy had been eavesdropping. He was so into their convo, he didn't even notice me walk out, which was why we crashed into each other. Wait... could that guy be Sancho? You know, "A Heart for L, Lena's secret admirer?

Still trying to wrap my head around it, Hayden appeared. I was about to head over when I heard Lena's. voice from inside the room, "Nate, I'm starving."

I couldn't help but laugh. Lena had this whole hot-and-cold thing down to a science.

"What's so funny?" Hayden asked.

"Lena and Nate. They're finally a thing," I said, jerking my thumb toward the office.

He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, just grabbed my hand. "C'mon, let's head home."

*Are you sure Yuna's okay by herself?" I asked, still feeling a bit uneasy even though I had already talked it over with Lena.

"She'll be fine," he said, totally sure of himself. "She's been managing on her own for years."

He had a point. Yuna might seem fragile, but she was tougher than people gave her credit for.

Since Hayden was so confident, I let it go and followed him out.

The car ride was pretty quiet. I figured he was still stressed about Yuna's upcoming surgery, so I stayed silent too. When we got home, we headed upstairs, and I realized-he was still holding my hand. T

I tugged, trying to free it, but he held on tighter.

I waved our hands in front of him, teasing. "What's this about?"

"Open the door," he said, his tone unusually serious.

Oh, I knew exactly what he meant. Remembering how proper he always acted back in Pencetown, I smicked. "We're not even married yet. Isn't this a little... Inappropriate?"

Hayden's Adam's apple bobbed as he stepped closer, backing me up against the door. He leaned in so close that our noses were almost touching. "How are we supposed to have kids if we don't practice? How will we know if we can have twins?" I stared at him, totally speechless.

He remembered that silly joke?

Chapter 326

Wow. When guys get petty, they really take it to another level.

His eyes were practically burning, and I knew-tonight, he wasn't backing down.

But then, I thought about how soft he was around Yuna, and I got this sudden urge to mess with him.

"Didn't you say it's not appropriate to do stuff like this before marriage? That girls should, you know, protect themselves?" I traced lazy circles on his chest, smirking.

He clearly caught on to my game because his voice dropped to this low, husky whisper. "You don't need to worry about that. I'll protect you

With that, he leaned in to kiss me.

I dodged, grinning. Nope, not happening. After a couple more dodges, Hayden was breathing hard. "Kiki, be good."

"Nuh-uh," said, still toying with him.

Back in Pencetown, he left me hanging for days. No way was I letting him off the hook that easy.

"Kiki..." he whispered, his voice soft and almost pleading. "You're mad, huh?"

Finally, he got it.

"Yep," I admitted. "You totally shouldn't have treated me like that earlier."

Realizing I wasn't joking, he rested his forehead against mine, sounding all defeated. "So... how long are you gonna stay mad?" "I don't know."

Chapter 32 Chapter

327

Hayden leaned in, pressing his forehead against mine, his voice low and husky. "But I missed you. missed you so much. I want you."

He grabbed my hand, guiding it down to his hardening body.

I yanked my hand back, tucking it behind me like I'd just touched something burning. His soft chuckle made me blush harder. "You don't want me?" he asked. "No," I lied, trying to sound comincing "I'm tired. I want to sleep. I pushed him away lightly, fumbling through my bag for the keys

Of course, I couldn't find them. My fingers were shaking, and I could feel Hayden's eyes on me the whole time. He reached over casually, pulling the keys out. *Such a nervous little kitten," he murmured, his breath hot against my ear.

My face went full-on tomato. Why did he always get to me like this?

He unlocked the door, but before I could dart inside, he tugged me back. "You're really not gonna let me

in?

"N-No, no," I stammered, avoiding his eyes, but of course, he slipped in anyway.

"Hayden!" I scolded, glaring at him as he wandered through my apartment like he owned the place.

He grinned, hands in his pockets, strolling from room to room. "Just checking. Doors, windows, all good. Everything's safe," he said, coming back to stand in front of me. My heart gave a little squeeze, and then something inside me started to stir.

"It's been a long day. You've gotta be exhausted. Go shower, sleep. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, his hand brushing through my hair before he gave my cheek a soft pinch.

I got why he'd kept his distance back in his hometown. He was trying to set a good example for Yuna, and he didn't want to make things weird for me. I mean, after all, we weren't married. wasn't mad anymore. I just didn't want him to leave.

"Be good. Night!" Hayden turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm, holding him back. I couldn't say it-1 wasn't brave enough-but I was pretty sure my eyes said it all. 'Don't go."

"Be good. Night!" Hayden turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm, holding him back. I couldn't say it-I wasn't brave enough-but I was pretty sure my eyes said it all. Don't go. He stopped, glancing down at me, acting all confused like he didn't get it. This guy.

For someone who used to be totally clueless about relationships, Hayden had gotten pretty good at flipping the script on me.

"I've changed my mind," I finally muttered.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"

I gave him a light pinch. "Stay."

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This time, Hayden didn't hold back. He chuckled. "So you have been thinking about it."

"Shut up. I'm just scared," I shot back, trying to cover my embarrassment. "You freaked me out checking everything."

He laughed softly. "I already told you, everything's fine. I'm literally right next door. If you need me, just call."

I was losing this battle fast. With a huff, I gave in. "What If I just want you to stay?"

His grin widened. "Not mad anymore, huh?"

"Hayden!" I huffed, cheeks burning. "If you keep teasing me, I'll really get mad."

He cupped my face, his thum

shing over my cheek, "Don't be mad."

I thought that meant he was staying, but then he pulled back. "I'll be next door. Don't overthink it, okay? Get some-rest."

I wasn't stupid. I knew what he was doing-he still planned to leave.

But moments ago, with the way he looked at me, the heat between us... it was obvious he wanted me. So -why was he pulling away now? Even if he was teasing, wasn't this pushing it too far?

I let him go, trying to play it cool, but frustration bubbled up. "Fine, whatever. Go already!" I shoved him toward the door, my mood swinging hard.

Hayden sighed, pulling me into his arms one last time. His lips brushed my ear, and his voice was soft, almost tired. "What am I gonna do with you?"

His weariness made my heart twist. I hugged him back, squeezing him tight. "Just get some sleep, okay? Don't overthink it either."

With one last sigh, I nudged him out the door, knowing that if he stayed, neither of us would be getting any sleep.

Chapter 328

Chapter 328

After Hayden left, I took a quick shower, then flopped onto my bed and grabbed my phone.

Lena had sent me a message with a picture of Yuna, fast asleep, along with a little note: [Yuna is safe.]

Of course she knew I'd be freaking out until I knew for sure.

I shot back a quick reply. [Thanks for looking out for her]

Almost immediately, Lena's video call lit my screen Girl had definitely been waiting for me to respond..

I grinned, figuring she was dying to spill a e details about her finally making it official with her long-time crush. I swiped to answer, and there she was-lounging in her chair, practically glowing. Like, I could feel her happiness through the screen.

I clicked my tongue playfully. "Whoa, someone's got that post-love confession glow. You're shining, girl."

Lena chuckled. "You're being so extra right now."

Jdidn't bother with small talk. I was still thinking about how she kept Nate on edge for so long. "You know

exactly how to play a guy, don't you?"

"Do I?" she said, pretending to be all innocent.

"Puh-lease. Stop with the 'do I? act. You know what you're doing," I teased.

Her grin said it all. She wasn't fooling anyone. I thought back to when I heard Nate confessing his feelings, both of them totally clueless about their mutual crush, Lena, I swear, when I heard Nate say he liked you, I was this close to fist-pumping the air. I legit thought you'd jump into his arms right there!"

Lena laughed. "But I didn't, did I?"

"Yeah, and you totally caught me off guard!" I teased back. "Were you just too stunned to move?"

She smirked. "Oh, I was excited alright, but I kept it cool on purpose."

I snorted. "Wow, so strategic.

"You could say that," Lena shrugged, then her tone softened. "Rea, I've liked him forever, but like I told you, I wasn't gonna lose myself over it. I didn't want him thinking his feelings were some grand favor or something."

Her words hit me. She'd said the same thing when I was going through stuff with Jace, telling me I hadn't kept things balanced. For someone new to the whole love thing, she sure knew how to handle herself. "You're a total pro, Lsaid, giving her a thumbs-up.

"This is pro level?" Lena scoffed, acting all casual.

I mimicked her voice from when she and Nate finally got together, "Nate, I'm hungry."

Lena burst into laughter. "Was I really that cute?"

I pretended to shiver. "Girl, you were so sweet, I felt my bones melting. Seriously, you've got it down-chill

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Chapter 328

when you need to be, but soft when it counts."

"Isn't that what guys like?" she said, and her casual comment hit harder than I expected. Here I was, ten years of unrequited love and four years of failure, and Lena was just out here dropping wisdom like it was nothing.

"I surrender. You're the master. From now on, I'll call you love guru," I said, still feeling kind of impressed.

Lena laughed lightly. "Why are you home alone? Where's Hayden?"

"Oh, he went back to his place," I answered casually.

Lena raised her eyebrows, giving me a knowing look. "Let me guess... Aunt Flo's in town?"

I grinned. "Nice try, but nope. Her hubl

re too, and they're both on vacation."

That had Lena cracking up, her laughter contagious. I couldn't help but join in. But after a second, I nudged her. "Okay, enough stalling-spill the tea. What happened after you told Nate you were hungry? Did he, uh... satisfy your needs?" I threw in some obvious innuendo. Lena didn't miss a beat. "I'll leave that part to your imagination."

Come on! Besties don't hold out on each other!" I teased, pushing for more details.

She snorted. "Even besties have limits. Some things are off-limits."

"Okay, fine. But there's something I do need to tell you." I suddenly remembered the weird guy I'd seen outside her office earlier. It had been bugging me ever since.

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"Private details are off-limits for sharing." Lena joked, thinking I was teasing her.

But I got serious. "Have you made it clear to that admirer of yours that you're not interested?"

"Of course. I turned him down right away."

"Well, it doesn't seem like he got the memo. He's still sending you food and flowers. And..." I hesitated, " he's been spying on you."

Lena's face shifted. I told her about running into the guy outside her office, catching him eavesdropping.

Recalling when a blind date had almost tunato a stalker situation for me, I felt the need to warn her. Lena, you gotta be careful. Guys like that can escalate. Watch your back-at work, when you're leaving, even when you're driving." She didn't respond right away. Instead, she stood up from her chair and walked out of her office.

"Where are you going? Did you even hear what I said?" I asked, feeling a little uneasy.

She went straight to the nurses' station, where one of the nurses was resting her head on the counter. Can you pull up the security footage from around 8:30 PM tonight? I want to check something near my office door." The exact time told me she was thinking back to when Nate had confessed to her.

The nurse pulled up the footage, and only then did Lena turn back to me. "The guy you saw might not be my admirer."

T

""What?" I was confused.

"I already spoke to his family. He's not in town-he left yesterday. The stuff I got today? It was ordered online," she said, her words leaving me even more puzzled.

But the guy I saw was definitely there, and he seemed freaked out when I caught him.

The nurse found the footage. "Dr. Lane, is this the person you're looking for?"

Lena hadn't seen him, so she angled the screen toward me. "Is this him?"

The guy on the screen, wearing a gray hoodie? Yep, it was him.

da

The footage even showed the moment we bumped into each other, and we watched as it replayed in front of us. Lena spoke up. "This isn't my admirer. I don't know him at all." From the video, we could see the guy standing by her door for a while, clearly listening in.

"Rewind the footage." Lena instructed.

As the video rolled back, we noticed something important-this man had arrived at the hospital with Nate.

"He's here for Nate?" I asked, glancing at her.

"That's what it looks like. But I have no idea why," Lena said, sounding more thoughtful than worried.

A bunch of worst-case scenarios flashed through my head. Even being a doctor could be risky these

Chapter 320

days. "Do you think it's some kind of revenge thing? Maybe Nate's in trouble?"

eds to know.

"It's possible," Lena agreed, biting her lip. "I'll send a screenshot of the footage to Nate. He needs

She ended the call, but the image of the guy's face-his startled expression when we collided-stuck with

me

I'm the kind of person who can't let things go, especially when something's unresolved. That night, I dreamt about the guy, and in a super weird twist, we were holding hands... getting married, even. It was so ridiculous that I woke up laughing at myself By the time I rolled out of bed, Hayden had already been up, finishing his morning workout. When I got to the kitchen, breakfast was waiting. Wet and then headed to the hospital together.

"I'm gonna grab some flowers for Yuna,aid, remembering how much she loved them, and hopped out of the car as Hayden went to park...

I picked out a bouquet and was heading inside the hospital when I saw him-the same guy from yesterday.

This time, he wasn't just there. He was watching me.

No, scratch that. He had been watching me the whole time.

A chill ran down my spine. Could this guy actually be after me?

I scanned the lobby. It was crowded-tons of people around. There was no way he'd try something in such a public place, right?

With a sudden surge of boldness, I squared my shoulders and started walking straight toward him

Chapter 330

He didn't flinch. Just stood th

ere, staring.

"Do you know me?" I asked, not even bothering with a smile.

"No."

I gave him a once-over. He wasn't exactly the kind of guy you'd notice right away, but the more I looked, the more attractive he seemed. Today, he'd swapped the hoodie for a light blue T-shirt, looking clean and laid-back. Casual, but in a way that worked for him. "So, we just keep bumping into each other for fun, huh?" I shot back, not buying his "no" for a second.

"We don't know each other," he sa

it you look a lot like someone I know."

I couldn't help it-I laughed. Really? That line was so old, it could've been my grandma's.

Seeing the mockery in my smile, he blushed. "I'm serious, I can show you."

Before I could say anything, he pulled out his phone and swiped a few times. When he held it up, my breath caught. Staring back at me was a girl with a bright smile, her hair in a perfect bun. She looked like me-like, freakishly close. The only real difference was a little beauty mark by her eye, something I didn't have.

I stared at the photo for what felt like forever before finally meeting his eyes again. "She does look like me. But I swear, I don't know her."

"I know," he said. He pocketed his phone, looking almost sad.

"Then why are you following me?" I asked, glancing down at his sneakers. Not exactly giving off creepy stalker vibes, more like... gym teacher? Or maybe a grad student?

He didn't say anything.

I figured he was feeling guilty, so I cut straight to it. "Dude, this is stalking. I could totally call the cops."

His eyes widened a bit. "I-I don't mean any harm. I swear."

+

"Look, even if you're not trying to be creepy, following a girl around? Not okay. It's sketchy, and it makes me feel unsafe. You get that, right?" My voice took on a more serious edge, the way I'd talk to someone at work who was messing up. He dropped his head a little. "Yeah. I'm sorry."

I sighed. "Look, you don't seem like a bad guy. But yesterday and today? Not okay. Don't make it a thing." It was a warning.

He didn't

argue, and I started to walk away.

"Wait," he called out.

I paused, turning back.

"My name's Wade Smith. I'm a PhD student," he said, pulling out his student ID.

Chapter 330

My eyes flicked to the school name: Kelhmark Royal Academy. Whoa. That was, like, the elite school in Kelhmark.

Suddenly, he wasn't just some random guy. Yesterday, watching him take off like that, I know there was something different about him. And now, bam-my instincts were totally on point.

*KRA was my dream," I admitted with a little laugh, handing his ID back. "Didn't get in though. Guess it wasn't meant to be."

It was true. I didn't go to KRA because of Jace. He hadn't wanted to, and me, being a lovesick idiot, decided to follow his lead instead of my own plans. Spoiler alert: neither of us ended up there. Thinking about it now, I couldn't help but roll my eyes at how dumb I'd been.

Wade's expression changed, gettin

really sick. She might not make it m

-e

e serious. "The girl in the photo you saw... she's really sick. Like,

onger."

I blinked, not expecting that. 'Is she your girlfriend?"

He swallowed, his jaw tightening. "No. She's my advisor."

A brilliant girl, from the sound of it, but something awful had happened.

"What happened to her?" I asked softly, not sure if I should.

His face crumpled a little, like he was holding back more than he wanted to. "It wasn't an illness. She was in... in a car crash. About a year ago."

There was a weird, heavy pause. Even though his words were choppy, I got it. I glanced at him, the sadness rolling off him, and blurted, "Was the accident your fault?"

His head dropped even lower, and after what felt like forever, he barely whispered, "Yeah."

Suddenly, everything clicked-the sadness, the way he kept looking at me. He saw his advisor in me. Or, at least, who she used to be.

I didn't know how to make this better, so I just asked, "She's not going to wake up, is she?*

He wouldn't be talking like this if there was any hope.

Wade shook his head, his voice breaking, "No. She's only alive because of the machines." A knot twisted in my chest.