He sent me a friend request, and at this hour?My gut told me something was up.Even though Steve swore Cole wouldn't try anything out of line, I still felt like I needed to be cautious.Accepting a guy's friend request this late at night just felt too casual—and kinda reckless.I ignored the notification and focused back on Lena. Then I heard her say, "He did that successful surgery with the girl who's a perfect match for him."I could hear the sadness in her voice, and it made my chest tighten.Having been through heartbreak myself, I knew how crucial it was to feel like you're on the same level in a relationship.Lena was crazy talented, but her senior was a big deal on an international scale. There was a gap between them—a huge one. The whole worlds apart thing? Yeah, there was a reason people say that.I didn't push the topic and switched to something lighter, chatting with Lena for a while longer before we hung up. Afterward, I stared at Cole's friend request, unease twis
Ron's words instantly made me think of Hayden, and what Steve had mentioned yesterday about a friend with the last name 'Hart' who had invested a ton of money in OceanixCorp.I turned to Ron. "When you say 'manly,' what exactly do you mean? Or do you have a friend like that?"Ron cleared his throat. "It's hard to explain... I mean, someone with a strong presence, stands tall, like..." He trailed off, pointing at the cafeteria's TV screen.The news was showing a flag-raising ceremony, soldiers standing tall and straight, radiating discipline and strength. It reminded me of Hayden again, and I had a feeling Ron was hinting at something.The last name Hart?Manly?A soldier?It couldn't be, could it?I watched Ron's face, but he was focused on the screen, deep in thought. I decided to throw him off a little. "Is your friend's name Hayden?""Huh?" Ron blinked, looking at me in surprise. "What did you just say?"I couldn't tell if he actually didn't hear me or if he was just playi
I'd definitely put Ron in a tough spot.But I was also trying to figure out who the mysterious boss was.Even though deep down I didn't think it could be Hayden—he always seemed way too broke to be loaded—something about Ron's hints made me wonder if Hayden had more in common with this boss than I thought.I didn't have much going on that afternoon, so after a meeting, I opened my social media app.I checked my new friend request from Cole. Our chat was empty except for the notification saying we were now friends—no messages at all.He'd definitely seen that I accepted, but he hadn't replied.It was obvious he was ignoring me on purpose, his way of getting back at me for not accepting his request last night.This guy seriously held grudges. It was clear, even over something so small, that he was the type to plot revenge.I guess that's why both Hayden and Jace had warned me to stay away from him.But it was too late; we'd already crossed paths. Pretending I didn't know him was
The phone, which had been blowing up, went quiet all of a sudden.For a second, the only things we could hear were the sizzle from the stove and our own hearts racing.We were so close that our breaths mixed, and I caught a flash of something intense in Hayden's eyes...I just knew this was leading up to something huge.Knock, knock!A knock on the door shattered the moment, followed by Mrs. Lowrey's voice. "Hayden, my water's barely trickling. Can you come take a look?"Hayden jumped back, and I used the chance to make a beeline for the couch, practically diving onto it.A second later, Hayden walked out of the kitchen and over to the door. "Sure, I'll check it out.""Thank you," she said, peeking inside and spotting me. She gave me a polite smile. "Keira, mind if I borrow your boyfriend for a bit?"I let out a small laugh."He's all yours," I teased. "Just don't forget to return him in one piece."She chuckled. "Will do," she said, leading Hayden out the door.I sighed in
Jace was here. I hadn't expected that.But it made sense. Tonight was the big lighting test, and as the owner of the amusement park, of course he'd want to check it out.Our eyes met, and Jace started walking over.Hayden's hand slipped around mine, warm and steady.Gotta give him credit—when it came to pretending to be my boyfriend, he didn't hold back. The second Jace showed up, Hayden's protective vibe kicked in like it was second nature.Jace's eyes darted to our joined hands, but he didn't look fazed. "What time does it start?" he asked, his voice calmHayden and I knew what he meant—the lighting test."Ten minutes," Hayden answered."Where's the best spot to watch?" Jace asked, his tone still calm.Hayden's grip on my hand tightened just a bit. I glanced at him, and he looked back like he was leaving it up to me.He knew this place better than anyone. He didn't need my input.He was just giving me the choice."There are different spots, all marked," I said, sounding l
My throat tightened. Was Hayden seriously suggesting we all squeeze into the same cabin?I was about to say something when Hayden grabbed my hand and steered me toward another one."You're not getting on this one?" Jace called after us."Yeah, that's a hard pass," Hayden shot back as he helped me into the other cabin.He climbed in right behind me and slid the door shut.Through the glass, I saw Jace's face darken, his eyes practically shooting daggers.Yup, he was definitely not happy."You did that on purpose, didn't you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at Hayden."Yep," he admitted without missing a beat. "Didn't feel like sharing a cabin with him."There was this smugness in his voice, maybe even a little defiance—like a kid who'd just gotten away with something sneaky.I couldn't help but laugh.I had to admit, Hayden was full of surprises. One minute he was all tough and distant, the next he was sweet and thoughtful, and now he was being downright cute and a little bit br
The world went dark under Hayden's touch, but I felt strangely calm.His warmth, his closeness—it was more comforting than any light could be."Wish for anything. From now on, I'm here, and I'm gonna make your wishes come true," he murmured in my ear, his voice low and soothing.The soft music playing in the background seemed to ease the tightness in my chest, bit by bit.A wish?What was there left to wish for?After my parents died, I stopped making wishes altogether.Then I had Jace, and I guess all I wanted was for us to last. But that was more of a hope than a real wish.And now, if I had to wish for something...I dug deep, trying to figure out what I truly wanted, but even I didn't know.Eventually, I thought of my parents, of the accident, and whispered, "I wish I could find out the truth about my parents' car crash.""I'll make it happen," Hayden said, no hesitation at all.I laughed softly and pulled his hands away from my eyes. "Then why bother with wishes? I cou
The little girl ran through the waves, like a princess from a fairy tale.She moved with such joy, dancing on the crest of the waves, twirling around like she was weightless.It was mesmerizing—too beautiful and lifelike to believe it was just a light show. It felt like a real little girl was out there, playing on the waves.I held my breath, afraid to blink, not wanting to miss a second.Then, as a bigger wave rose, another figure appeared.A boy.The boy stood tall, watching the girl with quiet intensity.She glanced back at him and, after a few seconds, ran toward him. "Hi, I'm Kiki. What's your name?"My heart squeezed. That little girl was me."Haddy, don't run...""Haddy, wait for me..."The boy stopped and reached out his hand. They held hands and ran together."Haddy, I'm tired. Carry me.""Haddy, run faster..."The girl climbed onto the boy's back, and they took off, skimming over the waves together.My eyes blurred with tears. Hayden had turned my childhood mem