So, I was being tracked this whole time.But what was his plan? Retaliate against me?I gripped my phone tighter, staring at the screen. Bruno hadn't sent anything else, but his silence felt like a threat hanging in the air.After a second of debating, I took a screenshot and sent it to Hayden. If Bruno was coming after me, and Yuna was here too, whatever mess he started could end up hurting her. Hayden needed to know. Even if he didn't care about me anymore, he couldn't ignore a risk to his sister.In that moment, it felt natural to reach out to Hayden. Maybe it was habit, or maybe, deep down, I still trusted him—whether he wanted me or not.As soon as I hit send, my phone rang. Hayden.I picked up but stayed quiet, waiting. He broke the silence first. "You don't need to worry. I'll have people watching you."His words hit me with a mix of relief and something warmer, though I tried not to show it."I don't need your protection," I said, keeping my voice steady. "I just don't
"Will Steve's match go on as planned? Is he still in danger?" I couldn't help but worry about him."He'll be fine," Hayden replied, sounding sure.I stared out into the dark night beyond the window. "Do I really have to go back home?"There was a pause, then Hayden said, "Wait for my update. And... delete that contact."For a second, it felt like he was about to say more, but then he just hung up.Between being in a foreign country and all this chaos, I knew sleep wasn't happening anytime soon.I took Hayden's advice and deleted "BX" from my chat app.Then I opened Steve's chat, tempted to send him a quick message, just to make sure he was okay. But knowing he was deep in training, I didn't want to distract him. So, I closed the chat without a word.Lying there, I forced my eyes shut even though my mind was spinning. When Yuna woke up early, I could hear her talking softly on the phone.Her voice was already gentle, but there was this sweetness to it when she was talking to so
Wade stayed quiet, clearly wrestling with something—or just unwilling to admit it.I decided to cut to the chase. "Wade, did you come into Yuna's life on purpose?"His head snapped up, panic flashing in his eyes. That look alone was answer enough.Thinking of how I resembled Narelle, and remembering how Wade had been close by after her passing—even following me into the hospital for Yuna's surgery—I couldn't help but ask, "Were you hoping that by spending time around Yuna, you'd get to see me more often? To... imagine Narelle through me?""No." His denial came out fast, almost desperately. "I haven't done that. Not even once."He took a big gulp of coffee, like he was trying to calm himself or bury something.I didn't say anything, just watched him carefully."Believe me or not," Wade said, his voice serious, "I've never thought of you as Narelle. You may look alike, but I know you're not the same person."His honesty reassured me—at least a little.I'd always worried that Wad
Thinking of the main reason I'd wanted to see Wade today, I said, "Wade, Yuna came to this game mainly to see you. This is a rare chance for you two to spend time together, so for the next few days, she'll be with you. Take care of her—and use this time to figure out how you really feel."He looked a little startled. "Isn't that... a bit inappropriate?"It was, considering why he'd gotten close to Yuna in the first place. But right now, I didn't have any other options.Keeping Yuna with me was too risky. The only solution was leaving her in Wade's care."There's nothing inappropriate about it. I trust you," I said, giving him a look that let him know I meant it.Wade's expression softened, a little awkward, but he nodded. "Thank you for trusting me."I raised my coffee cup toward him, and he managed a small smile.After a beat, I remembered Narelle's parents. "How are her folks doing?" I asked suddenly."They're okay," he said, glancing away. "I think they've mostly come to ter
"Miss, could you help me?"A slightly frail, middle-aged voice startled me, and I looked up to see an elderly woman with graying hair and pleading eyes."How can I help you?" I asked politely.."Oh, I was hoping you could buy me a cup of coffee," she said, catching me off guard and stirring a bit of pity in me. "I haven't had one in so long because I don't have any money."Without thinking, I nodded. "Of course.""Thank you," she replied, gesturing to the chair across from me. "Could I sit here to drink it?"Since I was already getting her the coffee, letting her sit didn't seem like a big deal. But just as I was about to agree, Jace's voice cut in."Excuse me, ma'am, would you mind taking a seat elsewhere?"I looked up, startled to see him still there. I thought he'd left.Before I could fully process it, Jace had guided the woman to another table, slipped some cash into her hand, and sent her on her way.I watched, puzzled, as she walked off without even looking at the coff
"Did you get a ticket for the game?" Jace asked, smoothly dodging whatever I'd been about to say."Not yet. Got any extras? I'll buy one off you," I shot back, not even trying to play coy.Why take the long way when there's a shortcut?Jace just laughed. "I have some, but they're not for sale."He pulled out two tickets from his pocket. "These are reserved for me. Steve hooked me up a while ago."My heart did a little flip. Steve hadn't exactly called to invite me, but he'd saved me tickets anyway. Maybe he was hoping I'd show up?I took the tickets from Jace. "Mind if I grab one more?"Jace paused, then finally pulled out another."You're like a walking ticket booth," I teased, slipping the extra ticket into my pocket.He just smirked, brushing it off. Honestly, I had no clue what else to say to him.Just then, Wade appeared with Yuna, pushing her suitcase. Yuna walked next to him, a little shy but totally glowing. The two of them had this cute vibe going on."Looks like my
It was clear Jace had a reason for telling me all this.His gaze darkened. "Hayden shouldn't have rushed things with Bruno. He should've checked out who he was dealing with first."I got what he meant, but I couldn't help the mocking smile that crept onto my face. "So, what are you saying? That because Bruno's got connections, I should've just tolerated his harassment? Let him walk all over me?"Jace paused, looking a little thrown by the accusation. "That's not what I meant.""I don't think Hayden did anything wrong," I shot back. "Bruno got exactly what he deserved."For a second, Jace looked... almost helpless. "I'm just saying there were other ways to handle it—ways that wouldn't have put you in a vulnerable position. It's not a criticism of Hayden, just the facts."I took a breath, trying not to assume the worst about his intentions. "What's done is done. Talking about it now won't change anything. Bruno's target is me, and if Hayden hadn't stepped in, Bruno would've only go
"Steve's safe for now," Jace said, leaving me puzzled.He explained, "Quartz Cue pretends to be just a cue sports club, but they're deep in illegal betting. Their original plan was to take down Steve to keep their championship status and rake in the gambling profits."I'd heard rumors about underground betting, but snooker? Really?"When they couldn't get to Steve directly," Jace went on, "they switched it up. They're betting big on him, shifting the odds in his favor. If he wins, it looks like they lose—except they're making secret deals to make way more on the back end."I shivered. Something as simple as Steve's snooker career had turned into this dark web of schemes and shady money moves.Steve once told me he started playing because he loved it—like, genuinely loved it. He wanted to prove that someone from our country could go global. Knowing he was just a pawn now... I couldn't imagine how crushed he'd feel."Does Steve have any clue about this?" I asked, feeling a weight i