chapter 4

Hayden's POV 

    I slowly made my way to the ward the nurse had just pointed me to. It took a while, but with the help of the doctor, she finally agreed. I took one glance at myself at the mirror hanging on the wall. Yes, she had just suffered something any woman shouldn't have to, but I couldn't help but look presentable. If I didn't look serious, then there was no way she was going to take me seriously. 

I stopped at the designated ward and sucked in a couple of breaths before knocking. 

I pushed open the door and perhaps if I had known what was waiting for me on the other side, I wouldn't have been in such a hurry. 

The brown haired woman wasn't who I was expecting to see, not even in a million years. We'd lost contact for the longest time, so what were the odds that she was here. 

“Kaylee?” Her head bobbed up to meet mine, and I didn't miss the surprise in her eyes.m. Just like me, she never thought she was going to see me again. “What are you doing here?”

Who would have thought that my long lost friend would end up being the wife of my rival?

“Hayden?” She called out. From the way her voice shook, you could tell she had her doubts if it was really me or not. “What are you doing here?” 

 I skipped her question, before trudging further into the room. I didn't mean to, but seeing her tear caked face wasn't someone I would have prepared myself for. I knew the woman in here had just undergone a miscarriage, but I had no idea it was Kaylee. Business partnership or not, I could bet my life she was hurting. 

“I'm so sorry.’ I took the seat just next to her bed. “I'm so so sorry Kaylee.” 

“How'd you know?” Her voice was tiny, barely existent even. “Who told you?” 

“I have my ways.” I nodded slowly. “ If I had any idea it was you, I would have come sooner. I swear.” 

Kaylee was my best friend, right since we were little. I had no idea how we lost contact, but I knew I wanted to see her again someday. I tried my level best, I did everything I could to find her, but I couldn't, not until now. And while she was no longer the woman I lost ties with, she had grown and was apparently married.

The room settled into an uncomfortable silence, but if neither of us spoke up, then nothing would be done.

“I didn't know you're his wife.” I whispered. Knowing Kaylee was the woman who had gone through all this, made it all the more difficult. “ I had no idea…” 

“Ex wife.” She cut me off, fury in her voice. “We're getting a divorce.”

“What?’ I couldn't believe my ears. Mixed emotions rushed through my veins as I weighed what the news could mean for me. A thought popped up in my head, but I pushed it aside. I needed to focus on why I was here first. “Are you sure? But he's …”

“He's dead to me.’ she snapped again, and I just knew she meant it this time. “ I'm going to make sure that we see through this divorce to the very end.’ 

“I know this might be selfish of me, but I think I might be able to help.” Kaylee’s eyes on me was all I needed to go on. In less than a minute, I'd divulged all of my plan and settled on the main thing, a partnership between the both of us. “So what do you say?” 

Kaylee stared at me long and hard, almost as if she was trying to tell if I was saying the truth or not. Honestly, I would be skeptical if I were in her shoes. I'd only just show up and now, I was asking that we work together, especially after what she'd been through today 

“I'm in.” Her words startled me, but only for a little while. When she smiled, I couldn't help but mirror her expression. “I'm so in.” 

$$$$$$$$$

“You have got to be kidding me.” I guffawed at her words. She made a face and I swear if I hadn't been careful, I would have veered us off the road. “Kaylee, please tell me you're joking.” 

“I'm not.” She snorted. It sounded something between a chuckle and a laugh and I couldn't bite back the small smile that made its way to my lips. “My rebellious stage started in college.”

“Who would have known?” I grinned. I also barely missed Kaylee's hand smacking against my shoulder. “I did not see it coming at all.” 

We slowly allowed our laughter die down. With my eyes still on the road, I snuck a glance at the woman seated next to me in my car. A small smile was still on her lips and I couldn't help but notice the difference. From the moment I stepped into her ward and now, she looked like an entirely different person. 

Her eyes were no longer puffy from tears and she was certainly feeling better than before. After spending some hours with her, she'd decided that she wanted to go home. I opposed the idea, but I should have known there was just no winning against this woman. She did absolutely what she wanted to do, and when she wanted to do it too. There was usually no in-between and that was one of the man things I liked about her. 

Since I couldn't talk her out, I decided to drive her to her father's house. 

“We're here.” I announced the moment we got to her father's mansion. I'd missed the place if I was being honest. “Will you be okay?” 

“Yeah.” She nodded, slowly getting out of the car. “ I just need to apologize to father first. I've been ignoring his calls for awhile now.” 

“I see.” I smiled. “ So, I'll see you later then?” 

“Definitely.” She nodded, a steely resolve in her eyes. “Daniel and Liliana will surely pay for the loss of my child.”