Chapter 140

I turned to look at Hayden; he was staring back. Alone in the quiet room, the air felt thick. It was strange. We'd shared a hotel room before without incident. But in this two-bedroom apartment, the walls seemed to close in, the space between us shrinking, making it hard to breathe.

After a tense silence, Hayden finally spoke. "Maybe I should just sleep on the couch."

I blinked, surprised.

"Only your real boyfriend should be sleeping in your room. I… the couch is fine," he added, seemingly convincing himself as much as me. His words struck me; I felt unfair to him.

I knew his tactic—subtle pressure, hinting at wanting more than friendship. Honest guys can be cunning, I thought. But I wouldn't fall for it. I shrugged and said, "Suit yourself," before hurrying to my parents' room.

Sleep didn't come easily. The earlier tension lingered. If Hayden hadn't arrived when he did, despite my readiness to defend myself, things could have turned out badly—very badly. His timely arrival was pure luck.

Thinking of him, I glanced at the door. It was closed. Was he really sleeping on the couch? I heard his footsteps outside—likely washing up—but knew he wasn't asleep yet. The sound reminded me of childhood, lying in bed listening to my parents. It had always been comforting, a feeling of safety and security. I hadn't appreciated it before, but now I realized how reassuring it was to hear someone else in the apartment.

I planned to wait until he fell asleep before checking on him. But my eyelids grew heavy.

I woke needing to use the bathroom. Remembering I'd slept in my parents' room, I glanced toward Hayden's makeshift bed as I left. There he was, sprawled on the tiny couch, legs dangling. He wasn't foolish; he'd used a chair to prop his feet. But what stopped me was seeing him covered with my pink blanket.

Seriously? Double standards much? He refused my room, yet he was snuggled in my pink blanket? Seeing him there, enduring this uncomfortable arrangement to ensure my safety, a warm feeling filled my chest.

For nights, I'd woken, unable to fall back asleep. The apartment's emptiness was suffocating, the loneliness almost pathetic. It felt like the world had abandoned me—unloved, uncared for. Even tears brought no comfort.

But with Hayden there, protecting me, I slept better than in ages. When I woke, it was past nine. Lying in my parents' bed, I listened. Complete silence. He must have left. He was still working on the amusement park project; I'd forgotten to ask him about it last night.

Stepping out, I found the couch empty, everything tidy, as if he'd never been there. I stared at the empty space before heading to the bathroom. I glanced in the mirror and froze, seeing a note stuck to it:

[Breakfast is on the table. The lighting setup is going smoothly. We’ll finish on time or maybe even two days early.]

Tears welled up.

Chapter 141