Chapter 149

Having lived with the Johnstons for years, I knew Matthew intimately. He was the type of man who kept his business and personal lives strictly separate. If Jace erred, Matthew wouldn't hesitate to reprimand him—just as he would anyone else. But considering the reports I'd just received—Jace was still aggressively poaching clients, hell-bent on destroying my company—I couldn't help but say, "Looks like your father's warning didn't have much effect."

Wayne recognized the gravity in my tone. "Jace hasn't stopped?"

"No," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "It's as if he's trying to obliterate my company in one fell swoop." My anger was unconcealed. The risk my involvement posed, the potential loss of clients—it weighed heavily on me.

"This is beyond reckless. I'll speak to my father," Wayne said, his own frustration evident.

"Let me handle it," I offered. "I was already planning to visit your father today, with a birthday gift. I can bring it up then; perhaps the gift will smooth things over."

My words ignited a spark in Wayne's eyes. A warm smile spread across his face. "Excellent. Today, then? We can go back together."

Seeing the hopeful look in his eyes, I hesitated before replying, "Yes, today. But I'm bringing someone with me."

"Who?" Wayne asked, still smiling. "A friend?"

"Yes, my boyfriend," I said.

Wayne's smile vanished. The shock and pain in his eyes struck me forcefully. I'd sensed his feelings for me—something Lindey had hinted at. It was better to hurt him now, to confront him with the truth, and end any unwarranted expectations.

It took a few seconds before Wayne, his voice shaky, asked, "Rea… your boyfriend is…"

"Hayden Hart."

Wayne's expression darkened further. "Rea…"

"I know what you're going to say, but I'm not compromising my happiness, and I'm certainly not doing this out of spite," I said, forcing the words out, even though they felt like a falsehood.

Wayne, usually so composed, seemed on the verge of breaking. "But I can't believe you've moved on from Jace so quickly."

His words almost made me laugh. If he understood that, why had he allowed himself to develop feelings for me? No, Wayne's feelings must have begun long before he left Kehlmark. Perhaps that's why he'd stayed away for so many years.

The thought weighed heavily on my chest. I averted his gaze and said coldly, "You're wrong. I won't waste my time on someone unworthy or on meaningless feelings."

After a pause, I added, "Besides, Hayden is superior to Jace in every way. What is there to cling to?"

I felt Wayne's eyes on me, my body stiffening under his gaze. Finally, he spoke. "Even if you've moved on from Jace, how long have you known Hayden? Do you really know him?"

Wayne was still trying to dissuade me, genuinely wanting me to reconsider Hayden. Perhaps it wasn't just about Hayden—perhaps he simply didn't want to see me with anyone else. As long as I wasn't with someone else, he could still hold onto hope.

But I couldn't give him that.

So I let out a bitter laugh. "Does knowing someone really matter? I was with Jace for ten years. I knew exactly how long it took him to urinate, how hot he liked his bathwater—could I have known him any better? And what did that knowledge bring me?"

As I spoke, bitterness overwhelmed me. I had once adored Jace, loved him so deeply that I even grew attached to his preferences, like the stray animals he occasionally noticed. I had loved Jace—truly, deeply loved him—so much that I lost myself in that love. Perhaps that's why his betrayal hurt so much, why I had to sever him from my life so completely.

"Jace is an exception. Not all men are like him," Wayne said, gently turning me to face him, placing a hand on my shoulder.