Chapter 179

Wayne, clearly informed, glanced at Hayden before saying, “Mr. Hart will handle this. His personal matters won't affect his work. Our security team also dropped the ball today, so we can't entirely blame him.”

Jace’s face turned an alarming shade of purple; he seemed incredulous that Wayne was supporting Hayden and ignoring his authority.

“I’m in charge of the park now, so I’ll deal with it,” Wayne added, effectively telling Jace to mind his own business.

Jace looked ready to explode. Anyone else would have been instantly fired. But it was Wayne—his brother—so he restrained himself.

“Fine,” Jace spat through gritted teeth. “But if this happens again, you both will pay for it.”

He stormed off.

As soon as he left, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Wayne turned to Hayden. “You’ll need to submit a report on what happened. I’ll handle the park repairs, but you or your company will cover the costs.” His tone was firm but fair, devoid of personal feelings.

Hayden, never one to shirk responsibility, simply replied, “Alright.”

Wayne nodded and walked away. He didn’t look my way, but I knew he wouldn't have taken Hayden's side if not for me. His feelings for me were evident, though carefully concealed. His defense of me against Jace left me feeling both guilty and unsure how to repay him.

With everything settled, I had no reason to remain. I briefly glanced at Hayden before leaving.

But as I pulled out of the parking lot, Jace’s car swerved in front of me, blocking my exit. He jumped out, approached angrily, and yanked open my door, sliding into the passenger seat.

“Drive,” he ordered.

I had no idea what his problem was. “If you have something to say, just say it. I don’t have time for this.”

“I said, drive!” Jace barked, tugging at his collar, clearly agitated.

He looked furious, and pushing him further was unwise. I gripped the wheel tightly. “Fine. Where to?”

“Just drive!” he shouted.

Seeing no point in arguing, I accelerated. He didn't give me a destination, so I headed toward the Johnston residence.

A few minutes later, Jace realized where we were going. “Who said I wanted to go home?”

“You didn’t say you didn’t,” I retorted.

“Rea, are you trying to drive me crazy? Did you even see Hayden? He’s not as harmless as he looks. He’s mixed up with dangerous people—the kind who don’t hesitate to damage RiverwaveCorp’s property. Do you have any idea what they might do next?” Jace’s extended speech was unusual for him.

I understood his concern: he didn't want me getting close to Hayden, fearing his enemies might target me.

“Mr. Johnston, do you remember that girl who was obsessed with you? The one who locked me in a hospital morgue to scare me off? She threatened to kill me if I didn’t leave you. And yet, after that, I stayed. I didn’t run.”

Jace’s expression darkened.

“I’m not easily frightened. I’m definitely not the type to run when things get difficult,” I said, meeting his gaze, my voice steady.

“Rea, don’t be so damn ungrateful!” Jace snapped, removing his tie and wrapping it around his wrist.

“We don’t owe each other anything anymore. Whether I live, die, or get hurt, it’s none of your business. You have other people to worry about.”

As I finished, my phone buzzed. The screen illuminated, displaying a message from Tanya:

[Keira, I’m waiting for you.]

A location link was attached.