Chapter 210

Yuna's face paled. Panicked, she grabbed my hand, shaking her head vehemently. "Keira, no! It's not like that... Hayden's never liked any other girl. You're the first!"

Seeing her distress, I realized I'd overstepped. I couldn't frighten her; her heart wouldn't bear it. Gently tapping her nose, I said, "Relax. I know. Hayden told me he's never had a girlfriend."

Yuna nodded, still anxious. "He's never liked anyone else, either."

Her sincerity was striking. It made me wonder: When she falls for someone, will she cope if he isn't as honest as she is? The world isn't as simple as Yuna; navigating relationships might prove challenging.

I felt protective, despite our recent acquaintance. She already felt like a little sister. Smiling, I said, "Don't worry. Hayden's as innocent as they come, and I'll take good care of him."

Relief flooded Yuna's face. The tension eased, but my gaze fell upon a wall picture—Hayden carrying a girl on his back. It wasn't Yuna; she wouldn't have been so nervous.

Who was she? A neighbor? A childhood friend? An old crush? My mind conjured a dramatic scenario: a long-lost love reappearing to disrupt everything. I laughed, shaking my head. I was getting ahead of myself.

I shifted my attention to another photo, this one of Hayden's father. His face seemed familiar, though I couldn't place it. "Is this your dad? Mr. Hart?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's my dad," Yuna replied. "But his last name wasn't Hart. It was Patterson—like 'pitter-patter,' not Peterson."

That surname sent a chill down my spine. My father's driver's last name was Patterson. He'd used the same "patter" pronunciation.

Coincidence? Suddenly, connections formed—Hayden's father, my father's accident, and the strange Thorsten connection. Could Hayden's father be the same Mr. Patterson who drove for my family?

A cold shiver ran down my back. Had Hayden known? Did he know our families were connected?

"Keira, are you okay? You've gone quiet," Yuna's voice broke through my thoughts.

I blinked, returning to reality. I couldn't tell Yuna my suspicions; she knew nothing of this.

"You're not sick, are you?" she asked, worried.

Forcing a smile, I said, "No, I'm fine. But... why is your last name Hart if your dad's was Patterson?"

Yuna giggled. "Oh, Hayden and I took Mom's last name. She was Sienna Hart."

That explained it. If I hadn't come here, I wouldn't have known that my family's former driver was Hayden's father.

But what about Hayden? Did he know about the connection? Had he been watching over me because of some debt between our parents? My mind raced.

"Keira," Yuna's voice cut through again, "Hayden told me my parents were deeply in love. After Dad's accident, Mom couldn't cope; she fell into the river one day."

Her gaze drifted to the river outside, where her mother died. My chest tightened. This beautiful river held such a painful memory. Hayden must have built this house to stay close, connected to the place where she was lost.

"Hayden raised me after that," Yuna continued softly. Now I understood why Hayden couldn't risk the surgery that could save her.