Chapter 234
The world went dark under Hayden’s touch, but I felt strangely calm. His warmth, his closeness—it was more comforting than any light. “Wish for anything,” he murmured in my ear, his voice low and soothing. “From now on, I’m here, and I’m going to make your wishes come true.”
The soft music eased the tightness in my chest. A wish? What was there left to wish for? After my parents died, I stopped making wishes. Then I had Jace, and all I wanted was for us to last—more a hope than a wish. If I had to wish for something… I dug deep, but even I didn't know. Eventually, I thought of my parents, of the accident, and whispered, “I wish I could find out the truth about my parents’ car crash.”
“I’ll make it happen,” Hayden said, without hesitation.
I laughed softly, pulling his hands away. “Then why bother with wishes? I could just ask you directly.”
“Exactly,” he teased, lightly tapping my head. “You wasted a perfect chance.”
I smirked. “I stopped believing in that stuff a long time ago. After my parents died, I stopped believing in blessings or any kind of protection.”
Hayden’s hand returned to my head, gently rubbing it. “Then believe in me.” He wanted to be my guardian, my protector. But I only trusted myself to keep me safe.
The lights outside exploded back to life, illuminating the night sky like fireworks. The park’s lights shifted constantly, surprising and magical. The lighting alone had cost a third of the park’s entire budget.
“‘Heart of the Ocean’ is one of my favorites,” I admitted.
“There’s even better coming up,” Hayden said, his confidence unshakable.
The next sequence was breathtaking, each display more stunning than the last. Mesmerized, I didn’t notice when Hayden wrapped his arms around me. I’d almost forgotten about Jace in the opposite cabin.
Chapter 234
I spun around, ready to share my excitement with Hayden, but then I saw him. Jace was standing in the other cabin, staring at me. I couldn’t decipher his expression, but his stillness spoke volumes. He looked calm—too calm, as if all life had drained from him.
My body went rigid. Even though I’d let Jace go, he still held a decade of my life. I couldn’t see him as a stranger, especially not when he looked as though I’d stabbed him in the heart.
Hayden noticed my tension. He didn’t speak, only tightened his hold. Then, in that soft, almost hypnotic voice, he whispered, “There’s one last special light show, just for you.”
“Huh?” I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts.
Hayden pulled out his phone and tapped a few buttons. Suddenly, all the lights went out. The vibrant, colorful world plunged into total darkness. This wasn’t like when he’d covered my eyes earlier; this was like falling into a black hole, and panic seized me. I grabbed onto Hayden instinctively, my heart pounding. Before I could speak, the darkness vanished as quickly as it came.
The lights returned, flooding the park in a deep ocean blue, transforming everything into a shimmering sea. The lights moved and flowed like real water, creating a three-dimensional effect more stunning than anything in the renderings.
“Is this new? After—” I began, but my words trailed off as the ocean lights shifted. From the blue depths, a four-dimensional figure emerged. The light intensified, and I saw her—a little girl with her hair in a bun, wearing a ball gown.