Chapter 283

In the morning, I awoke to the smell of breakfast; Hayden was already in the kitchen. He wore a short-sleeved shirt and cargo pants—a look he seemed to favor. It gave off a strong "special agent" vibe, and honestly, it suited him perfectly. It wasn't just his physique, but also the rigorous training he'd undergone. I recalled him doing push-ups the previous night; his form was impeccable.

"Why are you staring at me? Eat," Hayden said, catching me observing him.

I took a bite of his beef macaroni soup and, curious, asked, "Do you hit the gym a lot?"

He added more to my bowl. "Nah, I work out on my own."

"No wonder your push-up form is so perfect," I blurted out.

He paused, then looked down. I thought he might be embarrassed, but he simply asked, "You saw me?"

My turn to feel awkward, I focused on my pasta, nodding silently. Hayden's cooking, however, was exceptional. I'm usually not a macaroni soup fan, but his beef version was amazing.

"Hayden, if you ever tire of engineering, you should be a chef," I said, half-joking. I laughed. "You'd still be a 'Master' of something."

Hayden nodded. "Yeah, maybe."

I snorted. "You just agree with everything I say, don't you?"

"A guy should listen to his wife," he replied, dead serious, leaving me speechless. My face flushed instantly.

Hayden chuckled softly. I playfully smacked his shoulder. He leaned in, whispering, "You're really adorable when you're blushing, you know that?"

"Stop talking," I said, covering his mouth.

He dodged, grinning. "But it's true."

"You're still talking…" I groaned, pouting dramatically.

Just then, my phone rang. I mused on the irony of phones; so convenient, yet so annoyingly disruptive.

Still in Hayden's arms, I answered. The screen illuminated Jace Johnston's name. A sigh of relief escaped me; I'd already changed his contact name from "My Mr. Johnston." Had Hayden seen that…

Chapter 243

…who knows what awkwardness would have ensued.

"Answer it," Hayden said, releasing me to clear the table.

Watching him, I answered. "Hello?"

A long silence followed. I knew Jace heard me; my cool tone likely startled him.

"If you've got something to say, just say it," I added.

"Didn't we buy some kind of insurance together once?" Jace finally asked.

His question triggered memories of a "Love Insurance" policy for couples, four years prior. Jace and I had recently begun dating then. The policy doubled if we married, offering a cash-out or conversion to a marriage policy; otherwise, it voided.

Now, with our breakup, it was useless. I had no idea why he was bringing it up.

"Yeah, but it's not valid anymore," I replied flatly.

"Not valid?" Jace sounded genuinely surprised.

I was about to explain when Hayden called, "Kiki, I warmed up some milk for you. Do you want it now, or should I pack it to go?"

I wasn't sure if it was intentional, but I'm certain Jace heard him. Because immediately after, he asked, "Are you living with Hayden?"

Surprise and anger laced his voice. I retorted, "You can keep your side chick in the penthouse we were supposed to get married in, but I can't live with my boyfriend?"

A long, awkward silence preceded his hang-up.

I stared at my phone, then went outside. Hayden stood there, holding my milk. "You should take it with you," he said, handing it over.

I couldn't help but consider the impact of his words on Jace. "Hey, Hayden," I called.

"Yeah?" He glanced at me.

I approached him.