Chapter 305

I'd said that, but I didn't think he'd take it so seriously—like, doing that during a work trip? Noticing my confusion, Hayden leaned back in his chair. "I talked to Mr. Shane about it."

"Oh," I replied, unconcerned, and took another spoonful of oatmeal. But after a few bites, I paused. "Wait, so you guys are, like, super close or something? You asked for time off for me, and he just agreed? And then he personally let me know?"

Hayden kept eating his breakfast, completely unfazed. "Not really."

I laughed. "Not really? It's like he treats you… like you're royalty or something."

I meant more like his dad, honestly. It was as if whatever Hayden asked for, Ron had to comply.

"Close enough," Hayden said with a smirk. "He needs me to develop new products and make money for him. So if I ask for something, he's not going to say no."

Wow, okay. I gave him a mental double thumbs-up, totally speechless. People who know their worth possess this next-level confidence. That's real power.

"Hayden, aren't we going to be late?" I asked as we finished breakfast.

"It's fine. If we miss the flight, we'll just reschedule."

He was seriously spoiling me. I was puzzled. "Why aren't you freaking out? Can't you at least try to hurry me up?"

"Girls should be spoiled," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Feeling a little guilty, I scrambled to pack my things, but I couldn't resist grumbling, "You could've warned me last night so I'd be ready."

"Last night, I didn't really get a chance to say much."

His words brought back memories of my antics, and my cheeks flushed. I clamped my mouth shut, and Hayden chuckled softly. Watching me rush around, he added, "Relax. If we forget anything, we'll just buy it there."

"If you'd said that earlier, I wouldn't have bothered packing," I retorted.

Hayden didn't seem bothered. "But I like watching you pack."

I blinked. "What?"

"It's comforting," he added.

I paused, taken aback. People say a woman looks her best not in fancy clothes or with perfect makeup, but when she's absorbed in small tasks, like cooking or folding laundry. Not that Hayden ever let me do any of that. He said that watching me like this was comforting. Maybe it reminded him of his mother.

Chapter 305 (continued)

We ended up making it to the airport right on time. It wasn't until we had our boarding passes that it really hit me—this was happening. It all felt surreal.

"Does Yuna know we're coming to get her?" I asked, picturing her in that light green dress she always wore.

"No, I haven't told her."

I thought about her fragile health. "You're worried if she finds out too soon, she might get too excited, and it could be too much for her, right?"

Hayden turned and kissed my forehead. "Kiki, you're getting good at reading my mind."

I placed my hand over his heart, silently letting him know I understood. He smiled, and I leaned into him as he held me gently. We sat in the waiting area, cuddled up together, just waiting to board.

Lost in our little bubble, I suddenly noticed someone coming into view. It was Jace. He was pushing a suitcase, looking like he was about to embark on a long trip. I remembered what Wayne had mentioned about Jace having a falling out with Matthew. Could he really have cut ties with his family and be leaving for good?

"What's wrong?" Hayden asked.

I quickly looked away and shook my head. "Nothing."

He didn't believe me. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," I insisted, just as my phone rang. "Hello?" I answered. "Hello, is this Keira Kay?" An unfamiliar man's voice came from the other end.