Chapter 318

I froze, staring blankly at Hayden. His father had been my dad's driver. If the brakes failed, that meant the driver might have been at fault. For a long moment, neither of us spoke. We just stood there, locked in a strange, heavy silence. Finally, Hayden's hand shifted slightly on my shoulder. My father was driving, so whether it was human error or a mechanical issue, he was responsible.

A chill crept through me—not from the cold air, but from the storm brewing inside. If Hayden and I weren't so close, it would be easy to hold his father accountable. But now, with things as they were between us, I had no idea what to do if his father was to blame.

"Rea," Hayden's voice was steady, sincere. "You know I've been digging into my dad's death. It's all connected. Once I find the truth, I'll tell you everything."

I knew Hayden meant it. He wasn't one to lie or hide things, even about his own family. But if his father was involved, what kind of closure could he really offer me?

It felt like everything was spiraling into a mess I hadn't foreseen. I couldn't ignore the truth about my parents' accident, not even for the sake of our relationship. I had to know what really happened. But Hayden was searching for answers too—he was investigating Thorsten. Yet Thorsten had already told me everything.

My head spun with confusion. Sensing my turmoil, Hayden gently placed his hand on the back of my neck, pressing down softly. "Kiki, don't overthink it. Maybe it's not as bad as we're imagining. It might not be what we fear."

He knew as well as I did that if it was what we feared, the fallout would be devastating for both of us. My whole body trembled, and suddenly my legs felt weak. I collapsed into Hayden's arms.

I didn't say anything, but inside, a voice screamed, "Please, don't let it be that. I need him. I need Hayden."

He held me for what felt like forever, waiting until I finally calmed down before taking me home. When we got there, Yuna was already back. She saw us holding hands and flashed a bright smile. "Hayden, Keira! I made some warm chia pudding—come try it!"

Hayden glanced at me. "Let's have some. Yuna's chia pudding is seriously good."

"I stole Hayden's recipe and made my own improvements," Yuna said proudly.

Hayden was a great cook, and Yuna wasn't bad either. Living on her own had definitely taught her how to take care of herself. I sat down and took a bite of the warm chia pudding. It was soft, sweet, and fragrant, melting in my mouth. After everything—being out in the cold and dealing with the emotional chaos—it was exactly what I needed. Comforting. Soothing.

Chapter XIE

Hayden sat next to me, quietly eating his pudding, while Yuna kept up a steady stream of chatter. After a while, Yuna put down her bowl and slipped outside. A moment later, I heard her call, "Hayden, you help me with something?"

I kept eating, but their voices drifted back to me, even though they were trying to talk quietly.

"Hayden, did you and Keira have a fight? She seems upset," Yuna asked, sounding a little worried.

"No, we didn't. She's probably just tired."

"Really? You're not lying to me?"

"I'm not."

"Keira is such a good person. You better not make her upset. And don't make yourself suffer either," Yuna added with a soft sigh.

Hayden chuckled lightly. "Don't worry, I—"

"I just want to see you both happy. Whenever you're not, it makes me anxious," Yuna admitted.

Her words hit me hard. My hand trembled, and I almost spilled the pudding. How could I forget that my emotions affect the people around me?