Chapter 321

Yuna fully grasped the gravity of the situation. A successful surgery would be like hitting a reset button on her life. Failure, however, would relegate it all to a mere memory.

“You’ve got plenty of time for days like this,” I said, resting my head against hers. “Seriously. Trust me.”

Unexpectedly, she shifted gears. “Keira, don’t be too hard on Hayden. He’s stubborn, yes, and not exactly Mr. Feelings, but he means well. Go easy on him, okay? You’ve been subtly punishing him lately.”

Her words struck me, and I felt my face flush. I playfully poked her. “Where do you even come up with this stuff? Stop overthinking.”

“Don’t let my age fool you. I’ve read many romance novels. I know exactly what’s going on here,” Yuna said with a confident smirk.

I didn’t bother denying it. “Yeah, well, he acted tough, so I let him. Besides, he’s been single for over thirty years—he can survive a little cold shoulder. You don’t have to feel bad for him.”

“He’s my brother. Of course I care about him,” Yuna said, licking her ice cream. “Hayden’s the best brother in the world—and honestly? The best guy, too.”

Her words deeply moved me, bringing me close to tears. “I’ll take care of your brother, I promise.”

“I know,” she said. “I could tell the second I saw you.”

Wow, she truly had a way with words.

“So, stop overthinking and focus on getting better. Once you’re healthy, we can spoil Hayden together—make him the happiest man in the world,” I teased, giving her a gentle nudge.

“Okay, pinky promise on that,” Yuna grinned, extending her hand.

I laughed, linking my pinky with hers. “You’re such a kid.”

Then she said, “Could you take me to the hospital today? I want to get better, as soon as possible.”

Her request surprised me. “No rush. Let’s enjoy the hotel today,” I said, wanting to give her more of the world—knowing she wasn’t chasing luxury, but the pure thrill of experiencing life beyond her usual confines.

She shook her head, resolute. “I’ll go after I’m better. But when I do, I want to stay in the best hotel here—the one where I can reach out and touch the stars.”

Her words struck me deeply, stinging my eyes. “Alright,” I said softly, “I’ll find you a place where you can lie back and just… stare at the stars.”

Ultimately, we couldn’t argue with Yuna’s decision, so Hayden and I took her to the hospital. I quickly messaged Lena, and she was waiting to escort us to the inpatient ward upon our arrival. Hayden handled all the paperwork.

Once everything was settled, Yuna began dismissing us. “You guys should just go home.”

Chapter

“I’m staying right here,” Hayden said firmly.

But Yuna wouldn’t have it. “If you stay with me, what about Keira?” she teased, making Lena burst into laughter.

Yuna continued, “Go be with Keira! Don’t forget, you promised me a niece or nephew. You and Keira better get to work on that. But, you know, mostly you gotta try harder.”

This time, even I couldn’t contain my laughter.

Lena and I were still laughing when Hayden’s ears turned a telltale shade of red. He gently tapped Yuna’s forehead. “Watch your mouth.”

Yuna immediately turned to me. “Keira, Hayden’s being mean to me.”

I was about to pull Hayden away when the door swung open—and in walked Nate. Dressed in white, he possessed an effortless radiance that caused me to do a double take. He looked incredibly good.

Even Lena seemed taken aback. “Nate, what are you doing here so late?”

“I’m here to check on the patient,” Nate said, smiling as he approached Yuna’s bedside. Her eyes lit up, sparkling, completely captivated by him.