Chapter 326

“Ouch!” I winced. A hand gripped my arm, pulling me back. I glanced up and locked eyes with someone I didn’t recognize. He looked startled, really startled. Before I could speak, he released me and bolted down the hall.

Rubbing my throbbing forehead, I watched him flee and then looked back at Lena’s office. It hit me: this guy had been eavesdropping. He was so engrossed in their conversation, he hadn’t noticed me leaving, which is why we collided.

Wait… could that guy be Sancho, Lena’s secret admirer?

Still pondering this, Hayden appeared. I was about to approach him when I heard Lena’s voice from inside the room, “Nate, I’m starving.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Lena had mastered the art of playing hard to get.

“What’s so funny?” Hayden asked.

“Lena and Nate. They’re finally a thing,” I said, jerking my thumb toward the office.

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, simply grabbing my hand. “Come on, let’s go home.”

“Are you sure Yuna’s okay alone?” I asked, still uneasy, despite discussing it with Lena.

“She’ll be fine,” he said confidently. “She’s been managing on her own for years.”

He had a point. Yuna might seem fragile, but she was tougher than people realized. Since Hayden was so confident, I let it go and followed him.

The car ride was quiet. I assumed he was still stressed about Yuna’s upcoming surgery, so I remained silent. When we reached home, as we headed upstairs, I realized he was still holding my hand. I tugged, trying to free myself, but he held on tighter.

I waved our hands in front of him, teasing. “What’s this about?”

“Open the door,” he said, his tone unusually serious.

Oh, I knew exactly what he meant. Remembering his proper demeanor in Pencetown, I smirked. “We’re not even married yet. Isn’t this a little…inappropriate?”

Hayden’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he stepped closer, backing me against the door. He leaned in so close our noses almost touched. “How are we supposed to have kids if we don’t practice? How will we know if we can have twins?”

I stared at him, speechless. He remembered that silly joke?

Wow. When guys get petty, they really take it to another level. His eyes burned, and I knew he wouldn’t back down. But then, I thought about how gentle he was with Yuna, and I felt a sudden urge to tease him.

“Didn’t you say it’s inappropriate to do this before marriage? That girls should, you know, protect themselves?” I traced lazy circles on his chest, smirking.

He clearly understood my game, his voice dropping to a low, husky whisper. “You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll protect you.”

With that, he leaned in to kiss me. I dodged, grinning. Nope, not happening. After a few more dodges, Hayden was breathing hard. “Kiki, be good.”

“Nuh-uh,” I said, still toying with him. Back in Pencetown, he’d left me hanging for days. No way was I letting him off the hook that easily.

“Kiki…” he whispered, his voice soft and almost pleading. “You’re mad, huh?”

Finally, he got it.

“Yep,” I admitted. “You totally shouldn’t have treated me like that earlier.”

Realizing I wasn’t joking, he rested his forehead against mine, sounding defeated. “So… how long are you gonna stay mad?”

“I don’t know.”