Chapter 341

“This is good,” I said, feeling grateful toward Nate. I hadn’t expected him to be so invested. Considering his status as a professor, his personal involvement was significant. Now, he was fully focused on finding a suitable heart donor. I knew this extra effort stemmed from his concern for Leno.

“Any word on when the new donor heart will arrive?” I asked.

Hayden dropped his gaze. “Still no idea.” The surgery was a huge undertaking.

I glanced down the cold, sterile hospital corridor. “So, what’s Professor Neumann suggesting? Should we stay or go home and rest?”

“Let’s head back for now,” Hayden said softly. “Yuna’s barely left home due to her health. She’s never even been to Seavora. I was thinking of taking her out, letting her see the city.”

That made sense. Yuna had experienced little beyond her small world. She hadn’t even tried coffee or milk tea. Everything she knew about the outside world came from books; she’d never actually lived it.

“Yeah, I think that’s a great idea,” I nodded.

But I couldn’t shake what I’d overheard on the staircase earlier. I decided to test the waters. “But if you spend all this time with her, won’t it be difficult to keep up with things at the company?”

He didn’t respond, so I sighed and added, “If only you were the boss. Then you could just ditch work and focus on family.”

Still silence. I suppressed a smirk. I bet he was feeling guilty.

Hayden had always said he wouldn’t lie to me, and I believed him. But regarding this, I couldn’t understand why he was pretending to be broke—why he was hiding the truth. Was there something deeper going on? Or did he simply not trust me?

“Hayden,” I said suddenly, the question escaping before I could stop myself. “Why do you think some people pretend to be poor?”

His eyes narrowed slightly, but still no answer.

I let out a dry laugh, mocking the situation. “You know, in books and TV shows, when a guy hides his wealth, it’s usually because he doesn’t trust the girl. He’s testing to see if she’s only interested in his money.”

I kept my gaze locked on Hayden, waiting for a reaction. He didn’t flinch. He met my eyes, completely unfazed. But I knew what I’d overheard.

“Everyone has their reasons,” Hayden finally said under my stare.

A wave of bitterness washed over me. “Oh, they must have their reasons, huh?” I retorted. “Seems to me like it’s just a lack of trust.”

His expression froze, as if he hadn’t expected me to call him out so directly. But even then, he wouldn’t confess. It felt pointless to continue pressing.

“Kiki…” he began.

“I’m going to find Lena,” I interrupted, handing him the cup I’d been holding. I produced my keys and dangled them in front of him. “I’m returning her keys.”

He let out a quiet “Hmm,” as I turned and walked away, my steps steady, even though inside I was still fuming. Why had Hayden lied? Was he seriously afraid to reveal his wealth? Did he think I was with him for money? If that were the case, the Johnston family fortune was no less than his.

Even though Jace and I were over, if money were my goal, I could have simply pursued Wayne, who clearly had feelings for me. But I didn’t. Hayden knew I didn’t care about money. I had my own and never relied on anyone else for it.

He said there were reasons for keeping it secret. Maybe there were. But it still stung.

I made my way to Lena’s office, but a nurse informed me she was in surgery. Of course she was busy.

I left the keys in her desk drawer and walked out. Instead of returning to Yuna, I wandered the halls, Hayden’s dishonesty still heavy on my mind. I eventually found myself in front of Matthew’s hospital room. Standing outside were two men in black suits; one looked familiar. It struck me—he was one of Thorsten’s bodyguards.