Chapter 385

I held Hayden’s hand, silently offering him strength. Nate had warned us the surgery would last at least six hours. After three hours, Hayden suddenly got a nosebleed. His anxiety was breaking through, and it underscored how much Yuna meant to him.

“I’ll get you some water,” I said. We hadn’t had anything to drink for hours. Yuna couldn’t eat the night before due to her surgery preparation, and Hayden, in solidarity, hadn’t eaten either.

“I’m fine,” he muttered, still trying to be strong. “You should rest and come back later.”

I nodded and went to the hospital’s convenience store for water. On my way back, I was surprised to see Wade leaning against a wall near the surgical floor, staring at the ground, lost in thought. Considering what I’d seen in Narelle’s room two days prior, I assumed she had passed. Yet, there he was, a quiet shadow.

I looked around. The floor was full of operating rooms. Was someone else in his family ill? Or… had Narelle somehow recovered? That flicker of hope made my heart leap, and I approached him. “Wade.”

He looked up, and for a moment, I saw panic in his eyes. His face was even more gaunt than before, tugging at something deep within me. I tightened my grip on the water bottle. “Why are you here? Is someone in surgery?”

Wade straightened, his eyes dark with exhaustion, the shadows under them profound, as if he hadn’t slept—or stopped crying—in days. He didn’t answer, so I asked again, more gently, “Is it Narelle? Is her… situation still unresolved?”

I wanted to believe in a miracle, but knew better. It was wishful thinking.

“It’s over,” Wade rasped, his voice hoarse.

“Then why are you still here?” I asked, gesturing to the surrounding operating rooms.

Wade’s eyes flickered before he said, “I’m waiting for you.”

Waiting for me? “What for?” I asked, confused.

He shook his head. “I just wanted to see you.”

His words left a knot in my chest. He wasn’t really looking at me—he was looking at Narelle, through me. I didn’t want to be a replacement, nor did I want him clinging to memories through me. “Wade, you need to move on. That’s what Narelle would have wanted.”

“I know,” he muttered, his gaze dropping to the floor. The past few days had clearly taken a toll. His hair was messy, his clothes crumpled; he was barely holding himself together.

I squeezed his arm gently. “It’s over now.”

“Yeah,” he nodded faintly.

“You’ve got to look forward,” I urged, encouraging him to take that next step.

Wade looked at me, holding my gaze for a long moment. “Can I add you on social media?”

It wasn’t unreasonable, given the circumstances, but I knew what it meant. My resemblance to Narelle would keep pulling him back. I shook my head. “You need to say goodbye to the past. Cut ties completely. It’s the only way you’ll truly move forward.”

His eyes dimmed, then he looked at Hayden. I followed his gaze. Hoping to help, I shared something personal. “That’s my boyfriend. Before him, I had a previous relationship—someone I was with for ten years.”

This wasn’t out of obligation, but to show Wade that even after deep connections, life moved on.

“Let it go. You’ve seen me now—you can leave,” I said, holding up the water bottle. “My boyfriend’s waiting for his drink.”

Wade nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. We shared one last look before I returned to Hayden. I hoped this would be our final encounter. It was for the best. If we never saw each other again, perhaps he could stop seeing Narelle whenever he looked at me. Maybe then, he could finally let go of the guilt weighing him down.

Reaching Hayden and giving him the water, I glanced back to see Wade still standing there, watching. I turned my back, and this time, I didn’t look back.