Chapter 456

I was sitting on the hotel balcony, staring out at the rain when Hayden’s video call flashed on my screen. There’s something about a foreign city that makes everything feel kind of… lonely. Especially when it’s pouring.

As I sat there, the conversation I’d overheard played on repeat in my head. And suddenly, Jace’s weird questions about Hayden made sense. Not to mention why Kylian had been acting so weird around him. Hayden wasn’t just some regular guy. He was from that Hart family.

I thought he was just your average guy-next-door, and now it turns out he was some secret heir to a filthy rich, powerful family. Like, for real? What was this? Some undercover billionaire thing? Was he scared I’d stick around just because of his money?

A bitter laugh escaped me as I grabbed my phone, which had been buzzing nonstop at my feet. Hayden’s face filled the screen—handsome as ever. “Kiki, I can explain.” He must’ve seen the call log. Of course, he knew I overheard everything.

“Explain what?” I curled my toes, pretending I didn’t already know the whole deal.

“I didn’t mean to lie to you or hide anything,” Hayden said, his voice full of sincerity.

I started tracing little circles on the window. “Everyone’s got their reasons. You didn’t have to tell me—it’s your call.”

“Kiki…”

“You left me with Jace because you knew he had to work with your family, didn’t you? He wouldn’t dare mess with me because of you, right?” I asked, half-whispering, not really expecting him to come clean.

“It’s not like that—”

“Seriously, what kind of boyfriend lets their ex babysit their girlfriend?” I muttered under my breath.

“Kiki…”

“Remember what I told you before? I hate being lied to.” I blinked and realized I’d been doodling Hayden’s name all over the fogged-up window. Oops.

“I know, I wanted to tell you… but the timing never felt right,” Hayden said, tension thick in his voice.

“Oh, so you were just waiting for the perfect moment, huh? Like, maybe after you officially rejoined the Hart family? Or were you never gonna say anything unless I overheard it today?” The bitterness in my tone was undeniable.

Silence. Then finally, he answered. “I never intended to rejoin the Hart family. That’s why I didn’t mention it.”

I blinked, totally thrown. Why didn’t he want to go back to his family? But instead of asking, I forced myself to stay calm. “It’s fine, Hayden. You didn’t have to tell me. Like you said, we’re together, but we’re still our own people.”

I knew I was twisting his words, but I couldn’t stop. My heart felt all over the place.

He went quiet again before shifting gears. “Have you been able to see Steve?”

I sighed, pushing my frustration aside. “No, Jace says he’s still working on it.”

“I’ll have someone set it up so you can see him tomorrow,” Hayden said, catching me off guard.

I let out a dry laugh. Of course, with his connections, he could just make that happen. “Guess it’s handy having you around, after all.”

“Kiki… there’s something off about Steve’s situation. When you meet him tomorrow as his ‘attorney,’ there are some things you need to ask,” Hayden’s tone turned serious, pulling my attention back.

“What do I need to ask?”

“Get him to explain everything about the issues with Danilo and why he wouldn’t cooperate. See if Steve’s got any proof, and ask if anyone’s threatened him or tried to bribe him recently.”

My stomach flipped at his words. “You think Danilo’s death is part of some setup?”

“We can’t rule it out. Steve was a top contender for the championship. If something happened to him, it’d clear the way for other competitors.” Hayden’s logic was sharp, and suddenly, it all started clicking.

“Maybe someone tried to bribe him to throw a match, and when he wouldn’t play along, they framed him,” I said, my thoughts lining up with his.

“Exactly. That’s why it’s so important you get him to talk. The more we know, the easier it’ll be to expose whoever’s behind this and clear his name.”