Chapter 496

Hayden just stared at me, silent. My heart was pounding like I was waiting for the verdict on some huge screw-up. Finally, after what felt like forever, he moved. He took my hand and said, “Keira, let go.” And just like that, my heart dropped straight through the floor.

Humiliation flooded over me, hot and stinging. I’d swallowed every last bit of my pride to try to fix things, and still… nothing. He’d made up his mind. He loved me, but he wouldn’t be with me. That stubborn jerk.

Anger and frustration boiled over, and before I knew it, I sank my teeth into his shoulder. Hard. He let out a grunt, but he didn’t push me away—just stood there and let me do it. And the more I bit, the angrier I got. Part of me wanted to snap him out of whatever trance he was in, to make him wake up, make him change his mind. But even when my jaw started aching, he just stood there, stone-cold.

I’d tried sweet-talking, promises, and now I was biting him with every ounce of frustration I had left, and still, he was set on breaking up. So, what else was left? Beg? Keep humiliating myself? But deep down, I knew it wouldn’t matter.

I finally let go, my whole body going weak, and shoved him away. “Fine. Go. Get out and don’t come back.” Hayden lingered at the edge of my bed, then turned and walked out.

The second the door clicked shut, everything I’d been holding in exploded. I grabbed my pillow, buried my face in it, and cried until my whole body ached. By the time Lena showed up, I’d been lying in bed all day, completely numb, like all the life had drained out of me. Not even Jace’s betrayal had hit me like this.

Lena walked in, throwing me her classic deadpan look. “I heard you lost a lot of blood, but apparently, you lost your soul too.” I blinked up at her, my voice barely there. “Why are you here? Is your suspension finally over?”

“If I didn’t come, you’d probably rot here, and I’d end up on corpse duty,” she replied, each word a jab. I grabbed her hand. “Can you not add salt to the wound?”

Chapter 496 +25 BONUS

Lena sighed, letting me lean against her hand. “Girl, what kind of romantic catastrophe are you cursed with? Every guy you date practically sucks the life out of you.” I didn’t answer; I could feel the sadness hovering, waiting for one wrong move to pour out all over again.

“Is your suspension over?” I asked, still feeling miserable but trying to keep my focus on her. I couldn’t forget—it was partly my fault she got suspended in the first place.

“Yeah, but I’m taking more time off,” Lena said, casually dropping that bomb. I lifted my head to look at her—she was practically glowing, like she had some big secret.

“Oh, so you and Nate are finally running off into the sunset?” I asked, feeling that pang of loneliness creep in as I said it.