Chapter 519

“Wait here,” Jace said briskly, getting up. Right now, he was acting like he’d do anything I asked, even anticipating what I needed before I said a word. If he’d been like this before, maybe things wouldn’t have ended the way they did. But there’s no use wondering about what-ifs. I’d closed that chapter for a reason.

As I looked away, my gaze happened to fall on his phone. The screen was paused on a video of me from a few years ago. I had no idea what I’d been doing in it or even why it had been recorded. For a split second, I felt tempted to pick it up and see, but before I could decide, Jace returned with the water.

He caught me looking at his phone but didn’t seem fazed. Instead, he gave me a casual smile. “While you were sleeping, I went through some old photos and videos. Turns out you’re even prettier now than you were back then.”

I took a sip of water, playing along. “Oh, so I wasn’t cute enough before? Guess that explains a lot…”

“Stop right there,” he cut in, blocking my jab with a smirk. “Let’s not dig that up again.”

I took a few more sips, feeling my throat start to relax.

“Are you really done with Tanya?” I asked, popping a bite of salad. The tangy crunch hit just right.

Jace picked up his phone again, scrolling like he hadn’t heard me. I didn’t push, just kept eating, letting the quiet settle.

When I’d nearly finished, he finally spoke. “It’s over. Completely, in every way.”

Remembering Tanya’s parting words, I doubted things had ended as cleanly as Jace was making it sound. But since he was so insistent, I just murmured, “Oh,” and kept eating.

“Hold still,” he said, reaching over to wipe the corner of my mouth with his thumb. “Little bit of oil there.”

I pressed my lips together, feeling awkward. “Next time, just tell me.”

He hesitated. “Sure. But, you know, some things are just…habit. I only realize it after I’ve already done it.”

He had a point. After ten years, some habits stuck, like the way he’d checked my forehead earlier—I hadn’t even thought to pull away.

I kept my head down, trying to focus on my food, but then the woman from the bed across the room came in, talking to her relative. “There was a guy hanging around outside earlier, carrying a food container. Not sure what he was doing.”

My hand froze mid-bite, and I glanced instinctively at the door, but no one was there.

The woman continued, “I thought he might be trouble, so I followed him quietly. And you won’t believe this—he just tossed the container straight into the trash.”

My appetite vanished. “Which trash can did he throw it in?” I asked.

The woman looked a bit surprised, then offered me an awkward smile and held up a food container.

I walked over, took it, and opened the lid. Inside were three layers of my favorite dishes: caramelized mushroom and kale salad, red cabbage risotto, and parmesan-crusted potatoes.

But one thing stood out immediately—the salad had chili flakes sprinkled on top. That tiny detail was enough to make my heart twist. The Johnstons never used chili; it was a habit I’d picked up with Hayden, who loved a bit of spice.

Seeing these dishes stirred something in me, a mix of longing and frustration. He’d broken up with me, hadn’t he? He hadn’t even come to check on me after I’d nearly been swept away. So why was he here now, bringing me food I loved, then leaving without saying a word?

The questions bubbled up, each one sharper than the last. I turned to the woman. “Where did he go?”

“He… he left…” she murmured.

Jace stepped closer, watching me. “Do you want to go after him?”