Chapter 548

So, I was being tracked this whole time. But what was his plan? To retaliate against me?

I gripped my phone tighter, staring at the screen. Bruno hadn’t sent anything else, but his silence felt like a threat hanging in the air. After a second of debating, I took a screenshot and sent it to Hayden. If Bruno was coming after me, and Yuna was here too, whatever mess he started could end up hurting her. Hayden needed to know. Even if he didn’t care about me anymore, he couldn’t ignore a risk to his sister.

In that moment, it felt natural to reach out to Hayden. Maybe it was habit, or maybe, deep down, I still trusted him—whether he wanted me or not.

As soon as I hit send, my phone rang. Hayden. I picked up but stayed quiet, waiting. He broke the silence first. “You don’t need to worry. I’ll have people watching you.”

His words hit me with a mix of relief and something warmer, though I tried not to show it. “I don’t need your protection,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “I just don’t want Yuna getting hurt because she’s around me. So don’t blame me if something happens to her.”

He didn’t reply, but he didn’t hang up either. We just sat there, the silence stretching between us. Finally, I asked, “Why’s Bruno after me? Is it because of Steve?”

“Bruno had called me ‘Snooker Girl’ when we met, and the only place I’d ever played was at Steve’s. Considering all the trouble Steve’s been in—and the fact that I’d come all the way here to check on him—maybe Bruno thought I was part of that mess too.”

Hayden let out a quiet, “Mmhmm.” “Steve’s just their excuse. They’re targeting you to get to me.”

I froze as it all clicked together. Then, something Jace had hinted at came back to me. “So… is it true you’re the one who took down the boss of Quartz Cue?”

Quartz Cue was more than just a shady cue sports club—it was practically an underworld front. Taking down their leader was a huge humiliation, and there was no way they’d let that slide.

Hayden didn’t exactly confirm it. He just said, “You probably won’t get to see Steve’s match. You should head home. As soon as possible.”

What the hell? Was he serious? He was the one who pushed me to come here, and now, barely a day in, he’s telling me to leave?

“What kind of game are you playing?” I snapped, totally confused and more than a little pissed.

“It’s too dangerous now that they’re watching you,” he said, voice low and unshakable.

My breath tightened. “So… because I’m… or because they think I’m your girlfriend, right?”

Hayden was silent, neither confirming nor denying. Finally, he said, “Don’t worry. They won’t hurt you. They’ll just… use you to get to me.”

His words only made me feel more unsettled. “Hayden, stop dodging. I’m asking one more time: are they after me because of what happened with Steve?”

This time, he didn’t avoid it. “Not entirely.”

“What does that even mean, ‘not entirely’?” I was completely lost.

“It’s complicated. I’ll explain later, if I get the chance.” He paused. “Just… don’t mention any of this to Yuna. And… let her hang out with whoever she wants.”

That last part made it obvious he knew all about Yuna’s crush, even though she thought she was keeping it secret. I got it, though. He didn’t want her pulled into any of this. But where did that leave me?

Sure, he said he’d have people watching me, but I wasn’t naive. I knew I was in real danger. Still, all of this started because of Steve. And Steve’s my friend. I can’t blame Hayden for any of it.

Maybe if I hadn’t reached out to him after what happened to Steve, Hayden wouldn’t have gotten mixed up with Quartz Cue, and we wouldn’t be in this mess. But I didn’t regret it. Clearing Steve’s name was worth whatever trouble came my way.