Chapter 639
I was stunned. Lena, ever the doctor, wasn’t about to rely on guesswork or theories. She grabbed my hand, her expression soft but resolute. “Rea, you need to move on. Hayden was incredible, but he’s gone. Holding on like this isn’t good for you—or for him.”
Her eyes dropped to the ring on my finger. “You and Jace used to go to monastery services, right? You’ve heard the saying—when someone who’s passed is held onto too tightly, they can’t find peace or move on.”
At the end of science lies superstition. I didn’t dismiss her words outright; my mom used to tell me the same thing when I was little.
“Rea, let him go. Live your life—really live it. That’s the best way to honor him.”
It wasn’t about not being able to let Hayden go—it was the unanswered questions surrounding his death that refused to leave me alone. For the first time, I felt like Lena didn’t get it. I couldn’t blame her, though. Anyone else in her position would’ve thought the same thing—that I was just stuck on Hayden.
“Fine. I’ll let go,” I said with a faint smile, steering the conversation away. “You crushed it as today’s director. Let me treat you to dinner.”
“Well, you’re the rich one now,” Lena said with a playful grin. “You’ve got so much money, the interest alone is ridiculous. I want top-tier everything.”
She wasn’t wrong, and I wasn’t about to hold back. If I wasn’t spending it, who was I saving it for?
I took her to the highest observation restaurant in Seavora, where we ate like queens. Afterward, I brought her to the best bar in town.
“Alright, what’s with you today?” Lena asked, narrowing her eyes.
“Nothing’s up. You’re the one who said I couldn’t move on. Well, here I am—moving on. Why are you so surprised?” I teased.
Not only had I dragged Lena to a bar, but I’d also arranged for a group of guys to join us.
“You’ve officially lost it,” Lena hissed.
“Exactly. Let’s lose it for one night.” I leaned closer, lowering my voice. “You’re not married. If you don’t go wild now, when will you?”
“You’re just using this as an excuse to stir up trouble,” Lena shot back, reading me like an open book.
I laughed mischievously and waved the young men over to join us. Soon, we were drinking and chatting about everything—life, philosophy, and the kind of nonsense that only makes sense after a few rounds.
“Should we each take one home?” I asked boldly.
Lena pinched me. “Stop being ridiculous. I know what you’re trying to do, but don’t take it too far,” she warned.
“You call it obsession, but I don’t think it is. I just need to test my theory one last time—my way.”
Lena sighed heavily. “I hope your instincts are right.”
She went along with it anyway, and when we left the bar, each of us brought one of the guys to a hotel. Naturally, Lena and I stayed in one room while the two guys were parked in another.
Lying on the plush hotel bed, staring at the ceiling, Lena broke the silence. “We’ve been here for over an hour now. If Hayden is alive and saw another man, don’t you think he would’ve stopped you by now?”
She wasn’t wrong. If he’d caught wind of this, he wouldn’t let me spiral like this. Even if he didn’t show up himself, he’d have sent Kylian—or someone—to shut it down.
But there was nothing.
“Maybe he didn’t see it. Should I call a paparazzi and make sure it hits the headlines?” I joked, only for Lena to kick me lightly.
“Enough. Go wash up and get some sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, leave the past where it belongs and focus on what’s ahead,” she said.
She got up to shower, leaving me alone with my thoughts, staring blankly at the ceiling. The sudden ring of my phone shattered the silence. Wayne’s name flashed on the screen.
Had word of my hotel stunt already reached him? I answered, but before I could say anything, his urgent voice cut in. “Rea, there’s been a major accident at the amusement park. You need to come right away.”