Chapter 70

There was no surprise in Hayden adding me on social media. Given our collaboration, we'd need to communicate frequently, and adding each other would simplify things. But I didn't accept his friend request immediately. Instead, I replied to Lena's message, but she didn't respond—probably busy again.

Next, I opened Wayne's message, considered it a moment, and replied: "I've been busy with the amusement park project. I'll show you around once I'm free. Sorry."

Wayne responded quickly: "No worries. Just make sure to take care of yourself."

I was about to reply with a simple "okay" when another message from him arrived: "I'll wait for you."

Those four words made my drafted "okay" hard to send, so I replied: "Are you staying here while...?"

Wayne: "Yes, I'm not leaving anytime soon."

That line was unexpected. After a few seconds, I replied: "Your parents must be happy."

Wayne's status showed he was typing, but no new message appeared. I didn't wait. Instead, I opened my email to check for work-related matters. It was my habit to handle emails daily, but with most tasks delegated, my inbox was empty. The "Inbox Zero" message left me feeling oddly empty.

Demi then walked over, holding her phone. "Keira, have you seen this show? I'm obsessed. The chemistry between the leads is fire."

I glanced at her screen. The lead actors were some of my favorites, and the scene looked interesting—the heroine had transformed into a chicken and was throwing a fit at the teasing hero.

I set my phone aside and started watching with Demi, but the show's allure lost to sleep. When I woke up, it was early morning.

I was up at five as usual, thanks to my internal clock. Demi, sprawled out, had her nightgown bunched around her thighs, revealing her lacy underwear. I pulled a blanket over her, grabbed my phone, and saw a few messages. Lena had replied, and there was one unread message from Wayne: "What about you?"

It took me a second to realize he was asking if I was happy about his stay. "What does that have to do with me? Whether he stays home or goes abroad is none of my business. Why is he asking?"

His question felt strange, especially since I'd left him on read. We were adults now.

Setting my phone aside, I got ready and went to the window with a glass of water. Outside, a thin fog had settled, barely affecting visibility.

As I finished my water and prepared to stretch, a figure caught my eye. With long strides, it was Hayden. Despite leaving the military, he still possessed perfect posture and discipline, maintaining his running routine. He was the epitome of a self-disciplined modern man.

I suddenly remembered I hadn't accepted Hayden's friend request. I grabbed my phone, accepted it, and began my stretches. While changing clothes, I applied the ointment Hayden had given me. No point in making things harder.

As I prepared to head downstairs for breakfast before going to the amusement park, I received a DM from Hayden: "Did you get a boyfriend?"

I was taken aback. Did he send me a friend request just to ask that?