Chapter 725

Benefactor?! I burst out laughing. Hayden didn’t let his playful side show often, and when he did, it always caught me off guard. It was just a joke, but hearing him call me that was surreal. Life really is unpredictable. You never know how things will play out or what roles you’ll end up in. The future’s a blank slate, and we’re all just winging it.

With Hayden still recovering and Demi needing her own time to heal, I knew I couldn’t handle taking care of both of them. So, I hired caregivers for each instead. Of course, Hayden flat-out refused. “I can walk, move, and feed myself. I don’t need anyone,” he insisted. It wasn’t just stubbornness – I knew he didn’t like strangers hovering around him. And let’s be real, he probably just wanted me to take care of him.

Men can be so extra sometimes, full of their own little schemes, just like us. Lately, though, there was something different about Hayden. It was subtle, but he’d been a bit clingy – showing this softer, almost boyish side that I rarely got to see.

“I’m going to check on Yuna,” I said gently, trying to change the subject. “Now that she knows Wade had an agenda, she’s probably crushed.”

“She’s an adult,” Hayden said, his tone calm but carrying layers. “If she lets a man wreck her that easily, she’s too fragile for this world.” I knew he wasn’t just talking about Yuna – he was throwing shade at me too.

Sliding closer on the cramped hospital bed, I hooked my foot around his playfully. “Well, I’ve survived you ghosting me and all your twisted life-or-death tests. Doesn’t that make me pretty tough?”

He lifted my hand and kissed my fingers, the brush of his lips warm and tender. “Mm, my Kiki is an unbeatable little monster.”

“Monster?” I gasped, pretending to be offended. “When did I become a monster?” Nitpicking over his words like this made me feel young – immature, maybe, but free. Isn’t that the magic of being loved? In front of the person who adores you, even an old woman can feel like a teenager again.

Hayden’s smile widened. “A little monster – one who can totally take me down.” Couples have a million pet names for each other, but this one? I kind of loved it.

Chapter 726

I leaned in and bit his lip gently, earning a soft hum of protest. “Why are you always biting me?” he murmured. Ever since Hayden came back from the “dead,” I’d developed this weird habit of biting him. Not in a creepy way – okay, maybe a little creepy – but it was like my brain decided the best way to keep him safe was to, I don’t know, chew on him? Makes sense, right?

“Monsters eat people, don’t they?” I grinned, eyeing the faint teeth marks I’d left on his lip. Hayden’s throat bobbed as he swallowed. “Once I’m healed, you can eat all you want.”

Cue brain freeze. He always knew how to flip the script on me.

“You don’t need to babysit me,” he said, all serious now. “Go live your life – work, eat, binge some Netflix. I’ll be fine.” I opened my mouth to argue, but then he dropped, “Besides, someone’s supposed to stop by soon.”

Boom. Nerves: activated. I knew exactly who he meant. “Is it gonna be dangerous?” I asked, trying not to sound too freaked.

“Nope.” He was way too casual about it. “If they wanted me dead, that car crash would’ve been my curtain call. Trust me – they’d have made sure.” His words stopped me cold – I hadn’t thought of it like that.

“Then why didn’t they just kill you? If they think you’re Hayden, wouldn’t it be safer to, you know, make sure? Even if it meant taking out an innocent guy?” I asked, finally blurting out the thought that had been eating at me.

Hayden smiled faintly. “Knew you’d figure that out eventually.” Oh, great. A compliment disguised as a roast. My foot nudged his in retaliation. “Clearly, your whole ‘Xander’ act has layers I’m not ready for.”

His smirk faded, replaced by a look that meant business. “It does. Want the full story?” The fact that Hayden even asked meant he didn’t want to tell me – but it also meant if I pushed, he wouldn’t hold back.

I shook my head. “I just need to know you’re safe. Whatever they’re making you do or whatever you’re planning, it doesn’t matter.” I knew he carried a lot. Living as someone else, hiding his real name, changing his personality, even his voice – it screamed danger. But still, one thought stuck in my head: what happened to the real Xander?

Chapter 727

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