Chapter 17

After gathering my thoughts, I pushed Hayden away with all my might. "Hayden! What are you doing?" But he seemed oblivious, his lips pressing against mine, taking everything from me without a second thought.

"Mh!" I pressed my hands against his chest, trying to stop him, but it was useless—his tongue invaded, taking over. I'd never experienced anything like this before, and fear consumed me.

Panicked, I whimpered. Tears streamed down my cheeks, tasting salty as they reached my mouth. In the struggle, I yanked Hayden's rosary bracelet from his wrist.

The beads hitting the floor were sharp and clear. Hayden, who had been pulling at me with frantic urgency, froze. He shifted back, his usually charming eyes now bloodshot, like a wild animal cornered. The sound of the beads seemed to clear his mind. Noticing my tears, he reached out, wiping them away.

"Don't cry," he whispered softly, as if I were something precious.

Terrified, my throat tightened. "Let go of me," I managed to choke out.

Hayden, probably never having seen me so distraught, seemed taken aback by his own actions. He fell silent for what felt like an eternity, his grip on my shoulders gradually loosening.

I staggered back, putting distance between us. The Hayden from moments ago was terrifying; it felt like he wanted to consume me entirely.

"Go to the hospital," he finally said after a long pause.

I had calmed somewhat, but the pulsing vein in his forehead and his strained expression made my heart race. "What's wrong with you?"

"You did this, and now you're asking me?" he snapped, his voice dark, his control wavering. Suddenly, he shouted, "Hurry! Or face the consequences!"

With no time for explanations, I stepped forward to support him. "Should I call Richard?"

"Don't tell anyone. Use the private elevator to the parking lot," Hayden gritted out, struggling to speak.

If any bad news about him got out, it would devastate the Parker Group. I had no choice but to follow him through the private passage. Although Hayden's mind had cleared somewhat, he was still weak, leaning heavily on me.

Since my mother's death, I hadn't been eating well and had lost weight. Now, with his weight pressing down on me, I felt my bones might crack. Hayden watched as I struggled, his eyebrows furrowed. He tried, it seemed, to stand on his own.

"Don't overdo it," I scolded instinctively. Even though we were no longer together, we had been married. And now, seeing him barely able to stand, I couldn't just stand by.

Focused on getting him to the car, I didn't notice his eyes gradually losing focus, the fleeting lucidity slipping away as his body heated up again—the medication was clearly taking effect.

Finding his car, I sighed with relief. "Great! Once we're in the car, we'll get to the hospital quickly!" At least I wouldn't have to play human stretcher anymore.

Hayden remained silent. His eyelids drooped, and I couldn't tell what was happening behind them. "You get in first," I said, struggling to help him into the back seat.

After settling him, I was about to move to the driver's seat when a strong grip clamped down on my wrist. I turned, but in a heartbeat, the world spun, and Hayden pinned me down.

Everything happened so fast I couldn't react. The sound of my dress tearing was jarring.

"Hayden! Let me go!" Panic overwhelmed me as I struggled, but his bloodshot eyes held me captive.

Luckily, the car door was shut. This was Hayden's private garage, and no one else would come in. In the darkness, the car rocked steadily.

Upstairs, Richard handed some paperwork to Joanna before heading to the CEO's office. After knocking without a response, he opened the door to find Hayden gone. He tidied the desk, even clearing away the unfinished coffee.

Leaving, he noticed something on the floor—a bead from Hayden's rosary. "Isn't this from Mr. Parker's rosary?" he murmured. He found several more beads scattered about, picking them up and placing them neatly on Hayden's desk before leaving.

Soon, Joanna rushed in. She'd checked the pantry and discovered her coffee had vanished. Racing to find Hayden, she entered his eerily quiet office. "Where'd my coffee go?" she muttered.

Joanna bit her lip. "I spiked that coffee! And where's Yvonne? She was in the pantry with me. Could Yvonne have given that coffee to someone else?"

Uneasy, she ran outside to find Richard. "Richard, did Mr. and Mrs. Parker go out?"

"I don't know," Richard replied, shaking his head.

Joanna called Hayden, but his phone went unanswered; it had been on silent.

After what felt like an eternity, the movement in the car stopped. The silence was eerie, the scent of what had just happened lingering. Hayden had fallen into a deep sleep, and I struggled to pull my torn dress together. The tear stains on my face were long dry.

I'd been contemplating a fresh start after the divorce, but fate had other plans, throwing me a curveball with a night I never anticipated spending with Hayden. I clutched my collar, still reeling from the events.