Chapter 21

I hung up impatiently. Putting my phone away, I wondered if Hayden had always been this impatient when I repeatedly called him. Funny how the tables had turned—now I was the one ending the calls.

“Was that your husband calling?” Dylan asked carefully.

“Yeah,” I replied calmly.

Dylan’s eyes welled up. “I’ll wait until you’re divorced before I officially ask you out.”

So, everything I just said was a waste of breath. After a moment of silence, I decided to stop trying to convince him. At his age, pushing back only made them more determined, and I knew that all too well. I figured I’d just let him be; once his passion faded, it would be fine.

“It’s getting late. I should head back,” I said, attempting to walk around him.

But he jogged to catch up. “It’s not safe for you to walk home alone this late. Let me drive you. Don’t worry; I’ll just drop you off.”

If I said no again, it would be too awkward. So, I reluctantly climbed into the car.

Thankfully, Dylan focused on driving and didn’t try to chat. This allowed me to enjoy the night view of Elysiumville. Lost in admiration, I completely forgot about Hayden’s call—he was no longer my top priority.

Forty minutes later, the car stopped at Rosy House. Dylan got out first and helped me open the door. “Be careful,” he said gently, as if I were a precious princess. Honestly, being treated like this was addictive. I’d once hoped Hayden would treat me this way, but I never imagined it would be Dylan.

I was still a bit dazed as I got out of the car when a cold breeze hit me, making me shiver. Autumn was approaching, and the night air had turned chilly.

Dylan quickly removed his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders. “Are you cold? Hurry inside so you don’t catch a chill.”

His concerned tone caught me off guard. Just as I was about to respond, I heard a mocking voice from nearby. “Yvonne, you really have some nerve.”

I turned, and under the dim streetlight, I saw Hayden standing there, tall and rigid. His brow was furrowed, and his handsome features looked tight with tension. He seemed to have been coming home more often lately. Puzzled by this change in his behavior, before I could understand it, Hayden strode over, yanked the coat off my shoulders without a word, and tossed it back to Dylan angrily. I was completely stunned.

“If you’re cold, then go home. Why are you standing here in the wind?” Hayden’s deep voice boomed, filled with irritation. Clutching the coat, Dylan bristled at Hayden’s harsh tone. “Mr. Parker, she’s your wife. You should be looking out for her.” It pained him to see the woman he longed to protect being treated poorly.

“Oh?” Hayden raised his perfectly groomed eyebrows and looked at Dylan with interest. “What business is it of yours how I treat my wife? If you know she’s married, you should keep your distance.”

His assertive tone felt like a claim of ownership. I instinctively wanted to argue.

But Dylan cut in. “Yes, she is your wife now. But if you don’t start cherishing her, one day she’ll leave you. And when that happens, I will make sure to take good care of her, even if it costs me everything.”

His words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I stared at him in a daze. Suddenly, I remembered making a similar vow. I once thought my love for Hayden was unbreakable, but time had worn it down. So when would Dylan finally let go of me?

Just then, I felt eyes on me. I looked over and met Hayden’s piercing gaze. He looked like a powder keg about to explode.

“Dylan, you should head home now. Thanks for tonight,” I said quickly. Dylan was just trying to defend me, but if he pushed Hayden too far, things could get ugly.

Thankfully, he listened. With a hint of frustration, he got in his car and drove away.

As his taillights disappeared, I turned to go home, not even sparing Hayden a glance. He was nothing to me now.

However, I’d taken only a few steps when Hayden called out, “What were you doing with him just now!”

That struck me as odd. I turned back and replied, “None of your business.”

Hayden’s face drained of color, and he stared at me coldly. “Don’t forget, you’re still married,” he bit out.

I found it amusing and shot back, “Didn’t you forget you’re still married, too? Hayden, I don’t care who you’re with, so you better leave me alone. In three months, we’ll part ways peacefully.”

“So you’re with that guy from earlier now?” Hayden stepped closer, closing the gap between us. Instantly, the air was thick with tension. I instinctively wanted to step back. “Mind your own business?”

He seemed to lose control, gripping my arm tightly. His deep eyes bored into mine, filled with intensity. “Yvonne Jackson! What’s going on with you! I was in the hospital, and you were out with someone else? Do you even have a heart?”

“I used to have,” I replied bitterly, managing a sad smile. “But it faded away with your indifference.”

Besides, wasn’t Joanna with him at the hospital? Why had he come back to interrogate me? And with that expression, like a lost puppy abandoned by its owner…

The Hayden I knew was always composed and detached. So how could he be acting so edgy and impulsive? I studied him for a moment, and a thought hit me.

“Did you take the wrong medicine?” I asked. I figured he would think I was the one acting strange, but it felt like he was the one with the problem.

As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted it. Hayden had indeed taken the wrong medicine—the kind that could lead to a night of passion. I clamped my mouth shut, but it was too late.

Hayden’s charming eyes narrowed. “Did you bring me to the hospital? Did something happen between us on the way?”