Chapter 23
Xander and Deborah really were a couple–they had a real talent for this kind of thing.
“Yes, Grandma,” Hayden said, suddenly grabbing my hand and pulling me upstairs
I instinctively tried to break free, but he tightened his grip. I felt trapped, and with Deborah still watching us, I had no choice but to follow him. Once we were a bit far away, I lowered my voice and snapped. “Let gol”
“If you don’t want Grandma watching you, just go along with it Hayden whispered, not backing down.
Even without his reminder, I could feel that intense stare from behind us, tightening my chest. I ended up obediently heading upstairs with Hayden.
I glanced down at his slender hand holding mine. Only then did I find the rosary bracelet he usually wore was gone, and I felt slightly dazed. He had worn it for over a decade, so how could it break suddenly? Did it mean something?
putting several feet between us.
Before long we reached the bedroom. As Hayden closed the door, my nerves kicked in. I quickly stepped away, p
“Wanne Jackson” he called out sternly, clearly catching on to my y intentions
Avoiding his gaze, I munered, “There are only you and me. Who knows what you might do?”
“Relax. I’m not that desperate, Hayden shot back, frustrated
“I’m glad to hear that, I said, turning around to face the only bed in the room. My heart sank.
The room in the Parker residence was pretty big, but it had a couch that I could crash on. The Rosy House had been my own little sanctuary, with just a single bed in the bedroom. So, what was I supposed to do now!
Anyway, no way was I sharing a bed with Hayden. After pondering for a bit. I just turned on my heel and headed for the door.
Hayden noticed and called out coldly. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to sleep in the guest room next door, I said, not looking back, just as I reached for the doorknob, Hayden’s hand suddenly covered mine.
Do you think you can hide it from Grandma? I don’t want to end up carrying you back in here,” he said coolly, a disdainful look passing across his
face
“Carry me back!” I stopped dead in my tracks. The words of the servant at the Parker residence echoed in my mind–she’d mentioned how Hayden had once carried me to my room in the middle of the night.
Back then, 1
dismissed it, thinking she must have been mistaken. After all, how could Hayden, someone who disliked me so much, do
something like that?
He had once said that even the thought of touching my hair disgusted him. Why was he suddenly willing to carry me now?
Hayden stiffened slightly at my question. He turned his head, looking a bit awkward. “Why were you crying in the guest room that night? Because you had to sleep on the sofa?
I couldn’t see his eyes, so I had no clue what was really going on in his head. But that question of his Totally out of left field
1 fel the comers of my lips twitched. Tm not soine delicate flower. I was probably sleepwalking. Ever since my mom passed away, I often wake up not knowing where I am”
I remembered visiting a psychologist who said it might be due to guilt that caused my sleepwalking. The pain I couldn’t express during the day would often haunt me in the quiet nights,
Hayden spun around to fare me abruptly. His deep eyes felt like endless holes, capable of swallowing me whole.
I had once been captivated by those eyes, losing a whole decade to them and regretting not being there for my mom before she was gone. But now, I wouldn’t let myself get pulled in again
“Aboot your mother, 1..” Hayden started
It’s none of your business,” I cut him off I pulled my hand away, keen on steering the conversation elsewhere. “So, there’s just one bed, What’s the plan for tonight’s sleepover!”
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Chapter 23
Hayden finally responded, “You take the left side, and I’ll take the right.”
Did he really mean we had to share a bed 1 blinked, surprised. “But
Before I could protest. Hayden turned and went into the bathroom. Soon, I heard the sound of running water.
I stood on the spot for what felt like ages before I finally let out a sigh, accepting the inevitable. Besides, Hayden was wide awake now, so he wouldn’t lay a finger on me.
I slunk into bed, hugging the far left side, and yanked the covers up, cocooning myself. I just hoped I wouldn’t go wandering in my sleep tonight.
1 really needed to tackle this sleepwalking thing soon, it was mortifying to have Hayden witness me in such a vulnerable state,
Just then, I heard the bathroom door opening. I quickly closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep to avoid any interaction with him.
After a couple of minutes, I felt the mattress sink behind me as Hayden got into bed, even causing me to slide back several inches. He might look skinny, but he was surprisingly heavy.
Not wanting to be close to him, I quietly edged toward the side of the bed. He must have picked up on my stealthy maneuver, and I felt his eyes on me, a cold stare boring into the back of my head.
This moment felt less awkward than our previous encounter in the car. Besides, I was really tired, and my eyelids grew heavier until I finally drifted off to sleep.
I found myself in a long dream, I couldn’t remember the details, but I felt overwhelmingly sad, as if I had been crying for a long time. The regret of not being able to see my mother one last line haunted me. In reality, I was crying
Meanwhile, Hayden lay wide awake. He was used to sleeping alone, and sharing the bed with a woman felt strange after so many years,
To his surprise, Yvonne, who had once practically clung to him like a lifetine, was now curled up at the edge of the bed, trying to distance herself.
He
thought. Back in the day, she’d have jumped at the chance to be this close, but now it’s like she’s trying to put the whole bed between us
guy
‘At the hospital today, she didn’t even stick around to check on me. She just took off on a slate with some other g
That kid was clearly bad news, Hirting with someone else’s wife at his age. And there Yvonne was, wearing his Yosefer. Like I can’t buy her the clothes!
The more Hayden thought about it, the angrier he became he couldn’t sleep at all Lying in the dark, staring at the c sobbing beside him.
ceiling, he suddenly heard soft
Is she crying! He turned his head to look at Yvonne. The soft sounds of her sniffles grew louder, pulling him from his frustration. Sensing that something was off, he called our gently, “Yvonne?”
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