It was time to let Jace know exactly where I stood.


    “Jace, what you’re calling a ‘small mistake‘ is something I just can’t brush off. You know me well


    enough to understand that I don’t tolerate any kind of betrayal, I said, stepping back to put some


    distance


    between us.


    “My love doesn’t need to be a whole soap opera, but my guy can’t be out here sending mixed


    signals to another girl–not even a little. If I’m in, I’m all in,” I added, ncing sideways to see how


    Jace was reacting.


    As I did, I caught Hayden’s gaze a few steps away. It seemed like he’d overheard at least part of


    our conversation.


    Our eyes locked for a second before I refocused on Jace.


    Jace’s expression was a mix of impatience and annoyance, like he thought I was being totally


    unreasonable. “You should know by now that in today’s world, no one stays faithful forever. You


    need to stop living in a fantasy.”


    He wasn’t wrong–temptation was everywhere, and theys of slow, deliberate love, where you only!


    eyes for one person, seemed long gone.


    I smiled faintly. “If that’s the case, then I don’t want it. I won’t settle.”


    Jace was stunned, thrown off by my response. I held his gaze and said, “Let’s make today thest


    time we talk about us. We’re done. Let’s go our separate ways, and you should be able to move


    on.”


    He let out a coldugh. “Fine, we’ll go our separate ways. I can’t wait to see what kind of guy you


    end up


    with.”


    With that, he spun around and stormed off.


    Watching Jace walk away, it hit me how childish he really was, like a boy who couldn’t handle not


    getting his way. If he was truly done with me, he wouldn’t keeping back, would he?


    When Demi returned with the spray and the medicine, she leaned in close and whispered, “Did you


    and Mr. Johnston have another fight? He looked so mad, like a pig ready to blow.”


    I couldn’t help butugh. Demi always had a way of lightening the mood. As I started to open the


    packaging of the spray, I teased her back, “And what exactly does a pig blowing up look like?


    Wanna show me?”


    “Come on, Keira…” Demi yfully punched my arm. “Was Mr. Johnston trying to get back with you?


    Maybe you should give him another chance. He must still love you; otherwise, why would he keep


    coming-”


    “I’ll handle it,” Hayden suddenly cut in, interrupting Demi mid–sentence. He reached out and took


    the spray from my hands, starting to open the packaging himself.


    “Ms. Young. I’m out of marker pens. Could you grab me a ck and a red one?” Hayden asked


    Demi as he continued fiddling with the packaging box.


    “Oh, I’ll get them right away,” Demi replied, clearly eager to stay on Hayden’s good side. She


    hurried off without another word.


    Hayden finished unpacking the oral spray, but instead of handing it to me, he sprayed it into the air


    to test it. Then, without missing a beat, he turned to me and said, “Open your mouth.”


    “I can do it myself,” I insisted, already knowing what he had in mind.


    I reached out to take the spray from him. But Hayden was quicker. He lifted his arm just out of my


    reach, holding the spray way above me. No matter how much I stretched, I couldn’t grab it.


    In the end, it was obvious–I had no chance against him.


    “You think you can see the inside of your own mouth?” he asked.


    I blinked, caught off guard. Before I could evene up with aeback, he added, “I’m doing this


    so you can get better fast and not let it mess with our work. There’s no need to make it harder than


    it has to


    be.”


    He made it sound like I was the one being unreasonable.


    Left with no o


    other choice, I sighed and opened my mouth, letting him spray the medicine. N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    The cool mist hit the ulcers in my mouth, sending a shiver down my spine. The next thing I knew,


    Hayden’s hand was on my shoulder, pulling me closer to


    chest.


    My head was tilted back, leaving me no choice but to stare up at the blinding sky. The sunlight was


    so Intense, I had to squeeze my eyes shut. Hayden held me close, carefully applied the spray.


    In that hazy, closed–eyed moment, it felt almost surreal, like I was floating.


    Only then did it ur to me–I could’ve just used a mirror and done this myself.


    But it was way toote to mention that now.