I didn’t even know why I felt like crying–my heart felt heavy, like it was too full.


    Maybe it was because, in this apartment that had been so empty without my parents, someone was


    finally showing me some care again.


    Or maybe it was because Hayden just got me. He knew that even though I’d left the amusement


    park project behind, my heart was still tangled up in it.


    I kept staring at the note over and over. Finally, I took it down and walked out of the bathroom.


    That’s when I saw it–a thermal container and a te with a fried egg sitting on the small dining table


    in the kitchen.


    At that moment, I pressed the note to my chest, and the tears I’d been holding back started to spill


    over.


    Hayden had made breakfast for me. I couldn’t just ignore that, so after eating, I sent him a quick


    message: [Thank you.]


    Two simple words, but I couldn’t take his kindness for granted.


    As soon as I hit send, I started messing with the trinkets I’d bought at the night market yesterday.


    But before I could get too far, my phone rang.


    My heart skipped a beat, like I’d been hoping for something.


    But when I saw the caller ID, that little spark of excitement fizzled out. I sighed and answered the


    call,” Gavin.”


    “Uh, Ms. Kay,” Gavin began after clearing his throat. “Did you find a new job?”


    His question caught me off guard. “Yeah, why?”


    Gavin hesitated, clearing his throat again like he was stalling. “Have you started yet?”


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    I could tell something was up. “Just spit it out. What’s going on?”


    “No, no, it’s nothing, really. I was just checking in,” he tried to y it off casually.


    I let out a small, amused huff. “If you’re really worried, then stop dancing around it. Just say what


    you need to say.”


    Gavin went quiet, and I could almost picture him on the other end, struggling with whether to be


    upfront with me.


    I wasn’t in a hurry. I put him on speaker and kept messing with the trinkets.


    “Mr. Johnston found out about your new job,” Gavin finally said, like it had taken everything in him


    to get those words out.


    I wasn’t surprised, but I knew that wasn’t the whole story. I paused what I was doing. “So, is he


    nning something again?”


    “You really did spend a lot of time with Mr. Johnston,” Gavin said, sounding almost imprese


    It seemed like Jace was up to his usual tricks, trying to mess w


    from my new employer yet.


    Even though I hadn’t started working, I’d already signed the contract. If they were going to back out,


    they’d have to let me know.


    I wasn’t even mad; instead, Iughed softly and asked Gavin, “Did he threaten them, saying if they


    hired me, he’d make them disappear from Seavora?”


    Gavin chuckled.


    So, I’d guessed right. Jace, the CEO of RiverwaveCorp, always had that bossy attitude–nobody


    could mess with him without paying the price.


    “Well, he better be ready to wipe out everypany in Seavora, then,” I shot back with a heavy


    dose of


    sarcasm.


    Gavin sighed. “Ms. Kay, Mr. Johnston still cares about you, you know.”


    I managed a faint smile, and Gavin kept going, “You didn’t show up at the proposal yesterday. He


    was really embarrassed. He threw a fit, butter, on the way home, he said something to me. He


    said if you came back, he’d make Ms. Twain leave.”


    I stared at my phone screen. “Too little, toote, Gavin. That ship has sailed.”


    “Ms. Kay-” Gavin started, but I cut him off.


    “Gavin, I have a boyfriend now.”


    There was a long, stunned silence on the other end. “What? That fast?”


    C