News? What news?


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    I stood there, stunned. No one had mentioned anything since I woke up.


    I yanked the door open, and both Jace and Wayne immediately turned toward me.


    “What news?” I demanded, cutting straight to the point.


    They exchanged a quick look, clearly scrambling for a way to dodge my question.


    But I wasn’t giving them the chance. “I heard everything”


    Wayne’s expression darkened. He pulled out his phone.


    Jace looked like he wanted to stop Wayne, but I shot him a re that kept him silent.


    “She should know. It’ll help her clear things up with Hayden,” Wayne said, unlocking his phone and


    handing it to me.


    On the screen was a screenshot of an article. The headline read: [Golden Blood Type Lovers–


    Girlfriend Saves Her Lover with 800CC of Blood. ‘Now, your body flows with my blood.]


    The headline was pure melodrama, and to make it worse, there was a picture of me holding Jace’s


    hand during the blood transfusion. I had just been trying tofort him, nothing more–but the way


    the article framed it, it looked like some romantic, life–or–death bond between us.


    No wonder Hayden had jumped to conclusions. I would’ve thought the same if I were him.


    “When did this happen?” I asked, my voice tight.


    “Three days ago. Right after you gave Jace the transfusion. By the time I got here, it was already


    blowing up. Hayden must’ve seen it before I did,” Wayne exined.


    My chest tightened as I processed everything. Wayne noticed and stepped closer. “I made sure it


    got taken down. It’s not online anymore.”


    But the damage was done. Hayden had seen it.


    I didn’t care what anyone else thought, but Hayden? He couldn’t be left in the dark like this. Even if


    he trusted me, that photo, paired with that ridiculous headline, was enough to nt seeds of doubt.


    “I can exin it to him,” Jace offered.


    I shook my head. “No. Exining would just make it messier. Besides, if Hayden didn’t trust me at


    all, he wouldn’t have left me in your care, right?”


    I forced a smile, more to reassure myself than them. “There must’ve been something else going on.


    Some urgent reason for him to leave so fast.”


    “Rea…” Jace said softly, like he had more to say.


    I didn’t give him the chance. “How’s Steve doing?” I asked, changing the subject.


    Wayne answered, “He’s fine now, thanks to Hayden stepping in.”


    Of course, Hayden had handled it. Even with the danger of dealing with Quartz Cue, he’d pulled it


    off. But Jace’s earlier question echoed in my mind: ‘Do you really know Hayden?‘


    Clearly, I didn’t know him as well as I thought.


    “Good,” I said, forcing augh. “Has Steve been released yet?”


    “Not yet. Some paperwork’s still being handled. He should be out tomorrow,” Jace replied.


    That reminded me–I needed to book my flight.


    “Alright. When you see him tomorrow, let him know I’ve headed back home. We’ll talk more once


    he’s out. “I was determined to confront Hayden as soon as possible, especially now that I knew he


    might think! still had feelings for Jace.


    “Rea, you don’t need to rush. It’s just one night,” Wayne said gently.


    “No.” I shook my head. “Even though it’s only one night, it’ll feelpletely different.”


    If I rushed back today, Hayden would know I cared enough to fix this the moment I realized he was


    upset. But if I waited, even just until tomorrow, he might think I wasn’t taking it seriously.


    couldn’t let this misunderstanding sit.