I kept my eyes on Wayne, and his reaction told me everything.


    “Rea,” he said softly, “don’t overthink this.”


    I


    Overthink? I wasn’t, not until now.


    The way he said it just made me think harder. “Matthew and Lindey knew too, didn’t they?” I asked,


    though deep down, I already knew the answer.


    They’d raised me for years–no way they wouldn’t know my blood type.


    “They took you in, cared for you like their own. Of course they knew,” Wayne said, sounding like he


    was trying a little too hard to make it all seem fine.


    Right. It wasn’t weird they knew. What was weird? The fact they never told me.


    “Why aren’t you saying anything? Please, don’t take it the wrong way. My parents have always


    treated you like their own daughter. There’s no hidden agenda,” Wayne added, his voice sounding


    almost desperate


    now.


    But you know that saying–the more you exin, the guiltier you look?


    Yeah, that.


    “Wayne, honestly, I hadn’t thought much about it before you opened your mouth. But now?” I raised


    my brows. “All this overthinking? That’s on you.”


    I emphasized thosest three words.


    His expression shifted, like he wasn’t sure what to say


    “Just help me pack,” I muttered, cutting him off before he could say anything else. I didn’t want to


    doubt Wayne or assume the worst, but his whole defensive act had me spiraling down a rabbit hole


    I didn’t even know existed.


    Sometimes, once the thought’s there, you can’t un–think it.


    As Wayne silently packed my stuff, my mind drifted to my engagement to Jace.


    Before my parents‘ ident, they’d asked me if I’d be okay with an arranged marriage.


    Iughed and said no, telling them I only wanted to be with them. I even hugged them, joking I’d


    never marry, that I’d stay with them forever.


    They never brought it up again–until after they were gone. Then, Matthew and Lindey told me Jace


    was supposed to be my future husband. Apparently, it had been decided when my parents were still


    alive.


    But how? Did my parents know Jace and I shared the same rare blood type? Were they trying to


    make sure we’d end up together in case one of us needed help, like some kind of insurance?


    Or was it the Johnstons who came up with this after the fact? Maybe they saw our matching blood


    types and decided to y matchmaker, turning me into Jace’s future wife–his backup blood


    supply. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    I didn’t want to sound cynical, but the idea that Jace and I, with this super rare blood type, almost


    got


    25 BONUS


    married–it felt like more than just some random coincidence.


    And the fact that no one in the Johnston family had ever mentioned it? Even though Wayne clearly


    knew


    the truth?


    If there was nothing to hide, why keep it a secret?


    “Rea… Rea…” Wayne’s voice broke through my thoughts.


    I blinked, looking up at him. “Yeah?”


    “What were you thinking about? You seemed… far away,” he said softly.


    I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. “Nothing. What’s up?”


    “I’m done packing. Is there anything else you wanna take?” His tone was gentle, like he was afraid


    to push too hard.


    I nced around the room. “No, that’s it.”