Hayden never held back. He always said exactly what he felt, and now his words cut deep–he


    honestly thought I still had feelings for Jace.


    Since we got together, I’d kept my distance from Jace, worried our past might mess things up with


    Hayden. But clearly, I’d slipped up. I’d made him feel like he didn’t have all of me.


    This wasn’t just about me giving Jace blood. Hayden had been carrying this around for a while,


    something he’d been feeling long before now.


    “All this time, you’ve thought I didn’t love you enough? let out a bitterugh. “If that’s true, then


    maybe 1 don’t even know how to love anymore.


    “If you really loved me, you wouldn’t have been so quick to suggest breaking up,” he said, his voice


    low.


    my eyes, frustration boiling over. “I told you–that was just me talking out of anger.


    I gave a tired smile and added, “It was a heat–of–the–moment thing, but you jumped at the chance


    to agree. So, Hayden, should I start thinking you never really wanted me in the first ce?”


    That old saying, “when you want to me someone, any excuse will do,” had never felt more true.


    When


    you’re determined to find fault, even the tiniest thing gets blown up.


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


    Hayden’s eyes narrowed slightly. “If that’s how you feel, maybe breaking up is the right choice.”


    The wave of hurt and anger that mmed into me was almost too much. I’d tried so hard to


    exin, but it felt like nothing I said made a difference. He was locked into believing what he


    wanted.


    1 let go of his hand. “So, breaking up is the right thing, huh? Is that really what you want?”


    Hayden’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, but before he could answer, Iughed bitterly. “I get it.


    You’re the heir to the Hart family now.


    “You probably think someone like me isn’t good enough anymore, right?


    “Or maybe it’s because I used to be Jace’s fiancée, and being with me would just make people


    talk.”


    This kind of baseless suspicion? I hated it.


    And yet, here I was, falling right into it.


    “Is that what you think?” Hayden’s voice dropped, turning cold.


    “What else am I supposed to think? I’ve exined everything, and you’re still clinging to it. You


    obviously just want to end things, so what am I supposed to believe?” I felt myself unraveling,


    turning into the kind of person I swore I wouldn’t be–emotional, irrational.


    “Fine. If that’s what you think, then so be it,” he replied, his tone slicing through the tension.


    I stared at him, my lips trembling, but the words wouldn’te.


    The pressure in my chest was unbearable, like something hot and sharp was lodged in my throat.


    After what felt like forever, I finally whispered, “So you really want to break up, don’t you?”


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    .Yes


    That one word, so simple and final, pierced right through me. I couldn’t breathe.


    My nails dug into my palms as I clenched my fists. “Fine.”


    Loave


    him one word back, hanging on to whatever pride I had left.


    If he didn’t want to be with me, still caught up in this mess over Jace, I could’ve kept trying to


    exin. But if he thought I wasn’t good enough anymore, what was the point?


    Was I supposed to beg?


    No way. That wasn’t who I was. And even if I did, a rtionship built on pity wouldn’tst.


    “Leave.” The word was out before the tears could start falling.


    Hayden


    didn’t move, just stood there staring at me. I was on the verge of breaking, and if he stayed any


    longer, I’d lose thest bit of dignity I had.


    I grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at him. “Go!”


    He didn’t even flinch. The pillow hit him square in the face, and he caught it effortlessly.


    After a moment, he set it down, stood up, and headed for the door.


    I watched his back as he walked away, and that’s when the dam inside me broke.