“Wait here,” Jace said briskly, getting up.


    Right now, he was acting like he’d do anything I asked, even anticipating what I needed before I


    said a word. If he’d been like this before, maybe things wouldn’t have ended the way they did.


    But there’s no use wondering about what–ifs. I’d closed that chapter for a reason.


    As I looked away, my gaze happened to fall on his phone. The screen was paused on a video of


    me from a few years ago. I had no idea what I’d been doing in it or even why it had been recorded.


    For a split second, I felt tempted to pick it up and see, but before I could decide, Jace returned with


    the


    water.


    He caught me looking at his phone but didn’t seem fazed. Instead, he gave me a casual–smile.


    “While you were sleeping, I went through some old photos and videos. Turns out you’re even


    prettier now than you were back then.”


    I took a sip of water, ying along. “Oh, so I wasn’t cute enough before? Guess that exins a


    lot…”


    “Stop right there,” he cut in, blocking my jab with a smirk. “Let’s not dig that up again.”


    I took a few more sips, feeling my throat start to rx.


    “Are you really done with Tanya?” I asked, popping a bite of sd. The tangy crunch hit just right.


    Jace picked up his phone again, scrolling like he hadn’t heard me. I didn’t push, just kept eating,


    letting the quiet settle.


    “When I’d nearly finished, he finally spoke. “It’s over. Completely, in every way.”


    Remembering Tanya’s parting words, I doubted things had ended as cleanly as Jace was making it


    sound. But since he was so insistent, I just murmured, “Oh,” and kept eating.


    “Hold still,” he said, reaching over to wipe the corner of my mouth with his thumb. “Little bit of oil


    there.”


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I pressed my lips together, feeling awkward. “Next time, just tell me.”


    He hesitated. “Sure. But, you know, some things are just… habit. I only realize it after I’ve already


    done it.”


    He had a point. After ten years, some habits stuck, like the way he’d checked my forehead earlier–I


    hadn’t even thought to pull away.


    I kept my head down, trying to focus on my food, but then the woman from the bed across the room


    came in, talking to her rtive. “There was a guy hanging around outside earlier, carrying a food


    container. Not sure what he was doing.”


    My hand froze mid–bite, and I nced instinctively at the door, but no one was there.


    The woman continued, “I thought he might be trouble, so I followed him quietly. And you won’t


    believe this -he just tossed the container straight into the trash.”


    My appetite vanished. “Which trash can did he throw it in?” I asked.


    The woman looked a bit surprised, then offered me an awkward smile and held up a food


    container.


    I walked over, took it, and opened the lid. Inside were threeyers of my favorite dishes:


    caramelized mushroom and kale sd, red cabbage risotto, and parmesan–crusted potatoes.


    But one thing stood out immediately–the sd had chili kes sprinkled on top. That tiny detail was


    enough to make my heart twist. The Johnstons never used chili; it was a habit I’d picked up with


    Hayden, who loved a bit of spice.


    Seeing these dishes stirred something in me, a mix of longing and frustration.


    He’d broken up with me, hadn’t he? He hadn’t evene to check on me after I’d nearly been


    swept away. So why was he here now, bringing me food I loved, then leaving without saying a


    word?


    The questions bubbled up, each one sharper than thest. I turned to the woman. “Where did he


    go?”


    “He… he left… she murmured.


    Jace stepped closer, watching me. “Do you want to go after him?”