Hate? Yeah, but honestly, it was deeper than that.


    Not that it was any of her business.


    Still, the way she asked–so direct–told me she was a little insecure, like she was wondering if I still


    had some hidden thing for Hayden.


    I gave her a smile, but it wasn’t exactly friendly. “Miss Drago, we barely know each other. Who I


    love or hate is definitely not your problem. As for Hayden? He knows exactly how I feel.”


    She wasn’t letting up. “He might know, but I don’t.”


    gave this bold, confident woman a once–over and said, “Afraid I’ve got some leftover feelings for


    him? You can rx. Even if Hayden came crawling back to me, begging on his knees, I wouldn’t


    give him a second nce.”


    “You’re cold,” she said with a teasing smile.


    I shot her a sarcastic smile. “What did you expect? Were you hoping for a love triangle or


    something?”


    Before she could answer, I added, “Trust me–you’ll never have to worry about that. Not in this


    lifetime.”


    I spun around to leave, but there he was.


    Hayden. Right in front of me. His eyes locked onto mine likesers, and I could tell from his face


    he’d overheard every word.


    Fine by me. He needed to know–when I loved him, he was everything. Now? He didn’t even make


    the cut.


    We just stared at each other for a second, but I didn’t say anything. I just turned on my heel and


    walked


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    away.


    But then, just around the corner, I stopped cold. My chest was tight–like someone had squeezed


    the air


    out of me.


    Turns out, hurting him hurt me too.


    “Feeling a little unsettled?” Yara’s voice floated over.


    I nced up to see her and Hayden walking my way, and I wasn’t about to face them again. I


    ducked back into the shadows.


    I couldn’t catch Hayden’s response, but then I heard Yara, still talking. “You should tell her. That


    way she


    wouldn’t-”


    Hayden cut her off, his voice ice–cold. “Focus on what you need to do. The rest is none of your


    business.”


    Yara huffed, “You’re so… I’m just trying to-” But then their voices faded as they walked off, and I


    couldn’t hear the rest.


    I stayed hidden, her words still echoing in my head. They’d been talking about me. Yara said


    Hayden should tell me something… but what?


    The idental eavesdropping got my mind racing. With a mix of confusion and curiosity, I went


    back to


    my seat.


    Hernan was still there, glued to his phone.


    As soon as I sat down, he looked up. “What took you so long? Thought you might bail on us.”


    “Could I even get away?” I shot back.


    Hernan knew I was trapped. He let me roam, but only because he knew I couldn’t escape his grip.


    And with Steve as his ace in the hole, any attempt to leave would only put him in danger.


    “Why don’t you try and see?” he teased.


    I ignored him, my eyes shifting over to Hayden. My brain was still stuck on what I overheard.


    Was he hiding something from me?


    Also, Yara didn’t sound jealous when she talked to him. She was just… cool. Too cool.


    I nced back at them. And right then, I saw her lean in close to him, whispering something in his


    ear.


    I knew Hayden. He always kept his distance from other women–I’d seen it when Demi was around.


    But with Yara? No signs of difort. So what the hell was going on?


    “Still not over him, huh?” Hernan’s voice broke through my thoughts, like he was reading my mind.


    “But he seems pretty… indifferent to you.”


    I shot back, “You’re the one he cares about. Happy now?”


    Hernan threw his head back andughed. Loud. Like he didn’t care who heard.