Chapter 520
Should I? Part of me wanted to—wanted answers. But knowing that food container tossed in the trash… it felt like he hadn’t just thrown away the food; he’d tossed aside his feelings too. Chasing after him would only make me look pathetic.
I set down the container that had been pulled from the trash and walked back to my bed. But now, I couldn’t even bring myself to pick up my fork. The woman who’d picked up the food container seemed to catch on and carefully brought it back over, setting it down in front of me.
“Take it with you,” I said quietly.
“No… it’s fine…” she replied, hesitating.
“You picked it up, so it’s yours now. Really, go ahead,” I said, then turned back to my own meal, forcing myself to take big bites, hoping the food would help bury my frustration.
Jace gave her a nod to take the container, then reached out and stopped my hand just as I went for another spoon of gnocchi. “Hey,” he said softly, “don’t take it out on my food.” Jace paused, then added, “Maybe Hayden left because he saw I was here.”
I froze, suddenly remembering how Jace had wiped the corner of my mouth earlier. A sour feeling twisted in my stomach.
“Great. This was turning into one big misunderstanding.” While I was lost in thought, Jace quietly gathered up the food in front of me. Without a word, he picked it all up and walked out of the room.
He didn’t say where he was going, and I didn’t ask. But a little while later, Lindey called. “Rea, did anything happen when Jace brought you food?”
I blinked. “Why?”
“He’s got a bruise on the corner of his mouth,” she replied, sounding concerned. “Looks like he got in a fight, so I wanted to check in.”
My heart skipped. Did Jace actually go find Hayden to settle things? I kept that thought to myself, and Lindey just chatted a bit more, asking how I liked the gnocchi, before we hung up.
After that, I decided to leave the hospital. The next day, I was back at work. Almost as if he’d been waiting, Ron greeted me the second I stepped into the office with his usual cheerful grin. “Ms. Kay! Haven’t seen you in a few days, and you’re looking even more… slim and delicate.”
Translation: “You’ve lost weight.”
Chapter 520
How could I not? After everything with Hayden, I’d barely eaten. Then there was the flood incident—I’d probably lost at least three pounds.
“Yeah, dieting. Guess it’s working if even you noticed,” I replied, keeping any hint of vulnerability off my face, even though my heart still ached.
“You and Hayden must’ve planned this whole weight-loss thing together, huh? He’s down at least five pounds, too,” Ron said, holding up five fingers.
I hadn’t noticed if Hayden was thinner. Whenever I saw him, I only cared about one thing: the way he looked at me.
I didn’t respond, and Ron leaned in a little. “So… you two haven’t made up yet?”
“Nope,” I said, thinking of Hayden’s distant attitude. Then, maybe a little too stubbornly, I added, “We broke up. Why would we make up?”
“That’s not how it works,” Ron chuckled. “Couples fight all the time. My fiancée and I throw around ‘break up’ more often than ‘I love you.’”
“cavs ‘break up’?” I gave him a skeptical look. ‘Let me guess, she’s the one who says…’
Ron looked surprised, then laughed. “How’d you know?”
“It’s written all over your face,” I said just as the elevator doors opened. I stepped inside. Ron followed, glancing at his reflection in the mirror. “Where does it say that? Are you saying I look like a guy who’s always getting dumped?”
Honestly, he could’ve been a comedian. Being around him was actually helping me keep my mind off things. But before I could toss back a joke of my own, someone else stepped into the elevator.
It was Hayden.