Chapter 831

As I spoke, my hand automatically rested on my stomach. The thought of going through this pregnancy alone, without Hayden by my side, felt unbearable. I didn’t want him to miss the birth of our baby and show up when it was all over. This was our baby. I wanted him here for every moment.

Jace arrived way faster than expected. Considering Cole’s villa was in the suburbs, it should’ve taken at least forty minutes to get here. Yet, here he was in under thirty, holding a box of my favorite chewy candies from that specialty shop across town. The candies were fresh, soft, and only sold in small batches. How’d he even manage that?

“Jace, did you grow wings or something?” Yara teased.

His speed reinforced Yara’s belief that Jace was still in love with me. Jace ignored her, focused as ever. “Where’s Rea? Is she still crying?”

Yara couldn’t resist embellishing. “Oh, she hasn’t stopped. Full-on sobbing, gasping for air—you better get up there before she passes out.”

Jace didn’t even question it. He practically flew up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and burst into my room without so much as a knock.

“Rea—” His voice was laced with concern, but he froze the second he saw me. I was perfectly fine. Not a single tear in sight.

It didn’t take long for realization to hit. “Yara gave me bad intel,” he muttered, visibly relaxing as his earlier worry melted away.

I couldn’t help but notice how different he seemed. His movements, his tone—it was all slower, more deliberate, like he was holding something back. I glanced toward the open doorway, checking to make sure Yara wasn’t lingering. Then I shot him a look, silently telling him to close the door.

Jace caught on quickly, shutting the door and walking over to me. “I brought you these,” he said, handing me the box of candies. “They’re fresh—still warm.”

It had been years since I’d tasted them, but back then, Jace always used these candies to cheer me up whenever he made me cry. Now, with Yara’s exaggerated sob story, he’d come armed with the same peace offering. Somehow, those little childhood memories always hit the sweetest. Too bad we’d left that version of us behind a long time ago.

Chapter 831

I opened the box, unwrapped a candy, and popped it into my mouth. It was just as I remembered—soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet. Jace’s gaze stayed on me, distant and heavy, like he was lost in those same memories.

“Here, have one,” I said, picking up another piece and pressing it into his hand. But the candy wasn’t the only thing I gave him. Hidden inside my palm was the ring—the one with Hayden’s data sync device.

His eyes flicked down to the ring, then back to me. “Go on, eat it,” I said.

Jace gave me a slight nod. “This one’s a bit tough for me to chew right now. I’ll save it for later.” He slipped both the candy and the ring into his pocket. The handoff was smooth. I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Changing the subject, I asked about Lena.

“Aaron’s not in Seavora anymore,” Jace said. “He tracked the helicopter to a small island, but Wayne and his men switched to another form of transport. He’s still following their trail.”

So Lena still hadn’t been found. My stomach twisted with worry.

“Don’t stress. Lena’s strong—she’ll be okay,” Jace said, his voice steady. Then he added, “You shouldn’t be sitting like that. Recline a bit; it’s better for you.”

Before I could protest, he grabbed a pillow and helped me adjust into a more comfortable position. His movements were gentle, but his next question wasn’t.

“What’s the deal with the ring?”

I leaned closer, pretending it was just a casual chat, and whispered into his ear, “Give it to the police. It’s got everything Hayden collected—all the evidence against the Dragos.”

Chapter 832