Chapter 6
Zara had been sleeping in Hayden’s home and finally woke up. Her eyes opened to the sight of Hayden, who had stayed by the bedside the entire time. That surprised Zara, so she asked, “Why didn’t you do your own things?”
Hayden realized Zara had awoken, but he didn’t bother with her question because he felt it wasn’t worth answering. Instead, he cut straight to the chase. “Jonathan phoned you while you were asleep.”
A hint of pain flickered in Zara’s eyes, yet she stubbornly put on a tough front. “He and I are done for good. Don’t ever mention his name to me again.”
Hayden stood, then picked up Zara’s phone from the nightstand.
His gaze lowered onto her. There was an unreadable but softer emotion in his usually cold eyes. At the same time, a barely detectable smile played on the corner of his lips.
He kept his eyes on Zara almost the entire time as he blocked all of Jonathan’s contacts and socials on Zara’s phone. After all, one should remove all traces of their ex if they were determined to cut ties with said ex.
Zara only looked at Hayden after the latter sorted everything out. She wondered when and why Hayden’s eight–year crush on her had started. Likewise, why didn’t he do anything to make his feelings known?
She also found it ironic how she had stayed by Jonathan’s side for eight years, only for him to fall for someone else. Meanwhile, Hayden, barely part of Zara’s world, remained loyal to her.
In that instant, she realized Hayden was much more foolish compared to her, a woman who had been betrayed by her long–time lover.
She couldn’t help asking, “Do you truly have feelings for me, Hayden? Or did you only say that to console me because you didn’t want me to feel too sad?”
Zara wanted a steady relationship, as she tended to feel doubtful when in a relationship that had no end goal for a long time.
She wanted to be sure that Hayden had shown up during her lowest moment because he genuinely liked her.
“My feelings for you are real,” Hayden repeated himself with a firm certainty.
In truth, Zara knew one’s words didn’t mean anything. It was like how Jonathan had showered her with loving declarations, only for them to be a lie in the end. As for Jonathan’s promises, he never fulfilled any of them.
That said, Zara’s mind was occupied with thoughts of Jonathan when she hastily agreed to Hayden’s marriage proposal. She never considered what would happen if Hayden stopped loving her after they got married.
Zara couldn’t handle being abandoned by someone again.
Even as tears gathered in her eyes, she held them back and refused to cry. She found it a waste to cry over a jerk like Jonathan.
“Hayden, will you have a change of heart like Jonathan did?” Zara wasn’t the slightest bit afraid as she met Hayden’s distant, deep gaze.
It was like a storm constantly brewed in his eyes, leaving them cloudy and difficult to read. Yet, the storm clouds parted once he looked at Zara. That gave way to a gentle, lit–up look.
“It’s been eight years. My love for you can withstand the test of time,” Hayden answered.
Indeed, Hayden had persisted without anyone knowing for the past eight years. He even gave up on chances to meet better women in his younger, more popular days. Meanwhile, Jonathan was supposed to remain loyal but now fell in love with a younger girl in her early 20s.
Given that, Zara had no other reason to refuse Hayden. She also saw no other reason to doubt whether Hayden was worth accepting or loving. Perhaps she could take the risk one more time.
She knew the feeling of losing something dear all too well. It hurt like hell. The wound she sustained from this would only rip itself open in the dead of night, even if she had healed it.
The pain was torturous and suffocating. One could never see the end of what felt like a dark tunnel, where forceful winds would attack her repeatedly. It was deep agony and left one feeling like a flower that had snapped its stem after a hurricane.
As for anyone who survived such an experience, they needed to keep on living, regardless of how much it pained them. They also needed to rebuild their hopes.
Zara knew Hayden was the last hope that she could hold onto now. That would be her final attempt to give her heart to someone. So, she prayed that Hayden wouldn’t let her down. She reached out for Hayden while making up a random lie. “Pick me up Hayden. My leg’s numb.”
Hayden knew that was Zara’s attempt to accept him, so he lowered his head and said nothing. Even so, the corners of his lips became slightly upturned.
He carried Zara off the bed and gingerly placed her onto the couch. Then, he casually voiced, “Do you want to go out and get your mind off things?”
Zara planned on playing mobile games on the couch for the entire afternoon. Little did she expect Haydden to suggest that all of a sudden. She pondered his suggestion briefly and checked on the weather outside.
However, Hayden brought a bottle of sunscreen and a hat out of nowhere. He then quietly handed them to Zara, who arched a brow in confusion. She wondered when he had become so good at looking after others.
Then again, Zara felt like she had never truly gotten to know Hayden before. She immediately assumed he was self–centered and indifferent toward others based on his cold demeanor alone. Now, it seemed he was different from what Zara thought.
Zara had no reason to stay home since Hayden had already handed her those things. Besides, she had to admit her mind was full of worries. Relaxing at a spot with few people would be just right to soothe her sour mood.
“Okay, then.” Zara applied sunscreen on her body in the living room and put the hat on.
In the meantime, Hayden waited aside for the former to do her thing.
Later, Zara instinctively headed for the backseat of Hayden’s car. When Hayden saw that, he grabbed her arm and spoke sternly at once. “I’m not your driver, Zar.”
Zara stiffened on the spot. At the same time, she gawked at Hayden. She had never heard anyone else address her by the nickname “Zar.” To her knowledge, Hayden had to be the second person after Jonathan to use that nickname for her.
Yet, why did it sound strange when Hayden called her that?
Chapter 6
2/2
She eventually recalled what Hayden said and asked, “Why can’t I sit in the back?”
Hayden pulled Zara by her arm to the front passenger seat. He forced her to sit there even if she didn’t want to. “Because the front passenger seat is where a girlfriend should sit. We aren’t married yet, so you’ll have to be my girlfriend for now.”
Unable to do anything, Zara could only fasten her seatbelt.
Hayden got into the driver’s seat and started driving.
Feeling curious, Zara asked, “Where do you plan on taking me to get things off my mind?”
Yet, Hayden only replied, “You’ll know once we get there.”
