That’s when I saw him, standing by the garden wall, watching me with an amused smirk.
“Are you planning to jump?”
“It’s… it’s you!”
Startled, I lost my grip and fell.
Luckily, it wasn’t far, and I only twisted my ankle.
He rushed over immediately. “Are you okay? Is it serious?”
“Forget that just get me out of here! My mom’s about to set me up on a date!”
He hesitated for a moment, then helped me into his car.
“You left so quickly last time, I didn’t catch your name.”
Even in the chaos, I recognized him–the man who had saved me that night.
If not for his unexpected presence, I wouldn’t be alive.
“Hayden Pierce,” he introduced himself with a teasing smile.
“So, does this make it the second time I’ve rescued you?”
“Looks like it,” I admitted.
“How about you rescue me this time?” he asked, arching a brow.
“What do you mean?”
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“Pretend to be my girlfriend and meet my family.”
He grinned. “My grandpa’s been begging me to bring someone home, but I’ve been too busy to date.”
I agreed.
Hayden’s grandfather adored me.
He shared countless stories about Hayden’s childhood, urging us to stay together.
Feeling guilty, I could only smile and nod.
“Thanks for helping me make Grandpa happy,” Hayden whispered later.
“I’m happy too,” I replied with a bright smile.
His eyes softened, and he murmured, “Thank you.
As he reached for my phone to take a picture of me with his grandpa, his smile suddenly faded.
“Skylar… you’ve got a text.”
I didn’t need to see it to know who it was from.
“Read it,” he urged quietly.
Carter’s message read:
“Skylar Quinn, if you don’t come back, I’m marrying Brielle.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
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I sent a simple message: “Congratulations.”
Carter Delaney called immediately, his voice low and tense:
“You’re not jealous?! Skylar Quinn, aren’t you upset that I’m marrying an
I laughed lightly, my tone calm.
“Why would I be jealous? I don’t love you.”
oman?”
“And now, you won’t have to sneak around with her in the home office anymore. That
place is terrible for… entertaining. The soundproofing is awful.”
There was silence on the other end.
He thought I didn’t know about the times he’d hidden Brielle in the office.
But I’d heard them, clear as day:
“Come on, let’s do something exciting.”
“Aren’t you worried Skylar might hear us? She’s just in the next room.”
“So what? Even if she hears, she won’t dare break up with me.”
The rest had been far worse, sounds I’d tried to convince myself I’d imagined.
Eventually, I stopped lying to myself. That’s when my heart died.
I added casually, “Next time, skip the post–game cigarette. You didn’t even last as long as it takes to finish one.”
I could practically see Carter’s expression on the other end–stunned and furious.
Before he could explode, I hung up and blocked his number.
Hayden Plerce, who had been quietly watching, started clapping.
18:04
Thu, Nov 28
UTUI INIIW you voulu iad, aviticulte su davaycıy. That was HiVISUIVIC.
I blinked, startled he’d heard it all.
“I swear I’m not usually like this. Do you believe me?”
He smiled, the corners of his mouth lifting.
“I think it’s refreshingly honest. I kind of like it… no, I mean, I respect it.”
I ducked my head, avoiding his gaze.
The sunset that evening cast a warm glow, painting his ears a faint shade of red.
“You just need to meet him once. Your dad has good judgment.”
Despite moving closer to work, I couldn’t escape my mom’s relentless matchmaking.
“Your dad’s getting old. He just wants to see you settled. I worry that when we’re gone, you’ll have no one to shield you from the world.”
“Stop it!” I interrupted. “You’re going to live forever!”
After much thought, I gave in.
At twenty, I’d thrown myself headfirst into a whirlwind romance, ignoring every piece of advice my parents gave me.
Nine years later, I returned home, broken and ashamed of my own foolishness.
Now, all I wanted was to ease their worries.
“Fine. Set it up. If it works out, we’ll get engaged.”
Maybe this was how life was meant to be.
Love seemed like the least important thing.
Brielle’s Instagram upd
