Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right by Rosie Steppe

Chapter 160

Just then, Hayden's eyes shifted to me.

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His grip on my hand tightened, like for a second, he wasn't just holding my hand-he had my heart too.

You know how they say your fingers are connected to your heart? Yeah, right now, that felt way too real.

"I'll give Kiki everything I have," Hayden said, his intense eyes locked on mine. "I'll love her like I love my own life, and I'll always protect her."

His eyes were full of affection. In that moment, I finally understood what people meant when they said, Love deep as the ocean."

And even though this was all supposed to be an act, it felt like Hayden's words were reaching right into my chest, like he was actually confessing.

This guy was unbelievable. Blurring the line between what's real and what's fake.

With him saying stuff like that, I had no choice but to roll with it. I lifted my hand, planning to squeeze his

But the way he was looking at me? It made me clench my teeth. I asked him to act, not toss real feelings into the mix.

instead of giving him a sweet hand squeeze, I pinched his

figured this would embarrass

or flinching,

Completely shameless! I never thought he would ever

composed. "And just like Mr. Johnston loves Mrs. Johnston, I'll love Kiki for the

confession, but the second? Yeah, that was a power

have much of a comeback. Matthew, who had been quiet this whole time, finally spoke up. "Rea, let Hayden and Lindey chat for a bit Come with me

didn't wait for my answer, just gave

knew why Matthew wanted to talk. Steeling myself, I took a deep breath and

instead, he handed me the gift I'd brought him. "Why don't you open this up?

L

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Chapter 160

in private spaces-people might talk." Ever since then, Matthew stopped asking me to hang out in the study with him. We hadn't had any of our usual one-on-one time in here since. If he needed to talk, it was always in the living room or outside in the garden-never in this space. So, him

I didn't say anything. I just did what he asked, opening up the ink and pens

pens, checking it out. "This must've cost a fortune,"

doesn't come cheap," I shot back

the ink,

like it used to be. I nodded and began preparing