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

Chapter 503

"You can't change the past; just hold onto the people you've got now."

I knew what he was getting at, and it hit a nerve. If this report on my parents' accident pointed to someone still around... he was basically telling me not to let it mess things up with the people who'd actually been good to me. "Yeah, I get it," I nodded. "I've thought about it a lot, especially over the past few months."

It wasn't just talk. I'd spent so much time with that contract I found in my dad's notebook, going over every theory, every suspicion, struggling to make sense of it. And somehow, I'd finally started to accept some of it. "Looks like making you wait wasn't for nothing," Cedric said, like he'd been expecting this. Now! understood why he'd been so cryptic, dropping hints but never giving me the full story.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out an envelope, but he didn't hand it over just yet. "You know Hayden Hart, right?"

My heart skipped. Hayden and I had dug into his dad's death too, searching for answers. "Did he come to you, too?"

"Yeah. He wanted this report as much as you do."

My breath caught. "So... does he already know?"

Cedric shook his head, his hand still wrapped around the envelope. "Are you hoping I'll tell you both at the same time?"

Before I could say anything, footsteps sounded on the steps behind us.

to see Hayden coming up the stairs, holding an umbrella, and in that moment, it

all the history tangled between us, but also because of what we were

an accident. Or maybe... it

a couple of steps below me, his eyes flicking up to meet mine-just for a second-before he turned

Hayden stepped closer, looking at my parents'

three of us stood there in silence, the rain falling softly over the

own thoughts.

parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Kay, I'm sorry. It's been ten years, but I'm finally here to bring you the justice you deserve." His words hit

almost wanted to stop him from

wind shook my umbrella, bumping it against Hayden's. I

+25 BONUS

Chapter 503

eyes shadowed, heavier than

Miss Kay," Cedric

face him. He held out a worn envelope. "The answers you're looking for are right

stared at it, neither