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

Chapter 758

In the distance, a figure was retreating into the shadows.

Under the moonlight, that silhouette stood out

familiar, clear, yet so far away.

"Jace, thank you," I murmured softly, my words carried only by the wind. Without his help, getting close to Mrs. Drago wouldn't have been so easy. Maybe part of the reason she had agreed so readily was because of him.

Even when he wasn't visible, even when I had no idea what he was doing, he was always helping me in silence. Maybe this was his way of loving me.

I tilted my head up to the glowing moon, and in that moment, I felt something I hadn't expected: release.

Release from the ten years of my life tied to Jace.

People always say breaking up with an ex feels like losing your youth. But for me, it wasn't Back in my room, I didn't go to sleep right away. Instead, I snapped a picture of the moon outside my window and posted it to social media with a single word: [Released.] Lena liked it almost instantly and messaged me: [Released what?]

I replied just as fast: [The past.]

are you still awake? Just finished

picture of a newborn baby with a note: [The 1,385th

quiet testament to her dedication and

-

a warmth I wasn't expecting rose in me. The thought of having a child of my own struck hard and fast,

Lena and opened Hayden's profile on the app. My fingers moved on their own, typing out a message: [Come back,

hit send, knowing full well it was pointless. The message vanished into the void like

me-just once-with a simple: 'Wait

and when I didn't

[No, just

Lena: [Thinking about Hayden?]

+25 BONUS

dirt about the box with the ashes and its secret tech stash. Just in case I went full missing-person vibes, Lena was ready to bring the bad guys down. Hayden had once told me the data-sync thingy hidden in the box was always collecting info,

out loud, I texted Lena: [Do you think Hayden could have a chip in him or something? How else

I know? Hayden's your guy. If he's hiding

right into that