Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Chapter 596

Yara really had some nerve.

Seeing that smug grin, I matched her smile. "I'm not sold on the idea."

""Not into Cole?" she asked, bold as ever.

I shot back just as bluntly. "Not really, Besides..." I laughed lightly. "If I married Cole, I'd have to start calling you and Hayden 'Aunt Yara' and 'Uncle Hayden. Kinda a downgrade for me, don't you think?"

Yara burst out laughing. "Fair point!"

"If I had to marry someone from your family, I'd pick your brother," I joked. "Sure, Thorsten's a bit older, but he's loaded. And he probably won't outlive me. Once he's gone, I'd inherit all his cash-and you and Hayden would have to see me as 'the elder." She chuckled. "I like your style, but you'd have to get rid of my sister-in-law first, and deal with Sasha."

Yara knew all about Thorsten's drama-filled relationships, down to the dirty details.

I was done with the banter, though, so I got straight to the point. "Miss Drago, I get what you're trying to do, but I don't need anyone playing matchmaker."

"Then go for what you want. If you still have feelings for Hayden, why not fight for him?" Yara asked, like she was actually invested in my love life.

not worth fighting for," I said, my

you didn't love him as much as you thought. If I were you, I wouldn't care about the reasons. I'd hold on to him no matter what." "Well, I'm not you. That kind of desperate,

the sand.

left you because he had no

that conversation I overheard between her and Hayden before

there really be

knew I shouldn't ask-knew it would only pull me deeper into something I didn't want to deal with-but I couldn't help myself. "What reason could he possibly

"I think it'd be better

me in the

up. "Miss

as I passed Wayne's room, I noticed the door was

about to close it when I noticed his cabinet door

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Chapter 596

it, I noticed a notebook hidden beneath some empty

I grabbed it and

journal. And not a recent one-this one was almost ten years old, with entries scattered over the years. The first page was from the day I joined the Johnston family. He'd written just one line: [There's a new little girl