Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Chapter 681

I wasn't sure if Jace was actually going to throw a punch, but standing there felt like its own kind of humiliation. Without saying a word, I spun on my heel and walked off, ditching the wheelchair for good. "What a waste of oxygen," Lena snapped at the crowd before rushing over to help me.

Once we were clear, she blurted out, "Rea, didn't he have a mole on his neck? Could he have had it removed? Did you check for scars?"!

Her question made it obvious-she still didn't believe Xander wasn't Hayden. I mean, that face was way too similar to his.

I shook my head. I hadn't believed it either, at first. I'd touched his neck, searching for anything-a scar, a clue, something-but there was nothing.

Lena caught my expression and frowned. She helped me sit down and asked again, "So, what do you think? Is it him or not?"

I hesitated. Sometimes your gut knows what your eyes can't, especially when anything can be faked these days.

"I don't know," I admitted quietly.

At first, I was so sure he was Hayden-hiding his identity, pretending not to know me. But the coldness in his voice earlier, the look in his eyes when he said he wanted to call the cops-it all felt wrong. Hayden loved me. He made me a charm bracelet, even ordered a custom ring for me. I still wear them both. No way he wouldn't have noticed.

Xander were really Hayden, he wouldn't have acted so heartless, like I

isn't Hayden," Lena said, "then treat him like anyone else. Don't

was probably trying to keep me from getting

"Or, you know, there's always DNA testing. He's a Hart, right? Compare

Lena paused,

given him a kid. Then at least you'd have something to go on." DNA testing wasn't happening, but I

kind of tired that seeps into your bones. The second I got

missed calls-Jace, Wayne, Cole, Ron. All of them, blowing up my phone. I

I mumbled, his face flashing through my mind. He wasn't Hayden. But why did

now? Why showed up right when I was digging into DracoLux? The timing

1. be.

known what Xander looked like. Heck, maybe Cole had sent Xander to me on purpose. But why? What

had been killed by Wayne, and now Wayne and Cole were

me-Cole was

part of a setup.