Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Chapter 817

I stared at Hayden, my mind spinning. I'd thought he was Wayne's hostage, but now? He wasn't just an accomplice-he'd turned on Lena. Why not take me instead? Was it because he couldn't bring himself to hurt me? Or was this some twisted plan to use Lena against us? The chaos around us stopped cold. Everyone froze, their eyes locked on Hayden. His icy glare swept the crowd, finally settling on Aaron.

"Mr. Ace," Hayden said sharply, his voice slicing through the silence. "You know what to do."

Aaron was here too, though earlier he'd been attacked, kept from helping Lena. Now he stood frozen, his gaze fixed on her.

"Let her go," Aaron said. "I'll take her place."

"You know what happens to people who waste my time," he said flatly. The warmth I once knew in his voice was gone, replaced by something cold and unrecognizable.

I couldn't stay silent any longer. "Hayden, why are you doing this?" I yelled.

He glanced at me-just for a second-before turning his attention back to Aaron, his gaze sharp, oppressive, full of unspoken threats.

Lena, to my shock, stayed calm, her face steady. Meanwhile, I was shaking.

"Hayden!" I shouted again, desperate. "If you need a hostage, take me! I'm pregnant-it's not just me you'd be hurting! Take me instead!" "Shut up," he snapped, his voice ice-cold.

into Lena's skin, a thin line of blood

her!" I screamed,

his tone calm but deliberate. Fine. I'll arrange

"I don't care if they kill me. What matters is stopping these scumbags for

afraid, not even a little. Maybe she'd seen too much -too much blood, too many

this! Hayden, if you have even a shred

my stomach, my voice cracking under the weight of my plea. But

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into fury. "Hayden, if you hurt her, I'll never forgive you-never! Not in this lifetime or the next! And I'll make

talking to a wall. He didn't flinch, didn't react. He just stood there,

hold back anymore. "You're a monster, Hayden! You're not even human! Did you forget everything you

Aaron's voice sliced through my anger, "Don't

call. "Send a helicopter to my location: Immediately. The

Lena as their hostage, even the police had no choice but

thick with tension, heavy with a dread that made every second feel like an

eyes stayed locked on Lena, unwavering. There was worry in his gaze, fear, and something deeper-something that looked a lot like love, the kind