LOGINWhat do you think Astrid wanted? What’s the deal between Hayden and Dylan! Drop a comment if you liked this chapter!
EDEN It's been ten years. Ten years since Hayden almost didn't come home. Ten years since everything changed. And somehow, we're here, standing on the sidelines of Nora's school sports day like any other normal family. Well... almost normal. Jordan, our seven-year-old, is currently waving a massive, glitter-covered banner that says "NORA, RUN LIKE DAD'S CHASING YOU WITH VEGETABLES" in bright red letters. He's jumping up and down like a little maniac, his dark hair flopping over his forehead. The exact same shade as Hayden's. "Jordan, baby, lower the banner a little," I say, trying not to laugh. "People are staring." "But it's funny!" he protests, grinning up at me with that mischievous glint in his eyes that's pure Hayden. "Nora said she'd kill me if I didn't make it embarrassing." I sigh, already knowing I've lost this battle. Beside me, Hayden hasn't said much in the last ten minutes. He's been too busy side-eyeing me. I can feel his gaze dragging over the red dress I'm
HAYDEN Eden opens the front door, and air rushes into my lungs. The second I step inside, the noise in the house dies. And suddenly, I'm standing in the middle of a room full of people who thought they might never see me again. Fuck me.Jeremy is the first to move. He doesn't say anything dramatic. He just walks straight up to me and pulls me into a hug, careful of my injuries. I feel him exhale shakily against my shoulder."Fuck," he mutters. "You scared the shit out of me."I hug him back, my throat closing up. When he lets go, Ava is already there, wiping her eyes before she even reaches me. She hugs me tightly, then steps back and just looks at me for a second, like she's making sure I'm really standing here.Jules rolls forward next. She doesn't hug me. She just reaches up and takes my hand, squeezing it hard. Her eyes are red, but she's smiling.Then I see my mother.She's standing a little further back, both hands covering her mouth. The moment our eyes meet, she lets out
EDEN It's been exactly one week since Hayden woke up.He's still weak. His movements are slower, and he gets tired easily, but the moment he was strong enough to stand without help, he looked at me and said, "We're going to see Will."I didn't argue.Now, we're walking through the quiet hallway of the private wing of the hospital, both dressed in white coats and scrubs. I'm wearing a nurse's uniform with a surgical mask covering the lower half of my face. Hayden is dressed as a doctor, his mask also in place. We keep our heads slightly lowered as we move.No one stops us.Hayden had spent days arranging a two-minute gap in the security rotation.When we reach Will's private room, Hayden pushes the door open, and I follow him inside.Will is lying on the bed, his right hand cuffed to the railing. His shoulder is bandaged from the gunshot wound. The moment he sees us, his eyes widen in shock.He opens his mouth, probably to call for help, but Hayden calmly closes the door behind us
EDEN The steady beeping of the heart monitor is the only thing keeping me sane right now.I sit in the hard plastic chair beside Hayden's hospital bed, my fingers wrapped tightly around his hand. His skin feels too cold. This setup is a familiar sight. But this time, the situation is much worse.He's been unconscious for almost twenty hours.The doctors said the blade missed his vital organs by less than an inch. They said he went into hypovolemic shock in the forest. And if we had arrived even ten minutes later, he probably wouldn't have made it.I squeeze his hand a little tighter.His face is bruised and swollen. There are dark purple marks along his jaw and cheekbone and a cut above his eyebrow that required stitches. His lips are dry and cracked. Even in sleep, there's a small crease between his brows.I brush my thumb gently over his knuckles."You're not allowed to leave me," I whisper. My voice sounds hoarse from crying. "You hear me? You promised."My eyes burn again, bu
HAYDEN I'm barely holding on. My body feels like it's shutting down. Every breath is shallow and painful, and I can taste blood in the back of my throat. I'm still on my knees in the dirt when Will forces Eden down in front of me. She doesn't resist at first. Instead, she looks at me. Our eyes meet, and for a moment, everything else disappears. Even in the middle of this nightmare, she still looks at me like I'm her most precious treasure. Will tightens his grip on her arm. I see the way she winces, and desperation rises in my chest. I move like a madman. It's not graceful. But I throw myself sideways and slam my shoulder into the bearded man's legs with everything I have left. He wasn't expecting it. He stumbles hard, losing his balance. Eden reacts instantly. She twists in Will's grip and drives her elbow straight into his face. There's a crunch. Will lets out a grunt and staggers back, blood pouring from his nose. She drives him to the ground, her incredible strength
EDEN I don't argue. I don't scream. I don't turn around. I simply walk. The cold barrel stays pressed against the back of my head as Will guides me deeper into the prison. One quiet step after another. Funny. I thought I'd be terrified if this moment ever came. Instead... I feel strangely empty. The tears I cried in that bathroom are gone. Burned out. Whatever was soft inside me died on that tiled floor. Now there's only one thought left. I won’t let you kill me. Not after everything you've done. Not before I get Hayden home. "Clever disguise," he says mildly. I don't answer. "I knew there was something familiar about you." His voice carries that same pleasant warmth that makes my skin crawl. "The burns were convincing." "They took a while." "Too bad they are useless now." Silence settles between us again. If he's talking...he's not shooting. So, I keep walking. The corridor opens into another concrete hallway. The alarms are louder now, echoing through the walls. Will







