Chapter 331
If they unplugged the oxygen machine, she’d be gone forever.
“You should go be with her, you know, for her last moments,” I whispered.
“I know, I’m going.” Wade looked up at me. “Sorry for bothering you.”
“I still hope for a miracle.”
He didn’t say anything else. Just turned and walked away, leaving me staring after him, feeling something… different. Not like last night.
“What are you staring at? I’ve been calling your phone, but you didn’t pick up,” Hayden said as he walked over, grabbing the flowers from m
- is.
I wasn’t sure how to bring up Wade to Hayden, especially since I hadn’t mentioned running into Wade last night. And Wade’s story was so complicated.
But mostly, I felt this weird sadness settle in me–Wade’s words echoing in my head: ‘She might not make it much longer.
“Hey, what do you think it means when two people who aren’t even related look a lot alike?” I asked.
“People are made of genes. With so many people in the world, it’s normal for some to have similar genes,” Hayden replied, all logical and matter–of–fact.
I thought about what Wade said, about why he’d been following me, and then asked, “Do you think there’ll ever be a day when you look for traces of me in someone else? Someone who looks like me?”
“Why would I do that?” Hayden shot back.
I met his gaze. “I don’t know, just what if?”
“To me, you’re you.”
He always had this way of making me feel like I was one of a kind.
I smiled. “Okay, okay. I was just asking. Don’t overthink it.”
Hayden softened, brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “I’m serious. I’d never go looking for your shadow in someone else. You’re one of a kind.”
I let out a small laugh at how sweet he could be sometimes. “Alright, got it. Let’s go.”
As we started walking, his hand gripping mine, he asked, “So, what made you ask something like that?”
“I saw a picture just now. There’s this girl who looks a lot like me,” I paused, the image still fresh in my mind. “Like, a ninety–percent match.”
At first, I was just shocked at the resemblance, but the longer I thought about it, the weirder it got–she really did look like me.
“That much alike?” Hayden sounded surprised.
“Yeah, so I’m worried one day you‘
mix us up,” I teased.
I
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Chapter 331
But Hayden didn’t laugh or defend himself like usual. Instead, he asked, “Where’d you see this?”
“On a guy’s phone.
“A guy’s phone?”
“Yeah, he’s a postgrad student,” I said, keeping it casual as I explained about Wade.
Hayden fell silent.
Sensing something off, I tilted my head and gently scratched his palm. “What’s wrong? You’re not jealous again, are you?”
“No,” he said, but the way he avoided my eyes said otherwise.
I let out a huff. “Then why aren’t you saying anything? You totally are-”
“Kiki,” Hayden cut me off, stopping
off, stopping is tracks. “Why didn’t you tell me about this yesterday?”
“It was just a minor incident. I didn’t think it was a big deal,” I shrugged. “Plus, I thought he was Lena’s secret admirer.”
Lexplained, but then added, half–joking, “Don’t be so petty, okay? I know your jealousy shows you care, sometimes it feels like I’m in a cage. It’s… uncomfortable.”
but
“I’m not being petty. I’m worried,” he shot back, his voice more serious now. “What if he’s up to something bad? If you don’t tell me, I can’t protect you. What if something happens to you?”
Okay, so maybe I was the one overthinking.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly. “I’ll tell you next time, promise. Reaching up, I ruffled his hair with a smile. “Now, stop being mad.”
He smiled faintly, the tension easing. I scratched his palm playfully again. “You know, you’re really cute. when you smile.”
With that, I tugged him along, ready to move on. But when I glanced ahead, I froze. Three familiar faces stood not too far away, all six eyes locked right on us.
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