Chapter 385
I held Hayden’s hand, silently trying to give him strength.
Nate had warned us the surgery would last at least six hours. After three hours of waiting, Hayden suddenly got a nosebleed.
It was his anxiety breaking through, and it hit me just how much Yuna meant to him.
“I’ll get you some water,” I said. We hadn’t had a thing to drink in hours.
The night before, Yuna couldn’t eat because of her surgery prep, and Hayden, in solidarity, hadn’t eaten either.
“I’m fine,” he muttered, still trying to be the strong one. “You should rest a bit and come back later.”
I nodded and headed to the hospital’s convenience store to grab some water.
On my way back, I was surprised to spot Wade leaning against the wall near the surgical floor, staring at the ground, looking completely lost in thought.
Considering what I had seen in Narelle’s room two days ago, I was sure she must have passed. Wade shouldn’t be here
But there he was, standing quietly, like a shadow.
I glanced around. This floor was full of ORS. Was someone else in his family sick? Or… had Narelle. somehow made a miraculous recovery?
That flicker of hope made my heart skip, and I walked over to him. “Wade.”
He lifted his head, and for a second, I saw panic flash across his eyes.
Wade’s face was even more hollow and gaunt than before–so much that it tugged at something deep inside me.
I tightened my grip on the water bottle. “Why are you here? Is someone in surgery?”
Wade straightened from the wall, his eyes dark with exhaustion, the bags under them severe, as if he hadn’t slept–or stopped crying-in days.
He didn’t answer, so I asked again, a bit more carefully. “Is it Narelle? Is her… situation still unresolved?”
I wanted to believe in a miracle, but I knew better. That was just wishful thinking.
“It’s over,” Wade rasped, his voice hoarse.
“Then why are you still here?” I asked, gesturing to the ORs around us.
Wade’s eyes flickered briefly before he said, “I’m waiting for you.”
Waiting for me?
“What for?” I asked, confused.
He shook his head. “I just wanted to see you.”
+25 BONUS
Chapter 385
His words left a knot in my chest. He wasn’t really looking at me–he was looking at Narelle, through my
face.
I didn’t want to be anyone’s replacement. I definitely didn’t want Wade hanging onto memories through me. “Wade, you need to move on. That’s what Narelle would have wanted.”
“I know,” he muttered, his eyes dropping to the floor again.
It was so clear how much the past few days had taken out of him. His hair was messy, his clothes crumpled. He was barely holding himself together.
I reached out and squeezed his arm gently. “It’s over now.”
“Yeah,” he nodded faintly.
“You’ve got to look forward,” I said, trying to encourage him to take that next step.
Wade looked at me, holding my gaze for what felt like a long time. “Can I add you on social media?”
It wasn’t an unreasonable request given everything, but I knew what it meant. My face–so similar to Narelles–would keep pulling him back.
I shook my head. “You need to say goodbye to the past. Cut ties completely. It’s the only way you’ll really be able to move forward.”
His eyes dimmed slightly, and then he looked over at Hayden.
I followed his gaze and saw Hayden sitting nearby, waiting. I decided to share something personal, hoping it might help Wade. “That’s my boyfriend. Before him, I had a previous relationship–someone I was with for ten years”
I wasn’t saying this out of obligation, but to show Wade that even after deep connections, life could still
move on.
“Let it go. You’ve seen me now–you can leave,” I said, holding up the water bottle. “My boyfriend’s waiting for his drink.”
Wade nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. We shared one last look before I turned and walked back toward Hayden.
I hoped this would be our final encounter. It was better that way. If we never saw each other again, maybe he could stop seeing Narelle every time he looked at me. Maybe then, he could finally let go of the guilt that was weighing him down.
When I reached Hayden and handed him the water, I glanced back to see Wade still standing there, watching.
I turned my back on him, and this time, I didn’t look back.
