Chapter 144 

There was no response on the other end, just the sound of the call disconnecting. 

Even though the door in front of me hadn’t opened yet, I knew I’d guessed right. 

A moment later, the door swung open, and there stood Hayden, dressed in gray loungewear. 

So, my new neighbor was Hayden. 

So, the past few days, it wasn’t like he hadn’t been around–he was literally living right across from me. 

He wasn’t pulling late shifts anymore; instead, he was coming here early, staying in that apartment, quietly watching over me. But even though he was just across the hall, he hadn’t said a single word to me. 

And now it all clicked–he must’ve decided to rent this place when he was fixing my pipes. 

When I saw him, everything finally made sense. 

“Come in,” Hayden said calmly, not even a hint of embarrassment for getting caught. 

Honestly, there was nothing wrong with him renting the place; I was the one making a big deal out of it. But still, I couldn’t bring myself to just say, “Hey.” 

Instead of walking in, I just stood there at the doorway, giving him a hard stare. “Don’t you think you owe me an explanation? What’s going on?” 

“Come in, and I’ll explain,” Hayden replied, stepping aside to let me in. 

I swallowed my frustration and walked in. 

Even though I knew deep down he was doing this for me, I couldn’t shake the anger bubbling up inside. 

Anger that he’d been messing with me. 

As I stepped inside, I hesitated. I’d been here before–I remembered exactly what the place looked like. But now, the apartment was totally different. 

All the stuff that had been here was gone. The living room was stripped bare, with nothing but a couch left. It looked like the place had been raided, not like someone was actually living here. 

“Where did all the stuff go?” I blurted out. 

Hayden glanced at me. “Did you come in here before?” 

He was dodging my question again, and my irritation flared up even more. I shot him a glare. 

Under my withering gaze, he finally gestured toward a room off to the side. “I packed everything up and put it in there.” 

So, all he needed in this apartment was a couch? 

In a normal place, you’d at least have a TV stand or a small table–somewhere to put a cup of coffee or your phone. 

If he was so into minimalism, why didn’t he pack up my parents‘ stuff when he stayed in their room back in Chiverton? 

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Chapter 144 

+25 BONUS 

But I didn’t ask him that. Instead, I went for the obvious question, “Why’d you rent the apartment right 

across from mine?” 

Hayden didn’t even hesitate. “The rent was cheap.” 

True, rent here wasn’t bad. 

“But there are plenty of other apartments in this complex. Why rent the one directly across from mine?” As I asked, I remembered overhearing him on the phone in his room that day. 

Looking back, I realized how clueless I’d been. He must’ve thought I was an idiot. 

Hayden met my gaze, unflinching. “Because you live across the hall.” 

He was blunt, as usual. 

I let out a scoff. “You’re creepier than that blind date guy–you actually moved in right next to me.” 

Hayden’s brow furrowed slightly. “I’m not like him. I’m here to protect you. He wasn’t.” 

That was true, and I couldn’t argue with it. But I still snapped, “But you’re still up to no good.” 

Hayden was silent for a few seconds, then he said, “…Yeah.” 

He admitted it?! 

I shouldn’t have been surprised, considering his background–he was a guy who’d worn a soldier uniform, someone who faced things head–on, no matter what. 

I didn’t know how to respond to that. It just made me even angrier. “What does ‘yeah‘ mean?” 

“It means I’m weaving my way into your world.” His words sounded weirdly poetic.