Jace’s expression mirrored mine–totally frozen.

Ever since we broke up, it seemed like every time we crossed paths, it was some messy, dramatic scene that left us both pissed.

And now, here I was, laughing and messing around with Hayden, while he had Tanya glued to his side.

This was the same Jace who swore up and down he was done with her. Honestly, the whole “guys and their lying tongues thing? Never felt more real.

I only hesitated for a second before forcing myself to look away. Some people are just better off not seen. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Hayden, on the other hand, acted like Jace wasn’t even in the room. He gently took my hand–not to grab my phone this time, but to say, “If you wanna take pics, just ask. I’ll make sure I look good.”

His voice had that teasing vibe, the kind that made you wonder if there was something more going on. For a second, it almost felt like we were couple.

That must’ve set Jace off because he stormed forward “Rea, come outside with me,” he said, like he had the right to boss me around. He didn’t even care Tanya was watching.

I didn’t bother looking at him. “I don’t have time for this I said.

I really didn’t. Hayden was hooked up to an IV, and there was no way I was leaving him alone.

But of course, Jace wasn’t done. He reached out, clearly about to try and drag me away. Before he even touched me, though, Hayden stepped in, blocking him. Their eyes locked, and the air got thick with tension, heavy enough to cut with a knife.

Neither of them said a word, but the standoff was impossible to ignore.

This wasn’t going anywhere good, and I could feel it. Hayden was still hooked up to the IV, and while I knew he could take Jace down without breaking a sweat, if they actually started throwing punches, his treatment would be completely pointless.

I also knew if I tried to step in, it would only make things worse, I was the reason they were ready to throw down in the first place, and jumping in would just light the match.

I glanced over at Tanya, who was visibly unhappy. “Aren’t you gonna pull him off?” I snapped,

At first, she just stood there, but then I guess something in my voice must’ve freaked her out, because she flinched. Without saying anything, she grabbed Jace’s arm. “Jace, I’m not feeling well. You need to take me to get my IV.”

Without a word, she grabbed Jace’s arm. “Jace, I’m not feeling well. You need to take me to get my IV.” Wait–what? She needed an IV too? What kind of IV?

I was still trying to wrap my head around it when the nurse called out, “Who’s here for the fetal protection TV? Come over here.”

It was late, so the infusion room was practically empty Other than Tanya, there was literally no one else

the nurse could be talking to.

Fetal protection?

Was her baby in trouble?

I glanced at her stomach without thinking. Tanya clung to Jace, looking fragile and scared. “Jace, the doctor’s calling me,” she mumbled.

She tugged him away, forcing Jace to tear his angry glare off me and follow her.

I could see it in Jace’s face–he was ready to explode, to come at me, to go after Hayden. But because of Tanya, he held it all back and left.

Jace, the Johnston family’s second son, had always been treated like royalty. People practically fell over themselves to make him happy. He was never the one bending for anyone–but with Tanya, it was different.

If he wasn’t head–over–heels for her, no way he’d be acting like this.

But if he really loved her, why was he so jealous of me and Hayden in front of her?

I couldn’t make sense of their whole deal, and honestly, I didn’t want to waste any more energy trying. Once they were gone, I turned to Hayden. “Just focus on your IV.”

I didn’t want things to escalate with him and Jace. Even though Hayden would easily win that fight, it wasn’t worth it. This is the property of Nô-velDrama.Org.

Hayden sat down, and I stayed close, like earlier on. But the teasing and easy vibe between us had totally disappeared.

I could still hear the nurse talking to Tanya and prepping her IV not too far away. I tried to tune it out, but their conversation was impossible to ignore.