Chapter 5

Worried that I would accidentally tip them off about my presence, I climbed the stairs to the 6th floor, huffing and panting all the way.

At last, I arrived on the 6th floor. My eyes instantly went to the end of the corridor, where Hayden had Melissa pinned against a room door as he kissed her. His hand slipped under her blouse, drawing a soft moan from her.

"Hays… Don't… Selina will be furious if she finds out… The room key card is in my pocket… Hays, hurry up…"

Hayden's hands fumbled across her body in search of the key card. With his entire body pressed against hers, he failed to see me standing on the other end of the corridor.

I was frozen to the spot, feeling like all the strength had been sapped from me. My heart pounded like a drum, beating so hard that it felt like my entire chest was throbbing with pain.

This was his so-called "just a friend".

And this was the so-called "home" he was taking her to.

Hayden finally managed to find the key card and swiped at the door. The moment it opened, he tumbled into the room, his hands never once leaving Melissa's body.

Right before the door shut completely, Melissa suddenly turned and looked right in my direction, a victorious smile curving her lips.

[Do you see? Hayden has always been mine. Every time he says he's working overtime, he's actually with me.]

Her thoughts blared through my mind, the words cutting deep into my heart.

My mind went blank at the realization that she knew I was there and had deliberately put on this whole show for me.

I stared at the tightly shut door in a daze, not even knowing when I turned and left.

One hour later, I was already back home when I received a call from Hayden.

However, it was Melissa's voice that came over the line.

"Selina, could you come pick up Hays? He drank too much and keeps calling out for you."

I didn't speak, and after a second of silence, Melissa continued, "Oh, don't misunderstand, Selina. It's just… Hays threw up, and I can't move him by myself… Should I send you the location of the hotel?"

Instead of answering, I hung up on her.

I sat in the darkness for a long time, not bothering to turn on the lights or even move.

As it turned out, there really was no sound when someone died of heartbreak.

Eventually, I got up and began packing all of Hayden's belongings into boxes.

At four in the morning, I received yet another call from Hayden's number.

My heart skipped a beat, but after a moment of hesitation, I still answered the phone.

"Lina…" His voice sounded slurred, as though he really were drunk. "Mel told me that you're angry… Don't be angry… I really did drink a bit too much… You know that she's just a good friend to me…"

"Hayden Potter."

He stopped speaking when I cut him off.

"I've already packed up all your belongings. Find the time to come and take them away."

There was a brief moment of silence before he spoke, sounding a lot more sober than before. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's over between us. Take your things and go."

"Seriously? Just because I drove Mel home? I've been looking out for her all these years and think of her as just one of the boys. Could you stop letting your imagination run wild?"

"One of the boys?" I laughed softly, though I couldn't stop the tears from welling in my eyes. "Hayden, be honest with yourself and answer this—do you truly think of her as just 'one of the boys', or is she a backup? Or do you just enjoy this sort of ambiguous relationship?"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" he abruptly roared.

Melissa's voice drifted over the line as she urged with fake sincerity. "Hays, don't speak to her so harshly."

"Fine! Selina Grant, you'd better not regret this!"

After hanging up, I lifted my head and gazed at myself in the mirror, noting the lack of expression on my face. Only my red-rimmed eyes gave away how I truly felt.