Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 171 - Chapitre 180

I froze.I hadn't thought about that.Probably not. I mean, I haven't kissed many people. Even with Jace, who I crushed on for ages, I only ever stole kisses when he was sick, half-asleep, or passed out drunk. And even then, it was just on his cheek or the back of his hand.But earlier with Hayden... our lips actually touched. That wasn't something Jace and I did much.Jace used to kiss me on the cheek or forehead all the time, but a real kiss? Lips meeting, like really kissing? There was only one time.I remember him saying, "Rea, we're too close. I just can't do it."The truth was, he just didn't love me enough. Someone once told me that when two people kiss, and it's real—like lips and tongues tangling—it's all dopamine. It's supposed to be uncontrollable.If you can control it, well, that means you're just not that into them."I don't like hypotheticals," I finally said to Hayden.His jaw tightened, and I watched his Adam's apple move as he swallowed. "But I want to know."

I chuckled and nodded. "Just trying to catch up on all the company stuff as fast as I can.""I get it, but you're coming in way too early. You know we don't do overtime, right?" Ron joked.I smiled a little. "Yeah, it's voluntary.""That's why you're a department head. If everyone was as dedicated as you, OceanixCorp would be unstoppable." His flattery was almost laughable, but with Ron, it was hard to tell if he was joking or serious, so I never really took it to heart."But seriously," he added, his tone shifting, "the company can't run on your back alone. I've noticed how hard you've been working, and I've already let the higher-ups know. The boss said no more of this early morning routine. If you burn out, it'd be a real loss for the company."So, just like that, Ron had made sure I couldn't sneak in those early hours anymore.But that was fine. I didn't feel the need to dodge Hayden anymore. He hadn't left breakfast at my door for the past few days, so I figured he'd finally

"Do you have any information about the big boss?" If I couldn't meet him, at least knowing his name would clear up some of the mystery.Ron glanced up at me. "Getting curious about the boss now?""Yeah, he's way too mysterious. It makes people naturally curious," I admitted.Ron finished grinding the coffee beans and brought them up to his nose for a sniff. "Smells good."Then, looking at me, he offered, "How about I brew you a cup?""No, thanks." I didn't have time to drink coffee. My curiosity about the elusive CEO of this company had already taken over my thoughts.Ron, undeterred, lifted the jar of freshly ground coffee beans toward me. "These are from the boss himself. You sure you don't want to try some?""I'd rather meet him in person than drink the coffee he sent," I said bluntly, voicing my true thoughts.Ron just laughed, not saying a word.His laugh totally threw me off. "What's so funny? Did I say something ridiculous, or am I just missing the joke here?"He shook

The words felt weirdly familiar—like something I'd just heard earlier today. Not straight from Ron, but him quoting the big boss.My eyes drifted to Hayden, and for a second, I wondered. But from what I knew about him, there was no way he had any connection to the mysterious CEO."Tough guy, huh?" The bald leader let out this cold, almost amused laugh. "Let's see what being tough costs you today."He cracked his neck, each pop sounding like a warning, before giving the command. "Smash it!"In seconds, his crew started wrecking the amusement park. But Hayden didn't move an inch. I knew why.He wasn't scared. He was calculating. These guys weren't just wrecking the park for fun—this was a direct hit on Jace's business. The stakes just got real.Right on cue, the amusement park's security team rushed in. They might not have cared about stepping in for Hayden, but when it came to protecting the park? That was their job.Even though the intruders were tough, they were outnumbered, an

Wayne, clearly in the loop, glanced at Hayden before saying, "Mr. Hart will handle this. His personal stuff won't mess with his work. Our security team also dropped the ball today, so we can't blame him entirely."Jace's face turned an alarming shade of purple, like he couldn't believe Wayne was backing Hayden and ignoring his authority."I'm in charge of the park now, so I'll deal with it," Wayne added, basically telling Jace to stay in his lane.Jace looked ready to explode. If anyone else had said that, they'd be fired on the spot. But it was Wayne—his brother—so he had to hold back."Fine," Jace spat through gritted teeth. "But if this happens again, both of you will pay for it."He stormed off.As soon as he was gone, I let out a long breath of relief.Wayne turned to Hayden. "You'll need to submit a report about what happened. I'll handle the park repairs, but you or your company will cover the costs."His tone was firm but fair, keeping personal feelings out of it.Hayd