Semua Bab Dear Ex Boyfriend, The Hot Hockey Captain is My New Date.: Bab 21 - Bab 30

Hailey’s POVBy the time we arrived in my hometown, it was nothing like I left it. My heart sank so hard it felt like it twisted inside my chest. The streets I used to walk with Mom, the buildings she once owned, the charity shops she poured her heart into, all of it had changed. Every single storefront carried a new, ugly symbol—my father’s company logo replacing hers like she never existed. My stomach knotted. Rage simmered so hot it almost burned through my skin.We walked through the town, and even though Roy and Ryan were right beside me, I barely felt them. They were like shadows at my side because everything in front of me held my whole world. Some men and women were still in black clothing, wearing T-shirts with Mom’s face printed across them. Seeing her smile on those shirts twisted the knife deeper. The more I looked, the heavier my chest felt. Tears threatened, but I blinked them back. Breaking down here—on the street, in front of everyone—felt like giving my father another

Hailey’s POVWe blended into the crowd, pretending to be just three strangers passing through town, but my pulse beat like a drum against my throat. The girl was somewhere out there, slipping between people, hiding behind buildings, terrified and alone, but something else pulled harder than fear, a pressure building in my chest that dragged my thoughts back toward the house. Roy noticed it immediately and asked quietly what I was thinking. I told him there was more inside the house, something Mom left behind, something she never meant for the world to see. Ryan, for once, didn’t argue. He simply took my hand, squeezed it, and said we should go back.We slipped away from the busy street, circled behind an alley, and ducked into the trapdoor without anyone noticing. The stale underground air hit us as we climbed back down the ladder. The walk through the tunnels was silent and heavy. My mind replayed the engravings on the wall, the blood, the countdown, the terrified mute girl, and noth

Ryan’s POVI stormed away before I did something stupid. The image of Roy’s mouth on Hailey’s and the way she kissed him back wouldn’t stop replaying in my head like a taunt, burning through every inch of my self-control. I told them I forgot something in the car, keeping my voice steady, pretending I wasn’t seconds away from snapping. By the time I reached the vehicle, my hands were shaking with the effort not to punch the window. I slid into the driver’s seat and let out a low, feral growl, shoving my fingers through my hair. I hated that Roy got to her first, hated that she let him in even for a second, hated the stupid twist in my chest that felt too close to jealousy. I leaned back, breathing hard, trying to cage whatever wild emotion was clawing up my throat.That’s when I saw movement near the cemetery gates. A figure. A walk I knew. My eyes narrowed. “Is that… Brighton?” I muttered. The man was dressed in a black truck jacket, head down, slipping into a dark pickup truck like

Hailey’s POVThe next dayCheerleading practice drained me completely. My legs felt heavy, my arms were tired, and sweat clung to my skin, but it felt good to move again. Madison kept watching me under her dark glasses, too afraid to let people see her mysterious black eye.I stayed behind to collect my things while the other girls walked out in groups, laughing and chatting.As I grabbed my bag from the bleachers, something caught my eye. A phone lay under the bench. I picked it up, planning to hand it to the lost and found. The screen lit up in my hand and the name on it made my stomach twist."This is Brighton's phone, did he drop it or something?" I asked myself.Before I could even react, the phone vibrated again and a new message flashed across the screen.Boss, we silenced another one. Should we target Miss Hailey tonight too?My hands turned cold. For a moment I could not breathe. My heart pounded fast, almost painful.They wanted to target me?Silence another one? My mind qui

Roy’s POVHailey’s lips were still warm from our last kiss when I leaned in again. She let out a soft breath that made my chest tighten. I cupped her face and kissed her deeply, slow at first, then harder when she pulled at my shirt and pressed closer. She kissed me back like she had been waiting for this, holding on to me as if the whole world around us didn’t exist.When we finally pulled apart, she rested her forehead against mine. Her lips were swollen, her breathing uneven, and I wanted to kiss her again.“Come home with me,” I said.She nodded.I drove her to the Williams mansion. The moment we stepped inside, Ryan looked up. His eyes went straight to Hailey’s mouth, then to my hand around her waist. His jaw tightened, but he didn’t speak.“You’re both here,” he said calmly. “Good. I have updates.”Hailey stepped a little closer to me. Ryan noticed. His expression tightened for a second before he forced it away.“I followed up on Brighton,” he said.Hailey swallowed. “What did y