Chapter 32
“I’ll go with you,” Owen said, standing up.
Hailey gave him a look, amused. “It’s the women’s restroom. How exactly are you planning to go with mer
Owen considered this, then shrugged. “I’ll walk you to the door.”
She sighed, shaking her head. “Fine.”
The two of them left the table.
The Calhoun estate was massive, with multiple restrooms scattered throughout. Owen led Hailey to the one on the first floor, but as they neared the door, a muffled groan came from inside.
They both stopped and exchanged a look.
Owen’s expression hardened. Without hesitation, he strode forward and kicked the door open. The heavy door slammed against the wall with a loud bang.
He moved with a sharp precision that was impossible to ignore–quick, efficient, and effortlessly cool. But this was hardly the time to be admiring him.
Inside, Christopher lay sprawled on the floor, drenched, his body twisted at an awkward angle. His face was bruised, his eyes dull and full of despair.
There was another man in the restroom–the same one who had left the table earlier.
He, Dorian Calhoun, was from a branch of the Calhoun family, which meant Owen couldn’t deal with him as freely as he might have wanted.
He had his foot planted on Christopher’s face. His thick jowls quivered with excitement as he pressed down, clearly enjoying the power trip.
At the sudden interruption, the man jerked his head up. His eyes widened when he saw Owen. “Owen-”
Without thinking, she lifted the hem of her dress, took two quick strides forward, and drove her foot straight into Dorian Calhoun’s gut.
The force of the kick sent him sprawling backward, crashing onto the floor with a thud.
The sharp clack of Hailey’s heels echoed in the silent restroom as she stepped closer, towering over him.
A slow, almost amused smile curved her lips. “Does it feel good? Bullying someone weaker than you?” she asked, voice dangerously soft.
Dorian groaned, clutching his stomach. When he looked up at her, something in her expression made his breath hitch.
Hailey tilted her head, then pressed the pointed toe of her heel against his cheek, grinding it. “Pathetic,” she murmured. “This is the best you can do? Maybe I should show you what real strength looks like.”
Dorian’s left cheek throbbed with pain as if the skin had been scraped raw. He wanted to say something–anything–but the sheer force of Hailey’s gaze left him speechless.
Her expression was cold, devoid of emotion, sending an unmistakable wave of fear through him. For Hailey, the sight of Christopher being humiliated stirred something deep in her–a painful, buried memory.
Lifting her foot, she slipped off her high heel. The sharp heel gleamed under the light as she raised it, ready to strike.
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Chapter 32
A hand caught her wrist. Owen had noticed the shift in her mood long before this.
The second he saw her slipping off her shoes, he moved toward her without hesitation.
“Hailey.” Owen’s voice was calm, firm.
His eyes met hers, steady and unyielding. Hailey exhaled, her grip loosening.
“I’m fine,” she muttered.
She slipped her shoe back on and stepped toward Christopher, who was still on the floor.
Christopher looked like he had taken a serious beating–his face was bruised, swollen, and streaked with water. His clothes clung to his body, completely drenched.
Owen was already moving, lifting Christopher back into his wheelchair.
Hailey crouched beside him, fingers brushing lightly over his leg as she studied it. “How many surgeries have you had?”
Christopher didn’t answer. His dull, vacant eyes remained fixed on the floor.
+5
Hailey straightened and glanced at Owen. “We should take them both to the hospital. It’s your grandmother’s birthday–we shouldn’t cause a scene.”
Owen studied her for a long moment before nodding. “Alright.”
They arranged for Christopher and Dorian to be taken out through the back. Hailey and Owen followed them to the hospital.
The car ride was silent. Owen seemed in a bad mood.
Hailey, however, was lost in thought and focused on Christopher’s condition.
At the hospital, doctors patched up his wounds, but Christopher’s expression remained the same–numb, hollow.
Hailey sat beside him, examining his leg.
After a moment, she spoke. “Hey. If I can fix your leg,” she said, tilting her head, “you have to promise me something.”
Her voice was light, almost playful, but something about it pulled him from his daze.
He glanced at her, curious.
Hailey was still wearing that same white dress. She smiled–bright, effortless, almost angelic.
Christopher scoffed, lips curling into a bitter smirk.
He thought, ‘Even world–class specialists couldn’t fix me. And she thinks she can?‘
Hailey arched a brow. “Not convinced? Let’s make a bet. If I fix your leg, you work for me–no questions asked. If I fail, I’ll personally protect you. No one will ever lay a hand on you again.”
She could’ve offered money, and resources–things most people would kill for.
But she knew Christopher didn’t need wealth. He needed someone in his corner.
Because once, she had been him.
In a way, she was protecting the version of herself she had once been.
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Chapter 32
Christopher wasn’t much older than twenty.
Of course, he wanted a body that wasn’t broken.
Even though he knew Hailey had probably been joking, a small ember of hope flickered in his chest.
He thought, ‘Maybe… maybe miracles do happen.
Before he could answer, a loud bang made them both jump.
Hailey turned toward the door.
Owen had just stood up abruptly, his posture stiff as he stalked toward the exit. His shoulders were tense, his movements sharp.
Hailey frowned and pursed her lips.
For the first time, Hailey noticed the heaviness in his movements. He was upset.
He had a feeling it was something she had said earlier that upset him, but she made no move to explain herself.
She had never been good at explaining herself.
A sneer broke the silence.
+6
Christopher smirked from the hospital bed, eyes glinting with mischief. “How about this,” he mused. “If you fail… you marry me instead.”
Hailey blinked, then was angry.
Then, without hesitation, she grabbed a pillow and smacked him with it.
The pillow she tossed at him barely had any force behind it—it was soft, more of a gesture than an attack.
“Don’t push your luck,” she warned, raising an eyebrow. “And don’t let your stupidity cost you the chance to walk again.”
Hailey arched a brow, confidence flashing in her eyes. She had only stepped in because she saw Christopher as a reflection of her past self. That didn’t mean she’d come running to just anyone’s defense.
Christopher stared at her, something unreadable flashing across his face.
After a long pause, he finally nodded. “Alright,” he murmured. “I’ll take the bet.”
Hailey gave him a small nod. “Alright. Get some rest and focus on healing. Once I have everything I need, I’ll come find you at the Blackwell estate.”
She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her.
“My leg… Do you think it can be fixed?” His tone was softer this time, his eyes lighting up.
Hailey looked back at him. In his eyes, she saw a reflection of herself—the version of her that had once clawed through the darkness, desperate to find light.
Pursing her lips, then, she nodded. “Yes.”
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