Chapter 584
Chapter
584
| froze. What the actual heck?
Had he seriously been on the phone with Hayden this whole time?
Jace hung up and glanced at me. "He calledearlier | thought he hung up, but | guess he left the line open...
worried about you."
"You think I'm an idiot?" | shot back, sarcasm dripping from my voice.
It was so obvious now. Jace had left the call open on purpose-and that whole question about whether I'd take
Hayden back? That was for Hayden's ears.
Jace didn't even try to explain himself. He just sighed. "Yeah, guess that was my bad. But at least now Hayden
knows where you stand. He needs to get it through his head... you're not someone he can just drop and pick up
whenever he feels like it." Honestly, | didn't mind that Hayden knew how | felt. Actually, it savedfrom having
to spell it out.
"Thanks for your heartfelt concern," | said, my voice dripping with sarcasm, before | hopped out of the car.
Jace followed me, launching into a mini tour of Wayne's place.
"This is a place Wayne bought with his own money," Jace said. "He's been living here solo for the past four years.
See the garden? He takes care of it himself-never hired anyone to clean or garden."
| was pretty surprised. | didn't know any of this. Wayne had never brought it up. Even when | was living with the
Johnstons, they barely talked about him. Whenever they did, it was just srandom update like, "Wayne
called, said he's doing great in U.S. Wayne never really felt like part of the family-more like a distant cousin you'd
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtforget about unless someone reminded you.
So this was how he'd been living for the past four years-keeping this whole mansion in check on his own. Maybe
he just liked being independent, or maybe he'd been a little lonely, finding comfort in the garden while stuck in
Us,
"This yard was Wayne's design, too," Jace added, surprisingagain.
"Wayne's the whole package-smart, driven, always cunous. He's way ahead of me, you know that." Jace let out a
soft, self-deprecating chuckle.
But there was real pride in his voice when he talked about Wayne. | couldn't help but think about Wayne's
ambition and wonder if Jace had any idea about the bigger picture.
Topened my mouth like | was going to say something, but then stopped myself.
Jace might not have Wayne's book smarts, but in the business world? He was untouchable. Years of navigating
the corporate grind meant he couldn't be blind to someone's real nature.
Maybe he knew more than he let on. Maybe he just chose to ignore it out of loyalty-seeing it but never talking
about it.
"Why so quiet?" Jace asked, clearly noticing my silence.
1/2
Chapter 584
+25 BONUS
"Just listening to you." | looked around, impressed. "Seems like Wayne's doing pretty well for himself.
"Yeah, and this place isn't even his best asset. He's got more," Jace said, like it was no big deal- completely chill,
not a trace of jealousy in his voice.
Not that he had any reason to be jealous. With his own fortune, he was basically set for life.
This was a little surprising, though. In
the past, Jace had ee begpithat
ay the grew t'stand
ahybhe eing better than him, even if
it was his own brother. The content is
on novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
Back in school, he couldn't handle
Wayne's grades. Every the
brought hhis report card, if
Wayne got CEN ERTE) peafse from
their paterfts, Uace would shut
himself in his room, slap on the
headphones, and blast music or dive
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into video games for hours. He
wouldn't even cout to eat with
the family. For days, he'd just avoid
them. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
And after Wayne moved abroad? If their parents talked about him, Jace would just... ignore it. No
acknowledgment, nothing.
But now, here he was, casually
complimenting Wa peed was ho
bj deat nthe Py ao) we'd been
RAY Jace had really changed. The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
"He never mentioned any of this," | said, keeping the convo rolling.
Jace gave this half-smile. "Yeah, he's low-key. Not like me... I'm more of the loud, in-your-face type."
He paused, looking thoughtful for a second. "He once toldhe regretted being so quiet. Said it made him miss
outon a lot."