Chapter26
Not long after Sierra left the hospital, Chase arrived.
He had already explained Sierra’s complicated home situation to the university and requested permission to leave campus
to check on her.
Technically, as a new arrival, he wasn’t supposed to leave. But the school made an exception.
When he stepped into the hospital room, he froze.
There, wrapped tightly in blankets and bandages, lay Maddie.
He knew she’d been hurt-but he hadn’t expected this level of injury.
The moment he entered, Maddie stirred.
Her eyes fluttered open, and the second she saw him, she whispered, “Chase… you finally came to see me…”
Mr. and Mrs. Hayes were just as surprised to see him. They quickly moved aside to let him sit.
Chase glanced at them. “What happened to her?”
Back at school, he’d overheard Sierra mention something about a family emergency, but he hadn’t known the details.
Mrs. Hayes wiped her tears.
“She’s young and naive. Someone tricked her into taking out a student loan-one of those illegal high-interest ones.”
“The debt kept piling up. We couldn’t pay it back. Maddie blamed herself… and did something stupid.”
Chase’s brows furrowed.
He couldn’t believe Maddie had gotten involved with loan sharks.
He comforted them briefly, then scanned the room-no sign of Sierra.
“She came back home, didn’t she?” he asked.
At her name, Mrs. Hayes let out a dramatic sigh.
“She didn’t help Maddie. In fact, she started lecturing us about how we spoiled her.”
“Can you believe it? Her sister’s lying here half-dead, and she still has the nerve to act jealous!”
“She threw a tantrum and left-with some random guy, no less.”
Chase’s frown deepened.
Even now, they were still trashing Sierra.
He said nothing, but stood up to leave.
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Mr. Hayes stopped him. “Chase, you and Maddie used to like each other, didn’t you? She called your name as soon as she
woke up. Can you stay a little longer? Maybe talk to her? Keep her spirits up?”
Mrs. Hayes nodded eagerly. “She needs you. Just talk to her for a bit.”
Chase looked over at Maddie, pale and frail in her hospital bed.
Then he shook his head.
“Sorry, sir. I have more important things to do.”
And with that, he walked out without a backward glance.
Maddie’s issues had nothing to do with him anymore.
Right now, he needed to find Sierra.
He pulled out his phone and sent her a message:
[Chase]: Hey. Where are you? I want to see you.
At that moment, Sierra was at a Mexican restaurant in the south part of town.
It was an old place she’d loved as a kid-her go-to comfort food growing up.
She hadn’t been back since leaving for college.
It had been years since she’d tasted anything like it.
As she waited for the food, Rowan was busy at the sauce bar, mixing dipping sauces.
“I make a killer with the dip. Everyone says so. You gotta try it.”
The plates arrived quickly, steaming and fragrant.
So came the restaurant owner-an older woman-came over with a bright smile.
“Sierra! I haven’t seen you in ages! Finally brought your boyfriend back again, huh? I thought you moved away after getting into college.”
Sierra laughed. “Yeah, haven’t really been home much. Thought I’d come try the food again today.”
She grinned. “You look amazing, by the way. Your skin’s got this healthy gloss.”
The woman laughed. “Oh stop. But wow-your boyfriend’s changed a lot. I almost didn’t recognize him!”
Sierra’s smile froze for a second.
“Oh-he’s not my boyfriend. And he’s not Chase.”
“Chase and I broke up after high school.”
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Not that it even counted as a real breakup.
Actually, back then… they never really dated to begin with.
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