Ian's POV
The traffic jam had done little to help my already late self, causing me to miss the opening entirely. When I finally reached the restaurant, it was closed, with no one in sight. I was on my way to Hailey's penthouse, hoping she was there, when my phone rang. Seeing Mr. Medina's name flash on my car screen, remembering that I gave him my number when he had questions about organizing a charity event. I hit the receiver button on my steering wheel, wondering why he would be calling me now.
"Hello?"
"I need your help," he quickly said, making me feel worried.
"Anything. What is it?"
"It's Hailey. Can you come to my new restaurant?"
"I'll be there in 3 minutes," I said, making a very illegal U-turn, receiving angry honks in response. Thankfully, I hadn't gotten very far from the restaurant as I raced back. My heart pounded crazily as I began to further worry about Hailey. It was as if all I could think about was everything terrible that could happen on this Earth.
My tires squealed as I turned into the parking lot a little too fast. Doing the worst job at parking, I hopped out of the car, almost forgetting to turn it off. Seeing Mr. Medina, I raced towards him, following him to a back door as he told me everything that had occurred. I knew Juan was a jackass, but I never thought he would be capable of something like this. It took everything in me to contain the anger I was feeling. If only I had come here instead of being such an idiot.
I stood in front of the office door, hearing her muffled cries. My heart shattered listening to her break on the other side of this door. Kneeling down in front of it, I pressed my hand against the cool metal door. For some reason, I believed she was sitting on the floor just on the other side of this door. My mind blanked as I tried to think of what to say. What do you say in situations like this? She's probably mad at me, too. Will she even want me here right now? As if a light switch went off in my head, I knew exactly what to say next.
"Revealing Hearts?" I asked her, hoping she would accept to play.
"Revealing hearts," she repeated in a voice so low it barely reached my ears.
"Why are you locked away?" I asked her, unsure why she decided to hide from her father. To me, now felt like the time to have someone by your side.
"I couldn't look at my dad. The way he was looking at me hurt more," she whispered, letting me hear the deep sadness she was feeling. "Why are you here?"
"Your dad called and told me everything. But I had planned on coming to the opening. I was just too late. I am sorry, Hailey. It seems like that is my thing. Always coming too late, being there too late," I answered her honestly. "Will you unlock the door?"
"I don't know that I want to just yet."
"That's okay. I'll wait here until you are ready. It's your turn for a question again," I said, leaning against the door. Mr. Medina hung back, trying to give us some privacy, but I could tell he was listening.
"Did Liv tell you her secret? Do you know why she got up from the table?"
"She did." I thought back to our oddly awkward lunch today. She was pregnant again, growing her family with Lucas. "When did she tell you?"
"This morning. How do you feel about it?"
"It shocked me at first. Maybe even disappointed me, but ultimately I am happy for her." I wasn't going to lie to Hailey. She would know and I worried that as my punishment, she would send me away. "What about you?"
"I'm excited for her. Abi needs a little sibling."
"You would say that, having such a big family. I agree, though. Being an only child is very lonely." I thought back to my childhood, to the times my parents were too busy to play with me. It always left me feeling alone, with no one else to turn to.
"I love them, even if they annoy me."
"So why not let us in?" I asked her, unsure why she wouldn't want to be held right now.
"I'll let you in, depending on the answer to my next question," she said, sounding more like herself for a moment.
"Deal. Ask away."
"Are you over her? Have you let her go?"
"I am ready to let her go, and for the most part, I feel like I have. Having felt this way about her for so long, I think it may take a little while before I fully get over her. I hope you can understand that." I answered her as honestly as I could without hurting her further.
The silence worried me, as she made no sound on the other side of the door. After a few minutes, I heard her shuffle and the door was unlocked. Not wasting a second, I got up, opening it immediately. She stood in front of the door with pink eyes and tear stained cheeks. The sight of her broke my heart, wanting to kill Juan for stealing her light. Maybe this time I can be her light the way she's been mine. I wrapped my arms around her, holding onto her tightly. She didn't cry, staying stiff against me as if she were trying to stay strong.
**Song Suggestion: I Fall Apart by Hayd**
"Can I take you home?" I asked her. It wasn't anything deep, but I would gladly use my turn for this question. She nodded her head against my chest. Guiding her out of the office, we saw her dad. "I'll take her home, sir," I told him, hoping he would realize Hailey didn't want him by her side at this very moment.
"Please do. Thank you, Ian. Call me when you get a chance," he told me before turning his attention to his daughter. "I love you, Nena. Everything will be okay."
I picked Hailey up, seeing that her ankle was bandaged. Did Juan do that to her? One of her cheeks was slightly swollen and her hair was no longer neatly tied. Her eyes told me she was feeling numb now as she stared in a daze at the sky. Gently placing her in the passenger seat, I closed her door. Silence filled the car as I drove for the first time since being with Hailey. She turned the music down the moment the car started. The action told me so much about her state of mind right now. She was not herself.
When we arrived, I carried her into the elevator, holding her tightly against my chest like the precious gift she was. She let her head rest against my shoulder, staying silent and void. I hated what Juan had done to her. His actions had left my sweet Hailey a shell of herself.
"Will you come in and stay with me?" She asked me as we approached her door, finally speaking.
"Gladly." I nodded, opening the door for her.
The penthouse was quiet, aside from the white noise coming from Christin's room. Being careful not to wake her, I silently crept to Hailey's room. I knew she wouldn't want more family, knowing what happened just yet. If she couldn't tolerate her father's presence right now, I knew she wouldn't be able to handle the presence of any of her other family members. Her father is the person she was closest to and the family member she loved most.
"Are you holding back right now, Hailey?" I asked her, wondering why she felt the need to appear strong. She nodded her head as I laid her down. I took my spot beside her, pulling her into me as we lay. "It's okay. Let it all out, and I will too."
I delicately rubbed her hurt cheek as I held her gaze. Her eyes instantly filled with tears as she began to sob. My vision blurred as tears began to fill my eyes as well. All my emotions came bursting out of me alongside her. My heart hurt for her, but it also grieved the relationship I fantasized about with Red. It felt like an hour had passed before Hailey stopped crying. I wasn't sure if she had really let it all out, but perhaps she let out everything she could for now.
"Ian?" she whispered my name, calling my attention to her. I gazed into her beautiful brown eyes, hating how much she had cried tonight. I hummed in response, rubbing her arm with my fingertips. "Is this still a fake relationship?"
Her question caught me off guard, as I hadn't imagined she would ask about us after everything that happened tonight. I knew exactly what I needed to say, but I wasn't sure she'd be on the same page as me.
"That depends." I paused, gathering the courage to ask my question. I took a deep breath, holding her gaze so she could see how serious I was. "Will you be my real girlfriend, Hailey?"