Mia Grant didn’t think much when she said that.

Too much had happened in the past two days. She didn’t want to think anymore.

So, she just blurted out whatever came to mind.

It was only when she noticed the look in Hayes Hughes’s eyes that she began to register just how hurtful her words had been.

She didn’t know how to apologize, nor did she want to, yet she couldn’t bear to upset someone who had been so good to her.

After mulling it over, perhaps because her mind was a blank slate at that moment, incapable of deep thought, she instinctively lowered her head and kissed him.

Hayes Hughes’s eyelashes fluttered. Coming to his senses, he placed a hand on the back of her head, stroking her hair gently as he smiled. "It’s okay. In fact, it’s better that you said it. Now I know what I should do."

"Just do what you feel is right. It’s okay."

Mia Grant rested against his chest, quietly breathing in the cold air that clung to his clothes.

In just a moment, the front of his jacket grew warm from her breath.

She didn’t look up or make a sound for a long time.

But Hayes Hughes just knew she was upset.

From yesterday until now, all her pain had been hidden beneath a facade of lashing out.

Quietly, Hayes Hughes raised his other hand and pulled her into a tighter embrace.

"I don’t know what happened between you two, but... someone who loves you that much wouldn’t have the heart to hurt you."

"Don’t let a small misunderstanding like this make you so miserable."

"There was no misunderstanding."

Mia Grant replied.

"He’s just awful."

"He investigated me."

"He was going to expose me."

"I’ve done so much. I’ve done so well. Why does everyone have to treat me this way?"

"You’re all backing me into a corner."

"You’re all awful."

"You all claim to care about me, but all you do is hurt me."

"All you do is criticize me, toy with me, and trample on my feelings. You never see everything I’ve done for you."

"Fine. I don’t want any of you anymore, anyway. I’m going to go hide somewhere none of you can find me. That’ll be the punishment for all of you."

She let it all out in a single breath as she leaned against him, her initial accusations against Kian Keller alone escalating into an indiscriminate attack on everyone.

Even though he was being lumped in with everyone else, Hayes Hughes didn’t feel the least bit wronged.

The arm holding her tight slid down, his hand searching until it found and clasped her fingers, which were trembling subconsciously.

It was a somatic symptom of anxiety.

He had noticed it a long time ago.

He had thought about taking her to get treatment, to have her see a doctor.

But she herself didn’t seem to have noticed.

Or perhaps she had noticed, but was deliberately ignoring it.

So he hadn’t dared to bring it up rashly, and had been waiting for the right opportunity.

He squeezed her hand, murmuring placating words to ease her anxiety.

Once she had gradually calmed down, he said, "If possible, I’d like to help you shoulder this."

"Will... you tell me?"

He’d said it before: he never liked to pry. He was accustomed to waiting.

But apparently, there was always a time to make an exception.

Mia Grant’s breathing was very shallow—so shallow he could barely feel the rise and fall of her chest through her thick winter clothes.

"None of you can help me."

"Even if you found out, you wouldn’t want to help me."

"You’d all just think I was some kind of alien and have me captured."

The words sounded somewhat childish, as if she were pouting.

Hayes Hughes sensed that her accusation was aimed at Kian Keller.

He was about to say something when his gaze shifted, and he saw a figure who had appeared by the lakeside at some unknown time.

After a pause, he let out a breath, tilted his head, and brushed a kiss against her earlobe through the curtain of her hair.

"I can’t speak for what others might do. But in any case, I will always be on your side."

"He’s here."

"Do you want to talk to him?"

’Him?’

For a moment, Mia Grant didn’t register who Hayes Hughes was referring to.

Not until Hayes’s next sentence: "He doesn’t look... well."

"If you don’t want to see him, I’ll take you home."

Lifting her head, Mia Grant gazed into the distance.

Under the dim yellow light, a figure dressed in black stood. There was no telling how long he had been there.

For some reason, her vision blurred. She had to struggle to open her eyes wide just to see his face clearly.

She instinctively pressed her lips together and turned away, avoiding his searching gaze.

Her breathing hitched. She took a moment to compose herself, then pushed herself up off Hayes Hughes.

Hayes Hughes rose with her. They exchanged a glance, and he gently helped her to her feet.

He said nothing more.

He simply waited in silence for her to make a choice.

Not that he really needed to wait. He already knew the answer.

She might say that everyone was awful—each one uniquely and thoroughly terrible.

But she couldn’t bring herself to abandon a single one of them.

For her, each of them had accompanied her through a long and difficult period of her life.

She was kind by nature and would never want to see anyone come to blows over her.

Seeing her gaze drift in that direction again, Hayes Hughes chuckled softly and straightened her scarf. "Go on. Talk things out properly."

"It’s never good to let a misunderstanding fester overnight. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to pull out that thorn in your heart."

Mia Grant didn’t get into Kian Keller’s car.

She was freezing, but she still didn’t want to get in the car.

"I don’t like confined spaces."

Mia Grant sat down on the curb, heedless of her image.

Kian Keller thought for a moment, then asked, "What about the bus?"

There was a bus stop nearby, and the night routes were still in service.

No one knew where these routes went, but after a two-second hesitation, Mia Grant stood up.

At this, Kian Keller silently followed. He walked right behind her, his tall frame completely shielding her slender back from the biting wind.

Aaron started to follow, but Zelo yanked him back. "Where do you think you’re going? Don’t be a third wheel."

"But Sir is badly injured," Aaron said, worried.

"It can’t be helped." Zelo saw things clearly. "As far as he’s concerned, Miss Grant is more important than his own well-being. It’s useless for us to try and talk him out of it now."

"Come on. We’ll just have the medical team follow from a distance."

A bus pulled up. Without a second glance, Mia Grant boarded.

"He’s paying."

She pointed to the figure behind her and walked straight to an empty seat in the back.

At this hour, the only other passengers on the night bus were a few designated drivers on their way home.

There were plenty of empty seats, but Mia Grant still went to a two-person seat in the back row.

The driver had already started the bus, and as it lurched forward, Mia Grant saw the figure up front stumble.

He gripped his cane hard, barely managing to stay upright.

Mia Grant pressed her lips together and turned to look out the window, refusing to watch him any longer.

A moment later, the driver’s impatient voice cut through the air. "What’s taking so long? Haven’t you paid yet?"

"If you don’t have a pass, use coins. No bills? Use your phone. Have you never taken a bus before?"

"No."

The driver was speechless. "Do you have cash?"

"No."

All Kian Keller had on him was a phone, but he didn’t know how to use it for payment.

Fortunately, there were plenty of ads posted inside the bus. He was a quick study and soon managed to download the right app.

But he ran into a new problem when he tried to link it to a payment account.

The bus went through an intersection and screeched to a sudden halt.

Kian Keller endured the searing pain in his body, struggling to keep his balance.

Soon, the traffic light changed. The bus lurched forward again.

In the back row, Mia Grant clenched her teeth. Just as they were approaching the next intersection, she shot to her feet. A second before the bus braked hard again, she grabbed Kian Keller’s arm.

"You’re completely useless," she snapped, glaring at him with red-rimmed eyes.