Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right
Hello 654

Chapter 654

"Whose secret?" I asked, keeping my tone casual.

Demi glanced at me, her lips parting like she wanted to spill, but something held her back.

Then I remembered what she'd said about it possibly costing her life. Raising a hand, I stopped her. "You don't have to tell me. I'll figure it out myself."

"Keira, don't. You don't need to dig into this, and you definitely don't need to get involved in my mess anymore," she said, her voice tinged with guilt. "You've already done enough-helping me pay off all that debt. I'm grateful, okay? That's enough." I studied her, my mind running wild with guesses about the "secret" she was hiding.

"I'll pay you back. Bit by bit," she said quietly, avoiding my gaze.

We both knew the truth. With the way she was earning now, it would take her a decade-probably longer-to pay back the $500,000 I'd lent her.

"You don't have to worry about that," I said firmly. "All I care about is you being safe and okay."

But Demi just shook her head. She was set on repaying me.

I didn't argue. Everyone has their principles, and I wasn't about to trample on hers.

Since Demi refused to come back with me, I focused on making sure she'd be in a better place. I rented her a small studio apartment, paying the rent three years in advance.

On top of that, I pulled some strings with Ron and got her a job at a local company. At least this way, she wouldn't have to grind herself into the ground just to survive.

Once everything was squared away, I called Lena to set up a meeting with her and Nate..

"Sure, I'll let him know," Lena said. "Once we lock down a time and place, I'll send it to you."

She said it so casually, like she was inviting me and Nate out instead of the other way around. I didn't mind, though, and just went along with it.

But Lena didn't get back to me for a while. What I didn't realize was that she had something unexpected going on at her end.

***

Nate's sudden announcement about visiting Lena's parents had her totally thrown.

"You want to meet my parents because of what happened with my uncle yesterday?" she asked, trying to make sense of it.

"Nope," Nate said, pulling her closer. "I planned this from the start. We've just gone official, sure, but I've been in love with you way before that."

Lena knew he meant it-she could feel it but still, this felt way too fast. "Do you even get what meeting my parents means?"

He laced his fingers with hers and nodded, dead serious. "Of course I do."

Her breath caught. "Think about it. When it's just us, it's us. But bringing my parents into it? That's a whole other level."

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Chapter 654

Nate spun her to face him, his eyes locked on hers. "Lena, I want to marry you. It's not just you I need-it's their blessing too."

Her chest tightened, warmth spilling through her. But still she had to ask, "Are you sure I'm the one you want to spend forever with?" The question hung there, heavy and surreal, like stepping into a dream you weren't sure you were ready for.

"Yes," he said. "From the first moment I saw you, I knew it was you." He leaned in, brushing his nose against hers, all soft and sweet. How could she say no to that? This was Nate. Not just the guy she loved-he was her whole childhood, her biggest "what if," turned real. Marrying him wasn't just a new idea; it was the idea, the one she'd been dreaming about since the first time her heart skipped a beat for him. "Alright," she said. "I'll let my parents know, so they're ready for you."

***

Lena texted me later, saying we'd have to reschedule.

Apparently, she and Nate were meeting her parents-definitely a big-deal kind of thing. I wasn't pressed. Waiting was no biggie.

By evening, I'd swapped my casuals for something sleek and headed to DracoLux, the Drago family's infamous nightclub.

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