Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right

Some people were truly shameless–like, they just couldn’t help themselves.

As Tanya marched toward me, that thought flashed through my mind.

Anyone with a shred of decency would avoid the ex of the person they cheated with. But nope, not Tanya. In today’s world, people like her just didn’t care. All content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

It was like she needed to show off, to prove how much better she thought she was.

“Keira, what a surprise! Here for dinner too?” Tanya chirped, but her eyes were locked onto Hayden.

Honestly, ever since she strutted over, she hadn’t stopped staring at him.

I didn’t need to go into detail about how hot Hayden was. Let’s just say he was the kind of guy who would turn heads wherever he went, even earlier today when the old ladies in my neighborhood were practically drooling over him.

“Yeah, I am. What, you think I’m just here for a tour?” I shot back, my tone dripping with sarcasm,

It wasn’t that I was being petty–I just couldn’t stand the sight of her. She was the type who played innocent while doing something straight–up awful.

If she had just been upfront, saying she liked Jace and wanted to be with him, I might’ve respected that. I might’ve even stepped back and let them be.

But nope, she didn’t. Instead, she made it a point to step on my toes, so whatever she was feeling now? Totally on her.

As expected, my sharp words made her squirm, her face turning all kinds of embarrassed. But with Jace not around, who exactly was she putting on this little show for?

Was it Hayden?

Everyone had a bit of narcissism, thinking they were the hottest thing in the room.

Tanya, with her decent looks, probably had an inflated ego too.

And now, as a young widow, she was probably desperate to snag a good guy.

But wasn’t she already with Jace?

So why was she still throwing longing looks at Hayden? Did she just have a thing for the guys around me?

Even though there was nothing between Hayden and me, I still didn’t want Tanya eyeing him. Catching her with that flirty look on her face, I smirked and said, “Ms. Twain, you’re here for the maternity menu, right? The food here’s really great–perfect for someone in your… condition.”

Her face went from red to white in a second, and she quickly glanced over at Hayden.

I couldn’t help but laugh internally. Was she seriously trying to catch his eye?

She was clutching onto Jace with one hand while throwing signals at every cute guy in sight with the other. Was she planning to keep her options open and pick the best one?

The realization that Jace wasn’t her only target caught me off guard, but also gave me this weird sense of satisfaction.

I wondered how Jace would feel if he ever found out Tanya was treating him like just another fish in her pond.

“Would you like a table? Please follow me,” a server interrupted us.

“Yeah, find us a good spot,” I said, brushing Tanya off as I walked away.

Knowing Tanya’s true intentions, I casually moved closer to Hayden as we walked, but misjudged my step and stumbled a bit.

Hayden, quick as ever, caught my shoulder, steadying me. He didn’t let go right away either.

It wasn’t until I shifted that he released me, and we both slid into the seats the server had prepped for us. Hayden didn’t ask who Tanya was. His ability to respect boundaries and keep things chill was something I really appreciated.

“Order whatever you want.” I said, scanning the menu code on the table and handing my phone to him. This time, Hayden didn’t do his usual “I’m not picky” routine. He took my phone and actually browsed the menu, scrolling through options and making selections,

While he was busy with that, I glanced out the window and spotted Tanya on the phone. I couldn’t help but wonder–was she calling Jace?

Just as the thought crossed my mind, Jace’s car rolled up in front of Tanya. A moment later, he stepped out, opened the door for her, and even shielded her head like she was made of glass.

In all the time I’d been with Jace, he had never done that for me.

That was the difference between being cared for and just being there.