Chapter 36
Jace walked into Noah’s hospital room a little shaken, his body still buzzing with the ghost of Elias’s touch. He hadn’t expected it to affect him this much, to leave his chest tight, his lips sore, his pulse still erratic. He pushed the door open quietly, and his eyes fell on Aiden.
The young man sat casually in a chair beside Noah’s bed, arms crossed, one ankle resting over his knee like he owned the place. His gaze flicked up, landing on Jace the moment he stepped inside.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” Aiden said smoothly.
Jace froze, his hand still on the door handle. “Oh...I’m sorry, I didn’t… I—”
“Never mind,” Aiden cut in with a small shrug. “You don’t have to explain.”
The words hung in the air, strange and loaded. Silence stretched between them, pressing down like thick fog. Jace forced himself to move further into the room, though his chest felt heavier with each step, his mind already churning with unease.
Then Aiden’s mouth curved into something that looked like a smirk “I never knew you and the boss were a thing.”
Jace nearly choked. His heart lurched violently, embarrassment hitting him so hard his knees almost gave out. “What do you...? Did you…?”
Aiden leaned back in the chair, one brow rising. “Yes, I heard. I’m pretty sure the whole ward heard you guys, too.”
The ground might as well have opened up right there. Jace wished it would swallow him whole and bury the humiliation forever. He and Elias had tried to be quiet,but clearly not quiet enough. Heat burned across his face, his ears flaming.
Aiden didn’t seem intent on dragging it out, though. He glanced at Noah, then back at Jace with a casualness that felt like a knife. “Anyway, I think I’ll be leaving now.... Something came up.”
“Okay,” Jace said quickly, too quickly, desperate for the conversation to end.
Aiden stood, straightened his jacket, and strode out without looking back. The moment the door clicked shut behind him, Jace sagged, his chest heaving with the weight of mortification. But he forced himself to turn his focus back on Noah. His brother lay motionless, his face pale but peaceful, his chest rising and falling steadily. That was what mattered now.
Minutes passed, the silence broken only by the steady rhythm of the machines. Jace reached for Noah’s hand, squeezing gently. “You have to wake up soon, okay? I can’t do this alone.”
A knock on the door startled him, but it was only the doctor. The doctor smiled warmly, clipboard in hand. “Good news. Noah’s vitals are looking very strong today. His recovery is progressing steadily.”
Relief rushed through Jace, loosening something in his chest. He nodded, his throat tight with gratitude. “Thank you.”
By six p.m., the nurse came in, reminding him visitation hours had ended. Jace pressed a kiss to Noah’s forehead, lingering for a moment as if the contact would somehow tether them tighter. “I’ll be back soon,” he whispered, before finally forcing himself to leave.
\---
The glass doors of Crane Corp gleamed in the morning sun, but Jace’s stomach twisted with dread the moment he stepped into the lobby. The memory of Aiden’s words from yesterday was still sharp, and the thought of seeing him again made Jace’s palms sweat.
Of course, fate wasn’t on his side.
“Ay, Jace!”
His heart sank at the sound of his name. Across the lobby, Aiden waved cheerfully, his grin way too bright for someone who’d caught him mid-scandal just a day ago.
Jace’s eyes widened, and his instincts screamed at him. Without missing a beat, he turned his head deliberately, pretending like he hadn’t seen him. His pace quickened, almost comically so, as though walking faster might erase Aiden’s existence entirely.
To anyone else, it might have looked weird, like what was jace doing?. But to Jace? It was survival.
If humiliation could kill, he’d be dead on the marble lobby floor by now.
By the time he reached the elevator, he jabbed the button like his life depended on it, praying the doors would close before Aiden caught up. His reflection in the mirrored wall showed flushed cheeks and wide eyes...like he had just escaped death
\---
Jace sat at his desk, pretending to be deeply engrossed in his computer screen. He wasn’t. His mind was a mess, flipping between Noah, Elias, and the memory of Aiden’s voice replaying that awful line: 'I’m pretty sure the whole ward heard you guys too.'
From the corner of his eye, he saw movement. Aiden.
His heart dropped straight into his stomach.
He took a deep breath, steeling himself before finally looking up.
“Jace,” Aiden said, walking over with the casual confidence of someone who had no shame whatsoever. “Have you been avoiding me?”
Jace forced a laugh that sounded about as natural as broken glass. “No… no, not at all.”
“Really? Because I waved at you in the lobby this morning, and you practically ran away.”
Jace’s face flamed. He shook his head quickly. “No—I mean, I didn’t see you. Sorry.”
Aiden studied him for a moment, then smirked like he could see right through him. “Alright. Are you up for dinner tonight?”
Jace blinked. His first instinct was to say no. Every fibre of him wanted to crawl under the desk and never resurface. But if he refused, it might only make things worse. Maybe agreeing was easier.
“Sure. Of course.”
“Okay. See you at eight?”
“Yeah,” Jace said, his throat tight.
“Alright.” Aiden’s smile widened, too easy, too knowing, before he turned and walked away.
The moment he was gone, Jace slumped back in his chair, burying his face in his hands. If the ground could open up beneath him right now, he’d happily vanish into it.
But....Was this a date?
No...no, it couldn’t be. Aiden knew about Elias.
Whatever it was, jace had a dinner to survive.