CHAPTER 218: WHO IS HE

Hailee’s POV

I wasn’t feeling okay.

My head was pounding, my body weak, and my vision blurry from exhaustion. The accident, the stress, the crying—all of it was catching up to me. My muscles ached, my eyes burned, and every heartbeat felt heavier than the last.

But I didn’t let it show.

I just sat quietly in the armchair by the window of my boys’ room, my hands clasped together, my eyes fixed on them.

Nathan, Callum, and Dane had all refused to leave, even though the night had fallen hours ago. Each of them would step out now and then to make a call, to speak with a nurse, or maybe to clear their heads—but they always came back. It was like none of us could fully let go, even when we didn’t know how to be in the same room together anymore.

As for my boys, they hadn’t said a single word to me. Not one.

Oscar sat with his arms folded, staring at the floor. Oliver was pretending to read a book he wasn’t actually turning the pages of. Ozzy had rolled to his side, his back facing me, pretending to sleep, though I could tell by the way his fingers fidgeted under the blanket that he wasn’t.

They were avoiding me—all of them—and it hurt more than I could ever put into words.

But what did I expect?

I deserved it.

My stomach growled quietly. I was starving, dizzy even, but I didn’t move. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself or break the heavy silence that filled the room. So I just stayed there, still as stone, watching them, memorizing every small movement, every breath, every sign that they were still here—still alive.

Then the door creaked open.

I expected it to be a nurse or maybe a healer coming to check on the boys again. But when I turned my head toward the door, my breath caught in my throat.

"Peter..." I whispered.

He stood there in the doorway, tall, calm, dressed in his dark coat, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on me. His expression softened instantly.

And then, for the first time in ten years, my heart truly eased.

"Peter!" I exclaimed, my voice cracking.

Before I could stop myself, I jumped up from the chair. The world spun a little, but I didn’t care. My feet moved on their own, carrying me straight to him. The moment I reached him, I threw myself into his arms.

He caught me easily, like he used to when we were younger, and hugged me tight. I felt his strong arms wrap around me, pulling me close, steadying me as my legs nearly gave out.

"Hailee," he murmured, his voice low, warm, and familiar. "You’re alright now. I’ve got you."

The scent of his cologne wrapped around me, grounding me instantly. For a moment, all the years, all the pain, melted away. I buried my face against his chest, my tears soaking into his shirt.

"I missed you," I whispered, my voice shaking. "I didn’t think you’d come this fast."

He chuckled softly, his hand resting gently on the back of my head. "You think I’d wait another day knowing my favorite person was in trouble?"

I smiled weakly through my tears. "You haven’t changed."

He pulled back slightly to look at me, his eyes soft but serious as they searched my face. "You, on the other hand," he said quietly, "look like you haven’t slept in a decade."

A small laugh escaped me—the first real one in days—though it came out more like a sob. "Feels like it."

But when I glanced over Peter’s shoulder, I froze.

Nathan’s eyes were locked on us, dark and narrowed. Callum’s brows were furrowed, his jaw tight. Even Dane, who was usually calm and unreadable, looked tense.

All three of them were staring.

And not just staring but burning.

I pulled back slightly from Peter, suddenly realizing what this must look like—a man, tall, strong, confident, walking in and holding me like I was something precious.

No one in that room knew who he really was.

To them, he looked like someone else entirely.

Nathan’s nostrils flared, the veins on his neck tightening. "Who the hell is he?" he muttered under his breath, though loud enough for everyone to hear.

Callum’s eyes flicked from Peter’s arms still resting around me to my face. "Hailee," he said slowly, trying to keep his composure, "you want to explain this?"

Dane said nothing at first, but his gaze was sharp, watching the way Peter’s hand lingered at the small of my back—a simple gesture, yet one that sent waves of tension through the room.

Peter glanced at them briefly but ignored their expressions. He was focused entirely on me. "You’ve lost weight," he murmured, his thumb brushing my shoulder in that protective way he used to when I was little. "Have you been eating properly?"

I laughed weakly through my tears, shaking my head. "You still sound like me when I nag my boys."

"Someone has to," he replied softly.

That only made it worse.

Out of the corner of my eye, Nathan’s fists clenched. He looked ready to break something—or someone.

Callum’s stare darkened, his lips pressed in a thin line.

Dane shifted slightly, his jaw tightening as his gaze darted between me and Peter.

The room was silent, but the air was full of questions and jealousy.

Nathan was the first to snap. "You mind telling us," he said coldly, his voice deep and dangerous, "who exactly he is?"

I blinked, startled by the edge in his tone. "Nathan, calm down—"

"Calm down?" he repeated sharply. "You’re hugging him like—" He stopped himself mid-sentence, his nostrils flaring.

Peter finally turned to look at him. His calm expression didn’t change, but there was something about his presence—something commanding—that made even Nathan hesitate for a second.

"Is there a problem?" Peter asked evenly.

Callum’s voice came next, tight and clipped. "That depends," he said. "Who are you, exactly?"