Unwanted Blood (Harper) novel Chapter 93

Chapter 93

288 Vouchers

Lily pushed my door open and found me sitting on the edge of my bed.

She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. “You went to the airport to see him?” I

nodded.

She walked over and sat down next to me. “And?”

I was quiet for a few seconds. “He asked me-if I’d consider being his girlfriend, after everything is over.”

Lily’s eyes lit up instantly. “What did you say?”

I didn’t look up. “I said it’s impossible.”

Lily frowned. “Then why are you so happy?”

That stopped me. I opened my mouth, closed it, and then buried my face in

“I don’t know,” I said, muffled.

my hands.

Lily stared at me for a second. Then she burst out laughing and nudged my shoulder with her elbow.

“Are you stupid?”

I looked up, still uncertain. “Lily… do you really think there’s a chance for us? There’s so much between his family and mine.”

Lily’s smile faded. She was quiet for a moment, studying me. Then she spoke, softer now.

“That’s the last generation’s feud. It has nothing to do with you. What his father did. It has nothing to do with him either.”

She reached out and took my hand. “You’ve had a hard enough life. If there’s someone who makes your heart beat faster, listen to yourself.”

I looked at her. Then I repeated her words quietly. “Listen to myself?”

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11:45

Chapter 93

Three days after Adrian left, I went back to the Gadigal centre.

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I’d thought it would take some time to readjust, to get back into the rhythm of the place But when I pushed open the familiar glass door and caught the smell of crayons and disinfectant, I realised I’ d missed it more than I’d expected.

The kids from the craft class swarmed over the moment they saw me. Mia tugged at the hem of my shirt.

“Harper, where did you go for the past few days?”

I crouched down and ruffled her hair. “I had some things to take care of.”

Then I stood up and started organising today’s materials. Scissors, coloured paper, glue sticks, tape. As I arranged them on the table, something settled inside me.

I belonged here.

At two o’clock in the afternoon, Ryder appeared at the entrance of the community centre.

He was holding a paper bag. He stood by the door and didn’t walk straight in, like he was waiting for permission.

I looked up and blinked when I saw him. Then I put down the scissors I’d been holding and walked over.

“What are you doing here?”

He handed me the bag. “Was in the neighbourhood. Bought some cookies-the place you said you liked last time.”

He said it casually. But I noticed his cuff was damp in one small patch. It hadn’t rained today.

I opened the bag and looked inside. Sure enough, it was the packaging from the bakery I’d mentioned-the one half an hour’s drive in the opposite direction from his route.

I just stepped aside and held the door open.

“Come in for a bit. We’ve got craft class today. I need someone to help hand out scissors.”

He paused. Then he stepped inside.

Over the next few days, Ryder started showing up at the centre more and more often.

At first, he just sat in a chair in the corner reading documents, occasionally reaching for a box of

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11:45

Chapter 93

288 Vouchers

materials when I asked By the third day, he already knew every kid’s name-Mia liked blue paper, Jayden was afraid of the sound of scissors, the littlest girl always got glue on her sleeves

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