Unmasking Mrs. Newton's Secret Identities novel Chapter 1826

"Alright then. Anyway, thanks again for today," the woman said with a warm smile. "I'm Lucy Hunt. If you're ever in Miravell again, stop by Choloot Town. I'm usually there."

"Okay. Goodbye," Taylor replied, turning to leave.

As Lucy watched him walk away, she suddenly noticed he was barefoot. "Wait a second!" she called after him, hurrying to catch up.

She pointed at his feet in surprise. "You're not planning to walk back like this, are you?"

She couldn't help but notice the raw skin on his heels and the redness on the sides of his feet. It was obvious he wasn't used to walking barefoot for long distances.

Taylor shrugged, appearing unconcerned. "A couple more hours, and I'll be there. What's the big deal?"

Lucy sighed in resignation, her worried expression reflecting the frustration of dealing with a stubborn child. Eventually, she relented and drove Taylor back to the city. It seemed that good deeds truly did come full circle.

"See you later," Lucy said with a wave as she lowered her car window.

"See you." Taylor nodded, pausing for a moment before adding, "Next time your dog acts up, just loop the leash around a tree. That should do the trick."

Lucy glanced back at her dog in the back seat, a bright smile forming on her lips. "Thanks, I'll remember that."

With that, they parted ways.

…

When Taylor stepped into the rental apartment, he saw Aiden sitting on the sofa, a deep scowl etched across his face, clearly primed for an interrogation.

Leaning against the bar, he let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh, as though he had already resigned himself to defeat. "You're right. I can't commit, I'm not persistent, and I'm dishonest. I'm a complete mess—worthless from top to bottom. Is that what you want to hear? Are you happy now?"

Without warning, Aiden's fist crashed into Taylor's face, whipping his head to the side. "Coward. You don't deserve Abigail. I'll protect her myself. Stay out of her life, or I'll make sure you regret ever crossing my path."

With that, Aiden stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

The room sank into a heavy silence, broken only by Taylor's hollow laugh—a sound sharper than any sob. He wiped the blood from his lip, his eyes welling with tears as he stared blankly at the ceiling.

How ironic. The punch hadn't hurt at all.

But why did it feel like there were knives lodged in his chest, slicing deeper with every beat of his heart?