Between Heartbeats

*Present*

Aiden leaned against the cold hospital wall, his mind racing with a barrage of unanswered questions. How did Tiffany know where he was that night? It felt like a trap, one he had unknowingly walked into. He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling within him. Tiffany had always been a master of manipulation, but this was different. This time, she had crossed a line.

His thoughts were interrupted as Jaxon, Matt, and Leo entered the hallway, concern etched on their faces. Aiden took a deep breath, needing to voice his suspicions. “Guys, we need to talk about Tiffany. How did she find out about my plans for last night?”

Jaxon furrowed his brow, the pieces of the puzzle beginning to align. “I might have an idea. After you left, Tiffany texted me, asking what you were up to. I told her you were hanging out with us.”

Aiden's heart sank, anger coursing through him. “So she’s been using you to keep tabs on me? That’s not friendship, Jaxon. That’s manipulation.”

Matt crossed his arms, his expression serious. “She’s always had an agenda. If she knew you were going to be out, it wouldn’t be hard for her to figure out where to find you.”

Aiden’s mind raced as he processed this revelation. Tiffany's insatiable curiosity about him and Isla had turned sinister. She had used her friendship with Jaxon to infiltrate their lives, gathering information to exploit at will. “What else did she say?” Aiden demanded, urgency lacing his tone.

“She didn’t say much. Just that she wanted to know if you were free to hang out,” Jaxon replied, looking troubled. “I thought it was harmless, but now… I don’t know.”

Aiden felt the weight of betrayal settle heavily on his chest. “Harmless? She knew exactly what she was doing, Jaxon. She’s been plotting this for a while. And it’s not just me—Isla is caught in the crossfire of all this.”

Leo stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. “If she’s been watching your every move, then it’s clear she has some plan in mind. We need to confront her before it spirals out of control.”

“Agreed,” Aiden said, determination setting in. “But first, we need to find out exactly what she’s been up to. I want to know how deep her involvement goes, especially with what happened last night.”

Matt nodded, his expression resolute. “Let’s gather everything we can. We’ll figure this out together.”

As they began discussing their next steps, Aiden felt a renewed sense of purpose. This wasn’t just about him anymore; it was about protecting Isla and putting an end to Tiffany’s manipulations once and for all.

Later That Evening

Aiden walked into Isla’s hospital room, his heart heavy with the weight of everything that had transpired. She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with vulnerability and concern.

“Hey,” she said softly, her voice a whisper. “How are you? What’s going on?”

Aiden took a deep breath, sitting down beside her bed. “I talked to Jaxon, Matt, and Leo. We found out that Tiffany has been using Jaxon to keep tabs on me. She even texted him about what we were doing that night.”

Isla frowned, her brow furrowing. “Why would she do that?”

Aiden hesitated, then continued, “Because she’s been trying to sabotage our relationship. She can’t accept that it’s over between us, and she’ll do anything to get back at me for moving on.”

Tears welled up in Isla’s eyes as he continued. “I also found out more about your dad’s situation. He was trying to get out of the money laundering business, especially when my father started to clean things up. But your dad was seen as a threat, and that’s when… it happened.”