“He knows everything. And look at me—I’m doing just fine. He even found me a specialist. I’ll be flying to Aradimen soon.”

Linda pointed at her legs. “Once I get there, they’ll fix this. I’ll walk again.”

She paused, her gaze distant, her eyes lit with something unhinged.

“When I return, I’ll be back where I belong. Everyone will adore me like they used to. I’ll reclaim everything I lost—the spotlight, the luxury, the admiration.”

Hadley clenched her jaw; the sound was sharp in the quiet room.

But she didn’t speak because, deep down, she knew Linda wasn’t bluffing. Everything she said was true.

Linda’s gaze raked over Hadley—sharp and defiant, brimming with unspoken contempt.

“Judging by that look on your face, Eric hasn’t told you a thing, has he? Now why do you think that is?”

In that moment, Hadley felt utterly helpless—like a marionette bound by invisible strings, forced to endure Linda’s merciless taunts.

“It’s simple. He’s still protecting me.” Linda’s voice dripped with smug satisfaction, every syllable articulated with calculated precision. “Even after everything I’ve done, he can’t bring himself to act.”

Her tone was almost casual, but each word struck Hadley like a lash—cruel and deliberate.

“You may have him now,” Linda continued, her eyes icy and unwavering, “but there’s a part of his heart that will always belong to me. You’ll never have him completely.” Latest content published on Find_Novel(.)net

At that, Hadley let out a short, sharp laugh. “You’re unbelievable, Linda. If you can’t have something, you’d rather burn it to the ground.” Every word Linda had spoken rang true.

But Hadley saw through her facade—this was nothing more than a cruel attempt to pry them apart.

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“That’s right! That’s exactly who I am!” Linda shot back, lifting her chin defiantly, a mad gleam in her eyes. “You two think you can be happy together? Dream on!” She confessed it all without an ounce of shame.

“I want this scar etched into your heart, Hadley. You’ll never know peace—not in this life.”

She had said everything she came to say.

And seeing Hadley’s face drain of color, Linda knew her words had struck their target.

Without another glance, she turned and wheeled herself out of the room.

Hadley stood frozen, rooted to the spot. Her eyes shut tightly, as if trying to shut out the pain.

Just as Linda reached the door, she nearly collided with Eric, who had just returned.

He paused, his brows drawn in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to visit Hadley,” Linda answered sweetly, clearly pleased with herself. “I’m leaving for Aradimen this week, so I thought I’d leave you both with a parting gift.”

She offered no further explanation.

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