“Excuse me?” Hadley’s incredulous stare pierced him with laser-like intensity. “She might be completely unhinged, but that hardly erases the fact that I despise her existence! You’re tending to someone I loathe with every fiber of my being, and you dare suggest I should stand here and witness it? What twisted logic possessed you to even utter such words?”

Eric froze, his face draining of color. “That’s not what I meant. I was just—thinking…”

“Why are you panicking?” Hadley cut in, her earlier anger gone. She flicked her hand dismissively. “Relax. I was only teasing.”

She gave him a soft nudge. “I know you’ve got this. I trust you. Go on.”

“Ah—don’t come over here…” The screams from inside the ward continued to echo.

“Then how about you wait for me in the car?” Eric pointed toward the ward. “I won’t be long… Once her treatment starts, I’ll come find you, and we’ll leave together.”

“Alright.” Hadley tilted her head and nodded, a small smile lingering on her lips.

“Wait for me. Promise me you’ll wait…”

After repeating himself a few more times, Eric turned and hurried inside.

The faint smile vanished from Hadley’s face in an instant. Without hesitating, she turned on her heel and strode out, her steps swift and unwavering. Her pace picked up, each step faster than the last, until she was nearly running.

The sudden sound of hurried footsteps made Eric whip around, a strange chill hitting him. “Hadley!”

But she didn’t turn back. She was already gone.

Hadley reached the car and got in. “Let’s go,” she said curtly.

“Miss Pearson…” Tamara, who had quietly followed her the whole time, hesitated. “Aren’t we waiting for Mr. Scott?” Hadley’s brow tightened. “I said go.”

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“Yes, ma’am.” Tamara straightened, swallowed her questions, and gave the driver a nod. “Drive.”

She had been with Hadley long enough to know her moods. For the most part, she was warm and approachable. But when she switched—when she really meant what she said—she was every bit as authoritative as Eric.

Maybe that was Nyla’s doing. They were both raised under her roof, after all.

At least they were heading back to Olisvale Bay.

Once they arrived, Tamara quietly sent Eric a message.

Hadley saw it. A smirk tugged at her lips, but she said nothing.

Was Tamara afraid she’d run away? Hadley wanted to. God, she wanted to. But could she?

Joy was still here. That was why she’d moved in in the first place—to keep her daughter safe.

She couldn’t afford to do anything reckless. What if something happened to Joy?

Hadley shut her eyes tightly. She couldn’t go down that path. Besides, she couldn’t even leave if she tried. She was under constant watch now. There were always people around her—his people. Without his say-so, she wouldn’t get far.

How had it come to this? It felt like she’d stepped into a trap without knowing it.

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