“Miss Pearson,” the designer said after a while, “we’ve got everything we need for now. Let’s head inside to take your measurements.”

“Alright.” Hadley rose and followed him, offering a polite nod. “I’ll do the measurements myself,” the designer explained. “It helps me understand the subtleties of your figure so I can create a gown that truly fits and flatters.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your effort,” Hadley replied warmly. The consultation and measuring process took nearly two hours. By the end of it, the bride’s dress was well underway.

Just then, the store manager stepped in with a friendly tone. “Miss Pearson, may I ask—when would you like to schedule the fitting for the bridesmaids’ dresses?”

Unlike the bride’s gown, which was under the personal care of the renowned Petros designer, the bridesmaids’ outfits were assigned to the boutique’s in-house team.

Hadley recalled the matter—they’d had to postpone earlier, but she wasn’t ready to finalize anything without speaking to her friends first. “I’ll check with them and get back to you as soon as we’ve decided,” she said.

“Sounds good. We’ll wait for your message.”

The manager gave a courteous bow and saw them out of the boutique. “Take care, Mr. Scott, Miss Pearson.”

“Hadley.” Eric glanced at his watch. “Something’s come up at work—I won’t be able to take you back myself. Tamara will go with you.” Worried she might be annoyed, he quickly added, “I’ll wrap things up as fast as I can and head home. I won’t miss dinner with you and Joy.” For original chapters go to find(?)ovel.net

“Alright, no problem.” Hadley offered him a composed smile as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Go on, then. Don’t let me keep you.”

Eric’s eyes drifted to the watch on her wrist—their matching couple’s timepieces. The sight made him smile.

“I’ll walk you to the car.”

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“Okay.”

She stepped into the vehicle, and Tamara followed.

As the car pulled away, Hadley caught a glimpse of Eric in the rearview mirror, still standing there, watching until they disappeared from sight. Her expression didn’t change. Only a faint curl tugged at the corner of her lips.

She picked up her phone, typed a message, and sent it to Colleen and Elissa. It was the same message to both.

Moments later, her phone buzzed. Elissa was calling. “Hello?”

“Hadley…” Elissa’s voice was soft, unsure. There was a pause before she asked, “Are you okay?”

Hadley was slightly taken aback. “Why are you asking me that? You…”

Her voice trailed off, hesitant to continue.

She wasn’t sure how much Elissa had figured out.

But on the other end of the line, Elissa let out a faint, bitter laugh. “I’m aware Linda is back.”

So Hadley had been right after all.

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