“Hadley…” Eric choked out, disbelief and panic flooding his face. His words barely made it past his lips. “Hadley, stop—let go!”

Hadley was lost to reason, caught up in a blind rage. Her hold tightened even further, draining the air from his lungs.

For a terrifying moment, Eric knew—if he didn’t break free now, he might not survive.

Mustering every bit of strength he had left, he brought his arm up and struck the back of her neck with a swift, precise blow.

Instantly, her grip slackened. Hadley’s eyes fluttered, then rolled back. She slumped against him, unconscious.

Eric gasped, pulling in ragged breaths, his chest burning.

Even as he struggled for air, he wrapped his arms around her, making sure she didn’t fall onto the shards of the broken lamp littering the floor. He remembered how much Hadley dreaded pain, how the sight of blood always left her shaken.

If she were injured now, it would only make everything worse. Once he managed to catch his breath, Eric gently lifted her in his arms and carried her out of the room.

“Somebody, clean up that mess! And get the car out front now! We’re taking her to the hospital!”

At the hospital, nurses rushed Hadley straight into the emergency room, her condition sending the staff into action.

Colleen, still finishing up her night shift, noticed the commotion and hurried over.

“What happened? Why is Hadley like this?”

“Dr. Hayes!” Eric’s face was lined with worry as he turned to her. “I don’t have all the details. I’m hoping you can help her since you’re here.”

“Leave it to me! I’ll take care of her.”

Eric lingered anxiously outside the emergency room for a while, then pulled out his phone to call Phillips.

M s s.

“Take this.” Eric pulled the wrinkled tissue from his pocket and passed it to Phillips. “There’s half a pill inside. I need you to find out exactly what it is.”

Phillips nodded without hesitation. “Understood, sir.” He took the tissue and quickly rushed off to have it analyzed.

This time, Hadley didn’t regain consciousness quickly.

After being rushed out of the emergency room, she was moved to an observation ward.

A battery of tests had just been run, and now all they could do was wait for the results to come in.

Eric stayed glued to her bedside, quietly keeping vigil. Not long after, Phillips hurried in.

“Sir,” Phillips called out. “The test results of the pill just came in. Would you like to speak with the doctor personally?”

Eric looked at Hadley, still resting peacefully, then got up and followed Phillips out of the room. Get full chapters from Find~Novel.net

He furrowed his brow deeply, puzzled. “Speak with the doctor? Wasn’t it just an ordinary sleeping pill?”

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