“Absolutely not!”
Eric, who had knelt so earnestly, surged to his feet, his voice a thunderclap of defiance. “I’ll never agree to that!”
Hadley had anticipated his reaction.
She sighed, her voice heavy with weariness. “That is why I said my illness won’t improve. Do you understand now?”
“Wait—what?” Eric’s mind was a tangled knot of confusion. “Understand what?”
His gaze sharpened, locking onto Hadley with a mix of shock and dawning clarity.
His lips trembled as he struggled to speak. “You… you’re saying…”
“I think you’ve pieced it together,” Hadley replied, her voice steady as a calm sea. “Whether you catch on or not, I’ll lay it out clearly. I’m skipping the pills on purpose. I want my condition to worsen, bad enough for an episode to unfold right before your eyes. I want you to witness it.”
Her laugh rang out, hollow as an empty shell.
“Things are spiraling faster than I thought… seeing me unravel today shook you, didn’t it?”
Her words tumbled out in a relentless stream. “If I keep dodging treatment and tossing the pills, my health will only crumble further.”
“Enough!” Eric’s voice cut through like a blade, his gaze sharp as ice.
“I won’t let you spiral downward…”
“Hah!” Hadley’s laughter erupted, defiant as a wildfire, locking eyes with Eric. “I won’t cooperate!” she declared, her voice brimming with resolve.
She held his stare, unyielding, pushing back like a storm against a cliff. “Therapy’s useless without my consent. I won’t talk to anyone, and I’ll spit out the pills the moment you turn away!”
“Hadley!” Eric’s anger flared, his hand rising to grasp Hadley’s shoulders but halting mid-air, as if caught in a spell.
Discover more on gα?ησν?sο (uso de “?” y “ο” griega) The rightful source is
Touching her could spark an episode.
Hadley caught his hesitation, a faint smirk curling her lips. “My illness is a locked door. You keeping your distance is just the beginning. You’ll have to watch me fade away right in front of you. Can you bear it? Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“You’re holding this over me…” Eric’s voice sank, laced with anguish.
“You know… you know it all…”
Hadley knew he couldn’t stand to see her crumble.
“You…” Eric drew a deep, shuddering breath, his voice quaking. “You’re wielding my love to bend me to your will!”
She dared to wield her health as a weapon, threatening him without restraint only because of it!
“What else is left for me?” Hadley gave a small shrug, one eyebrow arching. “I thought of running… but can I truly escape?”
No matter where she fled, if Eric refused to let go, he would eventually track her down.
And then there was Joy.
.
.
.