He now held custody over their daughter.

Hadley couldn’t leave Srixby. She had to stay near her little girl.

She needed Eric to release her, to let her go willingly.

But how could she possibly make that happen?

The only path was to harm herself. If her condition deteriorated, she would have leverage to negotiate.

“This is all I have left…” Hadley’s voice was steady as a lighthouse beam, her eyes locked on Eric’s. “So, will you let me go now?”

“No… no…” Eric shook his head, his voice a faint murmur.

Then he spun around, his tone resolute. “I won’t agree!” he declared, his back to her. “If you want to wage this war, so be it! If you refuse doctors, I’ll find another way! But leaving me? That’s out of the question!”

With heavy steps, he reached the door, yanked it open, and vanished into the night.

“Eric!” The door slammed shut with a thunderous crash, striking Hadley’s heart like a hammer.

He wouldn’t yield.

Hadley’s lips curved into a bitter smile. She had pushed this far, and it still wasn’t enough?

Did she have to let her illness consume her entirely?

Eric had barely stepped out of the observation room when a voice halted him. “Mr. Scott! Wait up!”

He paused, brow furrowing.

Turning, he recognized the person calling after him. It was Colleen, Hadley’s friend.

Colleen stood in her crisp white uniform, fresh from her shift.

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“What is this about?” Eric’s tone was sharp but softened slightly for Hadley’s friend.

“It’s about Hadley,” Colleen said, undeterred.

She nodded toward a quieter spot. “Can we talk somewhere private?”

Eric’s confusion deepened. “I don’t see what we would need to discuss.” He kept his distance, even around Hadley’s friends, to avoid giving her the wrong impression.

“You’re mistaken,” Colleen replied, unshaken.

She understood his caution and even admired it a little.

“I want to talk about Hadley’s struggles. Don’t you want to know why she is seeing a psychologist? What is fueling her mental turmoil?”

Colleen cast a glance at Eric’s expression, her voice soft but deliberate. “I doubt Hadley ever shared the details with you.”

Eric’s silence confirmed her suspicion.

He had pressed Hadley for answers earlier, but she had sidestepped the question with deft avoidance.

Then, in a whirlwind of emotion, she had broached the topic of parting ways, and his frustration had clouded his thoughts, leaving the unanswered question buried.

“Let’s find a quiet spot to talk,” Colleen suggested gently.

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