In the seclusion of a private room, Eric and Colleen settled across from one another at a small table.

“Dr. Hayes,” Eric said, pouring a glass of water with a courteous nod.

“Here you are.”

“Thank you.” Colleen accepted the glass, taking a few measured sips before setting it down.

After a brief pause to gather her thoughts, she began, “Mr. Scott, has Hadley ever spoken of how we first crossed paths?”

“No, she hasn’t.” Eric’s brow furrowed as he shook his head.

He knew only the barest details; Colleen was Hadley’s friend, a doctor, and their connection had formed in Blathe.

Beyond that, Hadley had kept her past in Blathe shrouded in mystery.

“Then allow me to start at the beginning,” Colleen said with a quiet sigh. “I first met Hadley during an urgent medical call, one that came from the police station.”

That night, an officer had guided her toward the holding cells.

“Ahhh!” A piercing scream shattered the silence, reverberating through the corridor.

“What is happening?” Colleen asked, her brow creasing with concern.

“What is the patient’s condition?”

“No one’s sure,” the officer replied, his tone laced with frustration. “She has been like this since they brought her in, wild, screaming, lashing out at anyone who comes near.”

Colleen’s expression tightened as she quickened her steps. “Let me see for myself.”

Inside the cell, chaos reigned.

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A lithe figure darted past, pursued by two burly officers, their heavy footfalls echoing in the confined space.

“Calm down!” one barked.

“Stop screaming!” the other demanded.

The contrast in their sizes was striking, and soon the officers had pinned the struggling figure to the floor.

One of the officers looked up, his voice urgent. “Doctor, we need you over here!”

“Okay.” Colleen hesitated for a heartbeat before stepping forward, her medical instincts taking over.

As she drew closer, the figure came into focus—a young woman, breathtakingly beautiful despite her disarray.

Her long hair was a tangled cascade, her clothes reduced to tattered scraps that barely clung to her frame. Her pale skin, stark against the dim light, was marred by a constellation of bruises and cuts, some still weeping blood.

“Release her!” Colleen’s voice cut through the clamor, sharp with authority. “Let her go now!”

“Doctor, we would like to, but she is too volatile!” one officer protested.

“You’re making it worse by restraining her like this!” Colleen shot back, her tone insistent. “Let her go!” This update is available on Find?Novel.net

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