This man bore little resemblance to the gentle, laid-back person others believed him to be.
The weekend had arrived. The Villa on Jewel Avenue hummed with activity.
Today, both Colleen and Elissa had arrived, with Elissa bringing young Locke along.
Since Hadley had relocated to the villa, she had extended invitations for a housewarming celebration.
Joy radiated the purest happiness of them all.
Eric’s absence had cast a shadow over Joy’s spirits in recent days.
Hadley had exhausted every effort to lift her daughter’s mood. However, as Joy matured, she harbored her own complex emotions, making it impossible to simply brush away sorrowful memories.
Thankfully, Locke’s arrival changed everything.
“Joy.” Locke appeared with a small backpack slung over his shoulders. He immediately grasped Joy’s hand and declared, “Come see all the gifts I’ve brought for you!”
Locke’s small chin tilted upward with unmistakable pride. “Come on, let me show you—I hope you’ll love them!”
“Hooray!” With Locke’s companionship, Joy’s face transformed into genuine delight.
Hadley turned to Elissa with heartfelt appreciation. “Elissa, you’re incredibly thoughtful… Locke is such a sweet boy, thank you.”
“Don’t say that,” Elissa replied, offering a warm smile. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“Wait…” Colleen studied Elissa’s expression intently and asked, “You seem unusually cheerful. Has something wonderful happened?” From what she understood, Linda’s return to Srixby had deeply impacted both Hadley and Elissa.
Elissa hesitated momentarily before shaking her head. “It’s not exactly joyful news. I’d say circumstances are somewhat improving.” She proceeded to reveal the news about Linda’s relocation to Pristin Mountain Sanatorium.
After concluding her account, she caught Colleen’s eye, and together they turned their attention to Hadley.
Exclusive updates live g?lnσvs?com
Hadley laughed softly. “Why are you both staring at me with such intensity?” Newest update provided by FιndＮovel.net
“Hadley…” Elissa released a heavy sigh. “If he had taken this action sooner, perhaps you and Eric…”
She left the sentence hanging, but all three women understood the implication.
Perhaps Hadley and Eric wouldn’t have been torn apart…
Hadley offered a gentle smile while shaking her head. “There’s no benefit in pondering alternate realities. I’m thriving now, aren’t I?” Moreover, she doubted that Ernest’s earlier intervention would have altered their fate.
Throughout all those years, exactly as she had explained to Eric, Linda’s very existence meant she would never release her grip on their lives, which was the real reason for their breakup. Such destructive patterns occurred far too frequently.
Her memories transported her back five years into the past.
During that period, Hadley had innocently believed that marriage to Eric would secure her position as the most important person in his world…
When Linda had been dispatched to Ontmond for treatment not long ago, Hadley had dared to hope that she could finally embrace a peaceful existence.
.
.
.