Having delivered his ultimatum, the stranger turned and walked away confidently.
Ayla stared at his departing figure, her fingers curling into tight, trembling fists. After a heartbeat of internal struggle, she clenched her jaw and shouted, “Wait!”
She broke into a determined jog to close the distance between them.
“Hurry up!”
During her return journey home, Ernest’s call interrupted Hadley’s peaceful thoughts.
“Hello? Ernest?” Confusion colored Hadley’s tone immediately. “What’s wrong? Has something happened to Grandma?”
“No, nothing like that,” Ernest assured her, though his voice carried an unusual weight. “Hadley, forgive me. I’ve failed you completely.”
“Ernest?” Hadley jerked back, his words catching her off guard. “Why would you even say such a thing?”
“You and Eric…” Ernest’s voice trailed off as he exhaled deeply. “I carry the weight of what happened between you two.”
“No, you’re wrong.” Hadley cut him off, her words tumbling out in a rush. “Ernest, please don’t say that. What happened between Eric and me had nothing to do with you.” She knew with absolute certainty that Ernest bore no responsibility for their failed relationship.
“Even if you weren’t involved,” she continued, her voice steady and rational, “the fact remains that Linda once saved his life. That’s why he struggles to let go of her memory. I made this decision myself, so Ernest…” She paused, searching for the right words. “Don’t torment yourself over it, and there’s absolutely no need for apologies.”
“No, I absolutely must.” Ernest’s jaw tightened with determination. “I remained ignorant of everything you endured in Blathe during those four long years.”
Hadley blinked in surprise, her brows drawing together. “Those years have even less connection to you.”
L?tτ ch?ρτ?rs ιn gl?ov?l.о
After all, Ernest had been bedridden and unconscious throughout those years. Even if his heart had been willing to help, his body had completely betrayed him.
“It’s all behind us now. Let’s leave those memories buried where they belong.”
“Alright.” Ernest nodded, releasing a breath that carried years of unspoken regret. ? Find~Novel.net
Eric had spoken the truth—Hadley and Linda stood in stark contrast, from their outward appearances to their true natures.
Hadley wore her heart on her sleeve, never hesitating to speak her mind with unflinching honesty. This very quality had once painted her as arrogant and overbearing in the eyes of others during her younger days.
Linda, by contrast, kept silent and appeared to be the victim of others’ cruelty.
Years had peeled back the layers, revealing Hadley’s genuine kindness and gentleness beneath her impulsive exterior.
As the old wisdom declared, “Time reveals the authentic character that lies within every soul.”
Indeed, this truth had proven itself once again.
“Hadley.” Ernest drew in a breath before shifting the direction of the conversation. “I called you today about something else entirely…”
He cut straight through any pleasantries. “Why didn’t you mention that you were relocating your grandparents’ and your mother’s burial site?”
.
.
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