“Well,” Megan added with a saccharine smile, “since we’ve run into each other like this and I’ve shared such great news, aren’t you going to congratulate me?”

Hadley’s lips parted. “Congratu—”

“That’s enough.” Eric, who had been silent until now, suddenly cut in, his voice sharp. His eyes never left Hadley. He saw everything clearly now.

He had been anxious, worried. But reality proved he had been overthinking. Even though he stood next to Megan, Hadley looked merely surprised—not hurt, not angry.

She was calm. Indifferent. And that hurt more than he expected. The idea of her offering congratulations to their relationship—it was unbearable.

He turned to Megan with a glare, his tone clipped. “Are you done? Are we leaving or not?”

Shrugging off her hand, he strode ahead. “Stay if you want. I’m leaving.”

“Hey—Eric!” Megan called after him with a dramatic pout. Then, glancing at Hadley with a mocking smile, she added, “He’s got a temper, but what can I do? I’m absolutely crazy about him.”

She leaned in, voice low and pointed. “He’s mine now. Always will be. So don’t get any ideas.”

Without waiting for a response, she ran after him. “Eric, babe! Wait up!”

Hadley stood motionless. She watched as Megan latched onto Eric’s waist. From this distance, she couldn’t hear their words, but she saw everything—Eric’s brows drawn in, his body stiff, clearly annoyed. And Megan, smiling like they were the picture of bliss.

Still… he didn’t push her away. He let her cling to him.

Maybe Megan was right. Maybe they were together.

Hadley finally looked away, a faint sigh slipping from her lips. He had moved on. Exactly as she’d wanted.

Mσr? υpdαt?s ín Gαlnσv?ls.cσm

The meeting with Lisa went off without a hitch.

After seeing her off, Elvin was practically buzzing with excitement as he turned to Hadley. “Did you hear that? Lisa personally picked you as the lead of her next project!”

“Yes, loud and clear,” Hadley replied with a smile. She was just as thrilled, though her expression remained more composed than Elvin’s exuberance.

“This is amazing!” Elvin was on a roll. “Adonis and I thought it would take years of grinding before you’d get a shot like this. But with Lisa’s project? You’re skipping straight to the top!”

“Well…” Hadley laughed lightly, trying to stay humble. “It’s still early. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

“Come on,” Elvin said, waving off her caution. “Lisa has an eye for talent. She’s never wrong.”

They chatted as they made their way to the elevator. But as the doors slid open and they stepped inside, they found themselves face-to-face with someone familiar.

Srixby might have been a sprawling city, but it also had a funny way of making the world feel small.

As the elevator doors slid open, Hadley spotted Zane and strode inside with easy confidence.

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