But then she looked him square in the eye, her tone sharpening. “Brady… this isn’t going to be easy. Maybe even harder than when I finally started trusting you. Are you sure you’re ready for that? Because if you’re not willing to see this through to the end, then do her a favor—walk away now, before it gets even messier.”
Hadley understood both Colleen’s and Brady’s personalities intimately and naturally wished for the best possible outcome. However, certain truths demanded expression. Brady was only twenty-three—far too young for such weighty responsibility.
“Hadley.” Brady grasped her meaning immediately and offered a bitter smile. “You don’t trust me, do you?”
Hadley hesitated, then chose honesty over diplomacy. “I’m simply offering you a friendly warning.”
If Brady couldn’t follow through, it was better to abandon the endeavor early and spare everyone unnecessary pain.
“Hadley.” Brady’s smile wavered as his eyes grew misty. “I won’t surrender… just like I refused to abandon you back then!”
Hadley’s body went rigid. Her nose prickled with unexpected emotion, threatening tears she refused to shed. Her voice emerged rough and strained as she nodded slowly. “Alright, I understand.”
Brady possessed every admirable quality imaginable, save for one cruel twist of fate—he had been born into circumstances beyond his control.
Rain had hammered the city relentlessly for days, turning streets into rivers and skies into sheets of gray. Eric stepped into his office early one morning, water droplets still clinging to his coat as he shrugged it from his shoulders.
Phillips accepted the damp garment while studying his employer’s face carefully. “Mr. Scott, Tamara delivered news—Hadley has departed for Tidebourne for a training program for the cast.”
“Very well,” Eric inclined his head with measured composure. “Did the other bodyguards accompany her?”
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“Yes, you can rest easy, Mr. Scott.”
Relief washed over Eric as he retrieved the tablet from his desk, his fingers sliding across the screen to reveal the day’s demanding schedule. Appointments crowded every available slot, leaving no space for respite or spontaneous thought.
When seven o’clock arrived that evening, the grueling day finally released its grip.
“Mr. Scott, time for dinner.” Phillips summoned the secretary, who arranged the takeout containers across the polished table. Beside the meal sat a bottle of herbal remedy, freshly delivered from Olisvale Bay specifically for Eric.
Following dinner, the familiar ritual of taking the herbal remedy awaited Eric.
“Very well.” Eric settled into his chair, lifted his fork, and managed several bites before a thought surfaced in his mind. “Has Hadley reached her destination safely?”
“Yes,” Phillips responded promptly, his tone reassuring. “She arrived precisely at noon. Please don’t worry—Tamara confirmed that all arrangements have been handled perfectly.”
“Excellent.”
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