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“Could you help me figure out what kind of medicine this is?”

“Of course.”

Once she received the picture, Colleen immediately called back.

Without a word, Hadley glanced at Joy, then stepped outside to answer. “Hi, Colleen.”

Tension crept into Colleen’s voice. “That’s a central nervous system medication. Who’s taking it? Please tell me it’s not yours.”

“Definitely not,” Hadley said, brushing it off. “You misunderstood.”

“Oh… that’s a relief.” Colleen let out a quiet breath. “I wish you’d mentioned it sooner. I assumed it had something to do with your treatment under Hamza and got really worried.”

A noticeable lightness returned to her tone. “So, who’s it for? Someone close to you?”

“It’s for a friend, yes.” The weight in Hadley’s chest deepened as her voice grew subdued. “Based on your anxious tone earlier, does needing this kind of medication usually mean it’s something serious?”

“That depends,” Colleen said after a breath. “It’s sometimes prescribed for critical conditions, often before an operation or in cases where surgery isn’t an option. It’s also used during recovery from intense physical trauma…” She trailed off as something clicked. “Wait… is it Eric’s?”

With her eyes shut, Hadley gave a quiet response. “Yes. That’s what he’s been taking.”

Colleen didn’t reply right away. When she did, her voice was calm. “Try not to stress. If you want, I can look into it further.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Hadley gave a slight shake of her head. “He understands exactly what’s at stake, and he’ll manage it himself. I’m not going to step in.”

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“Alright then.”

“I’m going to end the call now.”

Once the call disconnected, Hadley kept the phone in her hand, gripping it as a quiet emptiness settled in. Maybe she was crossing a line she shouldn’t.

This was no small matter—it involved his life. Surely, Eric understood the weight of it. There had to be something he was already doing about it. After all, Eric wasn’t just anyone. He was the one Ferris had personally chosen to carry the mantle—and Ferris would never sit back and let anything endanger the person he trusted most.

Several days slipped by.

A phone call from Robin came unexpectedly for Elissa.

“You made it back already?” Elissa glanced at her calendar. “I thought you’d return tomorrow, maybe even the day after.”

“I wrapped things up faster than I thought. That’s why I managed to get home early,” Robin said. “Would it be possible for us to meet later today?”

“I have to say no, unfortunately…”

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