“Leaving?” Megan folded her arms, her gaze sharp and deliberately challenging. “Well, since you’re here, I’ve got a few words for you.”

Hadley blinked, momentarily thrown, but then managed a faint, strained smile. “Go ahead.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Megan scoffed, her tone biting. “Hadley, do you even realize where you stand? You and Eric are done. Finished.”

Hadley went quiet for a beat, and then her brow creased slightly. “I know,” she said softly.

“Do you, though?” Megan shot back, her eyes flashing as she glared. “Then why are you here? This isn’t some revolving door for exes to waltz through.”

“It’s because…” Hadley’s hands grew clammy, her fingers curling tightly into her palms. “Eric wasn’t feeling well, and I was nearby, so I…” Her words faltered, trailing into silence.

“What’s that? Cat got your tongue?” Megan tilted her head, a sneer curling her lips.

After a moment, she pressed on, her voice dripping with derision. “Even you know that excuse is flimsy, don’t you? He wasn’t feeling well? And you’re only now concerned? When you walked away from him, weren’t you fully aware of his condition? You knew he was unwell, yet you turned your back without a second thought. And now you’re pretending like you actually care?”

“Hadley!” Megan’s glare burned into Hadley, each word slicing through the air with increasing venom. “Do you realize what you are? You’re exactly like Linda! You don’t want the man for yourself, yet you dangle him on a string, refusing to release your grip completely! You and Linda share the same twisted nature—manipulative and shameless women who disgust me to my core!”

The words struck Hadley like physical blows, and her shoulders began to tremble with barely contained emotion.

Linda remained the one person Hadley despised above all others in this world. Never in her darkest moments had she imagined someone would someday draw such a cruel comparison between her and Linda.

L?t?st ?hpt?rs ιn glnovе.

Hadley fixed her gaze on Megan, unblinking and wordless, as the silence stretched between them like a taut wire.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Megan’s voice cracked with irritation, her glare intensifying. “Tell me I’m wrong!”

Suddenly, a low, bitter laugh escaped Hadley’s lips, hollow and filled with self-recognition. She offered no defense, no argument, because through Megan’s eyes, she understood with painful clarity that she truly wasn’t the “good person” she’d believed herself to be.

After all, what woman wouldn’t feel threatened and angry when confronted by her boyfriend’s former lover?

Hadley’s smile felt like broken glass against her face as she managed a slight nod. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll leave immediately… and I promise you won’t have to endure this again.”

With those words hanging in the air, she swept past Megan and moved swiftly toward the door, her steps urgent with the need for escape.

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Message from Noah: Have a great week dear readers, God loves you, and Noah wishes you all the best. (? ? )?

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