“Hey!” Megan shouted, only realizing now what had happened. She grabbed the knob and twisted it hard, but it didn’t move.
Outside, Eric’s voice rang out. “Someone, lock this room. Don’t let her out!”
“Yes, Mr. Scott!”
Megan stood frozen for a second, then exploded with rage. She pounded on the door with both fists and shouted, “Eric! How dare you lock me in? Let me out!”
Her shouts echoed through the hallway, but Eric didn’t look back. He kept walking. He was set on one thing: Hadley must not see Megan here.
By the time he reached the bottom of the stairs, Hadley was already stepping through the front door.
“Hadley,” Eric greeted her with a gentle smile.
He wasn’t feeling well today, so he hadn’t gone to the company. Dressed in a plain white T-shirt and gray sweatpants, he looked uncharacteristically casual. His hair was tousled, with bangs falling unevenly across his forehead. But when he smiled, it concealed some of the fatigue.
“What brings you here? Do you need something?” he asked.
Everything had happened so fast. Eric already knew Tamara had asked where he was and had brought Hadley with her, but he hadn’t even had time to ask why Hadley had come. And with the two of them riding in the same car, there wasn’t much room for questions.
“Do you really not know why I’m here?” Hadley looked him straight in the eye. There was a smile on her lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“I don’t.” Eric shook his head, still playing it calm. “Tell me, and I’ll know… Whatever it is, I’ll take care of it for you.”
“Eric.” Hadley slowly said his name, her expression filled with disappointment. “Stop pretending.”
“Pretending?” Eric blinked, genuinely confused. “What am I pretending?”
Discover what’s new on gα?ησvls?com
Hadley didn’t beat around the bush. “You had people beat up Zane! You had the nerve to do it, but not the guts to admit it?”
“What?” Eric’s smile vanished, and his brows drew together in a tight frown. “Beat up Zane?”
“Yes!” Hadley held his gaze.
“No!” Eric shook his head at once. “I didn’t do it!”
“No?” Hadley took a breath and let out a mocking laugh. “The facts are right in front of you, and you still refuse to admit it?”
“What facts?” Eric shot back, frustration creeping into his voice. “Did you see me give the order? Did you hear me say anything to those people you’re talking about?”
Hadley fell silent. She hadn’t seen it with her own eyes. That much was true.
But then, she straightened, seemingly recalling something, and asserted, “They told Zane to stay away from ‘Mr. Scott’s girl.’ They said if he didn’t, they’d beat him to death. How do you explain that? Plan to tell me they were talking about another Mr. Scott?”
“What do I need to explain?” Eric asked, looking genuinely baffled. “I never said those things. Whoever did should be the one answering for it!”
“You…” Hadley’s face flushed with anger. “You’re full of excuses! It’s shameless!” Hadley didn’t buy a word of it. She was certain those men had been acting on Eric’s orders. But even if she managed to find them, they would never betray him. Not one of them would tell the truth.
.
.
.