Robin hadn’t taken Elissa. He didn’t even know where she was. But he was shouldering it anyway.

He was most likely buying her time.

Hadley’s throat tightened as her thoughts raced. Elissa had once confided in her—about Robin, about how deeply they had once loved each other, about how gently he had treated her back then.

Now, seeing him bloodied, humiliated, but still unbowed—lying through his teeth just to shield her—Hadley believed it.

“Mr. Flynn!” Quentin’s voice rang out, urgent and shaken as he reentered the room, phone clutched tightly in his hand. His entire posture betrayed anxiety.

“What’s going on?” Ernest pressed his fingers to his forehead, his tone sharp. “Tell me now!”

“Yes…” Swallowing hard, Quentin could barely speak above a whisper. “I just got word… Miss Holland’s flight ran into an accident as it neared Ontmond.”

Everything stopped. Ernest went motionless, his eyes locked in shock. No sound escaped him. For a moment, even his heart seemed to forget its job.

The color drained from his cheeks and his knees nearly gave out.

“Ernest!”

“Ernest!” Hadley’s voice joined Eric’s as they rushed forward, each one grabbing an arm to keep him steady.

Supported between them, Ernest let his weight rest against their shoulders. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to draw a breath, steadying his balance.

Opening his eyes, he forced out the words. “I’m okay.” Yet his voice quivered, betraying the lie.

“Ernest…” Tears filled Hadley’s eyes. She bit her lip to keep from sobbing, turning away as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Heartbreak weighed heavily on her, too.

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Without warning, Ernest tore himself from their grip and lunged at Robin, seizing his collar in a desperate rage.

Robin didn’t resist. Quentin’s news had already drained him of all strength. “Elissa…” Barely audible, Robin kept whispering Elissa’s name. There was no fight left in him, only sorrow.

“You did this!” Hatred twisted Ernest’s features. His glare seethed with fury. “No matter what you do, you’ll always be a monster. Do you hear me? Elissa is in this mess because of you!”

Those words exploded into violence. Ernest’s fists flew, pounding Robin with relentless force, his legs joining the assault.

For what felt like an eternity, the sickening thuds of blows filled the air.

Robin’s silence shattered as painful cries broke through, echoing off the walls. Ernest’s face burned red, eyes wild and bloodshot, and still he kept swinging.

Tears ran freely down Hadley’s face. She shot a pleading look at Eric, silently begging him to intervene before things turned fatal.

Eric nodded, then glanced at Quentin. Together, they managed to pull Ernest away.

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