Curious, she turned and found Eric sleeping beside her. He had not changed out of the clothes he had worn the previous evening.

The moment Eric sensed her movement, his brow twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes.

When their eyes met, he snapped fully awake. “You’re up?”

Hadley gave a small nod. “Yes.”

Eric pulled his arm back and pushed himself upright. “Are you feeling any better?”

“I feel a lot better now,” she replied at once. The trembling had subsided, and the icy feeling in her limbs was gone.

“Glad to hear it.” Eric stretched, then swung his legs over the side of the bed. He reached out and gently helped her sit up. “I’ll call room service. Get ready for some breakfast.”

Hadley started to nod, but something suddenly crossed her mind. “Wait. What time is it?”

Eric noticed the concern in her face and tried to put her at ease. “I already talked to the film crew. You have the whole day off.”

“What did you say?” Surprise flickered across Hadley’s face. “But Ms. Beckett—”

“Forget about her.” Eric caught the name, and his eyes darkened. “You collapsed at work. If she tries to push you, I’ll handle it.”

She noticed his irritation and decided not to argue. “Alright. I guess I’m in your hands for now.”

“Perfect!” That answer seemed to relax him. “I’ll arrange for food to be sent up. After breakfast, we’ll visit the doctor.”

Hadley looked puzzled. “What doctor? Why do I need to see one?”

“It’s Dr. Perkins.” Sensing Hadley’s unease, Eric gently took her hand and spoke in a calm voice. “The therapist you were seeing before—I’ve already contacted him.”

“Dr. Perkins?” Hadley’s brows drew together, shock flickering across her face. “You think I’m…?”

: ?ν.?

She trailed off. Was he suggesting something was wrong with her mind?

“No, not at all.” Eric shook his head firmly. “I just think… maybe the pressure lately has been too much. You’ve been carrying a lot.”

Hadley closed her eyes for a moment, saying nothing.

Even if he hadn’t said it outright, the suggestion lingered.

“Hadley.” Eric leaned closer, his voice soft. “Have you been feeling more tired than usual? What you’re describing… it sounds more like hallucinations.” He kept his tone even, coaxing gently. “Think back. Has anything like this happened before?”

Hadley froze. Her eyes went distant for a moment. Then she gave a hesitant nod, followed quickly by a shake of her head. “It’s similar—but not exactly.”

“Then let’s have the doctor take a look. If it’s nothing, that’s good—we’ll know for sure.” His voice stayed calm, his gaze steady. “Alright?”

He finished speaking and waited in silence, giving her the space to decide.

For a long moment, Hadley said nothing.

She didn’t believe it was a relapse—but she wasn’t the type to ignore a possible issue either.

If something truly was wrong, she would seek professional help.

.

.

.