“Yeah.” Hadley rubbed at her eyes, still heavy with sleep. “What time is it? Are we home?”

Eric’s face tightened, but he couldn’t bring himself to hide the truth.

“Yes, we’re home. I carried you in. You slept through the night, and it’s already morning.”

At once, Hadley went still. It hit her then that after dozing off in the car yesterday, she hadn’t stirred again, locked in a heavy sleep all night.

This was another sign.

A cold wave washed over her. Her condition hadn’t gotten better at all. If anything, it had worsened.

“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice rising in panic.

“Don’t worry.” Eric pulled her into his arms and held her close. “I talked to the doctor. Since we only figured out what caused your condition yesterday, the toxin is still in your system, so it’s normal for the symptoms to hang on or even get a little worse for now.”

Not wanting her mind to spiral, he shifted the topic right away.

“You didn’t eat anything last night. Are you hungry? I was just about to have breakfast before leaving for work. Want to join me?”

“Okay.” Hadley nodded. She quickly slipped into her own thoughts, but not wanting to make things harder on him, she simply went along with his suggestion.

The two of them got up, washed, and headed downstairs together. No sooner had they settled into their seats in the dining room than Hadley’s phone began to ring.

She glanced at the screen. It was a number she didn’t recognize, flagged as an international call.

Normally, she wouldn’t bother answering.

But whoever it was wouldn’t give up.

At last, she picked up.

“Hello? Who’s this?”

“Hello,” said the person on the other line. The voice that came through was a woman’s—unfamiliar, but marked clearly by a Srixby accent. “Is this Miss Hadley Pearson?”

: ν?

“Yeah…” Hadley’s voice wavered with uncertainty.

Her eyes drifted instinctively toward Eric. The call was coming from an international number, and somehow, the caller already knew her name.

“May I ask who’s calling?” Hadley said, trying to keep her voice steady.

“Oh, thank goodness!” The woman on the line sounded relieved. “Hi, Hadley. My name is Savannah Brown.”

Wait—Savannah? Hadley’s brows drew together. The name rang a bell. Almost immediately, the caller added, “I’m really sorry for reaching out so suddenly… I’m Elissa’s mother.”

A shift came over Hadley. She straightened her posture, her expression turning more composed and respectful.

“Hello, Mrs. Brown. Is there something I can help you with?”

“Actually…” Savannah’s voice carried concern. “I’ve been trying to reach Elissa for days now, but her phone’s been off…”

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