“Come on.” Eric retrieved the cup from her hand and set it deliberately on the table. “There’s nothing here requiring my immediate attention. Let’s head home now.”
After a thoughtful pause, he added, “If there’s somewhere special you’d like to visit, we don’t have to go straight home. We could leave Joy with the nanny and steal some time for ourselves for a change.”
As he spoke, he strode toward the closet. “I’ll retrieve your coat. I’ll be right back.”
Eric seized Hadley’s coat from the nearby closet and wrapped it carefully around her shoulders.
He then stepped back and studied her face. “So, have you made up your mind? Should we return to Jewel Avenue, or would you prefer somewhere else entirely?”
Hadley stared at him, bewilderment clouding her features. His unruffled composure only intensified her frustration, and she fixed him with a sharp glare. “You’re infuriating. What’s happening here? Just tell me already!”
Eric remained silent, a mischievous eyebrow arching upward. “Weren’t you the one who insisted on solving this mystery yourself? Come on, take a shot at it.”
Hadley’s brow creased in frustration. “How could I possibly guess something this complex?”
“Why not attempt it anyway? Even if you miss the mark, I won’t hold it against you.” Eric appeared to relish the moment, treating the entire situation like an elaborate game designed to amuse a beloved child.
He leaned forward, offering her a gentle clue to ease the challenge. “Consider this carefully. I’m battling illness right now, and I’m still devoted to looking after you. My strength is stretched thin. Wouldn’t it seem logical that Gifford could outmaneuver me?”
Hadley’s voice disappeared entirely, her thoughts churning through his carefully chosen words as he guided her toward the CEO’s office exit.
Their footsteps echoed through the secretarial office, and Hadley sensed every pair of eyes tracking their movement. The secretaries watched with expressions that blended genuine sympathy with unmistakable pity.
Without warning, understanding crashed over her like a wave.
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“Eric!” Excitement surged through Hadley as she clutched his arm, her eyes dancing with newfound clarity. She dropped her voice to an urgent whisper. “Did you orchestrate this deliberately?”
She felt certain that Eric had intentionally allowed Gifford to claim victory.
“Interesting.” Eric’s mouth tilted into the barest hint of a smile. “What leads you to that conclusion?”
“I refuse to believe you could genuinely lose to Gifford!” Hadley declared with unwavering conviction. “Unless you planned it from the beginning. Did you lay a trap for him?”
“Exactly right!” Eric burst out, his hand moving to pinch her nose with tender affection. “Brilliant girl!”
He laughed with genuine amazement. “Now you see why Ferris holds Gifford in such low regard? Even you’ve unraveled the truth, yet Gifford still believes he’s achieved something extraordinary.”
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