“There was no sign of anyone.”
“Linda’s in a wheelchair. There’s no way she could have gone unnoticed if she was following you.”
“That’s right, Miss Pearson.”
The bodyguards all agreed, coming to the same conclusion together.
A vacant look washed over Hadley’s face as confusion tangled her thoughts. For a moment, she wondered if her eyes had really deceived her, fearing that another hallucination had crept in.
“Try not to worry.” Tamara reached over to offer comfort. “Maybe Linda slipped away through a side exit. There are cameras everywhere in this garage. Later, Mr. Brown can work with the hospital’s security and check the footage. We’ll have answers soon.”
Hadley sat there without a word, her mind turning things over before she finally gave a quiet nod. “Okay.”
Right then, her phone lit up with a message from Eric.
“Are you almost here? I have a meeting soon. If you arrive before I’m done, rest in the lounge. Lunch is on me today.”
The text steadied Hadley’s nerves. She settled back against the seat, gathered herself, and said, “I’m alright now. Let’s head out.”
“Of course.”
By midday, Hadley finally reached Scott Group headquarters. She made her way straight to the private lounge inside Eric’s spacious office and stretched out on the bed, falling asleep with little effort.
Once his meeting wrapped up, Eric found Tamara waiting for him in his office.
“Mr. Scott,” Tamara greeted him, then filled him in on everything that had happened that morning. Before she left, she mentioned, “I also got in touch with security at the hospital. They reviewed the footage and didn’t spot Linda anywhere.”
“Understood,” Eric replied, concern etching deeper lines across his brow. He gave a brief wave. “You can go now.”
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“Understood.”
Eric stepped into the lounge and quietly closed the door behind him.
Inside, Hadley was awake, sitting on the edge of the bed as soon as his footsteps sounded. She looked up at him, confusion and uncertainty written all over her face.
“You’re up?” Eric crossed the room and sat beside her, gathering her into a gentle embrace. He took her hand, his grip warm and steady. “Did I disturb you?”
“No.” Hadley gave a slight shake of her head, her complexion still drained of color. “I overheard your conversation with Tamara.”
“Hadley…”
“They didn’t find her, did they?” A desperate look crossed Hadley’s face as she clung to his arm. “How is that possible? I’m sure I saw Linda. I know what I saw!”
“I don’t doubt that you saw something.” Eric drew her close, his words soft and careful. “I believe you felt it was real. But you’re unwell right now. Sometimes, only you can see the things your mind shows you.”
.
.
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