Speaking plainly, Cristian added, “This won’t be quick. We could be looking at six months minimum—possibly a year or more.”

There were even cases that dragged on for as long as five years.

“Mr. Scott, I’ll do everything in my power to see this through. But you and Hadley—you both need to brace yourselves for a long fight.”

What Cristian really meant was that Hadley and Brandon should be ready to cooperate with investigators at a moment’s notice and, soon enough, endure a string of court hearings. It sounded exhausting and needlessly complicated.

Eric could easily afford the costs, so money wasn’t the issue. Even so, both he and Hadley would feel the weight of the ordeal. Things were even trickier because Hadley lived her life in the spotlight. With her connections to the Flynn family and her history as Eric’s former wife, every action she took was followed by the press. Cristian’s reminder, then, was not just a formality—it was crucial.

Eric understood all too well what Cristian was hinting at. That knowledge only fueled his irritation. After letting the silence linger, Eric finally spoke. “Make sure everything’s ready. We need to be there on time to pick up Hadley tonight.”

“Yes, Mr. Scott. I’ll handle it.”

That evening, Eric headed to the police station with Cristian and Phillips, arriving ahead of schedule. He was determined to bring Hadley home, though some paperwork still needed to be wrapped up.

At the entrance, they crossed paths with Brady and Colleen, who had already been waiting for some time.

“Mr. Scott,” Brady offered a polite greeting.

“You made it,” said Eric, giving Brady a small nod.

With the relentless coverage of Hadley’s case, Eric wasn’t surprised to see that Brady and Colleen were already in the loop. Brady had called, and they had all agreed to collect Hadley together that night.

Inside the building, Cristian handled the paperwork while an officer led Eric farther inside to wait for Hadley.

“Please wait here, Mr. Scott,” said one of the officers.

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Another officer went to fetch Hadley.

The first officer spoke again. “Also, Mr. Scott, just a reminder—Miss Pearson can’t leave Srixby while she’s out on bail. She needs to check in every day, keep her phone on, and cooperate with us if we call her in.”

“I understand.” Eric’s brow furrowed, but he nodded.

A loud creak echoed as the cell door swung open. Eric spun around, eyes fixed on the person walking out.

He couldn’t help but move closer. “Hadley!”

Hadley stepped out in her mustard-green cashmere coat, head down, refusing to meet his gaze.

Eric stooped down and gently took her hand. “Are you angry with me?”

Hadley said nothing, pulling her hand away from his grasp.

“I’m sorry, Hadley.” Eric’s voice dropped to a whisper, regret heavy in every word. “I let you down. I should have gotten you out sooner… Let’s go home now, please?”

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