That emotionless stare sent a chill through Hadley, and for the first time since entering the room, doubt began to creep in. Choosing her next words carefully, she tried again. “I didn’t come here to argue. I came to ask for your help. Please, testify against Linda. I’ll do anything.”
Her words seemed to catch Ayla off guard. She blinked once, then let a mischievous smile curl across her face. “So you’ve come to plead with me?”
“Yes.” Hadley gave a small nod, her voice barely above a whisper. There was no denying it—she came to beg. For Elissa, for the truth, and to make sure Linda paid for what she had done.
“I get it now.” Ayla nodded with deliberate slowness, dragging the words out with a hint of amusement in her voice. With a slight squint, she studied Hadley, almost as if weighing her options. “If you’re really here to beg, then shouldn’t you at least look the part?”
Hadley figured that meant Ayla had conditions in mind.
“Fine.” Hadley didn’t hesitate. “What do you want from me?”
At least Ayla was willing to talk, which was more than she got from Chelsey.
“Hmm…” Tilting her head to the side, Ayla looked as if she were entertaining the thought for fun. “Alright. I’ll give you my answer.”
“Then say it.” Hadley braced herself, her breath catching in her throat.
“I did want something from you.” Ayla’s gaze locked onto Hadley’s, her tone slow and deliberate. “I want you to leave Eric.”
“Excuse me?” Hadley froze, tension creeping into her frame as her shoulders began to shake.
“Can you do that for me?” The smirk on Ayla’s face didn’t waver. “Leave him, and I’ll give the police everything. Every last detail.”
After a brief pause, Ayla leaned forward with a glint in her eyes. “And just so you know, I’m not bluffing—I’ve got real proof to back everything up along with my testimony.”
Hadley reacted instantly. “What kind of proof?”
New chapters now on g@?ησvs.cоm
“You’re getting ahead of yourself.” Ayla’s grin disappeared, her expression turning sharp. “You haven’t even agreed to my terms, and now you expect me to lay everything out? Do I look that na?ve to you?”
Her eyes narrowed as she studied Hadley, voice clipped and demanding. “So tell me—are you in or not?”
Silence clung to Hadley as her thoughts clouded, and Eric’s face surfaced in her mind like a weight she couldn’t shake. No words came.
“Unbelievable.” Ayla laughed, but there was no humor in it. “So you can’t go through with it? Still clinging to him like he’s worth more than the truth? At the end of the day, you’re no different—you’d rather protect your love life than stand up for what’s right. Just leave. I don’t want to see you!”
Without waiting for a reply, she turned toward the hallway and raised her voice. “Someone get in here! Nurse! I need someone now!”
As the door creaked open, a nurse stepped in alongside the officers assigned to guard the room. “Apologies, but the patient needs to rest. You’ll have to leave now.”
.
.
.