“Alright.”

Eric allowed her to lead him upstairs to their bedroom.

After his bath, he came out with damp hair, leaning toward Hadley with a familiar ease. “Will you dry my hair?”

“Sure.” She took the towel from his hand, wrapping it around his head as she gently rubbed. “Just drying it? Should I blow-dry too?”

“No need.” His voice was muffled under the towel. “It’s short. It’ll dry fast… Can we talk for a bit?”

“Alright.” Hadley’s gaze softened as she continued tending to his hair. While she worked, she asked quietly, “Any news about Abigail?”

At the mention of the name, Eric’s expression darkened. He shook his head. “We only know she’s out of the country. But exactly where—that’s still unclear.”

“And…” Hadley’s brows furrowed, her hands slowing. “There’s no way to locate her?”

Again, Eric shook his head. “She stopped using her credit card, and her social media accounts have gone quiet.”

“I see…” Hadley exhaled softly, disappointment shadowing her eyes. “If we can’t find her… does that mean Linda walks away free?”

Eric’s heart lurched. His eyes lifted sharply, clouded with unease. “Don’t worry,” he said, his voice steady but low. “These cases… they’re complicated. We have to handle them carefully.”

But his mind was racing—Tamara’s message to Phillips lingered at the edges of his thoughts. He feared Hadley might mention it at any moment…

“Cristian will deal with it. Let the experts handle this, alright?” he added.

Hadley hesitated, then removed the towel from his hair, forcing a faint smile. “Okay. It’s mostly dry now.”

She stood and headed toward the bathroom to put the towel away.

“Hadley.” Eric caught her hand. “I’ll come with you.”

“Huh?” Hadley blinked, confused. “I’m just putting the towel in the laundry basket…”

“Together.” His tone left no room for refusal.

Hand in hand, they went to the bathroom, and hand in hand, they returned.

Soon after, they lay down on the bed side by side. Even then, Eric never let go of her hand. “Sleep well. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Hadley turned on her side to face him. The lights dimmed, darkness filling the room. But as she listened to his steady breathing, she could tell—he wasn’t asleep.

Some things didn’t need to be spoken for her to understand. Judging by his reaction earlier, Tamara must have told him about her conversation with Ayla. Was this why he clung to her now—afraid she might leave him?

The thought of leaving flitted through her mind, and Hadley squeezed her eyes shut, her chest tightening. Eric wasn’t the only one who couldn’t let go.

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