She might have returned to visit Elissa, though she had already made that pilgrimage this morning. Would she go back so soon?

“And check Kingsbridge Cemetery!”

Hadley’s maternal grandparents and Selene all rested in the hallowed ground of Kingsbridge Cemetery.

“Also, contact Elvin immediately and see if she has reached out. And…” Eric’s mind raced frantically, searching through every possible connection, every thread that might lead to Hadley. “Go now!”

“Yes, sir!”

Hadley sat at a corner table in the bustling airport café. After draining the last drop of coffee, she set the cup down with deliberate care and checked her watch. Just a few more minutes, and she could head to the departure gate.

Her eyes lingered on the timepiece. It was Eric’s gift—a custom-made pair of watches crafted specifically for them both. Once lost to circumstance, then recovered by Eric’s determination, shipped to Storia for meticulous repairs, and finally restored to her wrist… the watch had survived quite an odyssey.

She freed the clasp and slipped it from her wrist, cradling it in her palm while her fingertips traced its familiar contours. Through all these months, she had never truly examined it closely. Under the café’s bright lighting, the back revealed delicate engravings—were those words?

She lifted it closer, squinting to decipher the faint inscription. Her voice barely rose to a whisper. “Mindful thoughts, day and night…”

In that moment, her eyes clamped shut. Her fingers curled into a tight fist, clutching the watch like a lifeline. After what felt like an eternity, she opened her eyes, secured the watch back onto her wrist, and rose from her chair.

She left the café and walked straight to the airline ticket counter. Adjusting her dark sunglasses, she retrieved her identification from her purse. “Hello, I need a seat on tonight’s flight to Ontmond.”

“I’m sorry, but that flight is completely sold out.”

: ν?

“Could you check one more time? There should be a ticket that was just canceled.”

“One moment, please…” The clerk’s fingers flew over her keyboard, and surprise flickered across her face. “There really is one available, actually…” But how could this passenger have known?

“Perfect, I’ll take that seat.”

“Certainly. I’ll get that processed for you immediately.”

Hadley had known exactly when that canceled ticket would appear—this was all part of the intricate plan she had crafted with Brady. If she wanted to escape successfully, she had to account for every single detail. Eric possessed too many resources and connections. The instant he discovered her absence, he would tear the city apart searching for her.

So, she hadn’t risked booking the ticket initially under her name. Instead, she had convinced Brady to arrange for one of his friends to purchase the ticket under his name first. Their strategy was elegantly simple: Brady’s friend would cancel the reservation at the last possible moment, and Hadley would swoop in to claim the seat.

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