“I…” Her voice trembled, and then the dam broke. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she cried out, “I’m me, that’s who I am! I only went in to wash my hands, and suddenly I’m surrounded! What did I even do?!”

A shadow fell across Eric’s face, his expression shifting immediately. This girl wasn’t Hadley. So where was she?

“She’s not the one you’re looking for.” The airport manager leaned in close, his voice barely above a whisper as he spoke to Phillips. “Mr. Brown… didn’t the staff double-check everyone already?”

A beat passed before he spoke again. “Is there a chance Miss Pearson never boarded at all?”

There were plenty of such cases—passengers buying tickets only to back out just before takeoff.

Phillips’ brow furrowed as he processed the possibility, then gave a reluctant nod. Turning toward Eric, he tried to offer some logic.

“Mr. Scott, maybe she had second thoughts. Maybe she chose not to go.”

No matter how they spun it, the truth stood firm—Hadley wasn’t on that plane.

A colder shadow passed over Eric’s face, but no solution surfaced. He didn’t say a word. Instead, he turned on his heel and walked away, each step slow and weighed down by something no one else could see.

Even knowing she wasn’t there, something inside him refused to settle. It felt like walking out now meant leaving Hadley behind for good. As he stepped out of the cabin, a voice rang out behind him.

“Eric!” Megan had been trailing them the entire time, slowly piecing the situation together. She quickened her pace, falling in beside him. “So? Did you find Hadley?”

Eric didn’t answer. His eyes stayed forward, unwavering and distant.

“You—” Megan’s words caught, replaced by a sharp sigh. Frustrated, she turned toward Phillips instead. “Forget it. He’s not in the mood. You tell me!”

Phillips gave a slow shake of his head, the motion resigned. The silence between them said everything, and there was no need to explain what was already clear.

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With a sharp slap to her forehead, Megan groaned. “So you didn’t find her? Seriously?”

Grumbling under her breath, she let the frustration pour out. “What is wrong with you and Hadley? Are you guys fighting again? I didn’t give up on you so you could break up again!”

Her eyes flicked to Eric’s face, and she caught the storm brewing there. She muttered bitterly, “If I’d known it would end up like this, I never would’ve walked away.”

Out of nowhere, Eric turned his head and locked eyes with her—his stare piercing and unreadable. The sudden shift made Megan flinch. She backed up slightly, caught off guard.

“W-what?” she stammered. “Why are you looking at me like that? I didn’t mean anything… I was just venting.”

Without acknowledging her words, Eric closed the space between them and raised his hand. Fear surged through Megan. She shielded her head with both arms.

“Don’t you dare! I’m still a woman, you know! You can’t just hit me!”

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