Ferris’s warning drifted back to her, faint but clear. Megan let out a slow breath and forced a gentle smile. “Your memories will come back eventually.”

Claiming to be Hadley—the one who had truly spent those years by his side—was something she simply couldn’t do. Doing that felt dishonest. Even if she pretended to be Hadley and somehow managed to stay by Eric’s side, would his feelings be for her? Or just for the version of someone else he thought she was?

“Alright.” Eric gave a small nod, though a faint crease formed between his brows. When he looked at Megan again, he noticed something shift in her expression. A quiet sadness lingered there. Maybe even a trace of disappointment.

It wasn’t hard to understand why. He was supposed to know her better than anyone. They had shared a decade. For him to forget all of that—of course it hurt.

“Megan,” Eric said, his throat tightening as his eyes lingered on her face.

“Yeah?” Megan reached out and took the glass from him. “Do you need anything else?”

Eric gave a firm shake of his head. “Nothing, thanks.”

A few seconds passed before he spoke again, his tone steady. “I just… need a little time and space to sort things out.”

That, she knew, would include how he felt about her. Megan didn’t need an explanation to grasp what he meant.

Turning the glass slowly in her hands, Megan gave him a gentle smile. “Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”

A tiny spark of hope lit up in her chest. Maybe this time, if she stayed long enough, he might really be hers. She had no intention of playing nasty. Waiting, after all, was something she had always been good at.

Because the truth was simple. She had never stopped liking him. Not even once.

About two weeks later, a message came into Hadley’s inbox. The crew was back in action—filming was officially resuming.

Luggage lay open on her bed as she began folding clothes with deliberate care, organizing everything for the trip. She had already made plans for Joy to stay under Brady’s watch.

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Unlike before, the filming wasn’t happening in Srixby. This round of filming would cover several outdoor sites, stretching across months—four or five at the very least, maybe even longer.

Though Melba and the house staff managed things well at Jewel Avenue, Hadley felt a greater sense of comfort knowing Joy would be with Brady. She chose to leave quietly, waiting until Joy was sound asleep before slipping out.

Brady offered to drive her and made sure she got to the airport on time, where the rest of the crew would be gathering.

This trip was different—Hadley brought more bags than usual and had a new assistant by her side, someone Brady had personally arranged to help her.

“I think it’s time for me to head out now.”

“Alright.” Brady gave a quick nod as he spoke. “Just shoot me a message once you’ve landed.”

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