Upon hearing that, Ernest fell into silence.

He realized that before her tragedy, Elissa had been much like Hadley was now—yearning to break free, just as Hadley no longer wished to cling on. If Elissa were to appear before him now, Ernest imagined her heart would harbor even greater resentment toward him than Hadley’s did toward Eric.

In that moment, he truly understood Hadley.

Looking at her, his throat tightened with emotion. “Hadley, do you still love Eric?” he asked softly.

“Love?” Hadley’s eyes widened, her agitation softening into weary resignation. “Ernest, we’re not children anymore. When happiness slips through our fingers, what is the point of chasing love?”

All she craved now was a life of simple contentment.

“I see,” Ernest said, nodding slowly.

Still, thoughts of Eric lingered in his mind, prompting one final question. “Since you returned, have you seen Eric?”

“No,” Hadley replied without hesitation, her tone resolute. “There is no reason to see him.”

“Hadley.” Ernest pressed, his brow creasing with concern. “We’re family, the three of us. When Eric came back from Velacca, he was in a terrible state. After his surgery…”

“Ernest,” Hadley interjected, her voice steady but tinged with sorrow as she recalled the moment Eric had coldly turned away from Joy, denying he was her father.

Her hands balled into fists as she added with quiet resolve, “You don’t need to say it. I’m well aware of everything.”

Ernest’s eyes widened in surprise. “You know?”

“Yes,” Hadley replied with a curt nod, clearly wishing to steer clear of the topic. She had no desire to dredge up memories of Eric—Joy’s callous father and her former partner, whose true nature had surfaced only after their bitter parting. The pain he had inflicted on her paled in comparison to the heartbreak he had caused Joy recently. Her resentment toward him had reached its breaking point.

Hadley had no interest in discussing Eric’s surgery and recovery. Regardless of the dangers he had faced, he had come through unscathed. With a faint smile, she turned to Ernest. “You seem to forget, Ernest. My friend Colleen works at that hospital.”

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“Oh, of course,” Ernest said, the realization dawning. “You spoke with her about it?” A flicker of excitement crossed his face. “So you do care about Eric, after all…”

Hadley let out a soft chuckle. “Like you said, we’re family. I had to at least check whether he was alive or dead, right?”

Ernest fell silent, caught off guard by her words.

Forcing a smile, Hadley continued, “This is how it should be, don’t you think? He has his life now, and I have mine.”

Their conversation was cut short by the sharp chime of a bell. Both Hadley and Ernest glanced up in unison.

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