“No matter how stubborn I am, it’s none of your business!”

“You…” Eric found himself speechless, his face cycling between ashen and crimson. She nearly drove him to madness, as his genuine concern was utterly misinterpreted.

Eric resolved to wash his hands of her completely. He threw out his arm in frustration and spun around to leave.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed insistently in his pocket. It was Megan.

“Megan.” Eric steadied his breathing and answered the call.

“Eric, are you still on Maze Street?”

“Yes,” Eric nodded.

“But I’m about to leave.”

“That’s perfect… I’m here now. Where are you? I can’t find you.”

“You are here?” Eric’s brows knit together at the news.

“This place is absolute chaos. You’re a girl… Where are you? I’ll come find you.”

“I’m…” On the other end, Megan rattled off her exact location.

Eric listened intently, gripping his phone.

Hadley strode past him, steadily increasing the distance between them. Eric narrowed his eyes, fixating on her retreating silhouette.

After Megan finished speaking, he instructed, “Stay put. I’m nearby. I’ll be right there.”

“Okay, I’ll wait for you.”

Ending the call, Eric slipped his phone away and headed toward Megan. Her location was just at the next intersection.

Hadley was walking ahead of him, and as she passed by, Megan spotted her first. However, because she was positioned at the corner, Hadley didn’t notice her.

Megan instinctively parted her lips, wanting to call out to her. Just then, Eric arrived.

“Eric?” Megan swiftly turned to look at him.

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She felt a stab of anxiety as she pressed her parched lips together, forcing a smile, only to realize Eric appeared to be watching Hadley as well. Had they met? Had he remembered everything? Her heart hammered against her ribs as those terrifying thoughts invaded her mind.

Forcing a smile across her lips, Megan asked, “What are you looking at?”

“There.” Eric did not attempt to hide his focus, jerking his chin toward Hadley’s retreating figure.

“I’ve never encountered someone so impossibly stubborn.”

Megan felt bewildered, uncertain whether he was referring to Hadley. Judging by his tone, it appeared his memories remained buried.

She couldn’t be certain and cautiously asked, “Who?”

Eric released a soft sigh, turning his gaze to Megan.

“Ernest’s girlfriend.” Though he said the words, he questioned whether it was appropriate. After all, Ernest never seemed to acknowledge the relationship.

Hearing this, Megan felt thunderstruck, her eyes trembling with shock. She had never anticipated that Eric would assume Hadley was Ernest’s girlfriend—the misunderstanding struck her as utterly absurd.

She hesitated.

“Eric…”

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