“Huh?” Megan blinked, then quickly gathered herself with a small grin.

“Oh, I was just thinking… it must’ve felt kind of embarrassing to blame the wrong person, right? Haha…”

Words failed Eric. He couldn’t even muster a response.

“We should head in,” Megan said as her smile faded.

“There’s probably a crowd already. I’m guessing Marshall and Barrie are among them.”

With a sense of formality, Ernest and Hadley stood in for Brady’s family as they joined him on a visit to meet Colleen’s parents. The Hayes couple wasn’t entirely clueless that their daughter Colleen and Brady had secretly remained in touch. Given Colleen’s age, they understood she could make her own choices. They weren’t the type to enforce strict control or meddle too much in her decisions.

Over time, they had come to realize that Brady’s only real drawback was his complicated family background. They observed how genuine the bond between him and their daughter had become. Because of that, they chose not to interfere.

Still, the fact that Brady came to visit in such a formal manner added a layer of seriousness to the situation.

Taking initiative, Ernest stepped forward and began a conversation with Colleen’s father, Ronald Hayes, speaking on Brady’s behalf like a trusted guardian.

“Brady is Hadley’s brother, which means he’s like a younger brother to me as well. He might be young and sometimes a bit reckless, but you have my word, Mr. Hayes—he’s a decent young man. And I’ll keep him in line. If he ever mistreats your daughter in any way, I’ll be the first to make him answer for it.”

“You’re too kind, Mr. Flynn.”

Not far away, Hadley caught bits of the conversation and raised a brow. Ernest was going all out today. She found herself thinking, That was quite the speech. Bet it took effort to string that one together.

Turning toward Louise with a gentle smile, she added, “Please don’t worry, Mrs. Hayes. Brady only lives with his parents because he’s young and single. That won’t be the case once he has his own family. He’s still young, yes, but he knows how to take responsibility.” She went on to share how Brady had looked after her and Joy, managing things without ever complaining.

Louise listened with growing interest and eventually gave a small nod.

“He’s a sweet boy. Just a little on the young side—Colleen’s got two years on him.”

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“That’s true,” Hadley said, not disagreeing.

“He’s younger, and it’s only natural for you to worry. However…” She continued with sincere conviction.

“I’m not saying this just because he’s my brother. Colleen has done so much for me. She’s someone I care about deeply. Honestly, between the two of them, it’s Brady who’s always looking after her.”

Louise, already familiar with her daughter’s habits, gave a knowing nod. With a hint of honesty, she said, “Colleen has her strengths, but outside of academics, there are areas where she still needs guidance.”

“You give her too little credit.” Hadley let out a gentle laugh.

“I’ve known Colleen for years. She’s more than just smart with books. In truth, Brady’s lucky to have her in his life.”

By the end of their exchange, Louise’s features had relaxed, and the mood around them felt lighter, more welcoming.

Hadley took a quiet glance at Brady and flashed him a smile when Louise wasn’t looking. Their eyes met briefly. Without exchanging a word, he instantly knew Hadley’s conversation with Louise had gone well. Brady looked noticeably more at ease.

Rising to her feet, Hadley said, “It’s getting late. Guests are starting to fill the place—it is Mrs. Hayes’s birthday, after all.” She turned her attention to Brady.

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