Towering hills boxed them in from every angle. A recently constructed station stood behind them, modern but eerily silent. There were no shops or houses, just a stretch of pavement lined with a few flickering streetlamps.

Public transportation had already stopped since it was well past midnight. All that remained were taxis and the occasional motorbikes.

“Don’t lose her!” Hadley ignored the stillness around them. Her focus stayed locked on Andrea, who was slipping into a vehicle ahead.

“She’s getting in… I’ll flag down a cab!”

Before Eric had the chance to speak, Hadley bolted toward a nearby taxi. She pointed urgently at the vehicle Andrea had entered.

“Please, follow that car—wait!”

Her words were cut off when a figure darted out from the shadows, yanked her backpack, and disappeared into the night.

“My bag!” Wasting no time, Hadley sprinted after the thief.

“Eric Flynn! Someone just stole my bag!”

Eric had already witnessed the scene unfold and was preparing to run after the culprit.

She said his name—not Eric Scott, but Eric Flynn.

Technically, she wasn’t wrong. That was his name. But no one had addressed him like that anymore since he went back to the Scott family. At least, not until this moment.

Usually, it was just Eric. Or sometimes Mr. Scott.

His name was Eric Scott now.

But Hadley had shouted his name—Eric Flynn.

“Hey! Don’t move!” During his brief hesitation, Hadley had already put distance between them as she chased after the robber.

“Eric! What are you standing there for? Get moving!”

Snapping back to the moment, Eric darted forward.

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“I’m on my way!”

Far ahead, Hadley disappeared around a corner and slipped into a narrow alley. That part of the city used to belong to an old railway line, long since forgotten.

“You’re faster than I thought!”

“Ah…”

“Hadley!”

Eric followed her into the alley without slowing down. The sound of Hadley’s voice tightened something in his chest.

It wasn’t just the thief. Others were there.

Three unfamiliar men, each solidly built, stepped forward and blocked his way as soon as he neared them. Deeper in the alley, a fourth man had his arm locked tightly around Hadley.

“Eric!”

That single word made Eric’s pulse spike.

“Hadley!” he shouted back, eyes burning with anger.

“Let her go, now!”

“Handing her over isn’t a problem.” The men exchanged a brief look, silently agreeing on their next move.

“We’re not here for trouble. Just give us your valuables and we’ll disappear.”

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