“Hadley, look.” Phillips’s brow furrowed as he continued, “The truth is, Mr. Scott never deceived you. The entire situation with Linda was my arrangement. I was the one who sent her to Ontmond, and every aspect of her life there remains under our careful surveillance.”
As he spoke, he retrieved his phone, navigated to a specific folder, and held the screen up for Hadley to see.
“Look at these—regular reports from our operatives stationed there. Every decision Mr. Scott made back then was solely for your protection.”
Hadley fixed her gaze on the phone screen, scanning through the detailed information displayed there. The truth was, she had already been aware of this arrangement. Linda’s presence in Ontmond naturally fell under Savannah’s watchful supervision.
Recognizing the conflicted emotions washing over her features, Phillips decided to continue.
“Hadley, we’ve shared more than a decade of friendship. As someone who cares about you, please allow me to say just a bit more.” He pressed forward.
“Yes, Mr. Scott treated Linda well in the past—I won’t deny that. But when he found out what she had done, he cut her off. His heart belongs to you. You’re the only person who matters to him. Hadley, could you find it in yourself to trust him one more time?”
Trust him again?
The question echoed in Hadley’s mind. Despite Phillips’s earnest words, she had placed her trust in Eric before—multiple times, in fact.
Rather than addressing Phillips’s heartfelt plea, she lifted the medicine box slightly.
“Thank you for this. I really need to take a shower now.”
Phillips stood frozen in the doorway, stunned by her evasion.
The realization hit him like a cold wave—Hadley still couldn’t bring herself to trust Eric.
“Alright.” Phillips’s frown deepened as he stepped back.
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“Then I won’t disturb you any further.”
In the adjacent room, Eric stumbled into the bathroom, his thoughts still tangled in confusion.
When he closed his eyes, Hadley’s face materialized behind his eyelids, along with the vivid memory of him holding her close and pressing his lips to her forehead.
How could he have done such a thing?
How dare he cross that line?
What kind of despicable man would behave that way? He had a girlfriend waiting for him!
Even worse, Hadley belonged to his brother!
He couldn’t allow these thoughts to consume him any longer. He needed to pull himself back from this dangerous precipice.
He reached up with a trembling hand and twisted the shower handle.
He deliberately avoided the hot water, letting the icy stream cascade over his body.
The chill made his body convulse with violent shivers. But he refused to step away—he desperately needed the brutal shock to slice through his mental fog.
When he emerged from the bathroom, the insistent ringing of his phone echoed from the bedside table.
Hadley trailed a respectful step behind Phillips as they descended from the aircraft.
.
.
.