Hadley tucked her phone away and made her way to the gym.
The door wasn’t shut completely—a narrow gap allowed her to peek inside.
The heavy punching bag swung in the middle of the room.
Hadley herself had never used it before. Now, it seemed Brady had found a use for it.
He stood shirtless in boxing gloves, sweat beading across his skin as he pounded the bag, blow after blow.
Hadley let out a quiet sigh.
Her brother was frustrated. Maybe this was his way of coping.
She turned away, went upstairs to check on Joy, and just as she stepped out of the room, her phone rang.
It was Colleen.
“Colleen?” Hadley answered immediately.
“Hadley…” Colleen’s voice was faint, exhausted. She began to speak but stumbled over her words.
“I… about Brady and me…” she hesitated, struggling.
“I think we should just let it go.”
Hadley’s heart tightened.
She had once spoken those very words herself—she knew exactly what they meant.
“Colleen…” Hadley’s voice trembled.
“Even if things can’t work out between you two… shouldn’t you at least tell him in person?”
Colleen choked back a sob.
“I just… I can’t do this. Don’t you understand?”
“I do,” Hadley replied gently.
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Their situation wasn’t like hers and Eric’s. There was no betrayal, no bitterness—just circumstances pulling them apart.
“Colleen,” Hadley said, voice heavy with sorrow, “Brady will understand… but if you disappear without even saying goodbye, how do you expect him to move—”
On the other end of the phone, Colleen was silent for a long time.
“Then I’ll meet him. One last time.”
“Alright,” Hadley said quietly. She ended the call, tucked the phone away, and, with her heart feeling even heavier, made her way downstairs to give Brady the news.
At the Scott Group building…
Megan sat in the CEO’s office, waiting. Just before six o’clock, Eric walked in after his meeting.
“You’re back already?” She looked up, surprised.
“That was fast.”
“Yes, we’re wrapping up early today,” Eric replied with a nod.
“Have you been waiting long?”
“No.” Megan smiled and shook her head.
“Just twenty minutes…” Her eyes lit up.
“I thought I’d be waiting an hour or two like usual.”
Clearly, Eric remembered. For the past five months, Megan had adjusted to his hectic schedule, always quietly waiting for him after work. Often she’d wait an hour—sometimes more—yet she never complained.
.
.
.