She gave a small shake of her head.

“It’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” Eric’s voice came low and steady.

“Move it. Let’s see.”

Although unsure, Hadley nodded and slowly tried to bend her fingers.

“Ah—” The pain made her suck in a breath.

Eric tilted his head and gave her a look.

“That’s your definition of fine?”

“Come on,” Hadley said quickly, shaking her head again.

“It just got caught, that’s all. A little swelling is inevitable.”

Before she could say more, Eric gripped her wrist and started walking. Hadley stumbled a step.

“Hey—where are you taking me?” Her arm tensed, but his grip didn’t loosen. Was he planning to bring her to a hospital?

“I’m not going to a hospital! That’s completely unnecessary!”

Despite her protest, he didn’t stop.

They ended up stopping by a nearby pharmacy instead. Eric headed straight to the counter, grabbed a pack of antiseptic wipes, and carefully cleaned the scrape before covering it with a fresh bandage. The bruising had already started to settle around her nails and joints. Without a word, Eric stepped away and returned with two ice packs, handing them to Hadley and instructing her to press them against the swelling.

While she sat quietly on the bench in the corner of the store, he knelt in front of her, his focus and calmness evident.

“There we go.” Eric’s voice was gentle as he let go of her hand, though he didn’t stand just yet.

“Alright.” Hadley gave a slight nod. The pain had dulled somewhat, and the cold helped more than she had expected.

As she stared at him, the words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat. She had meant to thank him, but nothing came out.

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Out of nowhere, Phillips’ remark came rushing back to her: “He doesn’t remember anything, yet he still treats you so well!” Her lashes trembled as her eyes began to sting with emotion.

Eric glanced up at her, catching the change in her expression.

“What happened earlier? Why did Ernest take off like that? Did he see someone?”

Caught off guard, Hadley blinked and slowly met his gaze.

A grin tugged at Eric’s lips.

“So I was right, wasn’t I?” He leaned in just slightly.

“Let me take another shot—was it Locke’s mom he saw?”

That threw Hadley.

“Wait… you knew?”

“Obviously.” Eric’s laugh came with a trace of bitterness.

“Why wouldn’t I? Ernest loved that woman beyond reason. That’s hardly a revelation.”

Everything made sense now. A dull ache settled in Hadley’s chest. She had been so caught up in her assumptions. She believed his memory was wiped clean, yet somehow, he still remembered Elissa.

In fact, Eric hadn’t remembered it himself. He had only been told about what happened.

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