The truth of his previous marriage shocked him.

She said it calmly, almost gently, yet every word rattled something inside him.

The silence dragged on before Eric finally spoke, and even then, all he could say was, “I’m sorry.”

With a gentle tilt of her head, Hadley gave him a faint smile.

“It’s all in the past now.”

The meaning behind her words was clear—whatever they once were, it was over.

A slow nod followed. The weight of it all seemed to press on Eric’s shoulders. His gaze shifted upstairs.

“And… Joy?”

“She’s already down for the night,” Hadley whispered.

“She’s still young, so I always put her to bed by eight-thirty.”

Disappointment flickered across his face. It was clear he wouldn’t be seeing his daughter tonight.

“Then we shouldn’t wake her,” Eric said, though his voice was laced with yearning.

“Will there be a next time? Can I still see her again?”

“You still want to see her?” Hadley’s expression tightened, uncertainty clouding her features.

“After what happened last time at the mall, she was quite shaken. It took me days to settle her emotions.”

Eric gave a solemn nod. Regret clung to his voice.

“I know that was on me… but I need the chance to tell her I’m sorry. To explain myself. I just want to make things right. Would that be okay?”

The hesitation in Hadley’s eyes didn’t fade.

“That last time affected her more deeply than you realize. It left a mark.”

Raising his hand as if to swear on it, Eric let his voice rise with urgency.

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“It won’t happen again. I swear. She’s my little girl, and I just want to do right by her.”

“Well…” Hadley looked down, her thoughts spinning.

She had never intended to cut him off from Joy completely. And no matter how things turned out between them, she knew he had always loved their daughter.

“I’ll think it over. But even if it happens, it has to be on the right terms… at the right moment.”

Relief softened Eric’s posture.

“Whatever you decide, I’ll respect it. I’ll wait. Take your time.”

“Okay.” Hadley caught the flicker of hope in his eyes and gave a small nod.

“I’ll look for the right time.”

“Thank you!” Eric’s voice lifted with emotion, his excitement hard to miss.

The reaction caught Hadley off guard.

Never in her wildest thoughts had she imagined their connection would reach this unfamiliar stage.

They felt like strangers bound by shared memories.

With a gentle shake of her head, she offered a faint smile.

“You’re welcome.”

Silence gradually settled over the room.

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