?Chapter 76:


    “Hadley?” Linda responded nonchntly. “Oh, she left a bit ago. Said she wasn’t hungry.”


    “Not hungry?”


    Eric let out a derisiveugh. Lately, “no” seemed to be Hadley’s new favorite word, as if she were trying to make it her trademark. Always declining offers.


    He pushed his te aside and stood up.


    “Where do you think you’re going?” Linda reached out, grasping his arm.


    “To look for her. She might skip lunch if we don’t.”


    “Oh, drop it!” Lindaughed, releasing his arm. “She was quite clear. Plus, you know her background in dance. Dancers tend to be strict with their diets.”


    “Strict with her diet?”


    Eric was skeptical. Despite her recent return, he’d observed her eating habits. Hadley had a strong appetite.


    “You don’t understand. She really can eat.”


    With that, he pushed back from the table and exited.


    Linda watched him go, her smile fading into a more troubled expression.


    Linda was upset by Eric’s words. What did he mean by saying she didn’t understand Hadley? Or did he mean to say that he did? To the extent that he’d sacrificed his meal to find her?


    However, once outside, Eric found no trace of Hadley. Where could she have gone? With N’s surgery still underway, it seemed unlikely she’d just leave.


    Eric retrieved his phone and called Hadley’s number. She didn’t answer, but he could already hear the ringtone. Suddenly, he realized the sound was close by. Drawn to the ringtone, Eric headed toward the fire escape stairwell and spotted Hadley.


    “Hello?” Hadley spoke into her phone just as the call disconnected.


    “Huh? What’s happening?”


    “What are you doing here?” Eric’s voice emerged unexpectedly from behind her.


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    Caught off guard, Hadley turned sharply, her eyes wide with surprise.


    “Eric, what brings you here?”


    “It’s you I should be questioning,” Eric retorted, his expression tinged with irritation. “Why are you secluding yourself out here? Come and join me for lunch. Must I really persuade you like a child?”


    “There’s no need for that!”


    “Not this again!” Eric was growing tired of the repetition. “Hadley, is that all you can say to me? We have no idea when Grandma will be out of surgery. What if she needs you, and you’ve passed out from not eating? I don’t want to deal with that mess.”


    “I don’t really need to…”


    “Tell me the truth…”


    Eric’s dark eyes intensified as they focused on Hadley’s face, interrupting her.


    “Are you just avoiding Linda?”


    What?


    Hadley was taken aback. Was that his assumption? Her silence led him to believe he was correct.


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