?Chapter 134:


    “Hadley!”


    Upon taking a few steps closer, the man’s face broke into an eager, almost disbelieving smile.


    “It’s really you! You’ve grown so much—I barely recognized you…” His voice trailed off, the rest of his sentence hanging in the air.


    Hadley let out a quiet scoff, the sarcasm evident in her voice. “Look, could you move? You’re in my way.”


    The man hesitated, momentarily thrown off by her response. “Hadley, don’t you recognize me?”


    “Should I?” She raised an eyebrow, her tone indifferent. “Are we supposed to know each other?”


    For a brief moment, he couldn’t tell if she had truly forgotten him or if she was intentionally shutting him out.


    Pointing to himself, the man tried again. “It’s been years—five, to be exact. You’ve changed a lot, but I haven’t. If you just take a second to think, you should—”


    “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”


    Hadley had no patience for this conversation. “I don’t know you. Get out of my way and stop blocking me.”


    Without waiting for a response, she stepped around him, ready to put the encounter behind her.


    “Hadley!”


    Out of nowhere, the man reached for her and grabbed her arm. “Wait—just listen for a second!”


    The moment his hand closed around her wrist, something deep inside Hadley snapped, like a trigger being pulled without warning.


    A sharp cry tore from her throat as her eyes widened in pure panic. She struggled violently against his grip, her breathing turning ragged.


    “Let go of me! Get your hands off me now!”


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    “Is something wrong?”


    The man stared at her, confusion written all over his face. He didn’t understand why she was reacting as though he were a threat.


    “Hadley, I’m not trying to hurt you! I just—”


    “No! Don’t touch me!”


    Hadley shook her head frantically, terror shing in her eyes. No matter how hard she tried to pull away, she couldn’t break free. The more she fought, the tighter his hold became.


    “Hadley, what’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”


    “Get your hands off her!”


    Before the situation could spiral any further, someone appeared.


    It was Eric.


    The afternoon sun burned brightly overhead, casting a golden glow that entuated his striking features, making him seem almost unreal. Without hesitation, Eric reached out, his fingers gripping the middle-aged man’s wrist. As he moved, the crisp white cuff of his shirt slipped into view, revealing a polished tinum cufflink. Even in a moment like this, Eric exuded an effortless smoothness.


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