?Chapter 229:


    She pushed her chair back and stood up.


    “Consider dinner my way of repaying you for the soup. From now on… let’s leave it at this.”


    She grabbed her bag and turned away.


    “Hadley! Hadley!”


    Denver jumped to his feet, ready to follow her, but the market was crowded. Without a second nce, Hadley walked quickly, maneuvering through the crowd. She was soon swallowed by the sea of people, leaving him behind.


    “Hadley?”


    Denver stood still, frantically scanning the crowd, but she was already gone.


    Amidst the bustle of the street, he whispered to himself, his voiceced with frustration, “What if I can’t forget you?”


    As Hadley walked down Mayfield Road, she immediately noticed the distinct ck Bentley parked at the curb.


    Such a vehicle was a rare sight in this neighborhood, unmistakable in its elegance.


    Equally hard to overlook was Sebastian, casually leaning against the car, apparently waiting for her.


    He truly had been waiting.


    “Miss Hadley!” he called out, waving as she approached.


    “Sebastian,” Hadley replied, her brow furrowed in confusion as she walked toward him. “What brings you here? Did N send you?”


    “No, not at all.”


    Sebastian nced toward the car with a hint of difort, his expression almost regretful.


    Just then, the car window slid down, revealing a man with a sharp, distinctly cold demeanor.


    Eric fixed his gaze on her, his voice chilling. “Get in.”


    LΑτ??τ chαρτ?rs ιn g??l??ov?l??.??????


    Hadley, reacting quickly, grabbed Sebastian’s sleeve. “Sebastian, I believe he’s speaking to you.”


    Sebastian chuckled, though it wasced with resignation. “Believe me, that’s surely not for me.”


    It was clear who Eric was waiting for in the dead of night.


    Silence fell over Hadley.


    It was unmistakable now—Eric meant her.


    With a mixture of reluctance and resolve, Hadley opened the car door and slid into the backseat.


    She sat upright, cing her hands carefully in herp, and took a deep breath.


    “Where have you been?” Eric asked, ncing at his watch in an exaggerated fashion. “You finished your performance at eleven. It’s now after midnight. Where have you been?”


    It seemed he already knew where she had been and simply wanted to hear it from her.


    Facing him, Hadley responded calmly, “You know the answer, don’t you?”


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