?Chapter 376:


    “Asting future?”


    Hadley’sugh was sharp, tinged with irony. “We have no future together, Denver. Your family would never wee me with open arms.”


    How could she—a woman who had already walked down the aisle once—be deemed worthy of him? A golden son of a high-flying, pedigreed n?


    And then there was Joy…


    It was a puzzle with no solution.


    Denver faltered, his confidence flickering. “My family doesn’t even know yet. How can you be so certain they’d turn their noses up?”


    “I’m certain.” Hadley didn’t need to ponder; the answer was as clear as day.


    She reiterated, “Denver, this is not going to work. I’m grateful to you. You pulled me from the wreckage of a painful marriage. You helped me pirouette back into the stage…”


    Hadley’s gratitude was as deep as the ocean. “You’re a dear friend, one I treasure. But let’s draw the curtain here before the plot thickens, shall we?”


    Before his heart sank any deeper.


    Before the inevitable ache took root.


    “Hadley…”


    At that moment, the waiter came with their meal.


    “Very well.” Hadley seized the chance to shift gears, her tone lightening. “Aren’t we here to toast my triumphant performance? Let’s not muddy the waters with anything else. The food’s calling—let’s just savor it for now.”


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    Denver sat in silence, the vors on his te suddenly nd as sawdust.


    He knew pressing further was like chasing a mirage. The real hurdle wasn’t just Hadley—it was the towering shadow of his own family.


    Back home, Denver began plotting his next move in secret.


    He had never meant to keep Hadley a hidden chapter from his family. The timing just hadn’t felt right.


    But Hadley’s words tonight lit a fire under him, pushing him toy his cards on the table sooner than nned.


    If he came clean to his family, she would have no more excuses to push him away, would she?


    Then he could sweep her off her feet and ask her to be his girlfriend. As he waited for his parents to return, Denver mused over whether to pair his deration with a gift.


    What would be fitting?


    It couldn’t be something run-of-the-mill.


    Rising to his feet, he left his room and descended to the basement. The basement housed a sturdy safe, a sanctuary for the family’s most treasured possessions.


    Denver punched in the code, slipped inside, located his personal safe, and opened it with a soft click.


    Rummaging through its contents, he pulled out a small box, lifted the lid, and nodded with a satisfied grin. “This’ll do the trick.”


    He tucked the box under his arm, secured the door, and headed out.


    “Denver.”


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