?Chapter 564:


    As she reached the end of the staff corridor, her gaze fell upon Elissa. She wasn’t alone. Standing beside her was that man from before… Robin, if memory served.


    “Speak your piece and be quick about it,” Elissa said icily, tilting her head with an air of impatience. “I’ve got work to do. Let’s not dawdle.”


    “What’s with that tone of yours?” Robin snapped, his patience clearly wearing thin as a scowl creased his brow. “If you hadn’t blocked my number, do you think I would have bothereding here?”


    “Humph,” Elissa scoffed, her lips curling into a sneer. “You know, no one’s forcing you to show up!”


    “You…”


    Robin faltered, pointing at Elissa, momentarily at a loss for words. “I’m not here to bicker! I came to tell you toe home for dinner this weekend.”


    The Torres family held a monthly gathering, a tradition no one dared skip.


    Elissa smirked. So he still cared about keeping up appearances, did he?


    “Did you hear me?” Robin barked, clearly done with the conversation. “And take me off your cklist while you’re at it!”


    With that, he spun on his heel and stormed off.


    Hadley, observing from a distance, couldn’t catch the details of their exchange and instead made her way to the locker room.


    Shortly after, Elissa returned, clutching her stomach and looking as pale as a ghost, visibly unwell.


    “Elissa, what’s the matter?” Hadley hurried over, guiding her to a seat as she noticed her friend gripping her midsection.


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    “Is it that time of the month again?” Hadley asked quietly.


    “Yes.” Elissa nodded weakly.


    “Hold on a moment,” Hadley said with haste. “I’ll fetch you a ss of water.”


    “Thank you,” Elissa murmured.


    “No need to thank me,” Hadley replied with a reassuring smile.


    Momentster, Hadley returned with a cup in hand and passed it to Elissa. “It’s warm—it should help soothe you. I’ve also got some painkillers if the difort gets worse.”


    “Not just yet,” Elissa said with a faint smile, shaking her head. “It’s not quite that unbearable.”


    Primarily, Elissa’s mood remained shadowed by her earlier sh with Robin, the sting of their exchange still lingering like a stubborn fog.


    “Alright, if the pain sharpens, just give me a shout,” Hadley offered gently.


    “Will do.” Elissa managed a small smile, nodding in appreciation.


    “You’re always ready for anything, aren’t you?”


    “Naturally.” Hadley chuckled softly. “Every time that monthly visitor arrives, it’s like a tempest sweeping through… wait!”


    Hadley’s thoughts screeched to a halt, her breath catching in her throat.


    Why hadn’t her own cycle made its appearance this month? With a flicker of urgency, she reached for her phone and pulled up her calendar. Her eyes scanned the dates—no mistake about it… she was already a week overdue!


    Could it be?


    Her pulse quickened, a wild hope fluttering in her chest. Could it possibly be the answer to her quiet dreams?


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