?Chapter 695:


    That had been a close call!


    She had nearly let her emotions sway her better judgment.


    Tonight, as she prepared the steamed pear for Eric, she had foolishly entertained the notion of building somethingsting between them.


    Even if only for a fleeting moment, how could she have let such a naive thought take root?


    Thank heavens for that phone call—it had whisked Eric away and snapped her back to reality.


    In the car, Eric’s hands clenched the steering wheel, his brow creased with unease, a restless storm brewing in his chest.


    His thoughts swirled around Hadley. What was she doing now? Had she drifted off? Her sleep was always so light—she simply couldn’t fall asleep in mere seconds, could she? So why hadn’t she responded when he left?


    He had mentioned the sleet outside, yet she seemed not to hear, not even sparing a simple “Drive safely” as he departed.


    Earlier that evening, when she prepared steamed pears for him just because she noticed his cough, he had sensed a closeness blossoming between them. But just now, it felt as though she had retreated to the starting line, leaving him adrift.


    His phone buzzed sharply, pulling him back to reality. It was Linda.


    “Linda?” Eric said, gathering his scattered thoughts.


    “Eric,” Linda’s voice trembled on the other end. “I’m so scared…”


    Eric felt a wave of unease crash over him. His grip on the phone tightened.


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    “Linda, where are you?”


    “I don’t know…” Her voice trembled,ced with fear and barely contained sobs.


    “Eric… I don’t know where I am. It’s dark, and—” A choked breath. “I’m scared!”


    “Stay put! I’ming. Quentin is searching too—just don’t move, do you hear me?”


    After hanging up, he mmed his foot on the gas pedal, the engine roaring as he tore through the streets, heading straight for the west side of the city.


    “Mr. Flynn!”


    By the time Eric arrived, Quentin had already located Linda’s car. But something was wrong. The car door was wide open. And Linda was nowhere in sight.


    Eric’s eyes scanned the dark surroundings, his pulse quickening. She wouldn’t have gone far. Maybe she stepped out for air and lost her way.


    “We need to search the area,” Eric said, his voice firm. “She should be close by.”


    Quentin nodded.


    “Understood. Mr. Flynn, let’s stay in contact.”


    “Right.”


    The road ahead was deste, the darkness stretching endlessly. With barely any streetlights, Eric had to rely on his phone’s shlight to cut through the thick shadows.


    “Linda!” His voice echoed into the night. “It’s Eric! If you can hear me, answer me!”


    He trudged forward, his footsteps crunching over the frozen ground. The further he went, the more treacherous the mountain path became. The sleet stung his face, his visibility reduced to almost nothing.


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