?Chapter 897:


    At the time, that had been her n. Back then, Joy had a chance at surgery…


    Back when she still had hope that all her efforts would pay off.


    “Hadley…”


    Denver’s grip tightened, his eyes red and glistening.


    Hadley knew he must be consumed with remorse.


    “You should have told me,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “If I had known… things could’ve been different.” He would have been there for her.


    In fact, he would’ve had a bigger reason to be with her.


    He wasn’t someone held back by outdated beliefs about raising another man’s child. He loved Hadley—he would’ve epted Joy as his own.


    Hadley said nothing.


    She had known that. Deep down, she’d believed it. And that was exactly why she had decided to tell him the truth back then.


    But now… there was no point in saying it.


    She gently slipped her hand free. “It’s all in the past, Denver. There’s no use digging it up again. It won’t change anything.”


    “How can you say that?” His voice rose slightly, pain breaking through his calm. “You’re not with Eric anymore. You’re single—I can pursue you now.”


    Hadley’s heart gave a small tremble, not from hope, but from the ache of having to hurt him.


    “Hadley,” he pressed, “you thought about epting me once. You can do it again.”


    She met his gaze squarely. “It’s not the same.”


    There was no hesitation in her voice.


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    “Back then, Joy had a chance. Now…” she paused, choosing her words carefully. “If her condition doesn’t improve, I may need another child to save her.”


    Denver paled.


    He understood what she meant.


    Another child—with Eric.


    “But… but there are other ways,” he argued,shes trembling. “IVF, for example—I—”


    “I know.”


    She didn’t argue. Sinceing clean with Eric, she’d considered every option. But that didn’t change what she had to say. “Even so, I can’t ept you.”


    If it came to that—if she had another child with Eric and then tried to be with Denver afterward…


    No, it simply wouldn’t be fair to him.


    There was no way she could do that to him.


    “I don’t care!” His voice trembled with urgency. “Life is short. I just want to spend it with the person I love!”


    “But I care.” Hadley’s eyes shimmered with emotion.


    Her heart ached—for his sincerity, for the pain she was about to cause. “We can’t be together, Denver. That’s why I came today—to make things clear.”


    He wasn’t ready to let go.


    “But you and Eric… you haven’t gotten back together, have you?”


    Maybe there was still a chance. Who could say what the future held?


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