?Chapter 1109:


    But then, unexpectedly, she said, “Still… I think probably yes.” She paused for a beat, and then added softly, “If we had stayed together all this time up until now, I probably would still like you.”


    A hypothetical question answered with a hypothetical answer.


    And just like that, she gently slipped out of Eric’s arms. “I need to go!”


    As Eric watched her walk out the door, he felt like a puppet with its strings cut, losing his bnce and copsing heavily into the chair. Hadley had actually said she would have still liked him if he hadn’t sent her away.


    But there was no if in real life.


    Hadley walked all the way to the entrance before slowing her pace. Her thoughts surged in a whirlwind, crashing and colliding within her mind and chest.


    She could hardly stand it.


    Suddenly, she lifted a trembling hand and pressed it over her eyes. She murmured, “If we had always been together, until now?” Her palm slowly grew damp.


    Tears seeped through the spaces between her fingers. “But there’s no such thing as if…” she whispered.


    Two dayster, the day of Elissa’s surgery arrived.


    Hadley had made all the necessary arrangements at home and arrived at the hospital before dawn to assist with Elissa’s pre-surgery preparations.


    By the time she arrived, Ernest was already there.


    He was seated on the sofa, quiet as ever. Upon seeing her, he gave a subtle nod of acknowledgment.


    “Ernest,” Hadley greeted him politely.


    Without further small talk, she went straight to Elissa’s side to keep herpany.


    Elissa reached out and gently took Hadley’s hand, her voice soft and measured. “Hadley, you came just in time. I have a favor to ask you.”


    “How can I help you?”


    “It’s just that…” Elissa hesitated, and then tilted her head slightly in Ernest’s direction. “Mr. Flynn has done so much to help me. Now that my eyes are finally about to be healed, I want to give him a gift to show my gratitude. Do you happen to know what he likes?”


    The newest releases are at g?lnσν???s


    “A gift for Ernest?” Hadley thought to herself, “You could give him a piece of straw, and he would still like it.”


    She smiled and said aloud, “No need for anything expensive. He’s not short on money. Give him something meaningful. The more heartfelt it is, the happier he will be.”


    “Something meaningful? Let me think.” Elissa frowned, clearly troubled.


    “Don’t worry about that now. Focus on your surgery first.”


    “Oh, alright.”


    Meanwhile, in a luxury hotel suite, Eric was jolted awake by the persistent vibration of his phone.


    His head pounded from the aftermath of a hangover. With a groggy sigh, hezily swiped to answer the call.


    “Hello?” Eric groaned.


    A woman’s unfamiliar voice came through the line. “Mr. Scott, I’m your mother’s caregiver.”


    Eric snapped awake, bolting upright. “What happened to her?”


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