?Chapter 1181:


    If anything had happened to him, she would never have been able to repay the kindness he’d shown them. “Stop talking now. Just rest,” she added.


    “Okay.” Brady nodded weakly and closed his eyes.


    The drugs were still working through his system, and before long, he drifted off again.


    Back in the ward, after making sure he was settled, Hadley stepped out and gently closed the door behind her. Denver was waiting for her outside. She smiled kindly at him and said, “Thank you for everything.” He hadn’t rested the entire night. All because of her.


    “You should go home and get some sleep,” she urged.


    “Hadley.” Denver cut her off, his gaze steady.


    Hadley blinked, surprised by the sudden shift in his tone.


    He frowned, lips pressed tight, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.


    “Is there something you want to say?” Hadley asked, halfughing in confusion. “Why do you look so tense?”


    It was just a casual remark, but Denver’s expression grew more serious. Hadley’s smile faded. “What is it?”


    “Hadley…” Denver’s lips parted slowly, and the words came out with difficulty. “Earlier, in the emergency center… the one they were trying to resuscitate…”


    He paused.


    Hadley frowned, confused. “What about him?”


    Denver looked down, drawing in a long breath before speaking again. “It was Eric.”


    Hadley froze. The name didn’t register right away. “Eric?”


    “Yes.”


    Now that he had said it, the rest came more easily.


    “I don’t know exactly what happened, but when I got to Dresse Town, Brady was already being found and carried down the mountain.”


    Denver gave a brief, straightforward ount of the situation. Then, he added, “I don’t know what kind of connection Eric has with the Scott family, but I’m pretty sure he was the one who found Brady. And whatever injuries he has… they probably happened because of Brady.”


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    Denver’s gaze locked onto Hadley’s face. She didn’t flinch. Not a flicker of emotion showed.


    “Hadley?” he asked, frowning. “Did you hear what I said?”


    Hadley raised an eyebrow, the corners of her lips lifting slightly. “Yes… I heard you.” Her voice was even, almost too calm.


    Denver couldn’t make sense of it.


    Eric was hurt for Brady’s sake, which meant it was for her, too. Shouldn’t that have stirred something? Maybe she really had no feelings left for Eric.


    Denver shook his head. No matter how Hadley felt, some truths pressed too hard on his chest to keep inside any longer. Today, he had toy it all out.


    “And one more thing,” Denver continued. “That time Astrid falsely used you… The reason it was cleared up so quickly was because…” He recounted the conversation he’d overheard between Eric and Cristian in the hospital that day. Word for word.


    His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed. “There was never any eyewitness. That part… that was Eric’s doing.”


    Hadley’s eyes went wide. Her lips parted, but no sound came out.


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