?Chapter 1230:


    “Eric’s such a loyal lover. Is it too much to hope they’ll get back together?”


    “Please! Get back together! You guys belong together!”


    The smear campaign had copsed in real time, transforming Hadley’s imagepletely.


    Elissa exhaled, still stunned. “Wow. That was too close. This whole thing feels surreal.”


    Hadley murmured, “Like waking up from a strange dream…”


    A few dayster, Joy was napping peacefully in the inner room. Hadley slipped out quietly and was brushing her hair in the outer room when a knock came at the door.


    Not wanting to wake Joy, she opened it softly.


    Standing there was Denver—someone she hadn’t seen in days.


    “Denver,” she greeted him with a faint smile. “You’re back? Come in.”


    She stepped aside, and he entered, settling on the sofa. “Can I get you something to drink?”


    He shook his head. “No, thanks.” His tone was unusually serious.


    “Hadley, sit. I need to say something.”


    She sat down slowly. “Okay. What is it?”


    Denver was quiet for a moment before he finally spoke. “I just heard what happened. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.” He was talking about the scandal.


    Hadley blinked in surprise, but then gave a gentleugh. “You don’t need to apologize. It’s over now.”


    “I know.” His smile was strained, his eyes shadowed with regret. “But when you needed someone, I wasn’t there.”


    She tensed. “Don’t say that.”


    “Let me finish,” he said softly. “I used to think the only reason we couldn’t be together was because of my parents. But they’re not in the way anymore. And even then… when it really mattered, I still didn’t show up.”


    He looked down, a self-deprecating edge to his voice. “I get it now. The problem’s me.”


    Your next chapter awaits at galnσ????????


    Denver let out a low chuckle, the soundced with self-mockery.


    “I always thought I was good to you. But the truth is, when you needed someone the most, I was never around. Sometimes, I was gone. Other times, I just couldn’t do anything to help.”


    “Denver!” Hadley cut in, startled by his words. “Stop saying that. It’s not your fault. What happened to me wasn’t your responsibility, and you weren’t supposed to fix it.”


    “Exactly,” Denver nodded, his eyes locked on her. “It wasn’t my responsibility. None of it was.”


    Hisugh came again, quiet and hollow, like he already knew what came next.


    “Hadley, let me ask you something. When you were struggling, did you ever think ofing to me?”


    Hadley froze. She had no answer.


    “You didn’t, did you?” Denver forced a bitter smile. “When things got hard, I wasn’t even a thought in your mind. So, what does that say?”


    It was a truth he couldn’t avoid any longer.


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