?Chapter 1329:


    Hadley didn’t press further. The intricacies of business were beyond her, leaving her with a pang of helplessness, unable to lend a hand.


    “Alright, drive safely,” she said.


    “Will do.” Brady nodded, stepping out.


    As Hadley closed the door, she returned to the living room and noticed Elissa clutching her phone, which buzzed insistently, yet she made no move to answer.


    “Elissa?” Hadley nced at the caller ID—Ernest, as expected.


    “Not picking up?” she asked gently.


    “No,” Elissa murmured, setting the phone down, her face clouded with a mix of confusion and sorrow. “You saw what happened today. Even if I trust Ernest and open my heart to him, N will never ept me.” It was true—N’s health had crumbled under the weight of the situation, a stark reminder of the immense familial pressures at y.


    Hadley’s brows knitted together, but words eluded her.


    Elissa drew a shaky breath, forcing a bittersweet smile. “It’s wiser to cut things off before they truly take root. It’s the kinder path for both of us.”


    She didn’t dare confess that, over the past few days, a tender seed of affection had begun to sprout in her heart. But now, that budding affection was withered.


    The hour grewte, and the two women tidied up inpanionable silence before retiring to bed.


    The night slipped by quietly, untouched by any disturbance.


    Before the first light of dawn, Hadley rose from bed—she needed to be on set early that morning.


    As she stepped out of the apartment, a shadowy figure lurking by the door startled her. “Who’s there?” Hadley demanded, fumbling for her phone and flicking on the shlight.


    “Identify yourself!” she added, her hand instinctively reaching for the brick tucked in her bag—a precaution she kept for safety.


    “It’s me! Just me!”


    The familiar voice halted Hadley, and as the faint beam of light illuminated the figure, recognition dawned.


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    “Noreen?” Hadley’s brow furrowed in suspicion. “What are you doing skulking out here?”


    Noreen, catching the wariness in Hadley’s eyes, quickly stepped back, raising her hands in a cating gesture. “Please, don’t worry—I’m not here to stir trouble! Look, I’ll keep my distance and my voice low. I know Joy’s inside.”


    Hadley’s guard only heightened.


    When had Noreen, of all people, ever been so cautious, almost… groveling?


    “What’s this about? Out with it!” Hadley pressed, her frown deepening.


    “It’s our supermarket,” Noreen began, her words tumbling out. She exined that a critical batch of seafood supplies had gone awry, threatening the supermarket’s partnerships with numerous restaurants and businesses.


    If this gap remained unfilled, it could lead to considerable losses on both sides.


    “With such a tremendous loss…” Noreen said, her face etched with worry. “We could be forced to shutter several chain stores.”


    That was only the start. The blow to their reputation was already spurring partners to consider severing ties.


    “It’s a massive problem, and we’re out of options,” Noreen remarked, her eyes brimming with desperation. “After racking my brain, I had no choice but toe to you for help.”


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