?Chapter 1360:


    Ernest’s eyes twinkled as he chuckled, teasing, “You sly fox.”


    No wonder Eric’s heart seemed so light.


    The door swung open, and Hadley stepped inside, her face lighting up with a gentle smile.


    “Ernest?” she said, her voice warm. “You’re here for Eric?”


    “Indeed,” Ernest replied with a nod, his gaze drifting past her. “Where is little Joy?”


    “She is tucked away in the next room,” Hadley said softly. “She wore herself out ying and dozed off, so I carried her over.”


    “I see,” Ernest said, a fond smile tugging at his lips. “I won’t disturb her rest, then. Please tell her I stopped by. Oh, and…”


    His expression shifted as he shared some news. “Grandma is awake.”


    “How is she?” Hadley asked, her voice tinged with concern.


    “Is Grandma okay?” Eric chimed in at the same time, their words ovepping.


    They exchanged a quick nce, a flicker of sheepishness passing between them. The whirlwind of recent days had pulled their attention away from this matter, and the guilt was evident.


    Ernest, sensing their worry, offered a reassuring smile.


    “Grandma has been moved to a regr ward. She is still fragile and needs to stay in the hospital to recover—she’s not ready to go home yet. Don’t fret; she’ll understand what you’ve both been through. Her recovery will take time and care. Visit when you can, but for now, I’ve got everything under control.”


    With that, he rose and turned to Eric. “Focus on healing, and take care of yourself. I’ll swing by again soon.”


    “Take care, Ernest,” Eric said warmly.


    Hadley stood to walk him out.


    At the elevator, Ernest paused, his expression softening. “Hadley, how is Elissa holding up these days?”


    Hadley blinked, caught off guard, but her faint smile held steady. “Wouldn’t you rather find out for yourself?”<fn256a> ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn256a>


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    Ernest’s brow furrowed, and he sighed. “She is not picking up my calls.”


    “Then go to her.” Hadley urged, raising an eyebrow. “Even if you two decide to part ways, you owe each other a proper conversation, don’t you think? Leaving things hanging isn’t fair to either of you.”


    “Hmm,” Ernest murmured, nodding slowly, his voice quiet. He hadn’t meant for things to unravel this way. “She is not staying with you?” he asked.


    “No,” Hadley replied, shaking her head. “Elissa is fiercely independent. She would only lean on others if she had absolutely no other choice.”


    “I see. Alright, you should head back to Eric,” Ernest said, stepping into the elevator.


    Meanwhile, Elissa was sorting through her belongings, packing her life into boxes. The past few days had been spent scouring for a new ce to call home.


    Since she was no longer Locke’s governess, lingering here wasn’t an option. Finding the right apartment, however, was proving to be a challenge. The rents were either sky-high or the ces were barely habitable.


    Her stomach growled, pulling her from her thoughts. Rummaging through the cupboard, she found a pack of ramen—simple, but it would do for dinner. She filled a pot with water and set it on the stove, the me flickering to life.


    Just as the water began to warm, the doorbell chimed.


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