?Chapter 1378:


    “Got it. Go sit down and wait.”


    “Oh. Okay.”


    With only one hand to use, Eric moved slowly.


    Hadley’s curiosity kept her rooted in ce. She wasn’t even that hungry anymore; she rested her chin on her hand and waited in silence.


    Half an hourter, Eric ced a bowl of steaming soup in front of her.


    He smiled. “Now dig in. Careful—it’s hot.”


    “Okay.”


    Hadley adjusted the bowl, lifted a spoon, and took a small sip.


    “Well?” Eric leaned in a little, his voice tentative.


    Hadley nced up. Her brows lifted as she gave him a thumbs-up. “It’s really good.”


    “Right?” Eric let out a breath, pulled the chair beside her, and sat down. “Haven’t made that in years. Lucky I still remember how.”


    Hadley paused. That caught her off guard.


    What kind of life did he have before he joined the Flynn family?<fnfa68> This text is hosted at ?ovelFind</fnfa68>


    Then she heard his voice. “I used to…”


    Just as if he had read Hadley’s thoughts, Eric abruptly steered the conversation toward his past.


    With a wistful smile, he revealed, “You know, before joining the Flynn family… I had to depend entirely on myself for survival.”


    After fleeing the Scott family, his life had unfolded in harsh fragments of struggle. As a mere child, barely a few years old, he had escaped the Scott family only to fall into the clutches of traffickers right after.


    “As I grew older and they still couldn’t find a buyer…” Eric’s lips curved into a faint smile as he recounted his history with unsettling casualness. “They kept me around to help cover their operations. I ended up also handling chores likeundry and cooking. Eventually, I mastered it all…”


    Those years had carved hardship into his soul. Until Linda and Ernest entered his life.


    “The three of us supported each other, clinging to one another just to survive.”


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    Eventually, they had wed their way out of that nightmare together… Aware of Hadley’s aversion to Linda, Eric stopped there and deliberately left the details vague.


    Hadley lowered her gaze, piecing together the unspoken parts as she silently continued her meal.


    She consumed the steaming soup spoonful by spoonful, perspiration beading across her forehead and the tip of her nose.


    “Take your time,” Eric murmured, his expression softening as he pulled out a napkin to dab at her face.


    “I can manage.” Hadley took the napkin, wiping her nose and mouth before asking, “You escaped from your family and Ernest was kidnapped from his, but what about Linda? Does she have anyone?”


    Eric paused, but then shook his head. “No.”


    “How is that possible?” Confusion furrowed Hadley’s brow. “She must havee from somewhere, right?”


    “Perhaps…” Eric exhaled deeply. “Both Ernest and I questioned her, but she imed she was too young to remember when she was taken from her family.”


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