?Chapter 1523:


    Eric grinned. “Yeah, I can see it.”


    Hadley’s curiosity only grew. “Let’s check it out. I want to know what’s making it shine.”


    As Hadley narrowed the distance, her vision cleared—a mysterious object dangled from a low-hanging branch.


    Her fingertips brushed against Eric’s forearm. “It’s beyond my reach… Can you assist me in retrieving it?”


    “Of course.”


    A yful smile spread across Eric’s face as he nodded, his hands finding Hadley’s waist with unexpected confidence before lifting her upward in one fluid motion.


    “Ah!” The sound escaped Hadley’s throat—a startled exmation, a mix of amusement and irritation. “I intended for you to extend your arm and retrieve it, not elevate my body from the ground!”


    “I am fulfilling your request to the letter,” Eric countered, one eyebrow arching with deliberate mischief. “Does this not constitute assistance by definition?”


    A flicker of confusion crossed Hadley’s features. Had her instructions truly been so imprecise, or was he deliberately misinterpreting her words?


    “Make haste!” Eric adjusted his grip, lifting her slightly higher with a small upward thrust. “Wasn’t your express intention to acquire that mysterious object? To satisfy your curiosity?”


    Reality reimed Hadley’s focus as her arm stretched toward the target. Her fingers closed around the gleaming object and dislodged it with minimal effort.


    “What is it?”<fn20ed> Th?s chapter is updated by find{n}ovel</fn20ed>


    Eric maintained his steady hold, his arms forming a surprisinglyfortable cradle around her.


    “Here.” Hadley presented her findings at eye level between them. “It appears to be a rose. However…”


    New updates in gα?ησν???s?c?m


    Bewilderment etched itself across her face. “A miniature light has been fastened to its stem, and the entire arrangement has been suspended deliberately from that branch. What possible purpose could this serve?”


    “Beats me,” Eric replied, his shoulders rising in a gesture of genuine confusion that mirrored her own.


    “Such peculiar circumstances…” Hadley murmured, her fingers still curled around the stem of the rose. She had begun to turn away when a flicker of light at the edge of her vision arrested her movement.


    “Look! Another light over there!” Hadley eximed.


    “You’re right, there is,” Eric confirmed.


    This time, Eric spotted it before Hadley even pointed. He took her hand. “Come on. Let’s go see.”


    They made their way into a small grove of trees.


    Just as before, something dangled from a tree branch.


    Hadley shot Eric a look, and he took the cue, attempting to slip an arm around her waist—only to have her swat him away yfully.


    “Your incorrigible nature exceeds all reasonable boundaries—are you aware of this?” Hadley rolled her eyes, a mixture of annoyance and amusement on her face. “Just hurry up and get it down!”


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