?Chapter 2854:


    “Eric?” Cupping her hands around her mouth, she called, “Eric! Can you hear me? It’s me—Hadley! Eric!”


    She moved forward, her voice swallowed by the heavy silence.


    No reply.


    The quiet gnawed at her nerves.


    “Calm down,” she whispered, licking her dry lips.


    “Just… calm down.”


    She forced her racing thoughts to settle. After a moment, she turned away from the direction she’d fallen and kept searching.


    “Eric! Eric!”


    “Hadley?”


    She froze, every sense sharpening. That voice—


    “Hadley… is that you? Hadley!”


    It was him.


    Her breath hitched, her pulse pounding.


    “Eric!” she shouted, her voice cracking.


    “It’s me! Hadley! Where are you?”


    “I’m here!”


    “Again! Call again!”


    “Hadley! I’m here! Hadley!”


    She followed the sound, stumbling as she shoved past branches that wed at her clothes and snagged her hair. And then—atst—she saw him.


    Amid the thick summer greenery, Ericy sprawled on his back, staring up at the sky.


    “Hadley!” A weak grin tugged at his lips the moment their eyes met.


    “Here!”


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    “Eric!” Relief crashed through her so hard her chest tightened, her nose stinging as tears threatened. She ran to him.


    Dropping to her knees, she wrapped her arms around him.


    Her heart hammered as she whispered, “Thank God… thank God you’re alive…”


    “I’m tough, aren’t I?” Eric let out a faint chuckle, his tone light, almost teasing.


    “I could’ve been dead.”


    Hadley jerked her head up, eyes zing.


    “Don’t say that!” she scolded, her tone sharpened by fear, Hadley snapped, “It’s not funny!”


    Eric’s grin faded, and he looked sheepish.


    “I was just kidding,” he murmured.


    “Is that something to joke about?” Hadley shot back, hershes trembling.


    “Joy is still missing. And if something happened to you too…”


    Her voice faltered, breaking as a lump rose in her throat.


    She pulled away from him abruptly, turning her back.


    “Hadley!” Panic flickered in Eric’s voice as guilt washed over him.


    “I’m sorry. My bad, alright? I didn’t mean it!”


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