?Chapter 2943:


    The hospital room descended into a heavy silence.


    Eric stood uneasily, his head lowered as he looked toward Hadley, forcing a strained smile edged with nervousness.


    “Hadley…”


    The more he attempted tough, the deeper his unease grew.


    Hadley’s gaze shifted faintly, her eyes locking on him as though she were searching for confirmation of her suspicions. “Are you truly alright? Nothing happened at all?” she asked quietly.


    “Yes! I’mpletely fine!” Eric nodded over and over, insisting, “You don’t believe me? Then look…”


    He stretched his arms and legs exaggeratedly, shifting about as he said, “See? I’m perfectly fine. Nothing happened to me. Isn’t that right?”


    Yes—at least, that was what he wanted her to believe.


    Hadley held her silence, her expression unreadable. But she saw the truth clearly in front of her. A soft, bitter scoff slipped from her lips.


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    “So, all this time, you were lying to me?”


    Her voice remained soft, yet the sharp questioning tone carried a weight of deep dissatisfaction.


    Oh, no!


    Eric’s body went rigid instantly, every nerve taut with nervous tension. He blurted out in a panic, “I messed up! It’s all my fault!”


    The admission tumbled from his lips with desperate swiftness.


    Hadley was far from satisfied and demanded coldly, “Is this supposed to be some kind of joke to you?”


    Eric’s behavior seemed senseless, without reason or restraint. She bit down on her lip in frustration, snapping, “Ernest was right—you’re insane!”


    “It’s not a joke! I really did screw everything up!” Eric epted every usation without resistance. “It’s my fault! You’re absolutely right! I am exactly who you think I am.”


    His attitude was disarmingly submissive, almost eager to amodate her anger.


    Then, almost under his breath, he murmured, “I only wanted to know if you still care about me…”


    What?


    Hadley caught every word, and her expression hardened, growing colder still. Was that truly all it came down to?


    “You…”


    Hadley fixed her gaze on Eric, intending tosh him with harsh words, but as she parted her lips… she found she could not summon the strength to do so.


    Instead, she lifted a hand to her temple, pressing gently as if to ease the ache there.


    She had been far too worried about Eric earlier—from the moment she received the news, to her frantic return to Srixby, and finally the rush to the hospital—her nerves had been stretched taut the entire way.


    Now, as the tension finally ebbed, a dull throbbing pain pulsed in her head.


    “Hadley?” Eric startled, reaching toward her in rm and asking, “What’s wrong with you?”


    Hadley frowned faintly, shaking her head as she answered, “Nothing—don’t trouble yourself.”


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