Chapter 296

Chapter 296:

Settling onto the sofa, Hadley’s eyes inadvertently fell on a brown paper bag resting on the coffee table. It looked strikingly similar to one she’d seen earlier with Linda. Could this be the same?

“Do you recognize the scent?” Eric, having completed his tasks, approached and gestured toward the bag. “Feel free to open it.”

With a slight frown, Hadley hesitated, making no move toward the bag.

Eric anticipated her reaction. “Worried I might be trying something? Don’t be. It’s a treat you’ll enjoy.”

When he opened the paper bag for her, the sweet, tangy scent of candied hawthorns wafted through the room.

Sure enough, it was the same treat Linda had shown earlier.

“Don’t just look,” Eric said, offering her the bag. “Have one. They used to be a favorite of yours.”

Hadley’s expression shifted as she tried to recall. Had she really enjoyed candied hawthorns in his presence before?

Reading her hesitation, Eric continued, “You’ve always had a thing for sweet and sour treats, right? These are just the right mix. I thought of you when I saw them, so I got them just for you.”

For her? Really?

Silence fell over Hadley as she processed his words. Deep inside, she suspected these weren’t really for her. She had seen Linda with the very same treats just earlier. Without that encounter, maybe she would have believed Eric’s words that these were for her. After all, she knew Eric himself had never cared for sweet-and-sour snacks.

So, those were for Linda. He really went out of his way for her, didn’t he?

Even with something as small as a snack, he made sure she had it.

“Why aren’t you eating?” Eric asked after a while, noticing she hadn’t taken any.

“I’ll try them later,” Hadley replied, taking the bag from him and placing it on the table. She felt a slight tremor in her fingers. “You seemed urgent on the phone—what’s up?”

𝕍𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕕 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕖: gⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⧿ⅽ𝗈𝗺

“Oh, right,” Eric said, smacking his forehead as if just recalling the reason. “That’s why I brought you here.”

He stood and motioned for her to follow. “Let’s go; I have something to show you.”

He picked up his suit jacket and grabbed his car keys. “I’ll explain on the way. Also—” With a nod toward the bag on the table, he added, “Take those with you. You can eat them in the car.”

“Alright.”

Descending in the private elevator to the underground parking, they made their way to Eric’s car. He ignited the engine and navigated onto the street.

“Hadley,” Eric said, his eyes meeting hers in the rearview mirror with a measured look. “We’re headed to the hospital. My brother—he’s woken up. I want you to see him.”

Hadley’s expression shifted to one of surprise—a partial performance, as the shock wasn’t entirely feigned.

Despite already knowing, the reality hit hard, and tears welled up in her eyes again.

“Ernest is awake?” she asked, voice trembling.

“Yes,” Eric confirmed, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. “He woke up a few days ago. I didn’t inform you immediately since you were out of town,” he explained.

“That’s wonderful,” Hadley murmured, her hands clenched in her lap, moisture forming on her palms.

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