Chapter 636

Chapter 636:

He dialed her number over and over, growing more anxious with each attempt. Still, her phone remained unanswered.

“Hadley! Please pick up the phone!”

Concern etched deeply into Eric’s expression. If he didn’t hear from her soon, contacting the police seemed inevitable.

At the hospital, Joy was now sound asleep, having taken her medication.

Melba whispered, “You look worn out. You haven’t eaten anything since you got here. I’ll stay with Joy; you should grab some food.”

“Okay.” Hadley agreed and grabbed her bag from the bedside table. As she checked her phone, shock overtook her—97 missed calls and more than 99 unread messages! All were from Eric!

Oh no!

She gasped in horror, suddenly recalling their planned date for tonight. “Melba, can you look after Joy for a bit? I need to handle something urgent!”

“Sure, go on.”

Hadley hurried out and dialed Eric’s number. He picked up instantly, his voice a mix of annoyance and worry.

“Hadley? Is that you? Where have you been? Is everything alright?” Caught off guard by his evident concern, Hadley paused before replying, “Yes, I’m fine.”

Relief washed over Eric upon hearing her voice, easing the stress that had built up.

But soon, his feelings shifted to disappointment and frustration. “Why weren’t you here? Was there something—or someone—more important than our date?”

What could be more important than our time together…?

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Of course, Hadley knew that Joy meant more to her than Eric ever could. How could he even compare? But that wasn’t something she could say out loud.

She took a steadying breath, gripping her phone. “Where are you?” Pressing her lips together, she tried to soothe him. “Let’s talk in person, okay?”

On the other end of the line, Eric let out a low, self-mocking chuckle. “Where am I?” he echoed, his tone laced with bitterness. “Take a guess.”

Hadley exhaled softly. She didn’t need to guess—they had already agreed he’d pick her up from the dance studio.

“I understand.” Her brows furrowed slightly. “I’m coming over now. Just wait for me, alright?”

But Eric didn’t reply. The call ended in silence.

Without wasting another second, Hadley grabbed her things and rushed to the studio.

The moment Hadley arrived, her eyes immediately found Eric’s car parked by the curb.

She hurried over, reaching for the passenger door—it wasn’t locked. Without hesitation, she slipped inside.

The warm air from the heater wrapped around her.

Hadley took a deep breath, mentally bracing herself for what was to come.

“Speak.” Eric’s voice cut through the silence, low and sharp. Turning his head, he fixed his piercing gaze on her. “Where were you? And why?”

Hadley faltered, still piecing together how to explain. “Something came up unexpectedly.”

“What kind of thing?” His voice darkened, his frustration evident.

“That can’t possibly be your explanation!”

Hadley hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “It was my housemate… she needed something.”

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