Chapter 167 Why Are You

Here

Eric frowned. Hadley had been in the restroom too long. A gnawing unease settled in his chest, pushing him to check on her.

Through the door, her voice was sharp, accusing him of something inappropriate with Linda. Then–without hesitation–she tossed the hair tie he’d given her straight into the trash.

He stood there, waiting, half–expecting her to say something. To acknowledge him.

But Hadley didn’t even spare him a glance. She stepped past him like nothing had happened.

As she moved past, he caught her wrist.

His voice was low, edged with tension. “Pick it up.”

“What?” Hadley let out a quiet laugh. “Why would I pick up something I threw away? It is disgusting.”

“Pick it up!” Eric’s voice cut through the air, sharper this time, his gaze locking onto hers with unyielding intensity. “I said, pick it up.”

“Ouch!”

Hadley flinched as his grip tightened around her wrist. She shot him a glare, yanking against his hold. “I won’t! You can’t make me!”

Her eyes burned–fierce, unwavering.

“Trash belongs where it belongs–in the trash!”

Trash?

Eric’s jaw tightened. Had she really just called the hair tie he gave her trash?

His free hand curled into fist at his side, frustration simmering beneath his skin. “That was a gift from me!”

“Ha.”

Hadley let out a sharp laugh, her sneer cutting. “You think it’s appropriate to give us both the same gift? Does Ernest know? That you gave his wife and me the exact same thing?”

She pointed at the trash can, mockery laced in every word. “I tossed it for your sake. Wouldn’t want Ernest catching on to your shady intentions and ruining his recovery, now would we?”

Eric’s fingers tightened around her wrist. Hard.

Hadley sucked in a sharp breath, her wince barely concealed. It felt like he was moments away from crushing

0.0%

O Q

x+

20:44

the bone.

“Shady intentions?”

burned–an unsettling mix of fury and something even colder.

I think. If you don’t want Ernest to lose

couldn’t hold back any longer. She stormed forward, her voice sharp. “Shut

you talk about him like

cheek. But the shock didn’t last long. Her instincts took over -her hand shot

Her voice wavered with disbelief. “You actually hit

cold. “Oh, so it’s fine when you hit me, but I

letting this

seething,

land a blounged at Hadley.

rip clean

fingers tangled into her hair–yanking hard enough

go!” Linda shrieked, tears brimming in

rushed forward, grabbing Hadley’s wrist.

Ernest were

let go. Didn’t even flinch.

his grip, prying Hadley’s

and then let out a low, bitter laugh. “You

“Hadley!”

“What?”

expression clouded with frustration. His eyes

think I’m that

much for you? Or

“Hadley!”

until their eyes locked. His gaze was unreadable, but

24.0%

how you feel, why did you

and turned away. Without sparing Linda a glance,

fingers fumbling to fix her disheveled hair.

stood frozen, the moment replaying in her mind.

sharp exhale, she knocked

acted purely on impulse.

thinking? How could she have let the truth slip so

the illusion was shattered, how was she supposed to keep pretending with Eric?

The usual flowers he

shake the question nagging at the back of her mind–was

didn’t love him. That much was clear. But she needed

couldn’t afford to let this fall apart.

to her, then she’d just have to make the first

fights just weren’t worth it. But that day, frustration had won. She

opened WhatsApp

that she expected one.

performance was the first

stepped out of the studio, it wasn’t

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255