Chapter 206
“You know those men aren’t trustworthy. They play nice to her face but slander her in her absence. Do you really want to entrust Hadley to such men?”
Nyla regarded him thoughtfully.
“And why exactly is that bothering you so much?”
“Grandma!”
How could Eric not be anxious?
In their circles, marriages of convenience were the norm. Eric had spent his life witnessing countless marriages that lacked love, held together only for family alliances. He knew that Nyla’s favoritism toward Hadley could attract people who wanted to use her status in the Flynn family for their own gain, not because they genuinely cared for her.
“Enough.” With calm authority, Nyla looked at Eric. “Who is responsible for making Hadley the subject of tonight’s gossip?”
Eric was at a loss for words.
Nyla sighed softly. “Regardless, rumors will circulate, as they always do.”
She continued, “But I am convinced that Srixby must have at least one honorable man who truly values Hadley and accepts her past.”
Her optimism was unwavering.
“You never know,” she added with a smile.
Eric knew that arguing with Nyla was futile for the moment.
Looking around, he asked, “Where’s Hadley now?”
“She’s out mingling,” Nyla replied. “I’ll keep an eye on her, but it’s good for Hadley to meet people on her own. She might just meet the right one.”
Despite Nyla’s hopeful plans, Hadley found them difficult to embrace. Nyla had envisioned Hadley mixing freely with the guests, but after being away from Srixby for so long, Hadley felt out of place at such lavish events.
She grabbed some food and retreated to a secluded corner.
That evening, Hadley was also supposed to give a performance at the party, but she was still processing everything around her.
м๏гє υρ∂คтєร คт gคlภ๏שєlร.ς๏๓
Galant.
Eric had informed Lennon that he would be taking Hadley away, and Lennon had readily consented.
Hadley stared at her plate, muttering, “I can spend some extra time practicing later to burn off the calories. That’s it. I should just eat and stop worrying about gaining weight.”
Then, an unexpected chuckle caught her off guard. Raising her eyes, Hadley stopped mid-bite. “Denver?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” Denver offered a smile, nodding toward Hadley’s plate. “You’re looking great, Hadley. Don’t worry about gaining weight.”
He then gestured toward the adjacent chair. “Is it okay if I join you?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
As Denver took his seat, he noticed the subtle scent of flowers emanating from Hadley.