Chapter 310
Eric released a dry chuckle, a slight twitch in his jaw betraying the turmoil of emotions—anger intertwined with sadness—that clouded his mind.
He was caught in a whirlwind of conflicting feelings.
“What does this even mean?”
In a moment of frustration, Eric tugged at his tie, accidentally grazing the bruise on his jaw and grimacing from the sharp pain.
That pang of discomfort deepened his sense of defeat. Indeed, Eric had inflicted pain on Denver, but it was clear that Denver had returned the favor, wounding him just as deeply.
To Hadley, Denver now appeared to be her entire world. It was as though Eric was invisible to her.
Had her connection with Denver been established so quickly? Was her affection that deep already? Did she truly understand who Denver was or if he could be trusted? How had she fallen for him so readily?
“Hadley! You better not come back to me with regrets!”
As Eric slid back into his car, his eyes caught a package resting on the passenger seat. It was the bag of candied hawthorns he’d purchased for Hadley.
She hadn’t bothered to take them with her.
With a bitter laugh, Eric scoffed emptily.
Why would she value his gifts if she had no regard for him?
Eric resolved to dispose of the treats he’d purchased for her, seeing as she showed no interest.
With a swift movement, he grabbed the package and tossed it into the nearest trash bin.
To Eric, it seemed his affections for Hadley were as worthless as trash to her.
He pressed the accelerator hard and drove off into the darkness of the night.
As he drove past Mayfield Road, Eric glimpsed Hadley climbing into Denver’s car.
Since Denver stubbornly refused to go to the hospital, Hadley had no choice but to stop by the pharmacy, pick up some medicine, and tend to his injuries herself.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, still uneasy. “If you hurt something internally, it could be serious.”
“I’m fine,” Denver said with a grin—though with the bandage on the corner of his mouth, the expression looked more ridiculous than reassuring. He hesitated for a beat before adding, “I couldn’t beat Eric in a fight… Does that make me useless?”
Hadley blinked, momentarily thrown off. Then—she laughed. Hard. “What kind of ridiculous logic is that?” she teased, shaking her head. “Since when is fighting the measure of a great man?” So… that wasn’t it?
Denver pressed his lips together, barely suppressing a chuckle. “Relax, I was just messing with you. No need to get philosophical.” Hadley let out a soft sigh, but the weight in her chest remained. “I think I said too much back there without thinking. Denver, I…”
“I know,” Denver cut in before she could finish. “I know you don’t actually like me. And that’s okay—I never let myself believe otherwise.” He met her gaze with quiet understanding, as if he had already made peace with the truth long before this moment.
“But I do owe you an apology,” he continued. “I acted without your permission. That wasn’t my call to make. I hope you’re not upset.” Upset? How could she be?