Chapter 328
“Thank you, Hadley. I truly appreciate it. Actually, I love it.”
“Let’s not jump ahead,” Hadley playfully teased, with a knowing smile. “You haven’t even looked at it yet.”
“I don’t have to,” Denver responded with a broad smile. “I’d treasure it even if it were just a stone, simply because it came from you.” For Denver, anything made by Hadley held deep significance. Amid the quiet murmurs, a cough broke the silence, drawing awkward glances from the crowd.
The scene had taken an unexpected turn. It was meant to be a birthday celebration, yet here they were, bystanders to an intimate moment.
Eric looked away, his thoughts wandering.
A handmade shirt?
He dimly recalled that Hadley had once sewn clothing. Had she given him a shirt as well?
Was he remembering correctly?
Later that evening, Eric found himself at the Flynn Mansion, delving deep into his wardrobe. After a lengthy search, he found nothing resembling a handmade shirt.
Had he been mistaken about receiving one from Hadley?
That seemed unlikely.
Determined, Eric continued his search, unwilling to admit he might be wrong.
Eric finally found a cardboard box tucked away in the corner of his closet. Inside, a shirt was neatly wrapped, unmistakably handmade, not something from the high-end tailors the Flynn family usually patronized.
This must be the shirt Hadley made for him.
He closed his eyes, straining to recall the exact moment she had given it to him.
Was it a birthday or perhaps his graduation?
Time had eroded the details; he had scarcely acknowledged the gift then. How could he possibly recall it accurately now?
Sitting on the floor, Eric clutched the shirt, overwhelmed by regret.
At one point, he truly possessed Hadley’s heartfelt affection…
He had always been aware of it…
Yet, acknowledging such feelings and confronting their tangible proof were entirely different experiences.
Now, he faced the remains of that vibrant love she once had just for him, alongside the painful reality that she had moved on and was pouring her heart out for another man.
The following morning, Eric walked into his office. After wrapping up the initial meeting, he reviewed several reports before calling Phillips into his office.
“Mr. Flynn, do you need something?”
“Yes,” Eric responded affirmatively, handing over a stack of documents. “Remove the Clifford family from our prospective partner list. We won’t be needing their collaboration any longer.”
Phillips hesitated, a look of confusion crossing his face. Had the Cliffords somehow crossed Eric?
“Understood,” he replied, choosing not to probe further. It was clear Eric held some deep-seated resentment.