Chapter 361
“Ms. Nicolson,” Eric greeted her with a polite, almost disarming smile. “I apologize for showing up unannounced and disrupting your day.”
Blanche furrowed her brow. “Mr. Flynn, what’s the reason for this visit? Please, get to the point.”
“Of course.” Eric wasted no time with pleasantries, diving straight into the matter. “I’ve come to offer an apology on Hadley’s behalf. She’s young—still learning—and, unfortunately, made an error by breaking the troupe’s rules. I’m asking, if possible, for your forgiveness and for another chance to be given.”
And there it was.
Blanche’s heart skipped a beat. So, this was the true reason behind Eric’s sudden involvement—he wasn’t just helping her husband out of the goodness of his heart after all. Should she agree, or should she refuse?
Her husband had already accepted the offer.
If she turned Eric down now, could she convince her husband to reject the Flynn family’s help?
Realistically, she knew he wouldn’t. Worse, that might even create a rift between them.
It was clear—money had a way of smoothing over everything.
Even someone as proud as Blanche had no choice but to bend. With a long, resigned sigh, she met Eric’s gaze.
“With you putting it that way, how could I possibly refuse?”
“Oh, please.”
Eric’s smile remained unchanged—polite, but distant.
“I need you to truly accept Hadley. She’ll be under your guidance, and I need your word that you’ll take care of her.”
If Blanche merely pretended to comply while secretly making things difficult for Hadley, it would only end up harming her.
Blanche took a deep breath, weighing her decision carefully. “Rest assured, Mr. Flynn. If I agree to take Hadley back, my personal feelings won’t interfere with her progress.”
She wasn’t the type to let emotions cloud her judgment.
“Do you trust me?”
“I do.” Eric nodded without hesitation.
Whether he truly believed her or not didn’t matter—he had to maintain the proper stance, especially for Hadley’s sake.
“How could I not trust you?” he said smoothly. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have placed Hadley in your hands.”
After a brief, thoughtful pause, he added, “But I need to ask you one more thing.”
“What is it?” Blanche responded, her curiosity piqued.
“Hadley isn’t aware of any of this,” Eric said, his voice steady. “I’d prefer it stays that way. I don’t want anything to interfere with her focus or her mood.”
There was no need for Hadley to get tangled in this mess.
All she needed was to focus on what she loved—dancing.
Blanche was taken aback. This man had gone to such lengths for Hadley, yet he chose to keep everything in the shadows?
Was he not planning to claim any credit?