Chapter 478
“Linda!”
Upon realizing the direction her words were heading, Eric’s face drained of color. A cold sweat broke out across his forehead as he quickly cut her off, his hand instinctively reaching behind her.
“Hadley!”
Linda feigned surprise, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Hadley, I didn’t see you there. You leaving already?”
Hadley didn’t respond, walking straight for the door without a word.
“Are you coming with me or not? If not, I’ll just call a ride.”
She pulled out her phone, fingers tapping swiftly as she tried to find herself an Uber. Her tone was clearly directed at Eric.
“Coming!”
Eric rushed after her, catching her arm. “No need for a car. I’ll drive you.”
He could only guess she’d overheard Linda’s words again.
Eric rubbed his brow, frustration creeping in. “I honestly don’t know why she said that…”
“Who?”
Hadley’s frown deepened, her irritation clear.
“Is that about your sister-in-law? If it is, don’t bother. Her name alone irritates me.”
With that, Hadley shook him off and started toward the door.
“Don’t!” Eric quickly grabbed her arm. “I won’t bring her up again!”
He knew they’d never gotten along, but he hadn’t realized just how much Hadley disliked her.
Fearing she might leave, he held on tighter. “Come with me to the garage. We’ll leave from there.”
Hadley didn’t answer, but she allowed him to pull her toward the garage and into the car.
She remained silent the entire way out of Flynn Mansion, her face locked in a stern expression.
As the car approached the dance studio, Hadley suddenly broke the silence. “Pull over up ahead. We need to talk.”
“Alright.”
Eric flicked his gaze toward her, sensing the weight in her voice. Without hesitation, he nodded and steered the car to a gentle stop by the roadside. Shifting slightly in his seat, he studied her with cautious curiosity.
“What’s on your mind?”
Was she having second thoughts?
A flicker of doubt crossed Hadley’s face before she finally spoke. “You told your grandmother about us way too soon. That wasn’t the right call.”
Eric’s jaw tightened, his confidence faltering for a moment.
“Why not?” His voice was steady, but a hint of defensiveness crept in. “We’ve already made our choice, haven’t we? It’s only natural that our families would find out eventually.”
Hadley met his gaze, her expression firm. “That’s not necessarily how it works.” Hadley’s lips curled into a faint smile, laced with a hint of mockery. “If you’d kept quiet, we might’ve broken up without her ever knowing.”
Broken up?
Eric’s stomach twisted. This was getting out of hand.