Chapter 63
Chapter 63:
“Grandma, I need to hang up now.”
Eric quickly ended the call as he arrived at the emergency room to pick up Hadley.
He yanked the curtain aside, only to stop dead in his tracks. The bed was empty. Hadley had disappeared.
“Where did she go?” Eric asked the nurse.
The nurse appeared confused. “She mentioned she’d wait outside. Didn’t you run into her?”
Eric’s smile held no warmth.
“If I had seen her, do you think I would be asking?” Eric thought to himself.
His expression hardened, and his jaw tightened. “She was a patient! And you allowed her to leave? If anything happens to her, it’s on this hospital!”
“Sir,” the nurse said, her eyes brimming with tears.
Frustrated, Eric left in a hurry, dialing Hadley’s number as he stormed out.
She didn’t answer.
Could she be upset, deliberately ignoring his calls? Or perhaps she had collapsed again and couldn’t respond?
Perplexed, Eric decided to drive back to Silver Villas to see if Hadley had returned there.
During the drive, he called Phillips.
“Mr. Flynn, how can I assist?”
“Check for any incidents in Kingsbridge today.”
Phillips responded promptly, “There’s no need to check. I’m aware of the situation. The overpass near Kingsbridge collapsed earlier today. Rescue teams are still managing the aftermath as we speak.”
That explained the situation.
Eric shut his eyes, feeling a wave of remorse. Hadley hadn’t been deceptive. She truly had been stuck in Kingsbridge today! Then how did she manage to reach the courthouse?
He recalled his own harsh words—”You’d better be on your way, even if it means crawling here!”
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Visions of her outside the courthouse, wet and muddy, flashed through his mind. Had she taken his words literally and crawled to the courthouse?
At that moment, Eric’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his jaw clenched. He didn’t like her, but he had never meant to be so harsh with her.
Accelerating, he pushed the car faster.
Upon arriving at Silver Villas, the living room was dim, creating an almost eerie atmosphere. Eric entered swiftly.
The sofa was empty. Had Hadley not returned? Where else could she be?
Then, footsteps resonated. Glancing up, Eric saw Hadley, dressed in clean clothes, stepping out of the bathroom. She had obviously just showered.
She was here after all. What a relief!
Eric exhaled, though his face still held a stern expression as he spoke sharply. “Hadley, do you think this is a game? Leaving without a word? Making me look for you everywhere?”