?Chapter 1278:

    “Hadley!” Eric called out as he caught up to her.

    She was stopped by a hand gripping her arm. She sighed, her eyes falling closed for a moment before turning around to face him. Her expression was one of irritation, and her clenched jaw showed just how much she was holding back.

    “Haven’t you caused me enough trouble already? First, there was Linda, and then her crazy fan! Everything about today has pushed me to my limit!”

    Eric looked at her, his brow furrowed, clearly taken aback.

    “That incident with the fan is somehow my fault too?”

    “You think it isn’t?” Hadley gave a smallugh, though itcked warmth. Her eyes were sharp and piercing. “Didn’t you hear what she screamed at me? She said I stole Linda’s spotlight and her man.” Sheughed again, this time with less restraint.

    “I’ve had enough—enough of Linda’s name being brought up around me. She clings like a shadow I can never shake off. She’s always in my face, and you… you were the biggest tie that connected us.” Her eyes locked onto his, her voice tight with restrained fury. “I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted you gone.”

    The following morning,

    Hadley was roused from sleep by the sound of her phone ringing. She hadn’t nned anything for the day and had allowed herself to sleep in.

    She reached for the phone, eyes still adjusting, and saw that it was a call from andline.

    “Hello?” She answered the call, puzzled. “Who’s calling?”

    “Is this Hadley Pearson?”

    “Yes, speaking.”

    “This is the Srixby Police Department. There was an incident involving a public disturbance, and your name came up. We’d like to ask you a few questions. When would be a convenient time for you toe in?”

    A disturbance?

    Hadley thought of the incident from the previous day, the one where Linda’s fan had caused a scene during filming.

    “I understand,” she replied calmly.

    Your imagination takes flight on g?lnσν???s

    After ending the call, she stared at the screen for a moment, her brows drawing together in thought before she tapped in another number.

    “Hadley,” Eric answered quickly. “I thought you had no schedule today. You’re already awake?”

    “I need to ask you something,” Hadley said tly, uninterested in casual conversation. “Did you arrange for that fan of Linda’s to be turned in to the police yesterday?”

    “The police reached out to you because of her?” Eric responded as though he had already anticipated it. “There’s no need for you to get involved. I’ll take care of it. She sshed you with water and shouted offensive things. If anything, it’s only right that the police speak with her.”

    “You’re sure it’s not because she offended you?” Hadley let out a shortugh, her tone filled with sarcasm. “I said Linda was like a shadow I couldn’t get rid of, and that made you upset. So now you’re targeting her fan as a way to vent?”

    “Is that really what you think?” Eric’s voice lowered, the frustration in it harder to ignore. “Why do you always twist my intentions into something they’re not?”

    Then, without giving her time to respond, he asked, “Do you actually believe I’m not doing this for your sake, or are you simply unwilling to ept that I am, so you refuse to acknowledge it altogether?”

    The question hit her unexpectedly.

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