Hadley Pearson once dreamed of a perfect love — marrying her childhood crush, Eric, and living happily ever after. But her world shattered the night Eric’s sister-in-law, Linda, tumbled down the stairs and lost her unborn child. Everyone blamed Hadley, though she swore she was innocent. Eric didn’t believe her. Heartbroken and cast out, Hadley was sent abroad, erased from the life she once lived.
Years later, she returned — no longer the quiet girl everyone ignored, but a mysterious nightclub star with the world at her feet. Men lined up just to catch a glimpse of her, but when Eric found her again, everything changed. He wanted answers, redemption… and maybe even her heart. But Hadley carried secrets far deeper than anyone guessed — secrets tied to a forgotten past, a hidden enemy, and a deadly truth that could ruin them all.
Chapter 1 Send Her Abroad
Hadley Pearson stood frozen at the top of the grand staircase, her heart pounding. Below her, Linda Harris was sprawled out, crying for help, her voice sharp and panicked. A crowd was already gathering, murmuring anxiously as they stared up at Hadley.
Hadley stared at her own hands, confused and terrified. What had just happened? She had barely touched Linda — if she had touched her at all.
“How did she fall?” people whispered.
“Did Hadley push her?” someone asked, gasping.
Down below, Linda clutched her stomach, her face twisted in pain. As she looked up, her eyes locked onto Hadley’s, filled with blame.
Almost instantly, the whispers turned to accusations.
“You pushed her!”
“Hadley, how could you? She’s pregnant!”
“No! I didn’t!” Hadley cried, shaking her head fiercely, but no one was listening.
Just then, a strong voice cut through the chaos. “Make way!”
Eric Flynn, Hadley’s new husband, came striding into the crowd. Relief flooded Hadley. Surely Eric would believe her.
“Eric—” she began, but when their eyes met, her heart broke. His gaze wasn’t filled with concern — it was full of anger.
“You hurt her,” he said coldly.
“I didn’t! I swear!” Hadley pleaded, trembling.
Eric’s face only grew darker. “Are you saying Linda threw herself down the stairs? You’ve always been hard on her. Must I remind you of everything you’ve done?”
Hadley stood there, stunned into silence.
Clutching her stomach, Linda whimpered, “Eric… it hurts…”
Nyla Flynn, Eric’s grandmother, rushed over, alarmed. The crowd murmured in panic — blood was soaking the floor beneath Linda.
“My baby!” Linda sobbed into Eric’s chest. “Save my baby!”
Eric lifted her without hesitation. Before carrying her away, he shot Hadley a look that sliced through her like a knife.
“If anything happens to the baby,” he said, voice shaking with fury, “you’ll pay for it.”
Then he was gone.
Hadley was left alone as everyone turned their backs on her. Even Nyla, who once treated her like a granddaughter, gave her a look of heartbreak before walking away.
Back in her room, Hadley sat curled on the floor, waiting. Maybe Eric would come back and listen. Maybe he would understand.
But the hours dragged on, and he never came.
When the sky outside turned from black to gray, Hadley heard voices downstairs.
“Eric!” she whispered, rushing to the door.
She paused on the stairs just in time to hear Eric’s cold voice.
“Grandma, I want a divorce.”
Hadley’s heart stopped.
“Get back here!” Nyla snapped. “You promised her grandmother you’d take care of her! She’s only twenty. How can you ruin her like this?”
Eric laughed bitterly. “Am I the one ruining lives? We’ve lost Linda’s baby! And Hadley walks away without a scratch! Tell me, who’s the real destroyer?”
Hadley gripped the stair rail, her nails digging into the wood.
“I never wanted to marry her,” Eric continued, his voice rough. “You forced me. I did my best to tolerate it. But now? Every second I’m near her, I feel like I might lose control.”
Nyla went silent for a long time before she spoke, her voice flat and heavy. “Fine. She’ll leave. I’ll send her abroad.”
Eric gave a short nod.
Tears blurred Hadley’s vision. She stumbled back to her room, slamming the door behind her before her knees gave out. She collapsed to the floor, sobbing.
“Eric… Eric…”
She had loved him all her life — molded herself to fit into his world, shaped every part of herself to win his heart. And yet, to him, she was nothing more than a burden he couldn’t wait to be free of.
Hadley had lost her parents when she was little. Her grandmother raised her, and after the old woman died in a car accident, Hadley had no one but Nyla, who had once asked her sweetly if she wanted to marry her grandson someday.
Hadley had clung to that hope, growing up believing she was meant to be Eric’s wife. She had done everything she could to become the perfect girl for him.
But none of it mattered.
To Eric, she was a mistake he couldn’t erase fast enough.
There was a knock at the door.
“Hadley, are you awake?” Nyla’s voice was gentle but distant.
Hadley wiped her face, forcing herself to stand up straight. She opened the door and smiled weakly. “Yes, Nyla.”
Nyla took one look at her tear-stained face and sighed. She sat down heavily on the couch. “Come sit.”
Hadley obeyed, feeling like a puppet on strings.
Nyla’s voice was kind, but firm. “Remember when you said you wanted to study abroad? It’s time for you to go. I’ve made the arrangements.”
Hadley dropped her eyes to the floor, tears welling up again.
“You need to change,” Nyla said, though her voice cracked with emotion. “You’re too headstrong. You act out of jealousy. You must learn to be better. Linda is engaged to your brother-in-law. There’s no reason to resent her.”
Hadley wanted to scream — she had never hurt Linda!
But it didn’t matter. No one believed her.
“It’s time to pack,” Nyla said softly. “Once you’ve improved, maybe you can come back.”
Nyla rose, hesitating at the door as if she wanted to say more, but in the end, she just walked away.
Hadley watched her leave, her chest hollow, her soul cracking.
Left alone, Hadley sat on the edge of her bed, numb.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her. She stumbled toward the bathroom, clutching her stomach, trying to keep herself from falling apart completely.