Revenge is best served cold

When Eric woke up, he did not recall the things he had said. He looked at me curiously. "What exactly did I say?"

The memory of his words made my face heat up, and I quickly avoided his gaze. I forced a guilty smile. "Oh, you were just talking about some company matters."

"Really?" Eric clearly didn't buy it.

I nodded earnestly. "Yep! The moment I realized it was classified information, I covered my ears right away. I mean, they're corporate secrets. If I got caught eavesdropping, that'd be a disaster!"

I let out a quiet sigh of relief after my little joke. I couldn't believe I had actually managed to spin a lie like that.

But Eric's voice turned gentle before I could fully relax, carrying a warmth that caught me off guard.

"It's fine." His tone was steady, reassuring. "If it's you, even the biggest secret wouldn't matter. I know you'd never betray me."

I froze, staring at him in stunned silence. For a moment, I actually felt bad for lying.

The doctor pushed the door open just as the awkwardness was settling in. Seeing that Eric was awake, he gave a satisfied nod.

"Here's your injury report. Take a look." He handed over a file.

I stood up and took it, flipping through it as the doctor continued his instructions.

"You've fractured your left forearm, and there's cartilage damage in your shoulder joint. You also have two cracked ribs. You'll need to stay in the hospital for at least a month. During this time, get as much rest as possible. Judging by the wear on your hand, I'd say you're left-handed. For things like eating, you should let your girlfriend help with that."

The moment I heard that, my whole body tensed. I instinctively opened my mouth to explain, but Eric beat me to it.

"Thank you, doctor," he said smoothly. "She definitely will."

And to top it off, he even flashed a genuinely content smile.

In that instant, I knew no matter how hard I tried, there was no explaining my way out of this one.

The doctor immediately switched to gossip mode. "Let me tell you, your girlfriend really cares about you."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And why do you say that?"

The doctor chuckled knowingly. "She was pacing back and forth the entire time you were in surgery, looking absolutely anxious. A lot of family members just sit outside glued to

their phones while they

He let out a dramatic sigh. "Not that being on their phones means they don't

define, but your girlfriend is

definitely way more attentive than most."

I lowered my head, wishing I could just sink into the floor.

I hadn't gotten the chance to correct him earlier, and now, trying to explain would only make me look guiltier.

I stared at the tips of my shoes, completely lost in thought. I didn't even notice when the doctor left.

Eric brought me back to reality. Sensing it was best to move on from that topic, he smiled and asked, "What happened to that guy?"

I cleared my throat and regained my composure. "He was much luckier than you and only suffered some scrapes and bruises."

Then, my expression turned serious, and my voice unconsciously dropped lower. "Promise me you won't take risks like that ever again, okay?"

The moment I saw him fall, it felt like a knife had sliced through my chest. I hadn't felt that raw panic in a long, long time.

Eric stared at me, momentarily stunned by the intensity in my eyes. Then, slowly, he nodded. "Alright."

After a brief pause, he met my gaze and said with quiet determination, "Then promise me something too."noveldrama

I lifted my head, looking straight into his eyes. "What is it?"

He gently took my hand, his voice

carrying a hint of undeniable persuasion, "Don't put yourself in danger anymore. Stop trying to handle everything alone. If you can't promise me that... then I won't keep my promise either."