Chapter 434
“No need to overexert myself?” Eric managed a dry laugh. “I’ve been managing everything alone since Ernest fell into a coma. Now that he’s recovering, I have to ensure the business is flawless before passing the reins back to him. We can’t afford any slip-ups.” His brother’s situation had fundamentally shaped his path.
“Alright,” Phillips said reluctantly. “I’ll get the medicine for you.”
After taking his medication, Eric went ahead with his meeting with the supplier that evening, pushing through the negotiations. Despite taking the medicine, his fever persisted after two days of rigorous negotiations.
On his third night in Blathe, after dinner with his business partners, Eric sensed something was amiss as he exited the restaurant.
He began to feel faint, his balance faltering.
“Mr. Flynn!” Phillips quickly rushed to his side. “We can’t put this off any longer. Let’s get you to a hospital. There’s nothing pressing now, right?”
“Alright,” Eric acknowledged with a nod, having no objections. His commitments at home were complete, and the supplier issues had been sorted.
With Phillips assisting him, Eric struggled to stay conscious as they made their way to the car. His head spun, and his throat burned with discomfort.
At the hospital, Phillips turned to him and said, “Mr. Flynn, please hold on here while I handle everything else.”
“Okay.”
Being in a foreign country posed its challenges, especially when it came to seeking medical care.
As Eric waited in the lobby for Phillips, he took a seat. Usually in good health, Eric began to feel slightly better after resting for a while. Adjacent to the lobby was an activity room enclosed with clear glass walls. From his seat, Eric could see inside. The evening hour left the room sparsely populated, with only a few children present.
Eric’s attention was drawn to a child with ear-length hair and large, expressive eyes, peeking out from beneath her bangs. She was irresistibly cute.
He couldn’t help but watch her.
Unaware of his gaze, the girl positioned herself in front of a whiteboard, carefully twisting the cap off a water-based marker.
“Hey! Give it to me!”
Suddenly, another girl dashed over and yanked the marker from Joy’s grasp.
Joy’s body stiffened as she looked up at the girl with hopeful eyes, trying to negotiate. “I had it first.”
“Is that so?” The girl cocked an eyebrow and shrugged. “Well, it’s mine now.”
She then questioned Joy, “You wanted to draw?”
“Yes,” Joy responded with a nod, her voice filled with hope that the girl would relent. “Could I please have it back?”
“This marker?” The girl looked over at two boys nearby and then playfully tossed the marker into the air.
“Catch it!” she exclaimed.
“Got it!” one of the boys said, as both of them scrambled after the soaring marker. Their laughter echoed around the room.