But soon, she regained her composure and stood up, walking toward me.
She pulled me to the other end of the hallway and whispered, “What are you doing here?”
“A follow-up checkup,” I said calmly.
She nodded, looking relieved. “Eric got hurt. He’s our company’s financial officer and has been a big help. I came to check on him.”
I didn’t say anything—just looked at her lying so effortlessly.
She grew anxious. “What? You think something’s going on? We’re just colleagues. Don’t be so petty. All I think about is the company.”
“You’re overthinking,” I replied. “The doctor said the dialysis wasn’t thorough enough. There’s some residue, so I had to come back for another test.”
She finally relaxed a little, her tone softening. “Then go get your test done. Call me if something comes up. I can’t leave now. Eric’s injury is pretty bad. He needs someone around.”
Heh. A twisted ankle counts as serious compared to my failing kidney?
Just then, Eric’s voice came from inside the ward—soft, with a touch of forced concern.
“Does dialysis hurt a lot? You can barely stand Andrew.”
He smiled faintly, pretending to care. “But you’re still young. With proper treatment, you’ll get better.”
Watching his fake sympathy, I suddenly asked, turning to face him, “I heard from some coworkers that you got married abroad. Who’s your wife?”
Eric froze for a moment, then his face flushed red. His eyes darted toward Charlotte with a hint of shyness.
“She’s an exceptional woman. You know her too,” he said.
He didn’t say her name, just looked at me, his gaze carrying a trace of provocation.
Charlotte frowned and pulled me aside. “Why are you asking that? Eric needs rest. Don’t bother him.”
“She’s an important client of our company,” she added defensively. “She’s out of town and can’t make it back right now. I’m just helping her take care of Eric — is that so wrong?”
Her voice rose, sharper now.
“You’re being petty. It’s just one bad kidney—stop acting like it’s the end of the world. The company needs us to keep it afloat. Can’t you think about something other than yourself for once?”
I looked at her and suddenly smiled.
“Alright then. Take good care of him. Wouldn’t want to offend a client,” I said quietly.
Without another glance at them, I turned and left the ward.
I remembered how, back when Eric first joined the company, Charlotte always gave him special attention; calling on him during meetings, taking him along on business trips.
I’d even convinced myself it was normal. She was the boss and he was a subordinate. It was just her being responsible.
On my way to the clinic, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Charlotte.
[Sorry, I was a bit harsh earlier. Don’t be mad.]
[Once I finish things here, I’ll come find you. The company needs us both right now. Don’t start anything unnecessary.]
I stared at the screen for a while, then set the phone down without replying.
During the check-up, the doctor examined my scans with a serious look.
“The recovery isn’t good,” he said quietly.
“And honestly, your chances of returning to a normal life are very low.”
He looked up. “Where’s your wife? Why isn’t she here with you?”
I sat there, strangely calm and finally replied in a faint voice, “She’s dead.”
A week later, Charlotte finally came home—with Eric beside her.
What shocked me even more was that Eric was holding their bastard child.
“Sorry, Andrew, I didn’t mean to trouble you,” he said, looking at me nervously. “My wife’s been really busy lately, so she asked me to take care of our baby. Honestly, I have no idea how to look after a kid, but Charlotte said she loves children. She suggested I move in here–to make it easy for all of us.”
I threw a glance at Charlotte. There wasn’t a trace of guilt or fear in her eyes.
