After Ella and Eric had left, Lauren finally stepped into the room to check on Henry.
She entered quietly, poured a glass of water, and brought it to Henry’s lips. These days, he no longer required a feeding tube and could consu liquid als.
Suddenly, Lauren’s hand froze mid-air. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at Henry’s face.
There were unmistakable tear tracks running down his cheeks.
"Henry, you... you reacted! You’re aware of sothing! Oh my gosh!" Lauren exclaid, her voice trembling with excitent. She quickly set the glass down and grabbed her phone from a nearby table. Before Ella entered the room earlier, Lauren had discreetly left her phone behind, recording everything.
She knew Henry cared deeply for Ella, so she had secretly recorded Ella’s visit. It was her way of giving Henry sothing familiar to hear, hoping it might comfort him.
"Henry, look how good I am to you. I recorded Ella’s voice. Let play it for you again!" Lauren said eagerly, pressing play on the recording.
Ella’s voice filled the room, laden with guilt and sorrow. Hearing it, Lauren couldn’t help but feel her own eyes grow misty.
Henry’s vacant gaze remained fixed in the distance. Though the doctors had insisted he was unresponsive, tears rolled down his cheeks again as Ella’s words, including the ntion of her upcoming wedding, reached him.
At that mont, the beauty of his silent, unspoken love was carried away, swept into the wind forever.
...
The next morning, Ella accompanied Eric to et his clients. Despite her limited experience in such matters, she managed to carry herself gracefully without any mishaps.
The day went smoothly, and by evening, Eric decided to take Ella to explore Country W’s famous Country S Street, a bustling area filled with specialty snacks and trinkets from their holand.
The air was chilly, and Ella nestled close to Eric, though her heart felt heavy.
Visiting Henry always left her in a somber mood. It would take her weeks to regain her usual spirits after seeing him.
Noticing her silence, Eric gently pulled her toward a small shop nearby. "That shop is full of things girls like. Let’s check it out," he suggested with a smile.
Ella chuckled softly. "Girls? I’m a woman now, not a girl."
Eric, determined to cheer her up, ignored her teasing and led her inside.
The shop was indeed filled with small, whimsical trinkets—adorable charms, handmade crafts, and soft figurines of cats, dogs, and sunshine dolls. They were undeniably girlish.
The cuteness of the items lifted Ella’s spirits a little, though she didn’t feel inclined to buy anything.
But when she saw a sunshine doll hanging by the counter, she poked Eric’s arm. "I want that sunshine doll!"
Before Eric could respond, a slightly husky voice called out from the entrance, "Logan, I want that sunshine doll!"
Ella frowned and turned to see Hannah standing at the doorway, her arm wrapped around Logan’s, wearing a sweet and radiant smile.
Eric glanced at them dismissively, clearly unimpressed.
Ella, however, studied Hannah closely. Her face seed a little stiff, but the happiness in her eyes was genuine.
It was obvious that Hannah truly loved Logan now. But Ella couldn’t help but recall that Hannah had once been infatuated with Eric. She used to fly into fits of jealousy whenever she saw him with anyone else.
Noticing Ella, Hannah’s smile faltered slightly, but she quickly composed herself. Eric, anwhile, casually bought the sunshine doll Ella had pointed out.
"Ella, you’re here too?" Hannah said with an air of feigned sweetness.
Ella nodded calmly. "I didn’t expect you to be back in Country W."
A fleeting hint of unease crossed Hannah’s expression, and she shyly lowered her gaze as if reluctant to et Ella’s eyes.
"Yes... Logan and I are getting married soon," she replied, her voice soft but tinged with pride.
"Is that so? Congratulations!" Ella replied, her tone calm and her gaze devoid of any emotion.
While she and Hannah had their differences, their relationship hadn’t reached the point of open hostility.
Logan, anwhile, fixed a cold stare on the sunshine doll in Eric’s hand and turned to the shopkeeper. "Do you have any more of this doll?"
The shopkeeper smiled apologetically. "I’m so sorry, but sunshine dolls are very popular and sell out quickly. Perhaps you could wait an hour for restocking?"
Logan frowned, irritated by his inability to get what Hannah wanted. He turned to Eric. "Mr. Nelson, would you sell that sunshine doll?"
Eric raised the doll with a smirk. "Why should I? Just because your woman likes it, does that an my wife doesn’t?"
Logan’s expression darkened. "Na your price. How about a thousand dollars?"
Eric chuckled dismissively. "Do you think a thousand dollars is impressive?"
Ella glanced at Logan, her voice soft as she suggested, "Actually... we could give them the doll, but only if..."
Eric’s eyes glead mischievously as he cut in, "Of course, it’s negotiable. Let’s settle it at the shooting range nearby. If you beat , I’ll not only give you this sunshine doll but also add a million dollars to sweeten the deal. If I win, you owe a million. How’s that?"
Country W’s Wal City was brimming with entertainnt venues, and Ella was growing weary of Logan. While he wasn’t as insufferable as Mason, his arrogance grated on her nerves. Eric, sensing an opportunity, decided to teach Logan a lesson.
Logan’s celebrity good looks and sizable earnings made him the perfect target for a little payback.
Hannah, however, looked worried. "It’s late—why not let it go?" she suggested.
Logan shook his head confidently. "No, it’ll be quick. Just a few minutes."
Logan brimd with self-assurance. What no one realized was that he had a hidden talent for shooting, a skill overshadowed by his fa as an actor.
Eric, a fellow son of privilege, was equally confident. He refused to believe he could lose to soone he deed an amateur.
"We’ll go to Phil Night City, just ahead," Logan said coolly, taking Hannah’s hand and heading out first.
Ella and Eric exchanged a glance before following.
The city lights were dazzling, and Wal City’s nightti splendor was unmatched. Upon entering Phil Night City, it felt like every form of entertainnt imaginable was gathered in one place. Horseback riding arenas, shooting ranges, and racetracks in the nearby hills were frequented by the wealthy elite.
Eric paid the entry fee, collected his firearm, and put on noise-dampening ear protection. Ella and Hannah also donned the earmuffs to avoid injury from the gunshots.
Once everything was ready, Eric shot Logan a calm glance. "Mr. Scott, you’re just an actor. My advice is to back out now. If you lose, you’ll be down a million and your reputation will take a hit."
Logan snorted disdainfully. "Who says I’ll lose? You won’t know the outco unless you try."
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