Chapter 120

As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized how upset I sounded. When he noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere, John's smile momentarily stiffened. He tried to defuse the situation, saying, "Hangovers can be rough. You had to drink a lot on Mr. Harold's behalf yesterday, so I'm sure you're still feeling the aftereffects of it." It seemed like John's statement was more of an explanation for Bruce than for me. Since the collaboration was on the line, I couldn't afford to be blatantly disrespectful, so I went along with him and said, "That's right. I'll take my leave then." "Since you're hungover, shouldn't you eat something first to alleviate the discomfort?" When I heard the cold, solemn remark, I glanced up, only to see Bruce still sitting there with a stern expression on his face. Perhaps it was the hangover, but his face was pale at that moment, with a certain aloofness etched on it. As I recalled the conversation I had just overheard, a sense of dread crept into my h