Chapter 8 Brainless and a Failing Memory

Eric got up while I was in a daze. He placed the cream and bandages on the coffee table before saying, "Keep these for yourself. Come to me if you need more." "This is plenty. Thank you." Feeling a little awkward, I shifted my gaze and quickly changed the subject. "Thank you for helping me move and treating my injury. I'll treat you to a meal sometime." To be honest, I owed him a favor from my past life. If he hadn't risked his life to save me from the fire, I might've died. I wouldn't have gotten a chance to see through the true colors of the hypocrites around me. I'd never forget the favor he did me. How could a few meals ever repay such profound kindness? Eric nodded and replied in his usual cocky manner, "Alright. But just so you know, there's a long line of people waiting to treat me to a meal. Make sure you book two days in advance, or my assistant won't be able to fit you into my schedule." I rolled my eyes and cheekily replied, "Got it, Mr. Flint!" Eric might have a sharp tongue, but he was kind, and I didn't take his words too seriously. The atmosphere lightened a little under our playful banter. After tidying up the scattered items and placing them where I directed, Eric left. My phone rang not long after. It was from Jeremiah. My first instinct was to decline, but I wondered if he could be calling about the divorce. So, I decided to answer. As soon as I picked up, Jeremiah's barrage of accusations hit me like a storm. "You know full well that Elsa is allergic to rose scents, yet you gave her a necklace sprayed with rose perfume. What exactly are you up to? There should be a limit to messing around. Don't you know severe allergic reactions are fatal? "Where are you? Come to Wellness Hospital and apologize to Elsa right now!" It seemed Elsa had started causing trouble after receiving the necklace. She couldn't sit still for a moment. But using her allergy as an excuse to frame me was plain stupid. Jeremiah wouldn't have fallen for this if he had the brain to think. I snorted. "It's bad enough that you don't have a brain, but has your memory started failing? Are you developing dementia?" I rarely spoke to Jeremiah in such a sarcastic tone, and he immediately lost his temper. "What do you mean by that? Are you refusing to admit to your mistake?" I looked at the bandages around my knees and rolled my eyes. "Have you forgotten that I'm severely allergic to rose scents too? The necklace was around my neck the entire time, and if I had sprayed rose perfume on it, do you think I'd have the strength to be fighting with you right now?" My rose allergy was common knowledge among those close to me. It was the same for Jeremiah, who I had grown up with. Even the slightest contact with roses or rose products would give me rashes all over my body. We didn't use roses at our wedding and opted for lilies that symbolized pure and everlasting love. The fact that he had forgotten after being so obsessed with Elsa meant he had to be head over heels for her. The other end of the line went silent, and I pressed on, "There wasn't a single mark on my skin when I gave her the necklace. If Elsa is having an allergic reaction, I'd suggest you reevaluate her allergy triggers instead of barking nonsense at me." The silence on the other end persisted. I could sense Jeremiah's embarrassment even through the phone. After a brief cough, he softened his voice and said, "I'm sorry. I was so anxious that I forgot. Elsa isn't feeling well. Can you come over to check on her? Having you here might help her recover faster." One moment, he was barking at me like a dog; the next, he was humbly requesting that I kept Elsa company. I was amazed by how his hostility could fade away in just seconds.