Chapter 7

The word "shameless" was clearly aimed at Ruby. "You…" Ruby’s face twisted in fury, and the poised composure she had so carefully maintained until now vanished in an instant. She raised her hand and struck Stella’s face with a sharp slap. Caught off guard, Stella managed to dodge slightly, but Ruby’s nails still grazed her cheek, leaving two deep, crimson marks. "Stella, who do you think you are?" Ruby shouted, pointing at her. "One day, I’ll take Eric back, and when I do, you’ll be nothing but a worthless, unwanted woman!" Stella reached up to touch the blood on her face, her eyes icy. She stood up and, with even more force, delivered a sharp slap right back at Ruby. Ruby wasn’t quick enough to react and took the full force of the slap. Her beautiful, delicate face instantly reddened and began to swell. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Stella, unable to process that this woman had the audacity to slap her back! "Wait until you actually take Eric from me," Stella said coldly, "then you can come back here and throw a tantrum. Until then, every time I see you, I’ll slap you again!" With that, Stella shoved Ruby by the shoulders, pushing her out of the room. The door slammed shut behind her with a loud bang, narrowly missing Ruby's nose as it swung past. Ruby clutched her bruised cheek, slowly realizing what had just happened. Without thinking, she kicked the door in frustration, preparing to yell at Stella. But her eyes caught a nurse passing by. Instantly, she composed herself, putting on a face full of hurt and innocence, her eyes lowered with fake tears. She turned away, walking off with a delicate, pitiful air. Once she was in her car, Ruby dropped the facade immediately, kicking the seat in anger and cursing Stella over and over again. Her mind raced with thoughts of how she would take revenge on Stella. A cold glint flashed in her eyes. She took out her phone and dialed a number. "Get me the voice actor from last time. I need him for something urgent..." The sun had climbed high, and it was already noon. Every time Stella thought of Eric lying in the room next door, her heart grew restless. She couldn’t help but want to check on his injuries. But that man probably didn’t want to see her right now. Conflicted and frustrated, she lay silently on her hospital bed, feeling uneasy. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was her assistant, Beverly. "Stella, when will you come into the office? The boss needs to see you urgently." Stella snapped to attention, remembering that she had promised to catch up on work today after her hospitalization. But after everything that had happened with Eric, her mind was a mess, and she had completely forgotten. "I’ll be there soon," she said, but then paused, glancing at the wall that separated her from Eric’s room. Biting her lip, she reconsidered. "Never mind, I’m still not feeling well. Can you tell President Anthony I’ll be taking a few more days off? I may need some time before I can return to the office." Her assistant agreed and hung up. Stella clutched her phone, and despite herself, she couldn’t resist wanting to check on Eric. After all, he had saved her yesterday. She felt she should at least thank him. With that decision in mind, Stella took a deep breath, gathering the courage to leave her room. Just as she was about to open the door, her phone rang again. This time, it was the company. Anthony. She quickly answered. "President Anthony?" "Are you sick?" Anthony’s voice was hushed, with a trace of concern. Stella quickly said, “Um, I’ve been feeling a bit unwell lately, but I’ll be fine after a few days of rest. Boss, don’t worry—I’ll catch up on the work I missed…” “You’re at the hospital?” Anthony interrupted her. Stella was taken aback. “Huh?” Anthony’s voice remained patient but slightly cold. “I asked, where are you? Which hospital? I’ll come see you.” “No, no need…” Stella instinctively rejected him. She had always been a little intimidated by Anthony. He was so serious, rarely smiling, and demanding when it came to work. Anyone who made a mistake faced harsh punishment. Every time Stella spoke to him, her heart raced, terrified of saying something wrong and getting reprimanded. Anthony’s voice betrayed no emotion. “Do I need to ask you a third time?” Stella immediately faltered. She wasn’t about to risk having her boss ask her the same question again. That definitely wouldn’t end well. She quickly gave him the name of the hospital and her room number. With that, the small courage she had mustered dissipated. Her hand trembled on the door handle as she stood there, unable to bring herself to turn it. In the end, she was still afraid. Afraid that when she saw Eric, he would look at her with cold disdain. She paced back and forth in the room, conflicted for a while, before finally gritting her teeth and making up her mind. She opened the door and stepped out. If she was being foolish, so be it. She just… really wanted to know how Eric’s arm injury was healing. Their rooms were separated by only a thin wall, just a few steps apart. Stella hesitated, taking a while before finally reaching for the door handle. But before she could turn it, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. Turning around, she saw Ruby approaching, carrying a thermal container. Ruby was wearing a light blue long dress, standing tall and graceful. She was every bit the opera singer—beautiful and full of elegance. Clad in high heels, Ruby walked closer, lowering her eyes to look at Stella with a disdainful glance. “Looking for Eric? Want to see him?” she asked, her voice loud enough for Eric to hear through the door. Stella’s ears burned with embarrassment as she awkwardly pulled her hand back from the door handle. Ruby’s lips curled into a cold smile as she pushed past Stella, opening the door and facing Eric. Her expression shifted, and she flashed him a sweet, innocent smile. “Eric, Stella’s here to see you…” Ruby said, her tone warm and charming, completely at odds with the sharp words she had just directed at Stella. Eric turned his head, his gaze cold and indifferent as he stared at Stella without a word. Stella froze in the doorway, unsure whether to step forward or retreat. She was caught in a difficult position. Eric waited for half a minute before losing his patience. He frowned and spoke in a voice as cold as ice. “Stella, you—” “Stella, hurry up and come in.” Ruby interrupted, setting down the container and, without hesitation, pulling Stella into the room. If Eric kicked her out, Ruby’s plans would be ruined. She needed Stella there. Stella was pulled to the side of the bed, just half a meter away from Eric. The atmosphere in the room was tense. Ruby turned away from them to open the container, a sly smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Stella stood in silence for a moment before finally speaking softly. “How’s your arm? Is the injury okay?” Eric slowly lifted his eyelids, his deep gaze unreadable, filled with a darkness that was hard to interpret. “Why, Stella, are you concerned about me?”