Chapter 135 One, two, three...
Eddy and Alvin locked eyes.
"I'll cover three days of meals..."
Eddy's captivating eyes narrowed slightly.
Alvin swallowed saliva.
"A... a week?"
Eddy pulled his hand away.
Alvin gritted his teeth fiercely, struggling to contain his resentment, and growled, "A month! I'll cover a month—and not a day more!"
Eddy nodded.
"Deal."
Alvin looked like he was fighting back tears.
"Jerks. You're all a bunch of jerks."
It was like looting a burning house.
Luann Weaver, catching the commotion, looked over curiously.
"What are you guys talking about?"
"Alvin, are you done yet?"
Alvin handed over the license with a look of deep discontent.
"All done, here you go."
Luann tucked her license back into her purse, picked up the remote control, and lazily started browsing shows.
Holly Weiss stood up and headed for the kitchen, "I'll cut up some fruit for us."
Eddy quickly caught up.
Holly Weiss pulled a heap of fruit from the fridge and was about to wash it when she noticed a shadow looming over her.
Holly Weiss: "Hey ‘Uncle’, what brings you here? Looking for trouble?"
Eddy: "I really need to clear up what happened last time. I knocked, okay? But you didn't answer, and I thought maybe you had passed out in the bath, so I came in."
Holly looked at him as if he were a fool.
Holly Weiss: "Could you maybe come up with a better excuse?"
Holly Weiss: "I'm a light sleeper. The slightest noise wakes me up."
Eddy bit his lips, "Where's that confidence coming from?"
Grabbing a paring knife, Holly swung the knife toward him.
"One more word and I might 'accidentally' cut you."
Eddy quickly stepped back. "Maybe I should do the slicing. It's risky for a girl to handle a knife. It'd be heartbreaking to see you get hurt."
Holly Weiss: "If you had Alvin Curtis's face and said those things, maybe they'd actually mean something."
With that, she shooed Eddy out.
Turning his attention from the solitary figure of Alvin Curtis seated on the couch playing video games, Eddy approached.
Alvin Curtis shifted without looking up, "Eddy, you're blocking my light."
"I've changed my mind," Eddy stated flatly. "Six months."
Alvin's hands shook, and he looked up incredulously, "What?"
Eddy continued, "You should treat me for six months."
Alvin fumbled with his thin wallet nervously.
Holly wasted no time returning from the kitchen, placing a beautifully cut fruit platter on the table.
Leaning close to Luann Weaver, she chirped, "Luann, you better remember to come to my match tomorrow!"
"Sure, I'll be there on time."
The group didn't stay long, and after they left, Holly flopped onto the couch to start gaming, but the doorbell rang. She jogged to the door, asking as she opened it, "Did someone forget something...?"
There stood Wilber Gilbert, in a sharp suit she hadn't seen for quite some time.
His face still bore the marks of injuries that hadn't completely faded. His eyes lit up when he saw her, but he suppressed the inner flutter and waved to her.
"Hey, I hope I'm not intruding by dropping by like this."
Holly shook her head, smiling sweetly.
"Not at all, it looks like you're healing up quite nicely."
Wilber hummed a response, his voice tinged with a hint of wistfulness. "But you stopped visiting me at the hospital."
Holly sighed, a mix of frustration and resignation in her beautiful eyes.
"I was at a total loss, you know. After leaving the hospital that day, I ran into Juliet Weaver," she confided.
“She launched into a barrage of insults directed at me, accusing me of being a seductress and ruining the relationship between you two.”
Juliet warned me to stay away or she'd make sure I'd regret it. She was so intimidating, and honestly, I feared for my safety.
So, I've been avoiding that whole scene..."
Truth is, it's been eating me up inside. I toss and turn every night, unable to find any peace.
I know you went through so much to protect me, winding up seriously hurt in the process. Instead of being grateful, I feel like I've hardly been there for you..."
Tears welled up in her eyes, swirling and gradually filling them, before cascading down one after another. She wasn't sobbing loudly; each teardrop was crystal clear. Those tears, a blend of grievance and anguish, were the most potent weapon a woman could wield against a man.
Sure enough, Wilber Gilbert reached out instinctively to wipe them away.
"Sorry, I didn't realize Juliet Weaver was making your life miserable."
Holly pulled away from his hand.
"I guess it's really my own fault. I've been hiding out, unsure how to face you."
Wilber has a strong sense of compassion welled up in his heart as he saw her anguish.
"Hey now, don't worry about it. There's no blame here, and you shouldn't overthink things."
Holly nodded slightly.
Wilber's genteel smile and tender eyes exuded a soothing warmth, like a spring breeze.
"Actually, I came by today to talk to you about the race tomorrow. I saw the entry list and noticed your name..."
"Yeah, I'm just doing it for fun—I'm not even that good at driving."
He recalled the times Holly had driven with him—those memories still gave him a thrill.
"You're a fine driver. I managed to snag some premium tickets, and I'll be there to cheer you on."
Her expression froze for a moment. Oh, no...
If Luann Weaver found out she had any connection to Wilber Gilbert, there'd be hell to pay.
"You’ve been in the hospital; surely there’s a ton of work waiting for you back at the company. You really don't need to come support me—I appreciate the gesture."
But Wilber shook his head, feelings of warmth flooding his heart.
Holly was always thinking of others—her first thought was for his company concerns.
"I wouldn't miss your race for the world. Don't worry about the company, it's all taken care of."
"Let's make a morning of it. I'll pick you up and we'll go together."
Holly Weiss' lips quivered involuntarily.
If she kept refusing, she might actually spark his suspicion.
"Alright then..." she managed to squeeze out the words.
The following morning, Holly Weiss was up at the crack of dawn, getting out of bed earlier than she ever had before, she swore. She hastily washed her face and pulled her hair into a messy bun before rushing out the door. Little did she know, a car was waiting outside.
Her handbag fell to the ground with a thud as Holly's grip loosened in surprise. Wilber Gilbert stepped out of the car, looking refreshed and without a hint of fatigue. He quickly picked up her bag and asked with a smile, "Rough morning? Still half asleep?"
Holly took a couple of silent steps back and shut the door.
"One, two, three..."
When she opened it again, Wilber was still there, frozen in the same posture.
