<h4>Chapter 228: Waking Up</h4><subtxt> Victoria’s eyes were filled with despair and grief. The light in them slowly faded, overtaken by the finality of death.


    "Mommy, no! Mommy, wake up! You promised to take me to the beach for my eighth birthday... Mom... Mom, what’s wrong? Somebody help! Take her to the hospital, my mom is sick, she’s sick!"


    Seven-year-old Eric couldn’tprehend that Victoria had jumped to her death. In his mind, she was just ill—her fall, the blood, all of it must have been caused by her being unwell.


    By the time the paramedics arrived, Victoria had no pulse. Eric copsed in ce, too devastated even to cry.


    A fierce wind swept through, and suddenly, everything disappeared—the paramedics, his mother—and then there was fire, a ze that consumed everything.


    "E... E! Where are you? Where are you?"


    "Eric, I’m here, I’m right here! Are you awake? My love!" E’s voice broke through his nightmare, and Eric snapped his eyes open.


    His vision was blurry at first, but it slowly cleared, and he saw E’s tearful face, her eyes sparkling with relief and joy.


    She was gripping his hand tightly, transferring warmth andfort.


    "E..." Eric realized he had survived. His eyes filled with tears as he processed the overwhelming fact—he hadn’t died. He had made it through.


    And now, he swore he would make those who had hurt him and E pay for every ounce of pain they had caused.


    "Eric, the doctor said you’ve passed the critical stage. Focus on healing, I’ll be by your side every step of the way." E wiped her tears and kissed his hand gently. "Thank you for saving me from sleeping with a thousand men and from bing a... well, you know," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.


    Chloe and Amelia, standing nearby, couldn’t help but stifle theirughter. If it weren’t for the bandages covering Eric’s body, this moment would have been perfectly cheerful.


    Eric’s throat was parched, and just then, a nurse came in to check on him.


    "Water..."


    "The patient needs water, quickly!" the nurse called out.


    E rushed to the water dispenser and filled a cup, carefully inserting a straw before bringing it to Eric’s lips.


    Though Eric’s injuries were severe, his throat had been spared, so he was still able to drinkfortably. After sipping about half the cup, he finally felt the dryness in his throat ease.


    As Eric was wheeled out of the VIP room for further examinations, E followed closely behind, unwilling to leave his side for even a moment.


    Step by step, her heart remained steadfast. As long as Eric didn’t abandon her, she would stay by his side for the rest of their lives, no matter what.


    One day passed.


    Eric’s condition improved even more. Though he was still on a liquid diet, he could now move in bed and even turn over on his own.


    The wound on his chest was healing slowly but steadily.


    For seven straight days, E rarely left his side except to shower. She slept on therge sofa in his VIP room, quietly keeping himpany.


    By the eighth day, Eric was able to get out of bed and move around. E helped him walk to the balcony.


    The view was beautiful, and the strong wind cooled the air, blowing away all the oppressive heat.


    The bandages had been removed from Eric’s body, and though his burned skin was still healing, it was beginning to peel and regenerate. The sight of his tender, raw skin still made E’s heart race with anxiety every time she looked at it.


    If Eric hadn’t fought his way out of that burning house, he would’ve been trapped under the copsing roof. Even if they had managed to rescue him, he wouldn’t have had much life left in him.


    E kept her head down, carefully peeling an apple. "I heard that the shooter has gone mentally unstable, talking nonsense."


    She mentioned it casually, but Eric’s expression turned ice cold. He knew the truth behind it all.


    "Yeah, apparently he lost it after hearing that his children were killed," Eric said with a cold, eerie chuckle. Even after facing death twice, his resilience had only grown stronger, almost unnervingly so.


    "Leave it to Mark and the others to handle. No need to worry about it," E said with a smile, understanding that some things were ssified, and Eric couldn’t share the details.


    "Worry? I’m not concerned about that at all. I’m more worried about when my body will fully recover... and when we can..." Eric grinned mischievously, his tone suggestive.


    E wasn’t upset by his teasing. She had seen him in moments of calm and vulnerability, knowing that during those times, he had been walking the line between life and death.


    "Mr. Nelson, ma’am, someone’s here to see you. It’s someone from the Carter Group. Would you like to meet them?" A bodyguard stepped in and asked quietly.


    Carter Group?


    Leah? That spoiled princess couldn’t resisting to see Eric now?


    "Do you want to meet them?" Eric asked with a yful smile, as if the shadows from his near-death experience werepletely behind him.


    E ced a slice of apple into his mouth. "Of course, why not? If I refuse, won’t it seem like I’m the jealous type?"


    Eric nodded and turned to the bodyguard. "Let them in."


    The bodyguard stepped out, and a momentter, Leah walked in, arm linked with Sean’s. She carried a fruit basket in her other hand, filled with a variety of fruits.


    E frowned slightly but quicklyposed herself. Leah never missed an opportunity to parade around with Sean, unting her position as his favored granddaughter.


    "Mr. Nelson, E, how are you both?" Leah greeted them with a sweet smile, though inside, she was seething with jealousy. *Why didn’t that fire kill that little tramp? Or at least disfigure her! Let’s see if Mr. Nelson would still like her then!*


    Sean nced at Eric, noting his healthyplexion and how quickly he seemed to be recovering. His handsome face, untouched by the fire, only seemed to have sharpened with the experience, exuding even more of his natural charisma.


    "We’re doing well, thank you for your concern, Miss Carter," Eric replied coolly, his tone distant.


    E smiled politely. "It’s rare for Old Mr. Carter to take time out of his busy schedule to visit us. We appreciate it."


    Sean’s expression darkened. "Are you implying we came toote?"


    E suppressed a smirk. The audacity! As if she had been waiting anxiously for them to visit.


    "Of course not, E," Leah quickly interjected, her smile never wavering. "Grandfather and I have been very busy these past few days and didn’t want to disturb you while Mr. Nelson was still recovering."


    Leah set the fruit basket aside and helped Sean to a seat.


    "Old Mr. Carter is probably here to see if the fire got rid of me and E," Eric said with a smirk, clearly not in the mood for pleasantries.


    "Mr. Nelson, you do know how to joke," Sean replied with a cold chuckle. "Someone as brilliant as you? The heavens wouldn’t let you go so easily." Despite the attempt at humor, Sean’s resentment simmered beneath the surface. Eric and E’s previous maneuver had cost him nearly ten million, and he was still bitter about the loss.</subtxt>