<h4>Chapter 349: Unable to Reach Him</h4>


    E sat in silence for a moment before quietly dialing Amelia’s number to confide in her about what had just happened.


    Amelia, with a clearer perspective as an outsider, listened patiently.


    "It’s hard to say who’s right or wrong here. Your intentions were good; you just wanted Henry to recover faster and bringing him home would have been convenient, sparing you the back-and-forth travel. But that kind of arrangement can, of course, stir up gossip," Amelia said gently. "You shouldn’t be too insistent, though. If Eric doesn’t agree, forcing Henry into the house might only worsen things between you two. So I’d suggest sticking with the hospital for now. It may mean more trips, but ultimately... who matters more to you, Henry or Eric?"


    E bit her lip. "Of course, my husband."


    "Exactly. You know Eric is the most important, so let’s keep it that way. Your brother-inw can stay at the hospital, and remember, this kind of recovery takes time. Moving him into your home or spending extra time with him won’t necessarily speed it up."


    Amelia’s words had a calming effect on E, slowly settling her heart. Amelia’s perspective, detached and rational, was exactly what she needed to hear. She realized she’d been too impulsive, thinking that if Henry recovered, she could finally put the whole situation behind her and avoid further rumors.


    "Also, Eric’s a man, and he says you haven’t been attentive to him. Think about it: these past few weeks, you’ve been so focused on Henry’s condition, worried he might stay a vegetable and leave you with a permanent sense of debt. It’s natural to overlook Eric’s feelings under that stress. But from his side, it’s also natural for him to feel unsettled. No man would want the son of an affair living in his own home. Despite Grace’s downfall, she left him with asting scar he can’t easily erase."


    Amelia’s patient, gentle analysis slowly gave E rity. "Give him a call, apologize sincerely, and let’s avoid letting this argument fester. If you reach out with understanding, I’m sure things will go back to how they were."


    E nodded. "Thank you, Amelia. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I didn’t expect you to be so insightful about rtionships."


    Ameliaughed lightly. "Hey, it’s just that I’m an outsider. As a friend on the sidelines, I can see things clearly. If I were in your shoes, I’d probably lose my temper too. People easily say things they don’t mean when they’re angry. So next time you’re upset, or if he is, just stay quiet."


    E paused, feeling deeply grateful. Amelia had much more rtionship experience than her other friends like Chloe, and her maturity was exactly what E needed.


    "Alright, I don’t need to say more—you’re seeing things clearly now, aren’t you?"


    "Yes, I get it. I’ll call him right away."


    "That’s my girl. Just go easy on him, don’t argue. Think about it this way: if Eric had an ex-girlfriend who got hurt and he wanted her in your home, wouldn’t you feel ufortable too?"


    "Yeah, I see that now. I need to put myself in his shoes."


    "Exactly—try to see things from his perspective. Going forward, when somethinges up, stay calm. Arguments just hurt both of you in the end."


    After a few more words offort, Amelia ended the call, leaving E feeling more at peace.


    E let out a long sigh, feeling the calm she’d had while talking to Amelia start to fade, reced by nervousness.


    She was about to call Eric and apologize.


    After a moment of hesitation, she picked up her phone and dialed the number she knew better than any other. Her heart pounded, just like it had back when they first started dating, every encounter filling her with excitement and jitters.


    Sitting up, gripping her phone tightly, her swollen, tear-stained eyes held a touch of worry.


    "Sorry, the number you dialed is currently switched off."


    The cold automated message washed over her like a bucket of ice water, dousing the apology she had mentally prepared.


    Eric had actually turned off his phone? That alone showed how angry he was.


    Feeling uneasy, she tried his number again, but the same automated voice repeated, confirming it was still off.


    E sat there in disbelief. Eric never turned off his phone, not even at night. He was always prepared for emergencies. But now... he’d shut it off?


    Restless and unable to sleep, she considered calling John, though she felt awkward about it.


    But not calling left her filled with worry—was he drinking? Or maybe his phone had died?


    E wrestled with her thoughts from eight to ten at night before realizing howte it had gotten.


    Usually, Eric was home by ten, only sending subordinates to handle minor social events. For the rare, major engagements, he’d still make it home at a decent hour. Over the past two years, he had truly been an exceptional husband.


    She sighed softly. Her own impatience had triggered Eric’s frustration, and her own emotions had spiraled, leaving both of them unyielding and irrational—ending in this.


    Finally, she opened her contacts and called John.


    "Sis, calling thiste—something wrong?" John asked politely.


    E hesitated. "Uh... is Mr. Nelson with you?"


    John chuckled, sounding slightly amused. "Sis, what makes you think he’d be with me? He’d be by your side, of course. Oh, but I just remembered, he took a flight to Country W for an urgent negotiation."


    Disappointment welled up in E’s heart. So, the reason she couldn’t reach him was because he was on a flight.


    "Alright, sorry to bother you." She hung up, feeling a fresh wave of sadness wash over her. He’d gone on a business trip without notifying her.


    But she realized he’d likely left while still angry; he wouldn’t have called her.


    Feeling disheartened, she quietly got up to take a shower. When she emerged, dressed in her nightwear, she realized how much she missed Eric’s nightly routine of drying her hair for her.


    Without him there, she felt just how difficult and inconvenient everything was. While he had traveled before, it had never felt this way—they would always speak on the phone, and she’d feel reassured.


    But now, with their argument unresolved and him out of reach, E felt a gaping hole in her heart, one that hurt deeply.


    She silently dried her own hair.


    Then, sitting on the bed, she waited for time to pass.


    By midnight, she tried calling Eric again. His phone was still off.