Disappointed?

After getting a bit farther from the hospital, the car abruptly stops. Alice instinctively looked at the driver's seat and was about to ask why, when suddenly Eric's face was about three centimeters far from her own. She involuntarily swallowed a bit of saliva. Looking at that striking face close-up, Alice nearly cursed how the gods can be biased to have given a person a face that is both spotless and pore less.

When Eric raised his left hand, Alice's thinking was like somebody was going to hit her, she immediately raised her hands to block it. But instead of blocking his hand, one of her palms hit his nose upwards, a bit harder than she expected. Both of them were shocked in how this all played out that Eric retracted his body and slumped in his seat, clutching his nose.

"Are you trying to fracture my nose?" Eric grabbed a tissue to wipe his nose, just to make sure it's not bleeding. Really. If it wasn't because he saw that her palms are half the size of his, he would think that it was someone with a heavy hand had hit his nose.

"What were you even doing? If you didn't have your face too close, I wouldn't react that way." Instead of apologizing, Alice pushed the blame on him. Making her think that someone is getting advantage of her. And just because she's in his car, he could do anything he likes? Where is that decency of his?

"I'm trying to buckle your seat belt." Still clutching his nose, the words sound slightly inaudible. "Don't you watch those drama cliché? I'm trying to be a gentleman here. Disappointed?"

Alice, for the nth time, was silenced by his reply. And here she was, thinking that he would do something indecent to her. She really was thinking he would ki--- don't think about that, Alice, keep yourself together. Okay. This is really embarrassing. Her cheeks flushed with a hint of red, and her ears feel hot. And he was still gazing at her.

Wait, did he just say 'disappointed'?

He could really be a gentleman if not for that mouth of his. Now irritated, she decided not to own up to the assumption that she has made. She is pissed, to him? More like, to herself. And she even blushed?! F*ck.

Clearing her throat, she decided to change the subject.

"I have to go to the Zhao family. I'll be staying there."

Eric was amused to see an embarrassed Alice. This is far from the cold gaze she had inside the hospital room. This is better. He would like to see this again. It was cute. And how she could transition that fast from a bashful little thing to a feisty one, this is truly reading an open book.

"I know. Grandpa Zhao called me and entrusted you to me, lady."

Alice thought so. The Zhaos. That household can be cruel with her mother, neglecting her, even when she had her breakdown. But what made them change their attitude to her? It did not matter that much. She knows who to trust and not, anyway. And for years she is not around, the Zhao, no matter how small the family is, has the power to help her hinder Cathy Xu and her family's years of plan. Her status might be high right now. But that is but a borrowed limelight.