Inside the university laboratory, the lights from various machines flickered continuously. The sounds of keyboard typing and the constant beeping of equipment spread throughout the otherwise quiet room.
Rosalie sat in front of a computer, adjusting several lines of code. Beside her, Mia was writing notes in a notebook, while four or five books were piled near her side. Meanwhile, Lily held a small robot in her hands, frowning deeply as she examined it.
"Ugh… why does this servo motor keep getting stuck again?"
Lily complained in frustration.
Without even looking up, Rosalie continued typing on the keyboard and calmly replied,
"Because you still haven't adjusted the torque limit. I already told you."
"Ah… you always talk about theories…"
Mia looked at the two of them and laughed softly.
"You two, keep it down. You're going to make me mess up my code…"
she teased while trying to stop their bickering.
At that moment, on the other side of the table, Erika sat quietly with a book open in front of her. However, she had been staring at the same page for quite a while. From time to time, she kept checking her phone screen.
Rosalie glanced toward Erika several times before finally noticing something strange. She slowly stopped typing and looked at her with concern.
"Erika…"
"..."
"Erika…"
"Hm?"
Erika suddenly snapped back to reality and looked up. She stared blankly at Rosalie as if she hadn't heard what was said.
Rosalie frowned slightly.
"What's wrong with you today? You seem distracted. Are you not feeling well?"
Erika remained silent for a moment before closing the book in front of her.
"It's nothing. I just didn't sleep well last night, so I'm a little tired…"
Leaning back against her chair, Lily immediately teased her.
"I don't think that's it. You keep checking your phone. Is your boyfriend texting you or something?"
she laughed mischievously.
Erika gave a faint, lifeless smile and looked at Lily with calm eyes.
"There's no one like that…"
"Hah… your reaction makes this even more suspicious."
Mia joined in teasing her as well.
Erika simply gave a small smile before glancing down at her phone again.
A new message had arrived.
"Young miss… should we continue monitoring them?"
The moment she saw the message, Erika's eyes wavered slightly.
After a brief silence, she slowly stood up from her seat and headed toward the door.
"I'll go outside for a moment…"
Rosalie nodded gently.
"Okay. Come back quickly though. We're doing the test run today."
Lily spun around in her chair with a grin.
"Go ahead. Take your time talking to him. Hehe…"
Erika gave Lily a small smile before quietly leaving the laboratory.
Once she reached a quiet corner of the hallway outside, she made a phone call. The other side picked up immediately.
"Young miss…"
Looking out the window, Erika spoke in a low but clear voice.
"How's Ethan's condition…"
The other side fell silent briefly before answering.
"His injuries are serious. But his life is no longer in danger, young miss…"
Hearing those words, Erika quietly let out a soft breath of relief. She gently brushed her fingers against the window frame before asking again,
"…Was David personally involved?"
"Yes, young miss…"
"I see. Keep monitoring the situation…"
Then she bit her lip lightly and exhaled slowly before continuing,
"What about Gaing? How's his condition?"
"Gaing's condition is still somewhat critical, but his life is no longer at risk, young miss. Boss wants young miss to personally question him."
Erika scratched her head and ran her fingers through her hair before leaning lightly against the window frame.
"Mm… understood. Just continue watching things the way I instructed. If, anything unusual happens, report to me immediately. And one more thing…"
Her voice became colder.
"Make sure Mr. Henry doesn't find out about any of this."
"Yes, young miss. Your father will not learn anything. We'll immediately report back if there are any updates."
"Okay…"
After ending the call, Erika rested her hand against the window and quietly stared outside for a moment before returning to the laboratory.
She picked up the jacket resting on her chair and put it on while looking toward Rosalie.
"Rosie… I can't help out today. Something came up. I'll come back this evening."
Rosalie looked up at her and gently nodded. Concern filled her eyes.
"Are you okay, friend? If something's wrong, tell us first, alright?"
Erika gave her a bright smile and nodded reassuringly before saying goodbye to the others and leaving the room.
...…
She arrived at the parking area filled with motorcycles and cars inside the campus grounds. Erika walked toward a tall black motorcycle parked near the far edge and climbed onto it before steering toward the exit road. She grabbed the helmet hanging from the bike, put it on, and revved the engine once before speeding out onto the road.
The black motorcycle tore through the streets like a bullet cutting against the wind.
After riding for about fifteen minutes, she arrived in front of one of the largest hospitals in the city. She parked the motorcycle inside the parking lot and stepped off. Hanging the helmet onto the side mirror, she glanced at her reflection and fixed her hair neatly. Afterward, she headed upstairs using the elevator beside the parking area.
In her hands, she carried a bouquet of roses.
While Erika was riding the elevator upward, a call suddenly came in from her father. She stared at the phone screen for a brief moment before answering it.
"Hello… Dad…"
"Erika… where are you?"
"I'm going to see Gaing. I'm at the hospital right now…"
"Okay… if there's anything he needs, take care of it for him. MacGru had to leave town for work, so the only ones watching over him right now are the nurses."
"Yes, Daddy… I'll handle it. By the way… what happened to David and the others?"
"Heh… Erika, we should thank that reckless little brat for his impulsive behavior. We managed to get the Ping Casino because of it. Anyway, just focus on what you need to do."
"…Alright."
Erika's father fell silent for a moment before speaking again.
"But this is unusual. Since when did Daddy's little princess start taking interest in my business affairs? Didn't you say you only wanted to work at Grandpa's harbor company? Tell me, princess…"
"Heh… it's nothing special. I was just asking. Did you take your medicine this afternoon, Daddy? The doctor told you to take it on time, remember…"
"Yes, yes… Daddy already took it. I'm drinking tea right now. Alright then… go ahead. Stay with Gaing for a while, okay?"
"Yes, Daddy…"
After ending the call, Erika let out a long sigh and stepped out of the elevator before heading toward the hospital room. When she arrived in front of the room, she pushed the door open and walked inside.
Inside the room, Gaing was lying on the hospital bed surrounded by oxygen tubes and heart-monitoring machines. He was quietly staring out the glass window beside the bed.
Gaing possessed a sharp, handsome face and bright eyes. His dark gaze and thick eyebrows gave him the appearance of a calm and dignified man. He was someone who spoke little, carried himself seriously, and always kept his promises.