[MEDICAL CITY CENTER]
"Ugh..." Eric woke up in the middle of his sleep, letting out a grunt as he felt immediate discomfort in his hand. He weakly opened his eyes, unable to turn his body due to his injuries. When his vision grew clearer, his pupils instantly went wide.
"Who are you?" he panicked, studying the unfamiliar man standing beside the hospital bed. His heart thudded, and he looked around on instinct. Only then did he realize there were at least two more people in the private ward.
Eric looked back at the person standing beside the bed, lips quivering. Should he run away now? Even if he wanted to do that, he knew that was impossible. He would just make himself look like a clown, knowing his injuries wouldn't allow him to get away.
'I should have let Lisa plant a bodyguard to guard this place.'
The man assessed the scrutinizing look of the patient, but he didn't say anything. All he did for the next full minute was stare at Eric before he fished out a phone from his black suit. He then handed the phone to Eric, making the latter furrow his brows.
"What's this?" Eric asked the man, but he didn't get any proper answer. The man simply cast the phone a look and then lifted his eyes back to him. "You want me to take it?"
Eric let out a short scoff, raising his cast hands a little. "Do you think I can do that?"
The man glanced at his cast and, as if trying to be considerate, he clipped the phone in between Eric's thumb and index. He also turned it on, so Eric didn't have to. Truly a considerate lad.
'Who the hell are these guys?' Eric wondered, only to shift his attention as a person appeared on the screen. The second he saw the person on the small screen, he instinctively held his breath.
Primo.
"Hello, dearest Eric." Primo smiled widely, amused at the person he was seeing. "I see you are also in the hospital just like me! Isn't this what they call destiny?"
"No One..."
"Yes, dear, it's me! The one and only!" Primo's smile stretched until his teeth were on full display, while his eyes were squinting. "Don't tell me you think I was dead? That will really hurt me."
Eric let out a shallow breath, assessing the man on the other screen. He could still see Primo in a hospital gown, sitting on the headboard of what looked like a hospital bed. There was an apparent large burn on the side of Primo's neck, but it looked like it was healing very well.
'I know he will come for me one of these days,' he thought, calming himself down to have a level-headed conversation with this psychopath. 'But I guess it's better to deal with him sooner than wonder when he would appear.'
If there was one thing Eric was thankful for, it that was he now knew Primo was still in a hospital somewhere in this world. Although Primo could kill him, even if he was across the globe, it was still better if he wasn't around at the moment.
"What do you want, No One?" Eric didn't beat around the bush, confronting the problem right here and now. "I'm sure you didn't just send these guys just so you can chat with me."
"Oh, ho." Primo laughed as he leaned back. "What's the rush, partner? It's been almost a year since we last talked. I missed you."
Primo lifted his prosthetics, grinning. "I got a new hand, see? I'm really excited to show it off!"
Eric gazed at the metal hand Primo was waving on the screen. Another shallow breath slipped past his lips.
"I guess losing an arm isn't that bad for you," he joked weakly. "You got a metal one as a replacement. I can imagine you knocking out someone with just one punch."
"It's heavy, though." Primo smacked his lips. "I'm still trying to get used to it."
Eric rocked his head. "Is that so?"
"Yes! Anyway, back to the main point of this call." Primo clapped, looking at the camera squarely. "I heard you broke our alliance, Eric Manoban. I didn't want to believe it at first, but my men couldn't reach you anymore. They would've visited you earlier, but they were waiting for my go signal. After all, they can't kill you without my permission."
Primo raised his brows, offering him a short smile. "Is that true, dear? Did you really end our alliance?"
Primo didn't need to look angry for Eric to understand the man could end him. Eric discreetly glanced at the people in the private ward with him. At this point, Eric knew that these men were simply waiting for the word to finish him.
That couldn't happen. Eric wouldn't allow himself to die untimely. Not when his goal was within his reach.
"Yes, it's true." Eric breathed out, ignoring the people around him, and set his undivided focus on the phone. "They weren't lying. I did end our alliance when I heard Joker got your arm."
"Oh?" Primo arched a brow, intrigued.
"If you're in my shoes, I know you'd do the same." Eric didn't lose his composure. "We are in a partnership and what happened is enough for me to lose trust in this partnership."
"In simple words, you were saving yourself?" Primo frowned. "That's sad, Eric."
"I am working with you and not with anyone else." Eric shook his head, eyes fixed on the phone. "If you're dead, then our agreement is automatically null. I trust you, No One, but not your men. I have a goal just like you, and my partner's death should never be a setback to me."
"Moreover, Lisa had kept his eyes on me. The guy went crazy when he thought he would lose his family. So, I have to lie low and stay away from trouble," he continued in the same solemn tone. "I'm sorry if I thought you were dead, but now that I am certain you are not, then we can continue the business."
Primo blinked lazily, staring at the person on the screen. "Eric, dear, what makes you think I still want to do business with you?"
"I infiltrated the LYON Group," Eric stressed. "I know you are already aware that I am now one of the board of directors of the company. While you are fighting for your life, I made progress all on my own. We're close to our objective, No One."
The corner of Eric's mouth curled up subtly. "In a month, the LYON Group will celebrate its anniversary. It was a perfect day for change, No One. I also think it's a perfect day for you to get rid of that rotten Primo Rossi's name."
A glint flickered across Eric's eyes while Primo pressed his mouth together. The latter studied Eric, pondering on whether he should give Eric a chance or just end him once and for all.
"Well." Primo clapped after a moment, shrugging. "Let's see if you can pull it off. I'll try my best to watch everything from the side, then. I hope you prove yourself worthy because if not, then I have no choice but to end you. After all, I sort of found someone even more interesting."
Primo's smile broadened as if a good thought crossed his twisted mind. "You said I'm not making progress? Well, one of these days, I might just become the king of the underworld! Haha!"
YOU ARE READING
My Precious Family 3 [Jenlisa]
RomanceREMINDER: STORY NOT MINE She was known as an underground empress, leading the mysterious and most notorious assassin organization called the Reapers. She was intelligent, cunning, and ambitious, living her life trying to reach a height where no one...