CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 52 DUMB, BRAIN-DAMAGED, RETARDED (2)

Vera Wave caught sight of the falling vase out of the corner of her eye. She screamed and instinctively pushed him away.

"Watch out!"

The man stumbled backward and fell to the ground. Vera lifted her face to look at the falling vase; there was no time to raise her hand to shield her head. She could only squeeze her eyes shut.

THUD!

The vase struck her forehead at an angle, then slid down onto her body. The remaining water inside spilled all over her t-shirt, then gurgled and rolled across the floor to Kris Cooper’s feet.

"Ahh!"

Vera screamed, raising a hand to her forehead.

"Vera!"

Kris Cooper instinctively rushed over and pulled her into his arms. "How are you? Are you hurt? Move your hand, let me see..."

He accidentally touched her wound, causing Vera to hiss in a sharp intake of breath. She irritably smacked his hand away.

"Don’t touch it! It hurts like hell!"

"Okay, I won’t touch it! You... just move your hand so I can see!"

Vera lowered her hand. Kris leaned closer, gently holding her face to examine it carefully.

Her forehead was swollen and tinged with pink. Fortunately, the skin wasn’t broken, and there was no bleeding; it didn’t look too severe.

The door to the private room burst open, and a waiter rushed in, looking concerned. "Excuse me..." he began, then stopped short. Seeing the man and woman on the floor in an awkward ’embrace,’ the waiter’s tone stiffened. "Is everything all right?"

"Are you blind? Didn’t you see she got hit? Go get some ice," Kris Cooper snapped.

The waiter, unjustly scolded, didn’t dare utter a word and hurriedly turned to run off and fetch the ice.

Kris helped Vera up from the floor and settled her into a chair, then frowned and gently brushed her hair away from her face.

"Does it hurt?"

"Obviously! If I’d known, I’d have let the vase hit you instead!"

She just had her heart broken, then he yelled at her, and then she got hit by a vase. Of course, her mood was foul.

She still knew to protect me! Looks like she does care about me! At that thought, Kris, who had been furious just moments before, felt his spirits lift, and his tone reverted to its usual teasing quality.

"Who asked you to push me away?"

"So what if I regretted it?!" Vera retorted, yanking her hand from his grasp. "Don’t touch me, it’s killing me!"

"Maybe we should go to the hospital."

"Not going."

These days, even treating a cold costs several hundred. A knock on the head like this? Get a CT scan or an ultrasound, and my entire month’s living expenses would be gone. It was just a bump; it didn’t break the skin or bleed. Why on earth would I need to go to the hospital for that? I’m not some rich, pampered young lady anymore; I can’t afford to be so delicate.

"Sir, here’s the ice!" The waiter cautiously brought over a bowl of ice and a towel.

Reaching for the towel, Kris wrapped a few ice cubes in it. He then raised a hand to steady Vera’s face. Seeing her try to dodge, he whispered gently, "Easy now, don’t move!"

Despite his carefulness, the moment the cold towel touched the wound, Vera still cried out.

"Can’t you be gentler? It hurts like hell!"

He quickly lightened his touch, then pursed his lips and blew gently on her wound.

"Are you trying to coddle a child? What’s with the blowing?!" Vera scoffed, turning her head away. "Just let me put the ice on it! It’s killing me!"

The waiter standing nearby couldn’t help it—PFFT! He let out a chuckle.

Kris’s handsome face darkened. "So, what do you want then?"

Vera rubbed her empty stomach.

"Food."

She hadn’t had time for breakfast, and she’d been running up and down the stairs countless times all morning. By now, she was absolutely famished.

Kris immediately turned to the waiter. "Mixed salad, Creamed Corn Soup, herb-roasted sturgeon... double portions of everything!"