Chapter 645

Chapter 645:

Eric raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. “Alright. I’ll be quick.”

“Okay.”

With that, he shut the car door and hurried inside.

The pharmacy was efficient, and since the medication had already been prepared, Eric only had to pick it up. Bag in hand, he walked through the bustling hospital lobby. And then—

“Hello!”

A bright, cheerful voice rang out from the crowd.

Eric instinctively turned. There, among the sea of people, was a familiar little face.

“Joy!” She wasn’t alone—Melba was with her.

Before Melba could react, Joy wriggled out of her arms, squirming until she landed on the floor. Then, with tiny, determined steps, she ran straight toward Eric.

“Hello, little one! How are you?” Eric chuckled, crouching down as he scooped her up effortlessly with one arm.

But the usual sparkle in her eyes was missing. Her tiny hands clung to his collar, her little voice soft, almost dejected. “I’m feeling down today.”

“What? Why?” Eric asked, taken aback. “What’s troubling our sweet Joy? Let me know, and I’ll make it all better, alright?”

“Here.”

Joy wasted no time. She bowed her head, lifted her little arm, and gestured toward her head. “I used to have a Minnie on each side, but now there’s just one. The other one’s gone.”

What?

Eric needed a second to catch on.

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Joy was talking about her hair clips. Initially, there had been one securing each side of her hair, but now only one was in place. Minnie hair clips? Eric mused internally, noting her fondness for Minnie Mouse.

He responded with a hint of sorrow, “That’s unfortunate.”

“Exactly,” Joy frowned, clearly upset. “Melba and I looked everywhere, but it’s gone. It’s just vanished!”

“I’m so sorry.” Eric nodded, his lips curving into a smile despite the situation.

“Joy…”

It was then that Melba chimed in. She kept stealing looks at Eric, recalling their last meeting by the park close to her home. Joy appeared to be quite familiar with him, clearly fond of his company.

Truth be told, the man had a striking appearance and seemed wealthy—nothing like a typical bad person. Still, it never hurt to be cautious.

Melba coaxed Joy toward herself and offered Eric a forced smile. “Apologies, sir. She’s a little restless today and might have bothered you.”

“Not in the slightest,” Eric responded, shaking his head with a warm smile. “Joy is delightful.”

Holding Joy close, Melba said without giving Eric a chance to respond further, “We should be going then.”

As they began to walk away, Melba whispered to Joy, “Where did you two even meet?”

“In the hospital.”

“Oh, I see.”

With a quiet sigh, Melba acknowledged their acquaintance had been made at the hospital. She gently reminded Joy, “Remember to stay close to me next time, okay? We don’t want any more stomach aches.”

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