Chapter 129: The Injury

[Chapter 129: The Injury]

The girl hurried back to the dining room, grabbed a piece of bread, and prepared to eat breakfast while watching the show. After thinking it over, she chose a safer spot - right at the entrance of the dining room.

In less than a minute, while Drew had her neck craned in anticipation, a series of quick, sharp shouts erupted from upstairs.

"Eric Williams, I will never forgive you! You jerk, you absolute jerk!"

Amidst the shouting, Aniston stomped down the stairs, glaring fiercely at Drew who was watching the scene unfold, and yanked her suitcase to leave.

"Jenny, wait! Don't be rash!"

Eric's voice rang out, and soon enough, his figure, clad only in pajama pants, emerged at the V-shaped corner of the staircase. Seeing Aniston pulling her suitcase to leave, Eric, in a panic, lost his footing and tumbled down the stairs with a series of thuds.

"Whoa," Drew gasped, not too worried about Eric rolling down the stairway; in fact, she found it a bit amusing since the height of the stairs was less than six feet.

Aniston witnessed the scene unfold and couldn't help but let out a satisfied, "Serves you right."

Unfortunately, things went unexpectedly awry. Eric rolled down and landed flat on his back with a thud, and soon blood began to trickle from his forehead, leaving him completely still. The atmosphere felt suspended for a moment before a porcelain bowl holding cereal crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces. The girl rushed over, her face pale with fear.

"Eric, are you okay? Hey! Speak to me, don't scare me like this!" Drew cried out as she knelt beside Eric, frantically trying to wipe the blood from his forehead, realizing she only smeared it, making it worse and staining her pajama sleeves red. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a one-inch gash on his forehead, blood gushing from the wound, and Eric lay unconscious.

Aniston, who had initially been furious and determined to leave, hesitated at the sight, reluctantly putting down her suitcase and walking over. She skirted around Drew's body and was alarmed by the blood pouring from Eric's forehead.

"What... how did this happen?"

Drew helplessly cradled Eric's head in her arms, unfamiliar with the situation as she pressed down on his forehead, staining her pajama top with blood. Her eyes reddened like a rabbit's as she shouted at Aniston, "Call for an ambulance, now! If anything happens to Eric, I swear I will kill you!"

Aniston shivered at Drew's hysterical threat and rushed to the phone, fumbling as she dialed 911. Just then, Virginia, hastily dressed, came rushing down to see the chaos.

"Drew, let me handle this!" she insisted.

"Get away! You're all to blame for this! If it weren't for you all, Eric wouldn't have been hurt!" Drew shouted, hurling insults.

Although Virginia felt hurt by Drew's words, she was a sensible woman and knew now wasn't the time to argue. "Drew, we need to stop the bleeding. Is there a first aid kit? Tell me where it is!"

"The bedroom, on the closet shelf," Drew replied without hesitation, and Virginia dashed upstairs.

"Should we... lay him flat on the ground?" Aniston suggested, approaching cautiously after her call.

Drew cast a cold glance at Aniston before pressing down carefully on Eric's wound and laid him flat on the floor. After a moment, she removed one of her cartoon slippers and placed it under Eric's head.

Aniston watched Drew's frantic manner and felt a pang of sadness; after all, she was Eric's official girlfriend, yet in this moment it felt as though she was the third wheel. Looking at Drew, who was behaving like a crazed mother bear, Aniston felt a chill. She sensed that the closer she was, the more she'd be torn apart by a wild beast.

Virginia returned quickly with the first aid kit. "Drew, let me take over. I've learned some first aid."

Drew silently backed away, watching as Virginia expertly tended to Eric's injuries, feeling a bit relieved as she glanced at Aniston standing off to the side. "You said you were leaving? Now you can go and never come back to look for Eric again."

"Me?" Aniston finally raised her voice, anger bubbling up. "I'm Eric's girlfriend! Who do you think you are to give me orders? You're just a pet he keeps!"

Drew smirked derisively. "What's wrong with being a pet? At least I'm not a stuck-up, clueless woman like you, who always throws petty tantrums in front of him."

"You're the clueless one!" Aniston shot back, pointing at Virginia. "I am his girlfriend, shouldn't I be upset about this?"

"What's wrong with a great guy dating several women?" Drew countered.

"You..." Aniston was at a loss for words against Drew's strong logic.

Virginia had finished bandaging Eric's forehead and placed her hand on his chest to feel for his heartbeat. Just then, the doorbell rang.

"The ambulance is here," Aniston said softly, immediately drawing Drew's attention away from their argument as she ran to open the door.

Virginia had wanted to slip upstairs to avoid recognition until Eric's condition stabilized, considering that her relationship with Eric was less than public. As Aniston noticed Virginia's movement, she thought of hiding upstairs as well but paused, seeing Drew gesturing excitedly to the paramedics approaching.

The medics made quick work of assessing Eric, stabilizing him before carefully placing the still-unconscious man onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. Aniston followed Drew onto the ambulance, not wanting to be left behind. The ambulance sped off from Eric's mansion, heading straight for the nearest hospital.

...

A group of paparazzi stationed outside Eric's house saw the scene and went wild, sensing something major had happened, and quickly jumped into their vehicles to follow along.

In under an hour, news of Eric's injury and hospitalization spread like wildfire among the Los Angeles media.

"This is a brief report: This morning, young director Eric Williams accidentally fell down the stairs and has been in a coma since. Our reporters at the Beverly Hills Comil Surgical Hospital are on the scene," a voice on television declared, cutting to a live shot outside a hospital, where dozens of reporters crowded the entrance trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening. The camera panned to Al Pacino stepping out of a business vehicle, his face serious behind sunglasses and surrounded immediately by a swarm of journalists.

A young blonde reporter stood before the camera, microphone in hand, reporting, "Eric has now been comatose for three hours. Based on the information released, he has sustained various degrees of bruising on his back, elbows, and knees, with the most serious being a severe head injury resulting in substantial blood loss. We cannot confirm at this moment if this injury will have more serious consequences. As we all know, brain injuries are the hardest to predict."

...

Inside the hospital, Jeffrey and Kapler had arrived first, followed by Al Pacino, Tom Hanks, and other close acquaintances of Eric. After several exams, Eric was sent to a patient room while everyone gathered in the office to hear the attending physician's updates.

"CT and MRI results indicate that Mr. Williams suffered no skull fractures or internal bleeding, thus we do not need to worry excessively at this time."

"Doctor Duncan, when will he wake up?" Drew asked anxiously, standing right at the front of the group.

"Within eight hours, I expect he ought to wake up," Dr. Duncan replied cautiously.

"'Expect'? Doctor, can't you be sure?"

Dr. Duncan nodded, looking concerned.

"How could this be? You're a doctor! You should be sure about these things; aren't you the best here?" Drew said breathlessly, practically trying to pounce at him, only to be restrained by Jeffrey: "Drew, calm down."

Dr. Duncan regarded Drew, who was barefoot and her pajamas stained with blood, and didn't seem perturbed by her rudeness; instead, he patiently explained, "Miss Barrymore, the degree of injury Eric has sustained typically would have restored consciousness by now, yet he hasn't done so. Therefore, I cannot offer you an accurate answer, we just need to observe and wait."

Drew waved her hand restlessly, "No! I want him transferred to the best hospital in Los Angeles, I..."

"Drew, don't cause a scene. This is already the best neuro hospital in Los Angeles," Jeffrey reassured her, holding her shoulder gently.

Dr. Duncan added, "Perhaps we can try talking to him; it might help to rouse him."

Upon hearing this suggestion, Drew turned on her heel and ran towards Eric's room. Once Drew disappeared, Jeffrey posed a question to the doctor, "Doctor, does that really work?"

Dr. Duncan chuckled lightly, "I just wanted to give Barrymore something to occupy her mind; her emotions are too unstable and she is on the verge of a breakdown."

A heavy silence filled the air, with everyone not knowing what else to say. The crowd dispersed from the office to stand outside Eric's room, and they saw Drew leaning anxiously over Eric, whispering nervously in his ear, not daring to approach closer themselves.

Several passersby noticed the likes of Al Pacino and Tom Hanks and wanted to approach but hesitated at their stern demeanor and retreated.

Jeffrey, the oldest among them, finally suggested, "Maybe it's best if everyone heads home for now. Sticking around here isn't doing anything good. Kepler and I can stay here."

After he spoke, everyone soon began to leave, and only Jeffrey, Kepler, and a stubborn Aniston remained, who also longed to be at Eric's bedside but was frightened by Drew's erratic state.

Eight hours passed, and Eric still had not awakened. By evening, there was still no sign he might wake up, which caused Drew to spiral once again, redirecting her anxiety-fueled anger towards Aniston. Aniston's neck bore two scratches from Drew's frenzy before Jeffrey and Kepler finally managed to pull her away. Aniston began to regret having stayed in the first place, even forgetting to resist as Drew lunged at her once more.

...

As night fell, many grew restless. Barry Diller from Fox and Amy Pascal from Columbia arrived sequentially, met with excitement from reporters attempting to encircle them for interviews. However, their formidable bodyguards pushed the eager crowd back.

They checked on Eric first before again turning to the attending physician, seemingly devoid of options.

"Doctor, you don't think there's a risk of a vegetative state, do you?" Barry Diller posed, voicing what everyone was thinking but afraid to ask after hearing Dr. Duncan's assessment.

Dr. Duncan rubbed the pen in his fingers, hesitating before speaking. "The chances of that happening are very slim, but... it's not impossible."

Fortunately, Drew was still keeping vigil at Eric's bedside; hearing those words might have sent her into another episode.

Everyone exchanged glances, not sure what to say next. The grim expression deepened on Diller's and Pascal's faces, not out of concern for Eric, but for the studios they represented. Both companies had substantial deals tied to Eric's films, and if they fell through due to his condition...

With no conclusions reached, an hour later, Barry Diller and Amy Pascal reluctantly departed.

...

Perhaps everyone felt a wave of relief at the mere possibility that Eric's crisis could cause a mere scare. By 4 AM the following morning, after nearly fifteen hours of being comatose, Eric finally awakened. After a brief examination, Drew, her eyes red and unkempt, grasped Eric's large hand, tenderly stroking his face before collapsing at the edge of the bed, finally falling asleep.

Jeffrey and Kepler, exhausted from the all-nighter, felt a weight lift as they sat by Eric's bedside, watching Drew's reaction. Kepler finally stood. "Eric, should I take Drew to the next room to rest?"

"Not necessary, she can stay here," Eric said, pulling Drew up to rest beside him, then turning to Aniston, who was positioned against the door with her arms crossed, "Jenny, come here."

Aniston obediently walked over. "Eric, since... since you're awake, I'm going to leave."

Eric reached out, gripping Aniston's arm, "Don't go, please, Jenny."

Kepler and Jeffrey took the hint and excused themselves, "We'll call everyone else to let them know you're awake. They'll feel much better to hear it from us."

...

Once the door shut, Aniston relaxed slightly and seated herself beside Eric's bed.

Eric looked puzzled as he touched the red marks on Aniston's neck. "What happened to..."

Aniston glanced at Drew next to him, her expression complicated, "You jerk... if you hadn't woken up, Drew would have killed me."

"Come on, she wouldn't have," Eric reassured her, caressing Aniston's face.

"Oh yes, she would. I honestly think... breaking up might be best. Maybe... maybe Drew is a better fit for you."

"I only see Drew as... a sister."

Aniston didn't linger on the topic and instead remarked, "But I can't handle your wandering heart, Eric. When I saw all those headlines about you in New York, I could convince myself they were just magazine fabrications. But seeing you yesterday morning changed everything. I can't deceive myself anymore, and it's tearing me up inside. So, why don't you let me go?"

Eric tightened his grip on Aniston's small hand. "All right, Jenny. Let's not discuss this for now. I plan to produce a TV series soon; would you like to star as the lead? I promise it will make you even more famous than those movie stars."

Aniston pulled her hand back, "I don't--"

"I really can't think of anyone who'd fit better than you," he countered. "You wouldn't want me to hold auditions again, right? That'd lead to a lot of girls around me, and you know my willpower isn't the strongest."

"You..."

"All right, it's settled then."

"Wait!"

Aniston was stubborn, but Eric was even more so, and in a moment of whimsical persistence, she unwittingly agreed, only to realize too late that she had been pulled onto Eric's other side. Like Drew, she too was sleep-deprived, and soon fell asleep beside him.

...

While Eric's awakening was celebrated, news cycles had already gone to print.

The next morning, headlines read, "Eric Williams Injured Unexpectedly; Filming Plans Delayed, Columbia Faces Major Negotiation Setback."

"Sources say that Williams remains in a long-lasting coma, raising risks of a vegetative state. If this occurs, multiple film contracts with Columbia and 20th Century Fox could be at risk for cancellation. Meanwhile, Firefly Films faces uncertain prospects."

Such reports proliferated, but after Fox News quickly clarified that Eric had woken up, these sensational stories quickly lost their weight, leading to a temporary fluctuation in stock prices for Columbia and Fox before stabilizing.

Simultaneously, another angle began to gain traction and drew significant attention, as tabloids reported: "It's well-known that Eric Williams has no living relatives. Although former child star Drew Barrymore has a close relationship with Williams, they share no genetic ties, nor any legal connections. Reportedly, Eric has not left a will; should anything happen to him, his multimillion-dollar estate may go unclaimed and could be seized by the federal government."

....

In the hospital, despite feeling fully recovered, Eric was compelled to stay for a few more days under the doctor's advice.

Reading about the unfolding saga, Eric chuckled, addressing Drew beside him, "Maybe I ought to write a will after all. How much do you want?"

"Of course, it should all be mine," Drew replied nonchalantly while flipping through a magazine, glancing at Eric. "Did you forget what our relationship is?"

"I thought you might say I wouldn't need a dime, just your well-being. But to want all my fortune? That genuinely hurts."

"Harumph!"

As Eric continued to contemplate drafting a will during his stay in the hospital, far across the ocean, British paparazzi uncovered another intriguing tidbit. Eric's publicized father had indeed passed, but his mother remained an enigma. This discovery excited many reporters; finding Eric's mother would be nothing short of explosive news.

As a first-introduced venue for paparazzi, the British were skilled at digging deep. They quickly discovered Eric's childhood home in London and knocked on doors in the area, eventually uncovering some clues.

"She was a woman of great poise..."

"She always wore a veil when she went out -- I never saw her true face..."

"She was probably a wealthy heiress, but after giving birth, she just vanished. Ralph really hit the jackpot..."

After considerable effort, the tabloids garnered the only snippets available, confirming no one could recall what Eric Williams's mother looked like. This uncertainty only provided fertile ground for speculation, prompting consensus that this could be a tale of love between a princess and a stable boy. While the ending wasn't great, it produced an outstanding son.

These fabrications soon reached the United States, and unsurprisingly, Eric saw these headlines, yet he felt relief. It was better if his mother remained out of reach; he genuinely didn't know how to deal with a mother he had never met. It was best if that riddle stayed unsolved.

After April Fool's Day, following another thorough examination, Eric was discharged from the hospital, putting the ordeal behind him. Preparations were all set for his upcoming film, and in the remaining days, he began collaborating with Cruise and Hanks, eagerly awaiting the official start of filming on April 5.

*****

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