MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

"I didn't fake an accident," Eric laughed. "I staged a collision, and my neck is in more pain than you could imagine. But it was for a good cause."

Crystal smiled shyly when she heard that. She was a little bit upset about Eric's trick, but nobody had ever gone to such lengths to get her attention. "Hang in there," she said. "We've called an ambulance. Someone will come in a matter of minutes. I have to get to class, though. I have to go. I can not stay any longer,"

Eric saw that Crystal was going to leave, so, while clutching his neck, he jumped out of the car. He stretched out an arm in Crystal's direction and cried, "You're not going to let me die, are you?"

"You're not going to die," Crystal scoffed.. "You are still alive and kicking, aren't you? Stop being so dramatic! You even looked better now,"

Eric twisted his neck and grimaced. "I'm not fine," he groaned. "Seriously. Look! My neck is almost broken."

Crystal hesitated. She rolled her eyes, but she did not give Eric the cold shoulder that she'd intended to give him. Instead, she turned to Serenity and said, "Go ahead. Explain the situation to our professor. I will come once the ambulance has arrived."

Serenity turned a skeptical eye to Eric. But then, she said, "I think that he's making a mountain out of a molehill, but if you think that you can manage all by yourself, then I will go. See you later,"

Crystal: "It's all right. I'm sure I won't be long. I just can't leave him like this,"

While Crystal was talking, Eric looked at the driver of the van and gave him a dirty look. The driver was not happy about the "accident" and wanted to scold him, but when he saw the look in Eric's eyes, he was stopped dead in his tracks.

While Crystal was talking to Serenity, Eric took out his cell phone and texted Antony, and Antony almost lost his cool when he read the message. It said: "Cancel the ambulance."

When it came to picking up girls, Eric was a master, and Antony was continually being amazed by his resourcefulness.

Immediately after receiving the message, he found a private place where he could call 9-1-1 to cancel the ambulance and any other rescue vehicles that might be on their way.

***

Crystal looked at her watch, and she was concerned that, after more than an hour had passed, nobody had arrived to help them. "This doesn't make sense," she said. "The hospital is nearby. Even if they were on foot, emergency personnel would have arrived already!"

By now, a large crowd had gathered around them. Eric didn't like the attention, though, so he shouted at the van's driver: "Get out of here. I take full responsibility for this. accident."

The driver nodded, and since it was now clear that there wasn't going to be an explosion, he approached the car. They exchanged information, and then the driver and his van fled the scene.

Now that the van was gone, the onlookers grew bored, and the crowd dispersed. Once they were gone, Eric gripped his neck and said, "Ouch, ouch, my neck. It hurts!" He turned to Crystal. "Hurry up and take me to the hospital!" 

Crystal eyed Eric suspiciously. "You're not faking your neck pain, are you?" she asked. 

Eric looked wounded. "How can you say that?" he asked. His eyes fell to the floor. He did not dare to look at Crystal because he knew that he could not deceive her.

Crystal leaned forward and forced Eric to look her in the eyes. Eric squirmed and tried to look away, but she wouldn't allow it. Finally, Eric admitted defeat. He allowed her to look into his eyes, and when she did, two things happened. First: Crystal came to know the truth about Eric's condition; second: Eric realized why Crystal looked familiar and why he hadn't recognized her straight away. The first time he had met Crystal, she'd had a mole at the corner of her eye.

Once Eric got over his surprise, he smiled and asked, "Have you ever had a promotional drink at the Merah Club?"

Crystal was shocked, but she quickly covered her surprise. "So what if I have?" she asked. "It's a free country, isn't it?"

Eric looked at the woman's naughty appearance and narrowed his beautiful fox-like eyes. "I met a whore there once," he replied, "while having a promotional drink at the Merah Club. She did me a great disservice. You look like her. If you were her, I'd ask for you to apologize, make it up to me with a kiss, and then take me to the hospital. Quickly, though. If I am not treated soon, I am going to die of pain."

Crystal rolled her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said. She pointed to Antony. "If you are in such dire straits, you don't need me. You have your friend. Have him take you. Here, I will even hail you a taxi."

Before Eric could reply, Crystal took the lead and reached out to stop the taxi.

"I never take a taxi," Eric scoffed.

Crystal was speechless for a moment. A few

minutes passed, and then she said, "Your pain can't be that bad if you're refusing help! Furthermore, if you won't get in a taxi, how do you expect me to take you to the hospital? Look around you! Does it look like I have a car?"

"God damn," Eric cursed. He felt like he had been stuck between a rock and a hard place. But, no matter what he said, Crystal seemed to be able to get the better of him! Until this moment, he hadn't realized how smart she was.

The taxi driver rolled down his window, forced himself to smile, and said, "I don't have all day here. Are you going or not?"

Crystal looked at Eric. He had his arms crossed stubbornly across his chest.