Before Rachel could answer, Bill's voice sounded from behind them. "Rachel, Andy's fine after taking
the medicine. Let's go."
"Bill?"
Jack finally withdrew himself as a bitter smile slipped into his lips.
A shiver shot down her spine.
Being the smart man that he was, Michael took two steps back. He glanced at the three of them
cautiously as he crossed his arms. "I surely won't be bored tonight," he murmured to himself.
When Rachel got out of the car, she could almost feel the atmosphere thickening with tension. She
glanced at Michael. "The party's about to start. Shouldn't you go in?"
"It doesn't matter. Besides, all we need to do is hand over the red packets. Jack would be finished here
in a bit."
He shrugged.
She shuffled uncomfortably as the two men gazed at each other. They looked like a pair of bulls about
to ram against each other.
Jack was the first one to break the silence. He took a few steps forward and placed a hand on Bill's
shoulder. "I didn't expect to see you again."
"Well, the city's not that big," Bill replied.
Jack smiled faintly.
"It seems that it wasn't enough that we had met abroad; we run into each other here as well. Isn't fate
interesting?"
Rachel noticed the iciness crawling into his features, and her heart twitched at the sight. She
immediately walked forward and tried to dispel the tension between them. "It's really not appropriate to
stand and talk here," she insisted. "Do you want to find a place nearby so we can all catch up?"
"Don't bother." Jack's arm snaked around her waist as if he was declaring Rachel was his woman.
She frowned and pushed him. However, no matter how hard she tried to shove him, he still remained
unmoving. Furthermore, the grip he had on her waist tightened at her every movement.
"Mr. Fu, shouldn't you attend the party? Rachel and I still have a dinner to get to." Bill tried to hold the
woman's hand, but given that she was under Jack's grasp, he failed to do so.
"Rachel is going with you. How about I'll invite you to our house some other day? I'll ask her to cook for
you. It's definitely better than the food outside."
He made sure to emphasize the words "our house." When Bill stiffened at his words, Jack grinned in
satisfaction.
Bill reeled back as if he had been punched in the gut.
His expression changed almost immediately. "What do you mean by that?"
Afraid that it might affect his heart condition, Rachel waved it off. "You should go back tonight, Bill. I'll
explain it to you tomorrow, okay?"
"Can't you tell me now?" With a hand on his chest, Bill heaved slightly.
Seeing this, Rachel struggled under Jack's grip, but she continually failed. Afraid that the man might
faint, she whirled at Michael. "Don't just stand there," she snapped. "Help send him home."
Bill steadied himself and waved his hand. His face was pale. "It's fine. I can send myself home." "I'll call
you tomorrow, okay?"
He didn't even give her a chance to say her farewells as he started the car and drove off. Staring at the
gradually retreating car, Rachel sighed. "Can you let go of me?" she demanded weakly.
All of a sudden, he lifted her. Now, she could feel her feet dangling off the ground, and she gritted her
teeth.
Afraid that they might be noticed, she tried her best to restrain her irritation. "What the hell do you
want?"
Jack didn't answer. Instead, he threw the red packet to the man behind him. "I won't go," he said
indifferently. "You can hand it over for me."
"Okay."
Michael shoved the red packet into his pocket and waved at the retreating couple. Once they were out
of sight, he sighed and shook his head. "It's high time he acts like a man." He snorted.
When they arrived at her apartment, he didn't waste any time as he threw her onto the bed. She was
about to get out when he pressed her down once again.
"Let go of me!" she roared.
"Let you go? Why? So you can go back to Bill?" Jack grabbed two of her wrists and raised it above her
head.
Her face flushed at the implication of his words. Seeing as her hands were controlled by him, she
kicked the sheets with her feet.
His eyes darkened. "Don't move!"
Stopping herself, her voice gradually turned cold. "How about we sit and have a good talk," she
suggested.
Her voice was as calm as water, and it was like a bucket of ice had been thrown to his face. Jack froze,
finally waking up from his daze.
He let go of her and stepped aside.
"Don't ever see him again," he said.
"He's a friend."
"That's bullshit and you know it!" He kicked the chair beside him. His eyes were rimmed red, and he
couldn't stop himself from letting out a string of curses. "Have you seen the way he acts around you?
The guy doesn't see you as a friend!"
Rachel stiffened at his roar. She didn't expect him to react this way.
He used this opportunity to hold her tightly and rest his chin on top of her shoulder. "I'm jealous, okay?"
he whispered. "I'm jealous of him." Without another word, he locked her into his arms and slept.
Seeing that she had no other choice, she shut her eyes and found herself sinking deeper into the
darkness.
When she opened her eyes again, it was already morning. Glancing at the man sleeping next to her,
she sighed and freshened up. She picked up the articles of clothing around the room, placed them on
the stool, and left for work.
The quarrel they had last night didn't give them an opportunity to discuss anything. However, at that
moment, Rachel knew that it was time for her to reflect on their relationship.
Back then, thinking that she would never see him again, all she ever wanted to do was forget the past.
Now that there was a chance that they could go back together, maybe it was time for her to confront it
as well.
Her morning shift in the hospital was quiet and boring. In fact, there wasn't much going on as Rachel
sat in her office and stared at the documents on her desk. It wasn't until she had heard someone calling
out "lunch time" that she finally realized how long she had been sitting there.
Her stomach growled in reply.
Taking out the meal card from her drawer, Rachel went to the dining hall and ordered a sandwich and a
cup of black coffee for herself. Before she could head over to her usual spot, the director called her
over. He smiled faintly and offered her a seat opposite to him.
Unexpectedly, he was in a good mood. "Being a doctor isn't easy. Are you sure that's all you want to
eat?"
"It's enough for me." While she was eating, Rachel wasn't much of a talker, especially if she was
seated with a person she wasn't familiar with.
However, the director was acting very unusually. He just couldn't stop talking.
Rachel wiped her mouth and interrupted him, "Director, I'll be returning to my office now." She motioned
to her empty plate. "It was nice talking to you."
"Wait."
She could only follow his orders. "Yes?"
"Are you free in the next two days?" he asked hurriedly.
"Yes, I am."
"That's good!"
He pounded the table in excitement. It was so loud that the other nurses and doctors nearby looked
over to see what the fuss was all about.
Smiling awkwardly, he lowered his voice. "I'm supposed to go on a business trip to the capital city
tomorrow, but tomorrow is the twentieth wedding anniversary of me and my wife. I..."
"Are you trying to say that you want me to attend the business trip in your behalf?" she guessed.
"Yes. Would you?" He sighed. "The contents of the business meetings are really very simple. I can sent
you the materials later."
Rachel shook her head lightly. "Director, I'm sorry, but I can't go on a business trip for you."
She still remembered what had happened when she tried to modify his paper the other time.
Although the culprit had left Ninwell City, she was still afraid.
At that moment, his face turned considerably pale. "Didn't you say that you'd be free? It's part of your
official duties."
"I said that I'll be free in the day, but I have events to attend at night. I really can't do it. I'm sorry."
At her apartment, Jack was still sleeping soundly. When he turned around to find that the bed was
empty, he immediately opened his eyes.
He glanced at the clothes on the stool as his mind went back to what had happened that night.
Although they got to talk, it seemed that they still haven't made anything clear.
After doing her rounds, Rachel made them to check any incoming messages she had. She froze when
Jack's message popped up on her screen.
"Let's talk about it in detail after work."
She knew exactly what he was talking about.
But she still wasn't ready.
Rachel handed over the medical records to one of the nurses. "Put it away for me. Thank you." After
saying that, she rushed over to the door to the director's office. She knocked tentatively and pushed the
door open. "Director," she greeted. "Have you found someone else to go on your business trip?"
"What's wrong?" It was obvious that the director was still upset by her refusal that morning.
She shrugged. "I've already postponed the event I had for tomorrow night. If you still haven't found a
suitable person yet, I'm willing to go there."
Excitement flashed in his eyes, but it was gone in a second. He coughed slightly and cleared his throat.
"If it's really not convenient for you, you don't have to force yourself," he said flippantly.
'He really is a sly fox,' she sneered to herself.
Plastering a smile on her face, she said, "It would be a good chance for me to learn something. I would
like to thank you for the opportunity that you've given me."
She really wanted to throw up.
If she had any other choice, she wouldn't even bother sucking up to him.
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