Women always suffer the most in situations like this. And Doris, a simple girl, had no idea how to
protect herself from it.
"Yes, you are right. I swear, our relationship is strictly doctor and patient. My... ...umm, well, it has to
recover!" Jay paused for a moment and then turned to Charles. "You know clearly the type of woman
that I like, don't you, Charles? There is no way that I'll be attracted to a plain-looking woman, right?"
Jay's words stung Doris and she couldn't understand why. She knew that she didn't look especially
enchanting, but she also knew that she was quite pretty compared to most other girls. She felt
confused why Jay labeled her that way in front of Charles and Nancy.
"Well, that's true!" Charles agreed abruptly.
"I..." Doris started to speak but paused instantly. "Fortunately, Mr. Fang, I don't have any feelings for
you. And why would I? Who do you think you are, anyway? Humph!"
Doris spoke her mind fast because of the storm of fury that ravaged her chest. She lowered her head
after she spoke and focused on her food, ignoring her companions.
"Don't worry. Nothing bad will happen to them. It will not get out of hand in just a short time," Charles
whispered to Nancy. "Look at us. We've been together for such a long time and yet we haven't done it
yet, right?" he then added jokingly. "Why are you worrying about them?" he asked.
Nancy's face flushed red. Charles could not resist any chance to make fun of her at all.
"Never mind him. And I will not say anything else about that. But Doris, you'd better know what you're
doing," Nancy reminded. She would never speak that way to anyone else. Next to her mother, Doris
was the closest person to her, and she never wanted anything bad to happen to her friend.
Not even the slightest!
"Come on now! Let's drink! I really hope that Mr. Fang would recover soon. The day that he would
return to his rich playboy world would be the day that Doris would finally be free!" Charles didn't like the
awkwardness in the air at all. So, he took out a bottle of a fine red wine, a few wine glasses and filled
the glasses with the wine.
They quickly shifted to a more lively topic and chatted away the time. Soon, they quickly forgot the
unpleasant conversation that they had earlier.
They conversed until it was almost midnight and ended the wine party after Nancy urged them to.
They said their goodbyes and then Charles drove Nancy back to her apartment. The trip was
uneventful. When they reached her house, Nancy silently got out of the car but was surprised when
Charles reached out and grabbed her hand.
"Why? What's wrong?" Nancy asked in a confused tone.
"Can I kiss you tonight?" Charles asked suddenly.
"No. Good night, Charles," Nancy said as she gently pulled her hand from Charles' grasp. She then
turned after she smiled at him and entered the apartment.
Charles touched her chin unconsciously. There was a lingering longing that was still on his lips. He
pouted his lips and kissed the air with a slight smile and then drove off.
Nancy went straight to the shower after she got into her apartment. She took a brief shower before she
went to bed.
Nancy prepared for work as usual when she woke up the next day.
Ethan approached her as soon as she entered the hospital. He had a bright smile on his face as he
drew closer to her. "I'm sorry, Nancy. I was too impulsive. The president claimed that you were set up
yesterday, and the culprit was already caught. That is such good news. You must be so glad right now,
right?"
He assumed wrong; she was miserable.
She was heartbroken with what happened. She was struck by the fact that the people of the heartless
Ning family tried to kill her despite their blood relationship.
"Yes," Nancy said to Ethan just to end the topic. She didn't want to explain herself to Ethan especially
about these things.
She found it hard to understand what was happening to Ethan lately. He was normally a very calm
man, and was always decent in his manners. But lately, he had suddenly become sensitive, irritable,
and even violent.
Nancy felt that it was a little too strange to accept.
"You still look troubled. Is there anything that's troubling your mind?" Ethan asked as he grabbed
Nancy's arm even though Nancy was obviously hurrying to get to work.
"Ethan, I have a lot of work to do today. I am very busy. Can we just talk later?" Nancy said
dismissively.
But Ethan had never planned to let her go easily once he had her in that situation.
"Nancy, we've known each other for so many years. You know me very well. I am the kind of man that
you need to share whatever pain that you're going through. If anything is making you feel unhappy,
never hesitate to tell me, okay?"
But Nancy remained patient and indifferent. "Ethan, I am fine. You should go back to work. It's time for
work," Nancy said calmly and in the gentlest way that she could at that time.
But Ethan was not willing to let the topic go that easily. When he replied back to Nancy his voice was
much louder and sounded irritated. "You have been indifferent to me lately, Nancy. And I noticed that it
started when you met Charles. Why did you turn into such a snob? Tell me, now!"
Nancy felt hurt. Ethan had always been good to her. That was the Ethan that she always knew.
This was the reason why she was always careful with her relationship with Ethan. She was afraid that
she might hurt him if she was not careful. And hurting his feelings and self-esteem was the last thing
that she wanted to do to him.
But now that Ethan was acting out of control, Nancy felt infuriated with him.
"Listen, Ethan, the men that I meet and become friends with and the kind of woman I am now are none
of your business! Live your life your own way and I will live mine my own way. And never think that I will
allow you to meddle with mine!" Nancy declared firmly. Her countenance looked harsh and determined.
A colleague passed by and looked at them with a puzzled look.
"But I love you, Nancy. I love you! Tell me what I should do to make you accept me. Tell me!" Ethan
shouted back at Nancy in a pained voice. He looked like he was pleading as he spoke.
Nancy's heart felt like it was stabbed by a cold iron knife. He finally admitted her feelings for Nancy.
Nancy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Ethan, I had two children already. Now tell me, can
you say that you still like me now that you know this?"
Her words made Ethan's eyes widen in shock, and he was not able to speak for some time. "So, in
order to reject me, you resort to making up stories?"
But Nancy's face remained serious and somber as she shook her head. "I'm telling you the truth. When
we checked the cases in the file room, I saw my own delivery case. Postpartum hemorrhage. If you
don't believe me, go and check it for yourself."
Ethan loosened his grip on Nancy's arm as he felt weakened by what he heard. "Is it true?" he asked
slowly.
"Yes, it's true," Nancy said firmly. Her countenance never changed at all.
Ethan was so shocked that he was unable to respond nor leave where he stood.
He just stood there like a statue as Nancy walked past him.
Nancy walked steadily to the outpatient building as he bit her lower lip slightly.
'So, Ethan can't accept the fact that I already had a baby.
What about Charles, then?
Will he run away from me as soon as he heard the same thing that Ethan did today?' Nancy wondered
to herself as she walked with determination in her steps.
Nancy shook her head to banish the thought and focused. She had to work today and she could not
allow such ideas disrupt her in her job.
As a doctor, she must keep her mind clear all the time.
Mornings were especially busy for Nancy; it was when most of the patients would arrive. When she got
there, the waiting chairs in the hall was already full of patients who waited for her.
"Dr. Nancy is finally here!"
"That's great! I've come all the way from the neighboring city, and I came here to have Dr. Nancy treat
my baby. You know, I didn't sleep well last night just so I could be here early today to get an
appointment with her!"
Nancy felt warm and appreciated. "Thank you," she said as she smiled back at the mother.
"Wow, she's so beautiful when she smiles," a boy commented under his breath. He didn't notice that he
smiled too as he looked at Nancy.
"Thank you, little boy," Nancy said as she gently pinched his chubby cheek and proceeded into the
outpatient department.
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