Chapter 238 Running Into Each Other Again
“Okay. Please take good care of my sister. I really appreciate it!” Jeffrey spoke in earnest, and almost bowed to show his sincerity,
Andres hummed in agreement and handed the phone to Rachel,
“Jeffrey!” Rachel exclaimed as soon as she pressed the phone to her ear, her voice laced with concern.
She still had qualms about him being home alone.
“Rachel, just focus on your work. I… I can take care of myself,” Jeffrey reassured her in a
determined tone.
Rachel felt a mix of relief and pride. At the same time, a sense of anticipation stirred
within her.
If a day came when she could no longer be by his side, she could rest easy knowing that her brother was capable of living well on his own.
“Alright, Jeffrey. Take this opportunity to learn how to be independent, okay? It’s only for a few days. I have faith in you.”
“Of course. I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”
Rachel let out a long sigh of relief when they ended the call. She turned to Andres with a grateful smile. “Thank you. If it weren’t for your quick thinking, Jeffrey might have truly misunderstood the situation.”
“So you haven’t told him about you and Brian yet?” Andres asked.
Rachel’s expression grew somber.
“No, I haven’t. Jeffrey is certain that we’re getting married. Given what happened in the past, I’m worried that he would blame himself if he finds out about our breakup. I don’t want him to feel guilty. He might…He might do something to hurt himself.” Her voice was tight with emotion by the time she finished explaining herself.
Chapter 238 Running Into Each Other Again
Taking a deep breath, she looked up at Andres with eyes that glistened with unshed. tears. “I only have one brother. We’ve been relying on each other since we were kids. We were hardly ever apart. More than my family, Jeffrey is my best friend, my only companion throughout the most difficult years of my childhood. We tended to each other’s wounds and found comfort and warmth in our own little bubble. That’s why I can’t afford to take any risks. Even if it’s only a one–in–a–million chance that something would go wrong, I can’t take that risk.”
Andres gently placed his left hand on her shoulder, while his right hand reached out to pat her back in a gesture of comfort. He stopped short just in time, remembering her injury.
“Don’t worry too much. And don’t burden yourself with unnecessary guilt. I don’t think that fate would be so cruel to you two. Hold on to hope. Things will get better.”
Rachel nodded. “Thank you. Truly, thank you for everything you’ve done today.”
“You’ve had a long day. Go get some rest. I’ve arranged for a few outfits for you.”
He glanced at his watch before adding, “They should be arriving soon. I’ll send you the
bill.”
Rachel nodded again. “All right. Thank you!”
The fact that he asked her to pay for the clothes alleviated some of her negative feelings.
Andres was incredibly thoughtful and considerate, that she couldn’t deny.
Before she could even spare much thought on certain issues, he would somehow have already handled everything with meticulous precision. All that was left to do for her was
sit back and thank him.
Shortly after Andres left, the doorbell rang. Just like he had said, a staff member
delivered the clothes, along with some essentials.
Rachel felt so much more at ease then.
Thanks to her injury, she couldn’t really lie on her back, and had had to sleep on her stomach these past few days.
It wasn’t a position she was used to, and coupled with the pain from her wound, Rachel had rarely got any good sleep.
She would spend most of the night squirming, and when she got out of bed in the morning, she would find dark circles under her eyes.
Chapter 238 Running Into Each Other Again
Fortunately, a light layer of makeup was enough to conceal them.
She spent that morning inside her hotel room, organizing her work and delegating tasks
to her team members.
In the afternoon, she made a trip to the hospital, seeking out the same female doctor from the day before.
The doctor greeted her with a sheepish smile. “I’m so sorry about yesterday. I had no ill
intentions.”
“Never mind about all that,” Rachel replied graciously. “A friend once told me that finding a doctor as dedicated and responsible as yourself is a stroke of good fortune.”
“Thank you
for saying that–and for not blaming me. How are you feeling today?”
Rachel didn’t hold back. “It feels like it’s healing in some places,” she said honestly. “But for the most part, it feels worse, like it’s tearing more. I looked in the mirror, but I could only see the upper part of the wounds.”
The doctor immediately stood up to examine her. “Let me have a look.”
Rachel removed her shirt, and the moment the doctor caught sight of the wounds, she froze. “You’re right,” she said, her face wrought with concern. “It has got worse. The swelling hasn’t gone down, and there’s significant inflammation and some areas of infection. I’m afraid the friction from your clothing has only aggravated the injury. How did you sleep last night?”
“On my stomach,” Rachel answered. “I’ve done my best to avoid putting pressure on my
back.”
“In that case, I would recommend hospitalization at this point. If your injury gets any worse than this, it would be much harder to treat. You will end up suffering even more.”
“I understand. Is there anything I need to prepare before admission?”
The doctor excused herself to make a brief phone call. “We’re currently out of beds,” she said upon returning. “But a patient is set to be discharged tomorrow, so I’ve reserved that bed for you. Come back at nine tomorrow morning. For now, I will reapply the
clothes.” ointment. Be sure to minimize any friction between your skin and
your
“Got it. Thank you so much for your help.”
Rachel stepped out of the clinic after the treatment, only to stop in her tracks when she heard someone call her name.
Chapter 238 Running Into Each Other Again
It was Tracy,
It seemed like the more Rachel wanted to avoid Tracy, the more likely it became for them to run into each other. What terrible luck.
“Rachel, what are you doing at the hospital? Are you feeling unwell?” Tracy asked in feigned concern.
Rachel didn’t bother to hide her displeasure. “I came here with a client,” she said coldly.
“Oh?” Tracy deliberately raised her voice, her doubt apparent in her tone. “But I just saw you coming out of the consultation room all by yourself!”
Rachel said nothing. Was Tracy that oblivious to her lack of interest, or was she doing it on purpose? Why was she so persistent.
Rachel pressed her lips into a thin line, too lazy to deal with Tracy for a second longer.
“Tracy, I’m ready,” another voice said.
It was Brian.
Rachel recognized it immediately. It was a voice she knew too well, after all. Even if it was hoarse or strained, there was no way she wouldn’t recognize it.
That voice was practically engraved in her mind and heart, the voice that haunted her every hour of the day, whispering into her ear, calling out to her through the phone. She had heard it so many times.
Hell, it felt like it had been calling out to her, her entire life.
Brian’s gaze swept over Rachel, scrutinizing her from head to toe. “What are you doing in the hospital?”
“I’m here with a client,” Rachel replied, giving the same answer she had given Tracy.
Brian didn’t seem convinced, though. His eyes lingered on her for a moment before scanning their surroundings. “And where is this client of yours?”
“Turns out it was nothing serious, so she left first to deal with other business.”
It was a plausible excuse. Even if Brian doubted her, he couldn’t exactly question her words.
“Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving now.” Rachel raised an eyebrow, then added, “I wouldn’t want to disturb you two.”
