“I came to read some information and learn about that patient,” Anna explained as she quickly hid her phone in her pocket.
Looking at the computer screen, Nancy said, “Don’t try to trick me! You work as a pediatric psychiatrist. You are only here to observe him, but not to treat him. And this patient is not even a child! Why are you worried about him? Is he related to you?”
Anna said calmly, “No, I just wanted to learn more about his illness. I don’t want to do anything. If you don’t believe me, feel free to ask as many questions as you like.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Anna decided not to say anything. Nancy couldn’t get anything out of her because she wouldn’t reveal her patients’ privacy. Then Nancy blurted out, “Are you this old man’s illegitimate daughter?”
Hearing her words, Anna stumbled and nearly fell to the floor as a result of her surprise. She clutched the bookcase next to her. After steadying herself, she exclaimed, “How is that even possible? Why would you ask that?”
“You said that I can ask you any questions, didn’t you?” Nancy said with a wink.
Anna was resigned and surprised by her bold speculation.
“It’s not a big deal because he’s the richest man in town. I won’t make fun of you about it, and I promise not to tell anyone about your little secret,” Nancy kept teasing Anna.
“Since when did I confirm that I’m his ‘illegitimate daughter’?! Nancy, keep your wild guesses to yourself, will you?” When trying to persuade Nancy to stay out of it, Anna felt that the entire hospital, including the cafeteria lady, would know this so-called “secret” by the end of the day.
Nancy, however, looked like she had already decided that was the case. She said, “I can help you keep it a secret, but you have to promise me one thing.”
“Are you kidding me?! I’M NOT HIS ILLEGITIMATE DAUGHTER!”
“Really? Well, I’m going to talk with the old man to see if it’s true. And you’re coming with me,” Nancy said, her gaze fixed on her.
Anna lowered her head in embarrassment and said, “Fine! What do you want me to do for you?”
Nancy immediately laughed and said, “I knew you would say yes! Ha! Ha!”
Anna felt speechless.
“It’s not really a big deal. It’s just that there’s a blind date this weekend, and I want you to go there on my behalf.”
“Dr. Moore, are you kidding me? I have a kid in middle school. I need to take care of her on weekend!”
Nancy made a gesture and said, “Keep it down! I really need you to go there for me!”
In disbelief, Anna asked, “You want me to go on a blind date with you? How is this even possible?”
Nancy asked in surprise, “Why not? He’s never met me, and you’re about the same age as me. Besides, we both work in a hospital. Just say you’re Nancy, and he won’t suspect anything. Tell him I have a child and he will refuse to date me!”
“Can I say no?” Anna asked, feeling a headache.
Nancy said with a smile, “Say it if you dare. Then I’ll ask the old man whether he has an illegitimate daughter named Anna.”
“I told you I am not his daughter!”
Nancy laughed harder and added, “But if I ask him about it, the entire hospital will find out. You know how gossipy people can be in the hospital. Everyone would talk about this juicy gossip, and no one would care what the truth is if the words spread out.”
Upon hearing her words, Anna took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She felt that Nancy had planned this all out before she set foot in the hospital today. Not wanting Nancy to expose herself to Peter, Anna had no choice but to agree to help her with the blind date. Nancy gave her an early shift to the emergency room so she wouldn’t have to visit the patients’ rooms every morning in return.
Then Nancy elbowed Anna with a smug look, “How does that sound? I did it for you at the risk of being discovered by the dean and being fired. Shouldn’t you be thanking me?”
“I do need to thank you.” Anna felt speechless and had nothing to say.
“I texted you the time, address, and name. He works as a corporate lawyer and only knows that I’m a doctor. All you need to is make him give up on me.”
“In fact, I don’t see anything wrong with a blind date. Why are you refusing to go? What if you like him?”
Nancy looked at her and said, “Consider this: what kind of person would go on a blind date nowadays? Why doesn’t he find the right one among the people around him if he is physically and mentally normal? I believe that the majority of people who go on blind dates have some issues. And I’m not going to waste my time on this.”
“Have you ever considered what if he’s an exception?”
“I don’t believe I’m that lucky. If the success rate of surgery is too low, patients are known to prefer conservative treatment. So there’s no need for me to take a chance on that.”
Anna sighed as she looked at the time on her phone. She was off on Saturday and planned to take the two girls out for a night in town. And she estimated that the blind date would take half a day of her vacation.
At lunchtime, Anna called Isabella and asked, “Did you take Tammy to the doctor yet?”
Isabella exclaimed, “Yes, and we just got out of there. I’m shopping with Tammy at the mall right now. When are you coming back for dinner tonight? Will you cook for us?”
“No, I’m working late. Tammy can cook, so just let her do it. Or, you two can go out to grab some food.”
“We’ll go out to eat. She is a good cook, but she always makes me do the dishes.”
“Haha, fair enough.”
As if she hadn’t heard Anna, Isabella said, “I’m hanging up, bye.”
She hung up the phone quickly. Anna looked at her phone screen for a moment before dialing Jasper’s number.
Jasper answered after a long time and asked, “Hello, Anna. What’s wrong?”
Jasper sounded as if he had just awoken. Anna checked her watch and realized it was morning in America.
“I’m sorry, did I wake you up?”
Jasper walked out of bed and asked, “No. What’s wrong?”
“I just wanted to let you know that Isabella is staying at my house now. I didn’t tell you yesterday because she arrived late.”
Jasper paused before asking, “Is she at your house? What exactly do you mean?”
Anna froze and exclaimed, “Don’t you know Isabella is coming to stay with me this summer? She said she told you about it.”
“She told me she needed to join a summer camp at school, and she wasn’t coming home this summer. And…” Jasper didn’t finish his sentence, as if something had occurred to him unexpectedly. He shuddered and said, “Anna, I’ll look into this. Bye, I’ll call you later.”
Anna froze. She hadn’t expected Isabella to come to her without telling Jasper. Yesterday, Anna had been puzzled because Jasper hadn’t called her after Isabella got off the plane. And she suddenly felt that there was something strange about it.
Tammy and Isabella were shopping in a downtown mall. Isabella had dreadlocks on her head, and she wore baggy pants and a tight red top. Tammy was dressed in a puffy pink dress, ballerina shoes, and colorful hairpins. She was only eleven years old, and she was a little shorter than Isabella. Yet, she was already a pretty little girl.
The two walked through the mall, drawing a lot of attention. Isabella led Tammy into a store and handed her a studded leather skirt, saying, “This store’s design is fantastic! Why don’t you give it a shot?”
Tammy rolled her eyes and pointed to the shiny studs on it, saying, “This dress does not suit me; it is not my style! Why are there so many studs? It’s not 2003, for God’s sake!”
“Come on, you can’t stay the same forever! You should try new things. Tammy, do you enjoy dressing up as a colorful birthday cake all your life?”
Tammy blinked, “Try more new things? Then, why don’t you change your style?”
“What do you want to do?”
“I’ll choose an outfit for you, and you’ll choose one for me.”
Isabella examined Anna from head to toe and appeared hesitant. “All these clothes are for little girls, I’m not wearing them,” she explained.
Tammy elaborated, “Because you dislike my taste, you should understand that I dislike yours as well. So, why don’t we switch out styles today?”
Isabella thought for a moment and said, “Not a bad idea. Let’s try something new!”
“I didn’t mean to force you to do that,” Tammy said, frowning. Isabella, on the other hand, had already made up her mind. She then went around the store, looking for clothes for Tammy.
Isabella loved to dress like rock stars and preferred to dress in dark colors. As for Tammy, she preferred sweet and cute clothing and only wore pink. They both looked strange after switching styles.
Ten minutes later, Isabella stood in front of the mirror and surveyed herself. She was wearing a beige dress and pink satin ballerina shoes.
A few guides around her discussed, “Is it me, or is she’s little weird in that dress?”
“She does.”
Meanwhile, Tammy stared wide-eyed and pretended she didn’t know Isabella.
Isabella was wearing a lot of makeup and had a lot of dreadlocks on her head. She didn’t look right in the beige dress. Still, the shopper complimented her, saying, “Young lady, you look stunning! This dress looks unique on you, and you make it even more beautiful!”
Isabella scratched her head, feeling flattered. She said, “Well, if you say so, then I’ll buy it.”
As Tammy looked at the price and widened her eyes in surprise, she realized that the guide had complimented Isabella in this way to sell this expensive dress.
Then Isabella tugged Tammy’s arm and said, “I’m done shopping! Now, it’s my turn to buy you a new dress. Don’t try to run away. I will make you feel what it’s like to be the cool girl today.”
Tammy was about to complain when she heard a girl in front of her say, “Hey! It’s you!”
Isabella and Tammy both looked up, but neither recognized this girl. It was a young girl around Isabella’s age. She wore a white T-shirt, denim shorts, and a black backpack. She wore her hair in a ponytail, which made her look very energetic.
Surprised, she looked at Isabella and said, “It’s me! Don’t you remember me? You saved me at the airport yesterday!”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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