Chapter 430
Pearl was taken to the hospital with Richard’s assistance. The smell of disinfectants in the hospital room made her scrunch up her nose. “Is there any way I can avoid staying in the hospital?”
Richard gave her a cold look. “What do you think?”
“Um…” Pearl smiled awkwardly. “I guess not.”
“Good, now behave,” he replied, sitting there with an air of aloofness and checking his phone.
“What about our travel plans?”
Richard, still composed, answered, “Life is full of surprises. Just stay here and recover. We have plenty of time so there’s no need to rush.”
Pearl silently lay down on the bed. Shortly after, a doctor doing her rounds entered the room. She found her vaguely familiar but couldn’t quite place where she had seen her before.
The doctor suddenly let out an excited squeal. “Rick, it’s you!”
Pearl frowned when she heard this and shot a glare at Richard.
“Yes,” Richard nodded.
“How have you been? How’s Hughie?”
Pearl caught the doctor’s shy expression and instantly understood what was happening.
“We’re all doing well,” replied Richard in his usual polite manner, maintaining a friendly tone with people he wasn’t familiar with.
The doctor seemed aware of this and didn’t press further. They exchanged some pleasantries before she approached Pearl’s bed to begin her examination.
Seeing Pearl’s expression, the doctor’s face twisted slightly. “What are you doing here, Pearl?”
Pearl finally remembered who the doctor was and offered a polite smile. “It’s been a while, Leah.” She didn’t particularly like this woman
Four years ago, Pearl had met Leah while studying abroad. They were both pursuing medicine, and Leah had known Simon was abroad, so she tried to find him and hoped he would become her mentor. However, Simon had chosen Pearl instead, and Leah harbored resentment, believing that Pearl had stolen an opportunity from her.
Realizing she was facing her rival. Leah’s expression immediately changed. “It has been a while, Pearl,” she replied in a flat
tone
Pearl ignored her and closed her eyes to rest.
Leah checked the charts when she noticed Pearl wasn’t interested in reconnecting with her and then left the room. Shortly afterward, she ran into someone she knew.
“Hughie?”
Hearing that, the man turned around, revealing himself to be Hugo.
Hugo’s expression softened when he saw Leah. “Oh, what a small world. It’s been a while. Are you working here?”
Leah’s infatuation was rekindled when she laid eyes on him again. “What brings you to Hazelton?”
“Business,” replied Hugo, checking his watch and furrowing his brow. “It’s getting late. I need to go.”
Leah nodded, and her dormant infatuation began to stir again. “Would you like to have dinner, Hughie?”
Hugo had been about to decline her offer but then noticed the name “Pearl Leighton” on her chart and smiled. “Sure.”
Chapter 430
Inside the hospital room, Pearl wasn’t particularly thrilled.
“What’s wrong? Are you hungry?” Richard asked.
“No thanks, Rick”
Richard had never heard her call him that before and immediately understood the source of her mood. “Jealous?”
