Chapter 366 Being A Listener
Chapter 366 Being A Listener
Rachel just came out of the restaurant with Jack when she received a message from Celia.
It was such a beautiful night, with the moon flickering under the dark clouds, so she said to Jack on a whim, "How about we take a walk for a while?"
Pleased with her suggestion, Jack smiled and answered, "Why not?"
While they were walking, she sensed that he was in a good mood, so she didn't hesitate to say her real intention. "Can you help me with Celia's problem?"
The reason why she told Jack about Celia's problem was that she wanted him to help her get rid of the latter's father.
She wanted Celia's father to leave Ninwell City, so she didn't need to get along with him and her stepmother anymore.
Thinking that he would surely help her, she was confident when she told him what she wanted to happen. But to her surprise, he shook his head and said lightly, "It's not easy to interfere in other people's family matter."
"But her father has gone too far," she retorted.
She thought of acting like a spoiled child to induce him, but after giving it a careful thought, she dismissed the idea in her mind.
Instead, she pulled a long face and asked, "Are you going to help me or not?"
Jack smiled, and Rachel took it as a good sign. Her eyes lit up in excitement upon thinking that he had already agreed.
He looked at her affectionately and saw the expectations in her eyes.
Patting her head gently, he said, "I have never seen you so warmhearted before. Why do you want to help her all of a sudden?"
Instead of answering his question, Rachel pinched a small skin on his waist.
"Ouch!" he cried upon feeling the sudden pain. "That hurts."
"Are you saying that I am a cold-blooded person?" she asked, giving him a sharp glare.
Jack couldn't stand her threatening eyes, so he patted her forehead softly and cleared his throat. "Okay, okay, I admit defeat. I'll ask someone to investigate her father's current situation. Then we'll talk about it later."
"Alright." Because of too much excitement, Rachel faced him and held his arm. While her bright eyes stared at him, she tiptoed and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.
She was like a little girl who had finally gotten a lollipop.
Seeing her expression amused Jack. He looked at her and was about to give her a deeper kiss in return when his phone suddenly rang.
When he took out his phone and saw the familiar number on the screen, he frowned lightly. He let go of her hand and said, "I'll just answer this."
He walked a little far away, so Rachel couldn't hear what he was saying on the phone. When he came back, the expression on his face had already returned to usual. He held her hand again and said casually, "Let's go home."
Although winter in Ninwell City was not very cold, the cold wind that blew that night felt like needles pricking her face.
And since she had already achieved her goal, she thought they had walked enough, so she nodded in agreement.
The next day, Rachel deliberately worked overtime to wait for Celia, who was on the night shift. As soon as she saw her, she took out a bottle of medicine and said, "Follow me in my office. I'll apply some medicine on your back."
Celia was stunned for a few seconds before she finally understood what Rachel meant. She waved her hand and said, "No, thanks. It doesn't hurt anymore. The bruises have gradually healed, I believe."
Rachel was not convinced with her answer and patted her back. It was just a light touch but enough to make her feel the pain.
To suppress the scream that was about to escape from her throat, Celia bit her lower lip. However, Rachel saw when she grimaced.
Glancing at her helplessly, Rachel poked her forehead and said, "Don't be stubborn. Come with me."
The bruises had started to turn black. Rachel poured some medicine on her palm and gently rubbed it on Celia's back.
Celia kept wriggling and shouting, "Rachel, be gentle."
However, Rachel exerted more strength and said, "You are a nurse. Don't you know that bruises dissipate faster when rubbed harder?"
"I know, but it's too painful."
Celia couldn't stand the pain anymore, so she hurriedly asked Rachel to stop. As she looked at her back in the mirror, she saw that her skin had reddened.
After putting her uniform back on, she leaned her head on Rachel's shoulder like a spoiled child. "Rachel, thank you. You are so kind to me."
Rachel patted her head and replied earnestly, "You are welcome. But I can't always be there to do this to you. It's more important that you learn how to take care of yourself."
Celia was only a few years younger than Eric, and she was one of the few friends she could easily talk to, so Rachel had already treated her as a younger sister.
It was one of the reasons why she got so angry and asked for Jack's help.
While driving, Jack rubbed his ears and said helplessly, "Sweetie, you have asked me that several times since you got in the car. Be patient. We need to do the investigation step by step."
Rachel giggled and said, "Sorry, I'm just a little anxious. By the way, Celia has been living with Marcus for a long time. I don't know why she suddenly moved out. Has he mentioned anything to you?"
Among Jack's three friends, she was more familiar with Michael and Henry. She didn't know Marcus well, so she couldn't tell what he might have done.
"No, he hasn't," he replied, frowning.
Then all of a sudden, he turned the steering wheel, slammed on the brake, and pulled over on the side of the road. He turned to Rachel and looked straight in her eyes. "My dear, is it okay if we change the topic? You have been talking about Celia and Marcus since you got in the car. Don't you even notice something different in me today?"
Tilting her head, she asked innocently, "What difference?"
Jack tapped her forehead with his finger. "Haven't you noticed that I had my hair cut?"
Rachel stared at her with mouth agape. She reached out and pulled his hair. "Well, I didn't notice anything different." Text © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.
When he snorted, she couldn't help mumbling in a low voice, "You are just jealous. Why do you need to find an excuse?"
"Yes, I am!"
he admitted frankly. He then pinched her chin, lowered his head, and kissed her hard on the lips. But she didn't push him away. They only stopped when they heard a car honking behind them.
The hospital was always very quiet in the early morning. Except for the continuous beep, there was no other noise in the nurse station. Celia got bored, so she opened the computer and browsed some entertainment news. However, her eyelids gradually felt heavy as time passed.
All of a sudden, she heard some footsteps that sounded so loud in the quiet space.
Her body shivered as she looked at the other end of the corridor. When she saw who came, she asked with eyes wide open, "What are you doing here?"
"Since you keep on hiding from me, I don't have a choice but to come here and catch you."
Marcus lifted her and confined her against the wall.
Then he added in a gentle voice, "I told you to wait for me. Have you forgotten?"
Celia lowered her gaze and replied in a low voice, "But I also told you that we are not meant for each other."
"No, that's not true." He kissed her forehead gently before he continued, "Just give me some time. I promise to settle everything well."
Holding her hand, he asked in a hoarse voice, "Have you already gotten used to living with your father and stepmother recently?"
"Of course! It's my own home, so I'm more used to living there than living with you." Feeling a little embarrassed and uncomfortable, she pushed him away.
She wanted him to leave immediately, but she was also a bit reluctant.
The nurse call device rang, and the doctor's duty room suddenly opened. As soon as she saw a nurse about to come out, she quickly pulled Marcus away to the other side.
The next morning when Rachel arrived at the hospital, she saw Celia, who was supposed to be off duty, sitting in her office in a daze. She walked up to her and asked, "What are you doing? Why are you still here? Don't you feel tired and sleepy after the night shift?"
"Of course, I am." Celia yawned and pouted. "But I'm a little annoyed about one thing that I can't figure out."
Rachel smiled and asked, "What's the matter?"
Resting her chin on her hands, Celia sighed bitterly and answered, "Rachel, I am in love with someone. But now, I have some problems."
"Are you referring to Marcus?"
"How did you know?"
But before Rachel could answer, she immediately added with a sigh, "But now, he's giving me a headache."
Rachel took off her coat and put on her white gown before she asked, "Why? What's bothering you? If you don't mind, I can be a good listener."
Celia rubbed her forehead. "Rachel, I've never known that Marcus' family is so powerful. Now, his parents think that my family is too ordinary. Since my parents are divorced, and I am too young and incompetent, they believe I don't deserve their son."
She was criticized by Marcus' parents for being useless.
Frowning, Rachel sat opposite her and asked, "So what's going on now?"
"His parents have chosen someone to marry him. She is beautiful, with a good degree, and a successful career. Most of all, she comes from a well-off family. She has everything that any parents-in- law want." She bit her lips tightly and looked up at Rachel. With misty eyes, she asked, "Rachel, am I really that bad?
I don't know what to do now. I know I'm not good enough for Marcus, but he asked me to wait for him. He said he would settle everything well. But Rachel, I'm wavering. Should I really wait for him?"
Rachel listened quietly with a serious expression on her face.
Celia felt like dark clouds were gathering and covering her. She kept on sighing while taking a bite of the bread brought by Rachel from time to time. In the end, she asked, "Rachel, what should I do?"
"How about Marcus?" Rachel asked in a low voice.
Celia chewed and swallowed the bread in her mouth. She then took a sip of the tea in front of her to moisten her lips before she replied, "He asked me to wait for him. He said that he would deal with
everything well, and his parents would accept me in the end. But why do I always feel nervous and uncertain?"
Rachel didn't know what to say, so she remained silent.