Wendy approached me, her eyes filled with concern. "Am I too late? Did she offend you?"I shook my head. "No, you're just in time."Sharon timidly tugged on Cindy's sleeve, her voice pleading. "Cindy, let's go. Everyone's watching. Don't argue with them. I've seen how tough her friend is."Cindy angrily shook Sharon off. "What are you afraid of? Why should we leave? She's the one who should go!"Sharon attempted to speak but stopped herself."You want Jen to leave? Who do you think you are?" Wendy shot a disdainful look at Cindy. "Do you think you can make her give up her seat?"Before Cindy could respond, Wendy raised her hand. "Manager, over here!"As soon as she spoke, the restaurant manager rushed over, politely asking, "Ms. Smith, how can I assist you?"Wendy appeared displeased. "When did this place lower its standards? We cater to high-end clientele. Explain to me why we're allowing unruly individuals in here, disturbing other guests. Are you tired of your job?"The man

I was taken aback for a moment, wondering why they needed me.Luke’s assistant, Calvin, called my name twice over the phone, snapping me out of my daze. I hazily agreed.Calvin said the car was already waiting for me downstairs.I quickly packed my bag, grabbed my laptop, and hurried down.At the building's entrance, a white sedan was waiting. Calvin was in the front passenger seat, so I had to sit in the back, and the only available seat was next to Luke.Pretending not to know him, I greeted him casually.Luke just acknowledged with a grunt, then told the driver to go, and we headed to MindTech.During the ride, Calvin reminded me to review the materials quickly, so I could respond better during the meeting. Otherwise, I might not understand some of the key terms related to automotive parts.I immediately started going through the documents—honestly, I had neglected my studies for two years. Even though my language skills were still there, encountering a flood of specialized terms ga

He was burning up so much that it felt like he could be cooked!Luke, who usually had pale skin, now had a fever that turned his face as red as a boiled shrimp. It was a pitiful sight, difficult to reconcile with the cold and aloof Luke I knew."Hey, Luke... Luke?" I gently shook his arm. He groggily opened his eyes, but they struggled to stay open, and his gaze was unfocused.He furrowed his brow. "Jen, why are you here?""Yes, it's me, Jen. Luke, you have a fever. Let's go to the hospital, okay?"I reached out to help him sit up, but he suddenly grabbed my arm and shook his head, refusing. "I don't want to go to the hospital."Despite being ill, he was still quite strong, and it was clear that he genuinely didn't want to go."But you're burning up. You need to go to the hospital, Luke. Come on, let's be reasonable," I said, gently patting his hand and using a comforting tone. "I'll take you."He looked at me weakly and shook his head again. "I don't want to go to the hospital

Still shaken and feeling unsettled, I saw Luke suddenly push the door open, holding a glass of water. Although he looked better, there was still a hint of illness on his face. Standing at the doorway, his expression was calm and his voice as cold as ever, "You're awake."I couldn't believe it—how did taking care of a patient turn into me sleeping in his bed and him bringing me water? I felt awful."Drink some water," Luke said, stepping forward and handing me the glass.I quickly jumped out of bed, but I twisted my ankle in the process. The next thing I knew, I fell forward onto Luke.Great, now there was no way I could explain this away!Such a cliché scene from a novel, happening to me—of all people—right now, and with Luke!Luckily, fate was kind to me. I didn't knock him over or pin him against the wall. Luke just steadied me, gripping my arm tightly. I saw a flicker of tension in his eyes and a furrow in his brow. If it weren't for the fact that I had taken care of him all n

"Yes, I need to look ahead.""Don't worry, I'm here for you whenever you need me."After ending the call, I felt much more at ease. The experience of undressing Luke that had been so humiliating now seemed less significant. Talking to Wendy had shifted my focus to the future of my relationships.Maybe deep down, I'm naturally optimistic. Even after encountering someone as rare and despicable as Max, I didn't let it make me cynical. Perhaps that's a small strength of mine?As for Luke, he's smart enough to avoid embarrassing me. Since he's so understanding, I shouldn't dwell on it either. This incident is over, and I don't need to feel awkward about it anymore. Often, it's our overthinking that makes us uncomfortable.After the weekend, it was back to work.Calvin invited me to lunch to thank me for helping with Luke that night.There's a café right below the office, and I love their cinnamon rolls and salmon salad. So, I happily accepted Calvin's invitation.During our chat, Ca