Kenny Clarke, who had just gotten off the operating table, arrived just in time and frowned as his eyes fell on Emma Rosy’s clasped hand.
“This gentleman, you’re forcing yourself on her in public, isn’t that bad enough for her?”
Kenny Clarke’s warning was mostly selfish, but it was a valid one, and Charles Taylor hesitated for a moment before finally letting go with a grim face.
Kenny Clarke was straightforward and honest: “I was courting Dr. Richard and saw her crying on the rooftop, so I went up to comfort her. But I didn’t confess my love to her, it was totally wishful thinking. Any punishment from the hospital, all of it is for me alone.”
Both of them wanted to take the blame on themselves, which was long expected by the leaders of the institution, and they certainly preferred to defend Kenny Clarke in comparison, but they did not expect that he would actually say these words regardless of his future career.
The vice dean nodded at him with hatred: “The exchange activities abroad will be confirmed soon, and such an incident will directly affect your exchange quota, do you understand or not!”
“I was awarded the quota because of my outstanding ability, what does it have to do with personal feelings? The external public opinion is completely distorted and fabricated, should my efforts and achievements be wasted just because of some untrue reports?”
“Unrepentant!”
The vice president was so angry that he slapped the table and said, “Do you really think you’re so good at medicine that our hospital can’t save lives without you?” Kenny Clarke, you’re suspended!
Suspended for examination, waiting for the outside public opinion to die down, waiting for the heat of the discussion on the matter within the hospital to subside, and then find a suitable opportunity to resume duty.
Last time they were framed, the hospital used this method, and now they are going to do the same trick again?
This way, they will be forced to admit to the trumped up charges, and there will be more eyes on them in the future, and more people will attempt to tap the heat from them!
“I don’t accept the suspension from the hospital.”
He calmly locked eyes with the hospital leader sitting across from him and said, “Dr. Richard and I did not act intimately beyond friendship, and the hug in the photo was purely out of comfort between friends, and the person who should really be held accountable is the one who put the photo on the Internet and guided public opinion.”
The HR director snorted coldly, a contemptuous look in his eyes: “Fine, since you both say the hug was comforting, then explain what horrible misfortune happened that required you to hide on the rooftop and cuddle!”
Kenny Clarke opened and closed his lips, his hardened attitude gradually cracking.
The death of Alex Brown had already caused Emma Rosy a great deal of pain, and to bring it up in this context was tantamount to opening up a festering wound and putting her through it again.
After a moment’s hesitation, he finally chose to avoid the topic: “Our personal privacy, there is no need to show it to the outside world.”
The director shook his head with an even more contemptuous expression than earlier, as if he had decided that they were making excuses for their affair.
At this rate, the matter would have to be handled in the hospital’s way, and Kenny Clarke’s protests would go unanswered. Emma Rosy closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and took a step forward.
“Because the father of my child died… I was going to remarry him, but he became seriously ill and died, so I am in pain.”
She showed a stubborn smile and asked softly, “Is this explanation sufficient?”
The “judges” across the table stopped talking and exchanged words, seemingly discussing a “reduced sentence” for them.
The vice-president, who already cherishes human resources and now has an explanation that can calm public opinion, finally decided to let them go back to rest for a day, and then weigh the specific treatment measures according to today’s Internet fever.
The words sound good, but in reality, for the hospital, its own reputation is far more important than the innocence of its employees.
Outside the hospital, Kenny Clarke apologized in shame to Emma Rosy.
“No, I should be the one thanking you.” The cold wind made Emma Rosy’s mind clearer, and she was already in the worst situation, so she had nothing to fear: “You comforted me, and promised to help investigate Alex’s case, and I got you into trouble, but you still defended me just now.”
When Charles Taylor picked up the car, he saw two people talking about something with relaxed faces, seemingly not taking everything in the outside world to heart, and suddenly felt annoyed, as if what he had done had become useless.
Pulling up to Emma Rosy, he leaned over and pushed open the door, his tone slightly hard: “It’s cold outside, get in and go home.”
But as Emma Rosy was about to say goodbye, Kenny Clarke leaned down and smiled, asking him for help: “Mr. Taylor, I just had an emergency surgery in the early morning, and I’m too dizzy to drive.
Can you give me a lift?”
Kenny Clarke is polite and has a good reason, although the smile looks annoying, even with some provocation, but in the presence of Emma Rosy, Charles Taylor can only suppress the heart of jealousy, to carry this unaware of the guy.
Kenny Clarke was right, he got in the car, relaxed his eyes and fell asleep in no time.
Emma Rosy and Charles Taylor chatted for a few minutes, thanking him for coming over to help, perhaps because of the recent mental exertion, but also leaned back and fell asleep.
When she opened her eyes again, there was Kenny Clarke’s worried and distressed gaze in front of her.
“Bad dream?”
Kenny Clarke helped her up and gently stroked her back: “Just now you suddenly shouted with a painful expression, don’t be afraid, it’s just a dream. Go back and pay attention to rest, you can take some sleep-aiding drugs appropriately, but don’t take more.”
Emma Rosy exhaled a deep breath and turned her head to look out the window, already almost home.
“Mr. Taylor, thank you for driving me back, I want to take a walk by myself, stop here.” Thinking of Kenny Clarke beside her, she added, “Dr. Clarke will trouble you.”
“I’ll give him a lift, but it’s not safe for you to be alone on the snowy roads, I’d rather…” he immediately changed his attitude when faced with Emma Rosy.
Kenny Clarke, however, interrupted: “Mr. Taylor don’t worry, I’ll accompany Emma.”
There was no place to park nearby, and as he watched Kenny Clarke and Emma Rosy walk side-by-side into the distance, Charles Taylor gripped the steering wheel tightly, a nameless fire burning in his chest.
Back home, Eva Taylor learned of the incident and lectured with disgust, “My big brother, how can you even take such a dumb loss?”
When he heard that Emma Rosy had been framed early in the morning, he rushed to help, but ended up acting as a driver and letting his sweetheart leave with someone else.
Eva Taylor ordered: “You go to the Wright Family right now, that Kenny Clarke how to courting, you follow behind to learn!”
Eva Taylor knows her big brother too well, and once she saw him hang his head, she knew he was struggling with that little pride again, so she had to take matters into her own hands.
“Let’s go, I happen to be going to Joe , you see me off.”
Charles Taylor was so stubborn that he couldn’t resist Eva Taylor’s nagging and sent her to the Wright Family, but refused to go in himself, and left under Eva Taylor’s exasperated and disgusted gaze.
Today Joe Wright has to work overtime and is definitely not here at the moment, but she is here, so Eva Taylor has to go to Emma Rosy for a chat.
After entering the door, she learned that besides Emma Rosy, there was only one Mr. Clarke in the kitchen making porridge.
She didn’t expect Kenny Clarke to leave yet. Eva Taylor smacked her lips and thought to herself that this suitor’s tactics were much better than her big brother’s.
She went up to the second floor bedroom, knocked on the door for half a day before hearing a weak response, and went in to see Emma Rosy’s face flushed and her whole body falling limply on the bed like a noodle.
“What’s wrong?” Reaching for her forehead, Eva Taylor exclaimed, “Oh my God, you have a fever!”
“Well, I’ll be fine soon after I’ve taken my medicine…” Emma Rosy covered up and went back to sleep, breathless.
At that very moment, Hope came home from school and passed by the bedroom to see the scene.
Eva Taylor also found her, a bright idea came to her mind, and rushed out of the bedroom.
“Aunt Taylor, is my mother sick?” Hope wanted to go in to see Emma Rosy and was very confused when she was blocked by Eva Taylor.
Eva Taylor raised her hand and hooked the bridge of her nose, nodding seriously: “Yes, your mother has a fever and is having a hard time and doesn’t want to be disturbed.”
At that, Hope was even more confused: “Can’t I go and take care of her and promise not to make a sound, too?”
“Of course you can go in, but there’s a nasty person who’s stuck in the house and won’t leave, and your mom is annoyed, so why don’t… you help get rid of him?”
Annoying person?
Hope froze, she then remembered the uncle she saw downstairs, “You mean, the one in the kitchen?”
After a quick glance at the bedroom and seeing that Emma Rosy was still asleep and hadn’t heard the commotion, Eva Taylor nodded again and gestured for Hope to move quickly.
Hope was confused as she was pushed to the stairs, puzzled in her mind, since he came to the house, he must be mom’s guest, so how could she hate it? And Mom was always nice to everyone, never heard of hating anyone.
Despite sensing that something was wrong, but trusting Eva Taylor too much and not wanting to annoy the sick Emma Rosy, Hope went to the kitchen as instructed and asked Kenny Clarke to leave.
Of course, the attitude was very polite.
“Hello uncle, my mother has rested, I’m afraid I can’t entertain you.”
Seeing the little girl looking up at him with a timid look, Kenny Clarke understood, and while unfolding his shirt cuffs, instructed: “You are Hope, right? Uncle has cooked some porridge and it’s warming in the casserole, so remember to remind mom to eat it when she wakes up.”
With that, he walked towards the foyer, picked up the coat on the hanger and put it on, and smiled gently at her before leaving the door, “I’m leaving now, goodbye Hope.”
As she watched Kenny Clarke’s figure disappear, Hope dropped her eyes, convinced that she had been used.
Returning to the bedroom, she said nothing, and Eva Taylor, knowing she was in the wrong, didn’t have the heart to say anything. It’s not until Emma Rosy wakes up and asks about Kenny Clarke that Hope apologizes guiltily, admitting that she drove her uncle away.
She didn’t believe it was Hope’s decision. Her eyes fell on the face of Eva Taylor, who was afraid to look at herself next to her, and Emma Rosy frowned slightly, waiting for her to admit it herself.
Eva Taylor could not hide her words, so she confessed: “I was wrong! I… I also apologize to you, don’t be angry, okay?”
Eva Taylor wants to help her brother, this point can be understood, but the use of a child’s innocence to drive Kenny Clarke away, she really can not accept.
After sending Hope to her room to do her homework, Emma Rosy closed her eyes and slept, sulking alone and ignoring Eva Taylor.
The next day, Emma Rosy was unable to go to the hospital as required due to a high fever, and only received a suspension notice from the deputy director of HR on her text message.
She was not surprised, and was slightly relieved to think that Kenny Clarke’s punishment would be much less severe than hers.
Who knows, Kenny Clarke’s phone call came immediately afterwards, in which he said that he had been removed from his position.
“Strike?!”
Emma Rosy ignored her dizziness and sat up from the bed: “You obviously did nothing, how can you be punished more severely than me? You wait, I’m going to find the dean!”
“Emma, it’s my own consent.” Kenny Clarke’s voice was calm, as if it was none of his business.
Emma Rosy clutched her phone and shook her head incredulously, “Why?”
“Because I’m leaving. The hospital is hosting this event, and in addition to the talent exchange, there are five places for peacekeeping doctors, which I have successfully applied for. The South African border has recently set off another war, and I, as the third batch of doctors, will be departing tomorrow to be sent there.”
When she heard the news, Emma Rosy felt like she had been punched in the face, and her mind went blank.
South Africa, border warfare, peacekeeping doctors… these words seem to have no connection with their own lives, suddenly appeared in Kenny Clarke’s mouth, she instantly lost the ability to think, silent for a long time, only gradually some understanding, Kenny Clarke did so the reason.
He is a real doctor, his only belief is to cure people, but the situation today, simply does not allow him to focus on being a healer.
“What time is the flight? I’ll see you off.” Emma Rosy fought back a choked sob.
Kenny Clarke seemed to sigh, then said with a smile, “Either come with me, or, let me forget about it alone.”
After saying goodbye, he hangs up the phone.
With the repetitive beeping in her ear, Emma Rosy looked at the pure white world in the distance and stared at it for a long time.
Two years have passed since then.
On the top floor of the Wright Group’s office building, in the general manager’s office of the project department, the door opens and the secretary, who is always smiling professionally, approaches and places the steaming coffee and the new quarterly fact sheet submitted by the design department on the desk.
“Miss. Richard, Mr. Taylor, who made an appointment with you yesterday, will arrive in half an hour.”
The office chair slowly turned to reveal Emma Rosy’s face.
Two years have not left traces on her face, but her delicate makeup and short shoulder-length hair have removed her youthfulness and made her exude an elite aura.
With a slight nod, she picked up her coffee cup and the secretary withdrew and closed the door.
At nine o’clock in the morning, Emma Rosy’s eyes were drawn to the photo frame in the corner.
A flat, snowy scene with a cloudy sky and pines standing tall.
No one knew that at the end of the long stretch of pines was a cemetery where the person she loved was buried. Although until now, she still does not believe that the person has died.
Two years ago, shortly after Kenny Clarke left for the South African border, Emma Rosy was contacted by a doctor friend abroad who told her that no death certificate had been found in the hospital where Alex Brown was admitted.
She was overjoyed to learn of this and immediately asked Eric Chan to meet her for a confrontation.
On the day of the meeting, it was snowing again and Eric Chan chose a remote location, so she drove a long way to the cemetery.
Eric Chan and Tina Everard were standing in front of a tombstone. She sensed something and her steps became slower and slower, finally stopping a few meters away.
“What’s that?” The wind and snow were so strong that her voice was out of tune.
Tina Everard turned around and took a step to the side, bringing the name of Alex Brown on the headstone, in full view of her.
Alex Brown was dead, even the ashes were already in the ground. Wasn’t the fact before her eyes more believable than the unsubstantiated words of a foreign friend?
“No wonder… asked me out here.”
She curled her lips and walked step by step to Alex Brown’ tombstone, looking at the unsmiling face on the black-and-white photo, and suddenly she was relieved.
Tina Everard and Eric Chan were trying to convince her in such a way that she was powerless to refute, and she believed that Alex Brown was alive . As for Alex Brown, whatever the reason for this drama, the fact that he is still alive somewhere in the world is enough to reassure her.
When they parted outside the cemetery, Eric Chan went back to the car first, and Tina Everard held out her hand, removing her disguise in front of her for the first time.
“I’m going back abroad, my return date is not yet determined. You and I have known each other for a short time, but it seems like we have experienced a lifetime, so I don’t want to lie to you again before ending this relationship.
Emma Rosy, I am not Tina Everard.”
The world is unpredictable, and sometimes it doesn’t matter if it’s true or not.
She took Tina Everard’s hand in hers and smiled lightly, “Then I hope that the next time we meet, you and I can be who we really are.”
As she watched the black car leave and looked back at the cemetery, she took out her phone and framed the scene before her.
Knock, knock, knock–
“Miss. Richard , Mr. Taylor is here.”
Half an hour had passed in the middle of the outburst.
Emma Rosy hurriedly pulled open the drawer, threw the photo frame in, and calmly ordered to the door, “Invite him in.”
In the past two years, Joe Wright and Eva Taylor’s relationship has been deepening day by day, and they no longer hide their relationship from the public, and the cooperation between Wright Family and Taylor Family has increased, and there is a big project coming up recently. Charles Taylor and Emma Rosy, the main leaders of the project.
The conversation finally moved from business to personal.
Charles Taylor put away the drawings and put them back in the file bag, and looked up at Emma Rosy: “You don’t look so good, have you been working late again?”
Emma Rosy rubbed her cheek and said casually, “It happens when you get older.”
“Making fun of yourself again.”Charles Taylor leaned over and flicked her on the forehead across the desk, smiling and scolding, “Don’t look so glum, Eva won’t forgive us if we don’t get going.”
Go?
Emma Rosy stared blankly at Charles Taylor, and suddenly she remembered that she had a big job to do today.