So as Amber walked back into the dining room, she heard Ruby dramatically shout out, “Of course she hits people! She looks refined, cultured, and gentle right now, right? But I’m telling you, it’s all a lie! My sister’s extremely vicious when she starts hitting people. Now that she’s an adult, she only uses a stool to hit others, but when she was small and even more savage, she used to beat me with a rod this thick.”
As he said this, he stretched his hands out. “One time, she chased me through eight whole streets. In the end, she almost crippled me! I’m not exaggerating! Really, I’m not.”
Daren gasped. “That fierce?”
“That’s right. That’s why I’m telling you to not be deceived by her facade. A person like my sister can’t be handled by just any random person. Only someone like your brother”-he then shot a subtle glance at Daren, conveying something along the lines of, “You understand, don’t you,” as he continued to say, “Could perhaps just be able to tolerate her.”
Daren started imagining a person as cold as his brother being chased around by Amber, who was trying to spank him, and he couldn’t help himself from starting to chuckle.
Since the two of them were having such a good time, they completely forgot about the fact that Amber was right outside, and that Ian had only gone into the washroom to wash his hands. By the time they finished messing around, both of the people they had just insulted were standing behind them.
Mr. Axton walked over and methodically wiped his hands clean with a towelette as he asked with a raised gaze, “So what am I like, hmm?”
Meanwhile, Ms. Camille crossed her arms, looked at the two of them with a spurious smile on her face, and said in a particularly polite tone, “Ruby, it sounds like eight streets was far too few for you. Shall I chase you down a few more?”
“Oh my god!” Ruby looked around, so scared that he started trembling, and then hid behind Daren. “Brother, save me.”
Ian didn’t make a move, but Amber deftly reached oved and pinched the tip of Ruby’s ears. “So you’ve learned to defame me. Not bad.” She dragged him into the washroom, keeping a solid hold on Ruby’s ear all the while, slammed the door shut, and then started to brutally ravage him.
Outside, the two people could only hear Ruby’s screams. “Aaaaah!”
It almost sounded like they were performing an opera.
Daren stared at the washroom door open-mouthed, wanting to help but unable to think of a way to do so. In the end, he just twisted his hands anxiously and looked at his brother, particularly helpless.
Ian, on the other hand, pressed the bell on the table and called a waiter over. “Start the meal.”
The Axton siblings fought all the way until all the food had come out. Amber’s face was normal, but Ruby had to limp out.
Ruby went to his side and fearfully asked, “Are … are you alright?”
Ruby grimaced. “My ass is about to split open.”
“….” Daren was speechless.
So Amber’s family actually did have a tradition hitting people. He secretly glanced at Amber: currently, the tyrant-in-hiding, Dr. Camille, was sitting on the opposite side of the table, and gently trying to curry favor with his elder brother. “Do you want some of this?”
His brother coldly replied, “No.”
Amber made an “Oh” sound and then lowered her gaze.
Truly, everything had a weakness.
This false alarm was the final event that helped Daren get over his feelings for Amber, the best possible result. Ruby was the only one who ended up suffering, as he had to teach Daren about sales, ending up as tired as a dog afterwards.
***
By May, Elly had become able to sit in the hospital plaza for a short period at a time. As her mental state improved, she finally entered the most important stage of her recovery.
However, when Amber noticed that Elly’s feelings were steadily worsening as she blamed herself more and more for killing her own grandmother, she bit her lips and finally called Calvin’s mother.
The hurt and lonely Elly needed someone to rescue and redeem her-she had lost all of her close relatives at too young of an age, leaving her with only feelings of horror and despair towards the future. She needed a sense of security, and this security wasn’t something that Amber could provide as a doctor.
Calvin’s mother picked up the phone, but she never showed up. Instead, as the downpour continued for the fourth day, it was Calvin who pushed open the doors to her office.
“I’d like to ask you for a favor.” He stood in front of her, wet and cold, as he spoke in a somewhat miserable tone. “My wife seems to have relapsed. Could I trouble you to take a look at her?”
Amber looked at Calvin in shock. Of course, what shocked her the most wasn’t that he had come looking for her-he’d made an appointment under someone else’s name-rather, what shocked her the most was that he had come looking for her at all, rather than someone else.
She cautiously asked, “Are you sure that you want me to help?” She glanced at the fake name he’d booked an appointment under, and then said, “Actually, I can recommend you to some other doctors that would be more suitable.”
She knew he understood her underlying meaning.
But Calvin shook his head, and in a somewhat apologetic tone, said, “She said that she only wants to see you, and that she only trusts you.”
Amber was silent, and only after a while, asked, “Where is she?”
“At home.” He continued explaining the general situation. “She may be showing signs of a miscarriage, so it’s inconvenient for her to leave the house right now. I wouldn’t have troubled you like this otherwise.”
Amber muttered under her breath as she thought out loud for a moment. Then, she reluctantly agreed. “Alright, I’ll take a look at her. However, this has to wait until after I get off of work.”
“That’s fine. Should I pick you up then?”
“Give me your address. I’ll head over myself.” As she said this, she handed a notepad to him, gesturing for him to write the address down.
Calvin didn’t press her any further. Only after Amber finished all her rounds did she learn that he had also visited Elly. For him to come all this way here just to entreat her to make a house call, and even doing so during visiting hours … Amber didn’t know whether she should think of his actions as considerate or cold.