My Darling, My Dearest

Rachel was speechless. She hesitated for a second before letting him hold the boy.

"Which ward?"

"Please come with me. Mendes, you should thank him!"

The boy cradled in Jack's arms looked at him timidly. "Thank you," he murmured, licking his sticky hand.

Weighing the baby in his arms, Jack stole a glance at Rachel. They walked together in silence to the ward. Putting the baby down, Jack inwardly sighed, 'I think it's time for him to lose weight.1 The three were now the focal point of others present in the ward.

Their eyes brimmed with curiosity, especially focused on Jack

Sitting on the bed, Mendes was quiet. Rachel went to the bathroom and got a towel dampening it with some water. Then she began to clean his hand.

Jack quietly observed from the side of the bed.

Mendes glanced furtively at the man standing beside his bed. Rolling his eyes, he got closer to Rachel and pouted his lips complaining, "Rachel, my arm hurts!"

He gestured towards his broken left arm. After wiping his hand, Rachel checked his temperature. She talked to him in a low voice, trying to console ■3

him. By the time she turned around, Jack was nowhere to be seen in the ward.

Could it really be a mere coincidence? Had he come to visit someone in the hospital and happened to see her giving Mendes an injection?

Rachel patted Mendes' cheek, comforting him. "Please stay here, Mendes. Your sister will arrive soon."

After hearing news of Celia's arrival, Mendes did not know what to do. He pulled at Rachel's sleeve, whispering, "Please do not let my sister feed me carrots. Please?" Rachel held back her laughter. "Okay. I will tell her. I have to work now. I'll see you tomorrow."

As soon as she stood up, Mendes quickly grabbed her. "Rachel!"

"What?" Rachel turned around. "When will my parents come and pick me up?" he questioned. Rachel's expression softened. "They will be here in two days," she said, touching his soft hair.

"All right." Mendes looked down, clearly disappointed.

On exiting the ward, Rachel saw Jack. She realized he had only left to take a call.

Rachel stood waiting. As soon as Jack hung up the phone, he walked towards her.

Before she had the chance to say anything, Jack asked, "Is it time for you to get off work? I'll drive you home."

Pursing her lips, Rachel stuffed her hands in her ■3

pocket. "What the hell do you want to do?"

Jack looked as if he hadn't understood what she had said. "I'll take you back," he stated, serious.

Taking a look at the crowd around her, Rachel gestured to Jack to follow her. "We need to talk in private."

Before he could say anything, she turned around and began walking. Jack quietly followed her. As soon as they found a remote corner, Rachel turned around and eyed the man standing in front of her. Being over 1.8 meters in height, Jack was taller than most men. He towered over Rachel, who felt somewhat intimidated.

"I didn't get a chance to thank you for what happened yesterday," she said.

"My pleasure." Jack's curiosity peaked. He wanted to know why she had invited him here to talk.

Rachel didn't expect Jack to reply that way, and it made her feel uncomfortable.

She was in the habit of using her mild-mannered personality to make up for alienating herself from others. But, Jack just used the same way to deal with her.

Taking a deep breath, Rachel said, "You don't have to drive me back. Just arrange two bodyguards to come get me as you previously-"

"I don't mind repeating what I told you this morning," Jack interrupted. "If something happens to you, I will not be able to explain it to my father. Hiram did what he did because he wanted to threaten me.1' He leaned toward Rachel with one hand in his pocket, smiling. "I especially came here to be your driver. Why are you so unhappy, Dr. Shen?"

His provocative attitude made Rachel want to choke. She wanted desperately to tell him to leave her alone because she wanted nothing to do with him.

The two of them had always been at arm's length. But now Rachel felt like she needed to have a talk with Jack.

She had never been good at socializing. She was polite to patients and friends. But she didn't want to talk much to strangers.

Where Jack was concerned, however, she couldn't figure out whether he was a friend or a stranger. If not for the weird relationship they had, Rachel could simply refuse the offer to go with him. She would have to approach the subject with caution. If she was too blunt about it, Jack's ego could be bruised.

But it never occurred to Rachel that he had already sensed her hesitation.

"Yes, I'm not happy. I don't have the honor of being driven around by you,"

Rachel blurted, without thinking. "I think we have been staying together for a little too long recently. Won't Celine mind it?"

"None of your business," Jack retorted, his smile fading. "Come. I'll drive you home." ■3

Rachel didn't budge. "Did you not understand what I just said?"

Jack turned around to look at her. "What did you say?"

"I am not kidding. We seem to have been in each other's way a lot lately," Rachel said, looking Jack in the eye.

"Oh, really?" Jack's tone now turned menacing. "Don't you think too much, Rachel? Why do I feel that way? Besides,

we are husband and wife. Isn't it normal for us to keep in touch?"

By now, Rachel was shocked by his thick skin. When did he become so nonchalant about their relationship?

They silently challenged each other, their expressions locked. Rachel's face remained blank until her rosy lips parted and she asked, "Jack, are you crazy?"

"Rachel, you have a lot of crap to say. Do you want to leave or not?" Jack asked coldly, squinting at her. "If you don't go, I will talk to Eric."

Rachel stared at Jack in disbelief.

She took a few deep breaths trying to calm down. Life is precious, she reminded herself.

Quickly striding past him, she said coldly, "Please wait a while. I am not off duty yet."

'What the hell is he doing?' she asked herself, frustrated

Back in her office, Rachel felt trapped. She ■3

paced back and forth, furious.

Should she take Jack's threat seriously? Or, was he just punishing her for the way she had offended Celine before?

Nevertheless, Rachel hated being threatened.

She had no clue as to what Jack was trying to do. She was off duty now but, even with nothing to do, she did not leave her office. She changed her clothes and settled behind her desk. Glancing at the clock, she realized an hour had passed since she had asked Jack to wait for her.

He might have left by now, she thought. She didn't believe he had the patience to wait for her for this long.

She packed up her things and exited her office.

Walking towards the parking lot, she heard her phone ring. Surprise was visible on Rachel's face when she realized it was Jack.

Her head ached as she saw his name flicker on the screen. The empty parking lot echoed with her ringtone.

Her slender finger stopped at the screen. Two seconds later, Rachel hung up the phone without hesitation.

She started to walk but then jumped at the sound of low laughter from behind her. Turning around, she saw Jack standing there with a smile on his face.

Rachel had been caught refusing to answer his phone twice in one day. ■3

A little disappointed, she asked, "What on earth do you want?"

The air around them felt heavy. 'He is willing to serve as my driver because he wants to protect me?

Nah! I don't believe it!' she thought.

Pocketing his phone, he walked towards Rachel. In a calm voice, Jack asked, "Haven't I told you not to think too much?" He pointed at the car. "Get in!"