Stuck in you

Chapter 347 Go To The Opera

Rachel had been used to being called to the canteen by Celia every day that it became a habit. Without needing her reminder, she found that she forgot to have lunch.

Her stomach rumbled in response. She glanced at her watch only to see that it was already so late. "Did Celia forget to call me today?" she murmured to herself.

When she went to the nurse station to ask around, she found that Celia had transferred to the night shift. That was why she wasn't here today.

If Rachel remembered correctly, every time before their work schedules were to be posted, Celia would always pray that she wouldn't be transferred into the night shift. Now, it seemed that she even volunteered to trade her day shift.

Hearing them talk about Celia's generosity, she frowned. In fact, she had increasingly gotten more and more confused about the woman's decision that she didn't immediately leave after work. Instead, she sat in her office for a while and waited for the night shift to begin.

Once she heard Celia's voice echoing from the nurse station, she poked her head out. "Celia, come here."

"What's wrong?" The young woman motioned to the box of sushi. "I just bought this from the mall. Try it. It's delicious."

Rachel grabbed the salmon sushi and placed it in her mouth. It really was good. The salmon cut was smooth and fresh that it immediately melted on her tongue. The rice was also just right. After swallowing, she turned to her. "Did you really transfer to the night shift just so you could eat and shop?" She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway.

Celia chuckled. "Aren't you smart?"

"Don't lie to me. Did something happen between you and Marcus? Do you want to move back?" Rachel asked.

Celia pretended to relax as she waved her hand, but even then, she continued to avoid her gaze. "It's really nothing. We didn't fight."

"But—" "I'm fine, really," she interrupted, changing the topic. "But there is something I wanted to ask you. Yesterday, I ran into Dr. Zhang in the supermarket. He said that you prescribed some medicine for me for a cough. I'm obviously not sick, so who did you prescribe it for?"

This time, it was Rachel's turn to avoid her eyes. "I just prescribed some cough medicine for a friend of mine."

"Who's the friend?"

"Just an ordinary friend. You don't know her," Rachel said hastily. "We have medical insurance in our cards, so we could be reimbursed for any medical expenses we incur. That's why she asked me to get some medicine for her."

Celia peered at her. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

Rachel arched her finger and tapped against Celia's head. She was afraid that if she asked any more questions, she didn't know how to respond. Besides, no matter how many times she tried to ask the younger woman about Marcus, she still wouldn't tell her anything.

Her plan failed.

However, she still couldn't help but be worried over her friend. On the way home, she decided to ask Jack to ask Marcus about it. Maybe then, she'd be able to get an answer.

All of a sudden, Rachel froze in her tracks. She tilted her head and looked at the road behind there. Crowds of people walked pass the intersection in a hurry. None of them bothered to look her way.

She didn't recognize anybody.

Yet, as she continued to walk, she could feel someone following her from behind.

A shiver shot down her spine, and her pace quickened.

A few seconds had passed and a hand shot out from behind her, wrapping itself around her neck.

Out of impulse, she tightened her grip around her bag and slammed it against the man behind her. She let out a scream.

She didn't expect somebody was following her.

Rachel didn't know how many times she had hit him. But when he suddenly grabbed her wrists, she opened her eyes. The bag immediately fell onto the pavements. "Bill, why are you here?"

"What do you mean?"

Bill winced in pain. "You hit me so hard that you probably damaged my brain just now."

She gazed at him apologetically. "I thought someone was following me so... What brings you here?"

"How dare you ask me that question?!"

He snorted, motioning to the hospital. "I went to the hospital to look for you. Just as I was about to arrive, I saw you walk out. Although I was far away, you should've seen me while I was waving at you. When you didn't, I decided to meet you here."

"Really? I didn't see you." She furrowed her eyebrows.

She had been thinking about Celia that she had disregarded her surroundings.

With a smile, he motioned to his sneakers. "My shoelaces got untied along the way. I guess I was squatting when you tried to look for me."

"Sorry. I was distracted. Is there anything I can do for you?" Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Bill fished out two tickets from his pocket and handed one to her. "My friend sent me two tickets for the opera tonight. Do you want to go with me?"

"I have something to do tonight." Their relationship had been in deadlock ever since Bill had confessed to her. Given that she didn't like him back, she didn't know how to act around him.

She found that she couldn't communicate with him as much as she used to. Even as she stared at him, she couldn't help but think back to what he had said that day.

"What do you need to get done?"

His smile faltered. "I mean, you're going home now, aren't you? Don't you want to go with me?"

Caught in a lie, she flushed in embarrassment. "I'm not really interested in opera. Why don't you pull another friend to watch it with you? You shouldn't waste the ticket on me."

"I'm sure it won't be a waste."

He sighed. "I don't have a lot of friends here. Plus, Andy's the only one who has been there for me all this time. Do you want me to take Andy there instead? He'll probably be bored to death."

"But..." When Rachel was about to refuse once more, she caught sight of the expression on Bill's face. "Fine, I'll go with you."

After a busy day, all she wanted to do was sit on the sofa or lie on the bed.

Now, she found herself sitting in a very large hall and listening to actors as they sing and act on stage. Their voices were like gentle lullabies lulling her to sleep. Finally, she found herself tilting her head and leaning against Bill's shoulder.

A hand gently caressed her cheek.

Bill wished that time could stop around him.

But that was impossible.

In a daze, Rachel took out her phone. She rubbed her weary eyes as she looked to see why it was vibrating. Finally, she saw a message from Austin.

She immediately turned to Bill. "I'm sorry, I have to go back now."

Bill felt uneasy upon looking at her worried eyes. "What happened?"

"Something came up." She bit her lips.

In the darkness, Bill tightened his hold around her. "What's wrong? I won't let you go until you tell me."

"It's Austin, Jack's secretary. He said that Jack fainted at a meeting and was sent to the hospital. I need to see him now," she said.

He wasn't surrpised.

"Rachel, can't you just let him go for the time being and join me here?"

"But—" "What would be the point of you going there?"

he interrupted. "There are plenty of doctors and nurses in the hospital. Couldn't you sit here and watch with me? Is it really that hard?"

His voice had increased that the person sitting behind them patted him on the shoulder. He sent them both a glare. "If you have anything to say, you might as well head outside."

"I'm sorry," Rachel quickly apologized.

Although she couldn't see Bill's face clearly, his words were like blades to her heart. "Fine."

Even then, she couldn't stop thinking about Jack. It was as if thousands of needles grew on her chair, making it extremely difficult for her to sit still. Since she had promised him that she would watch the opera, she could only hold back her thoughts. Closing her eyes, she leaned back and inhaled deeply.

It was as if time had slowed down. Every second felt like thousands of years have passed.

From time to time, Rachel would take out her phone and glanced at the time. She thought that hours had passed when only two or three minutes had gone by.

Seeing her so antsy, Bill said, "You can go now."

"Thank you," she said softly. As she walked out of the opera house, he could only smile bitterly in response.