Escaped My Ex, Got Snatched by His Rival - Chapter 269

Chapter 269: Bitter and Lightheaded
“Achoo, achoo, achoo,” Ariana sneezed as she covered her mouth and nose with a mask. Her forehead was burning, and she did not feel good, maybe she ended up catching flu or something.

“Doctor, are you feeling alright?” Emil asked as he looked at Ariana worriedly. His voice was lined with concern which he, himself did not understand. Ariana was just a stranger, and yet, he was worried about her just because she sneezed.

“I am alright,” Ariana answered with a calm voice, her voice was slightly hoarse and muffled because of the mask that she was wearing. “Please stretch your hand out.” She told the man, who did as she asked.

Ariana noted down his vitals before saying, “Refrain from trying to get down from your bed, Mister Ashford——”

“Emil,” before Ariana could finish, Emil said to her with a smile. “You can call me Emil, Doctor Ariana.”

Hearing his words, Ariana paused before repeating, “Emil, yes—? You should refrain from getting out the bed even if you are feeling bored, restricted and anxious, you should stay in your bed. The more you move around, the harder it will be for your ribs to mend themselves.”

“I understand,” Emil frowned but agreed. However, a second later he perked up again.

Ariana nodded and as she finished her examination, she heard Emil say, “What are you going to do today, doctor Ariana?”

“Hmm? I am going to shop in the evening after my shift ends,” Ariana answered as she knew that Emil was lonely with no one from his family coming to see him.

“Shopping?” Emil’s mouth soured as he recalled Penelope’s shopping spree. The last time he went with her, he ended up getting more cardio than the three-hour workout in the gym.

“Yes, I need a dress for a party,” Ariana explained with a frown. She finished bandaging Emil’s injury before adding, “However, it’s a terrible process I would rather stay at home and watch my favourite movie or paint.”

She liked painting much more than going outside and meeting with people.

At least when she was alone, she didn’t have to pretend to be something that he wasn’t.

“You like painting?” Emil’s eyes turned bright when he heard her response. “That’s cool, my second brother is a sculptor. He is perfect with his hands.” The suspicions he had become even stronger as everyone in their family was good at artistic skills.

Ariana glanced at the man on the bed and smiled politely, “Is that so? That’s great.”

She didn’t think too much about it and took her leave.

Emil watched her walk out of the ward before turning to look at the text message that his brother had left. Keon promised him that he would look into the matter but apart from that he did not text him again.

“What’s taking him so long?” Emil muttered while staring at the screen of his phone.

“Doctor Harlow,” outside the ward, Sawyer ran into Ariana. With a smile, she greeted Ariana, “Good morning, how are you today?”

“Good morning, doctor Sawyer, achoo!” Ariana sneezed while covering her nose with her hands out of instinct.

“Oh dear, did you catch a cold, Doctor Harlow,” Sawyer asked with a frown. “I hope you took your medicine, we wouldn’t want your cold to get worse because of the heavy load of work.”

“I did,” Ariana sniffed, her delicate nose twitching. “It is just that it will take some time for the medicine to take effect.”

Sawyer nodded before clapping her hands, “Why don’t you come with me? Mrs. Hayley in the canteen is responsible for making warm soups for the patients. We can ask her for two cups for ourselves.”

“Is that alright?” Ariana asked with a subtle frown.

“It is alright,” Sawyer said to her. “With the weather changing and doctors’ workload it’s only natural for the doctors to also fall sick. We are also humans after all, you are not the first person to get a cup of soup and certainly will not be the last.”

Ariana felt a bit uncomfortable about going to the canteen after just half an hour and fifteen minutes into work. But her throbbing headache and stuffy nose moaned and craved a warm cup of soup.

The thought of drinking something warm won over her after a feeble fight that she put up because Ariana did not like skipping work.

“Alright,” she agreed.

Sawyer gave her a sweet smile before leading Ariana to the canteen inside the hospital. The two of them soon arrived at the counter, which was gleaming as it had just been cleaned.

“Good morning ladies,” it was Greta who greeted them. “How can I serve you today?”

Her jolly smile filled with kindness brought a smile to Ariana’s lips.

“Two cups of warm mushroom soup will be great,” Sawyer winked at Greta, who chuckled and nodded.

“Right away.”

Sawyer then looked around and questioned Greta, “Where is Hayley? Should she not be with you?”

“Poor woman is suffering from knee pain,” Greta sighed as she ladled two cups of soup and placed them in front of Ariana and Sawyer. “She asked me to keep an eye on the counter while she gets herself checked up.”

“Is she alright,” Ariana asked with a concerned frown.

“She will be alright,” Greta waved her hand. “It is just old age catching up to us old ladies. I have asked Hayley to stop working and retire, but she always refuses. Says that she cannot stay in her house all day long.”

Ariana did not understand that concept because as much as she wanted to save the lives of others such that she could wash off the names that were plastered —— no, practically branded on her skin—— she would rather stay at home.

“Poor Hayley,” Sawyer said with a sigh. “My grandma had knee pain, and it was disastrous, at least that’s what she told me.” She took a sip of the soup and hummed in delight.

“It is delicious.”

Was it?

Ariana silently questioned. Because for her, the soup was oh so bitter.

Maybe it was because of her cold, she told herself.

But if that was the case, why did her head feel so lightheaded?