Chapter 172
Isabella returned to her station, resuming her work as if nothing unusual had happened. Those who passed by cast strange, cautious glances at her. Even after openly challenging Hudson, she had somehow avoided any repercussions, leaving others too intimidated to provoke her.
In reality, Isabella hadn’t opposed Hudson merely for the sake of it. She was asserting her authority within the company. One day, she fully intended to take control. By appearing hostile toward Hudson, she aimed to convey the idea that they were irreconcilable, prompting employees to pick sides in the near future. As Isabella continued to display her exceptional skills in design and business, her capacity for leadership would become unmistakably clear. From now on, Hudson was nothing more than a stepping stone on her path to power. A cold smile played on her lips as she silently dared Hudson and his daughter to brace themselves for the day they would be dethroned.
At the outpatient clinic, Lana had purposely scheduled her follow-up for the afternoon, hoping the patient load would be lighter. She wore a cropped, fitted t-shirt that showed off her toned waist, paired with loose, straight-leg jeans that made her tall figure appear even more elongated. A pair of simple white sneakers completed the look, giving her a casual yet stylish appearance. A black cap and mask covered most of her face, leaving only a narrow slit of her eyes visible, helping her blend into the surroundings.
Walking beside Luna was Jessica, dressed in casual wear. She too was wearing a mask, and as Luna’s assistant, many fans also recognized her. Avoiding the crowd, Luna sat near the clinic’s busy entrance, growing increasingly annoyed. “Damn Charles, he never gives me any special treatment,” she muttered under her breath. We’ve known each other for so long, yet I still have to line up in the outpatient clinic every time for these follow-ups, she thought irritably. Being a celebrity, every hospital visit felt like a covert mission to avoid the public eye, adding to her agitation.
Luna glanced sideways at Jessica. “Next time, I’ll come by myself. You can take the day off.” Jessica froze for a moment. Then she stifled a laugh. If Luna came here alone, she’d most likely end up in a full-blown showdown with Charles, she thought. Jessica had been with Luna long enough to know exactly how she felt. With a sigh, Jessica responded, “Luna, your health won’t let you get worked up, much less start throwing punches.”
Caught in the act, Luna didn’t even get mad. She just leaned back, looking worn out, her face a picture of utter defeat. After a moment of thought, Lana muttered, “Isn’t there any way to teach that jerk a lesson?” Jessica merely chuckled, saying nothing. Jessica had long noticed that there was something different between Luna and Charles. While they seemed to bicker constantly, Charles always gave his all when it came to Luna’s health. And despite Luna’s frequent threats to beat him up, she’d never actually followed through. It was always just teasing.
Suddenly, the PA system announced, “Patient number 15, Luna White, please proceed to Exam Room One.” As Luna stood up, she heard a young girl nearby exclaim, “Hey, that really looks like Luna!” “What! Luna?” “Oh my god, it is Luna! Lana! Luna!” ‘Oh no, we’ve been recognized,’ Jessica thought. Panic set in as she asked, ‘Luna, what do we do?’ Being recognized now, especially in a hospital, would cause a huge commotion and lead to negative consequences. Feeling overwhelmed, Luna’s mind raced as she grabbed Jessica and swiftly dashed into the exam room.
Bang! Luna slammed the door shut, blocking out the excited chatter outside. The fans outside were already going crazy, pounding on the door trying to get in, but Luna quickly locked it and finally took a breath of relief. Charles looked up, confused by her abrupt entrance. “What’s going on?” Since the door was soundproof, Charles hadn’t heard the chaos outside. His innocent question instantly fueled Lana’s frustration. Placing her hands on her hips, she scolded him. “Are you seriously asking me that if you’d just given me some VIP treatment, would I be getting mobbed out there?”
Luna had no idea what tomorrow’s headlines would say, but just thinking about it made her anger bubble up uncontrollably. Finally grasping the situation, Charles walked to the door, pulled up the blinds slightly, and saw a group of eager teenagers crowding around the clinic window. He had never seen anything like this in the hospital before, and the other patients had even been pushed aside. Frowning, Charles went back to his desk and immediately called security. “Please send someone to handle the crowd outside the cardiology clinic,” he said. Crowding outside the exam room was quite troublesome.
Jessica, meanwhile, had taken out her phone, messaging the PR team to coordinate damage control. Luna, frustrated and clutching her chest, glared daggers at Charles. Feeling a twinge of guilt, Charles returned to his seat and gave her a faintly apologetic look. “I’m sorry. I didn’t consider this aspect.” He’d assumed Luna wanted special treatment just to skip the line, but now he realized this was the real reason. Given her fame, being in a public space like this could indeed cause unnecessary trouble. Seeing Charles, who was usually brash and overconfident, apologize in earnest threw Luna off.
Luna straightened up, her tone softening despite herself. “As long as you know it was your mistake. Remember to give me VIP treatment next time.” Her work was as demanding as ever. Accepting that he was at fault, Charles didn’t argue. “You still need to finish today’s tests. I’ll prepare the paperwork…” Remembering the fans outside, he hesitated, then added, “I’ll make sure the rest of the tests are conducted privately.” While explaining, he started preparing Luna’s check-up. Luna tilted her chin up, finally satisfied. “That’s more like it.” Her fingers absentmindedly squeezed the head of a small figurine on his desk.
Jessica, who had been preoccupied with coordinating PR regarding tomorrow’s headlines, glanced up and noticed the shift in the atmosphere. Is it just me, or has something changed between these two! Jessica wondered, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. With Charles’ additional arrangements, the remaining tests went smoothly. The radiology department even provided one-on-one service, and the results came back quickly. In under an hour, Luna had completed all her tests.
Sitting before Charles again with her mask on, Lana handed over her reports. Jessica passed the documents to him, addressing him formally. “Dr. Kessler, here are Luna’s reports. Could you take a look?” Charles, distracted by his computer, shifted his gaze to the reports and reviewed them carefully. His brows knitted slightly, which made Jessica tense up. “Dr. Kessler, how is it?” Jessica asked anxiously. Luna’s health was Jessica’s biggest concern. She needed a lot of rest and care. Yet Luna’s job demanded a level of stress that made restful recovery nearly impossible. What if something happens? What would we do then? Jessica wondered.
Luna, however, seemed unfazed, sitting calmly in her seat, like the news was someone else’s problem. Charles placed the reports down and looked at Luna, frowning. “Have you been neglecting your rest again?” If Luna had been keeping a consistent schedule and taking her medication, her condition wouldn’t have worsened like this. But with her health clearly declining, this wasn’t sustainable. With a dismissive wave, Luna replied, “Hey, in my line of work, there’s no such thing as a regular schedule; it’s no big deal. I can just pop some pills.” To her, it really didn’t seem like a serious issue. In fact, without Jessica’s constant nudging, Lana might not have shown up for the follow-up at all.
Charles’ expression darkened, clearly displeased as he admonished her. “A lot of patients have this same attitude. They don’t regret it until it’s too…” “Too late?” she wondered. Luna couldn’t help but find it funny. She never feared death. To her, maybe death would be a relief. But seeing the storm brewing on Charles’ face, she bit back her retort, not wanting to push him over the edge. Forcing a smile, Luna spoke in a soothing tone. “Alright, Dr. Kessler, I promise to follow all your instructions and take better care of myself.” Though respectful in tone, it was clear she was only paying lip service. Charles squinted at her, and it was clear to anyone that Luna was just brushing him off. In fact, as long as the patient paid for their own actions, it would be okay. But Charles couldn’t keep his anger in check.
Charles, seeing right through her, couldn’t contain his frustration. The usual nonchalance vanished from his face, replaced by stern resolve. “I hope you’ll actually do what you say.”