Chapter 195

On the other end, Ross learned that Shermaine had finished her exams and was now dining with his grandmother and Owen at Riverdale Restaurant.

It was close by. Ross said, "I'll head over now."

"No rush. Grandma wants you to bring your girlfriend along."

Of course, his girlfriend was none other than Danielle.

More than two months into their fake relationship, there seemed to be no real progress between them.

Ross paused briefly before responding, "Let me check with her."

"Alright," Shermaine replied.

After hanging up, Shermaine got up and headed to the restroom.

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As soon as she stepped out of the VIP booth, Joshua arrived. Their eyes met as he approached with a gentle, almost affectionate smile. He felt the urge to kiss her, but seeing her in that blue-and-white school uniform, he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

"How did your morning exam go?" he asked.

"It went well," Shermaine replied.

Joshua gently pinched her cheek and said with a smile, "I've got some more good news. Wanna hear it?"

"I'm going to the restroom. Tell me about it when I get back," Shermaine said.

"Alright," he replied.

Meanwhile, Ross was already calling Danielle.

Danielle, in her white coat, was reviewing medical records with her head lowered, phone in hand. "Come pick me up yourself, or I'm not going," she said.

Ross had originally planned to wait at Riverdale Restaurant for Danielle to arrive so they could go in together and save time, but his fake girlfriend was having none of it.

Being the gentleman he was, he replied, "Got it. Wait for me; I'll come get you."

"Got it," Danielle replied.

Danielle set down her phone, a faint smirk playing at the corners of her lips.

Half an hour later, Ross arrived at the Surgical Building of Yaleview Hospital. Following the nurse's directions, he headed straight to Danielle's office.

Ross knocked on the door.

"Come in," Danielle said.

He pushed the door open and stepped in.

The office carried a cool, subtle fragrance mingled with the scent of disinfectant—an unexpectedly pleasant combination.

The curtains were half drawn, casting a muted light across the office. At her desk sat a woman in a white coat, her icy demeanor evident as she kept her head bowed, fully absorbed in her work.

"Just a moment, almost done," Danielle said without looking up.

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Patient as ever, Ross pulled out a chair and sat down. His gaze lingered on Danielle—he found himself momentarily captivated.

By the time Ross snapped out of his daze, Danielle was already standing before him, waving a hand in front of his face. "What's with that look?" she teased.

Ross snapped out of his daze and replied, "You look really attractive when you're focused on your work."

Danielle chuckled, "You should see me saving lives—that's when I truly shine."

As a doctor, she was at her best when saving lives.

Ross watched as she brimmed with professional pride, his lips quirking slightly.

"Let me get changed, then we can go," Danielle said.

"Alright," Ross replied.

Ross stood up and discreetly stepped outside to wait in the hallway.

Danielle took off her white coat, opened the locker, and drew the privacy curtain shut.

Ross stood in the hallway outside, leaning against the wall and scrolling through messages on her phone. Suddenly, a man in a hospital gown appeared, moving suspiciously—he first peered through the small window, then quickly grasped the doorknob, about to push the door open.

Ross gripped his hand firmly. "What are you doing?"

The man instantly turned hostile, snarling, "I'm here for my gorgeous wife. What's your damn business?"

It didn't take Ross long to figure out—this guy was nuts.

'He's probably a mental patient.'

'No wonder being a doctor is such a high-risk job. If it's not one thing, it's another—always caught between a rock and a hard place,' Ross thought.

"Back off now, or you'll regret it." The mental patient's expression grew even more sinister, his face twisting with suspicion. He snarled, "Are you the other man my wife's been seeing?"

Ross fell silent, his face darkening. Nothing disgusted him more than homewreckers. Then he shot back, "Dr. Shelly is my girlfriend."