Yvette’s expression lit up with the thrill of gossip. “Who are we talking about? Is it Dr. Wilfred?”
“It’s about a friend,” Karina lied smoothly, her face betraying nothing.
Yvette’s face immediately screamed, “Yeah, right.”
“Come on, at least come up with a better excuse. That ‘it’s for a friend’ line is so overused it’s practically expired,” she teased, before shifting gears. “Alright, spill the details. And don’t leave anything out. I want to know everything. Not just for gossip but to help you figure things out.”
With no other choice, Karina recounted Wilfred’s hot-and-cold behavior toward her.
After hearing the story, Yvette leaned back with a sharp hiss, as if processing something heavy. “I think your, uh, friend’s boyfriend might just have something he’s keeping to himself. Maybe there’s a reason he doesn’t want her to know.”
Karina’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Think about it,” Yvette continued. “If he really didn’t care, would he have been so quick to catch her when she almost fell? That’s not how indifference works.”
Yvette’s words struck a chord, and Karina replayed the events of the previous day in her mind. Without the haze of emotions clouding her judgment, she began to notice details she had missed.
For example, Wilfred’s gaze—it wasn’t like usual. There was a faint but unmistakable emptiness in his eyes, a lifelessness that set him apart from his usual composed self.
But yesterday, she had been so caught up in her own frustration and sadness that she hadn’t realized it at all.
Suddenly, Karina stood, leaving her food untouched. “Thanks, Yvette. I have something I need to do!”
“What could possibly be more important than eating? Hey, come back!” Yvette called after her, but Karina was already gone.
*
Her heart pounded as she walked briskly through the hospital, a mix of anticipation and nervous energy coursing through her. The frustration and sadness from yesterday had vanished, replaced by a burning need to see him.
He turned slightly, his gaze meeting hers. His eyes were deep and unreadable, but unlike yesterday, they carried a hint of warmth. “Come with me,” he said simply.
Without hesitation, Karina followed him.
As they walked, she realized they were heading out of the hospital. She noticed that at some point, he had removed his white coat, leaving it on the coat rack in his office, and now held his car keys in hand.
“Are we going somewhere?” Karina asked, surprised.
“Yes. You wanted to talk, didn’t you? Let’s grab some lunch while we’re at it. Have you eaten yet?” he asked, glancing back at her.
Karina shook her head. “Not really…”
She thought about the meal she had abandoned earlier in her rush to find him. The thought of wasting it was mildly annoying, but now, at the mention of food, her previously dormant hunger stirred to life.
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