Crashing into an Old Flame
Chapter 147: Lighter

Chapter 147: Lighter

’’Be good. Eat something. I will see you later,’’ he said after some time.

"Wait!" Diana grabbed the sleeve of his shirt when he turned to leave.

Maxim turned around to look at her.

"When will you be free?" she asked.

"After the surgery?" he glanced at her questioningly, ’’Don’t you know my schedule better than me?"

She dropped her hand, ’’Not like that. You still have to see patients after surgery. When will you be available?"

"For you?"

She nodded.

’’Never,’’ he poked her forehead before he turned around and left.

Diana gasped.

How come she was seeing two devil horns above his head? He sure was getting comfortable in playing hard to get.

When she heard the whispers and soft mutters, she looked around and noticed that some of the female hospital staff were looking at her with envy while others looked at his retreating back.

"I don’t know why they remind me of aggressive fans of the pop stars...’’ Diana mumbled once she made it out of the crowded hallway, ’’What a relief...ahh...’’

’Crash’

She had just turned left when she bumped into someone.

"I am so sorry. I was absent-minded. Are you alright?" she squatted to pick up the files scattered on the floor before she handed it to the man in front of her, ’’It’s you?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. It was the same patient who was lurking around Maxim’s office last time.

She remembered he was extremely conscious about his health issues but by the time she came back to ask for his records, he was gone.

’’You know me?" the man looked at her from head to toe, ’’Oh? You are the little girl from that day,’’ he seemed to be a little breathless.

’’Yes,’’ she led him to the wall-mounted chairs when she noticed his discomfort, ’’Are you fine?" she helped him onto the chair.

’’I am...’’ he waved his hand.

’’Last time, you were gone by the time I came back. I was worried that you changed your mind about getting treated," Diana sat beside him.

’’I did not change my mind about getting treated. I just changed my mind about getting treated by the doctor you were recommending,’’ the middle-aged man humphed.

Diana was amused, ’’Why is that?"

’’You little girl... You are still wet behind your ears and you know how to deceive people. You don’t have prior experience in your job and you are a newbie. How can I hand over my life to people like you?’’ He broke into a coughing fit.

’’Careful,’’ Diana patted his back.

’’If not because this is one of the most reputable hospitals that my trusted people recommended to me, I would not have stepped foot in here.’’

’’I agree with you about having no prior experience.’’

’’You...’’ the man narrowed his eyes.

’’But you can’t say that I deceived you. I never claimed to be an expert,’’ Diana was not offended by his accusations.

For one, she had seen how paranoid he was regarding his health condition. He almost seemed violent that day.

And secondly, rumors were flying about her in the hospital about her relationship with Maxim, her educational background, and whether she relied on personal favors to get this position. Because of the fiasco that Veronica caused, Diana was suddenly popular in the hospital for all the wrong reasons.

She never bothered herself with the gossip and she could not blame patients for not trusting her when they heard such things. But she never expected that she will implicate Maxim because of it.

’’Moreover...’’ she added after some thought, ’’I asked you to do your research on the doctor. Why would you judge him based on me? I am just an assistant.’’

The man looked like he was about to snap at her but in the end, he sighed, ’’Girl, with assistants like you, who can trust your superior?"

She frowned.

Diana wanted to say something but she realized that his words made sense. Even if she managed to convince him, it won’t stop the rumors.

Moreover, there will be more patients like this in the future who might end up changing their minds about getting treated by Maxim because of her.

"Forgive my temper, little girl. Medicines make me quite irritable,’’ he shook his head, ’’I don’t know about other people but unless I have absolute confidence, I don’t want to entrust my life to someone.’’

’’I understand,’’ Diana nodded, ’’Are you getting treated now?"

’’My surgery is scheduled in next week,’’ the man said, "And I am making it out of it alive and kicking.’’

Diana laughed, ’’You are confident now compared to the last time I saw you.’’

The man stroked his beard, his eyes sparkling with distinct sadness, ’’Life can be too tiring. I have lived for decades and I am not quite obsessed with it but...’’ he smiled, ’’I don’t want to die yet. I have things to do.’’

Diana patted his shoulder and pushed herself to her feet, ’’Of course, I will visit you after your surgery. What would you like to do after you recover?"

He glanced at the hospital ceiling, his eyes welling up with unshed tears.

’’Find my son and apologize to him,’’ he staggered as he stood up.

Diana reached out to support him but he waved his hand and slowly walked away.

Looking at his retreating back, Diana wondered where his son was and what did he do that needed him to apologize, ’’I hope you recover,’’ she whispered.

She could not help but think of her father. Was he still looking for her?

Diana shook her head. Her parents... had their twisted ideals and strange ways of parenting. How could she compare them to these ordinary parents?

It would be weird if her parents dropped their stubbornness that always harmed their children in the process.

Diana turned to walk away but her footsteps slowed down when something sparkled in her eyes.

She looked at the seat where the man was sitting earlier.

A golden lighter was lying in the corner of the seat.

Diana picked it up and rushed in the direction where the man had walked off but he was nowhere to be seen.

"There are many other doctors in the neurology department...’’ Diana flipped the lighter in her hand.

Upon closer inspection, there was something engraved on it.

’Louis’

And there was a long logo on one side of the lighter.

Diana examined it closely, ’’Is it a lizard? A snake...?’’ It looked like something in between.

She stuffed the lighter in her bag, making a mental note to look for that patient later.

As she thought about what the man said, she could not help but frown.

How in the world did she end up implicating Maxim because of this gossip? Should she deal with it?

...

As the patient left Maxim’s office, Diana pulled out her phone to send him a text.

Diana: It’s 10 minutes past lunchtime. When are you eating?

Warner: You want to feed me?

Diana choked on the coffee she was sipping.

She looked at the closed office door in disbelief.

He did not even take a breather after the surgery and started seeing the patients. And now that she was concerned about him, he had the nerve to tease her.

Ugh.

She glanced at the documents in her hand.

"Hey, wait," Diana stopped a nurse.

’’Yes?"

"Can you send over the lunch for Dr. Warner? I am a bit busy so sorry to trouble you....’’

’’Really? I can?" The girl’s eyes brightened like LED lights, ’’No trouble at all,’’ she disappeared at the speed of light.

Diana’s lips twitched. Flower boy. Seducing flowers everywhere he went.

After a few minutes, a shadow loomed over her head.

’’Did you send the lunch? Thank you so much...’’ Diana trailed off the moment she raised her head from the documents, ’’What are you doing here?" she pushed herself to her feet and walked around the glass partition.

Maxim grabbed her hand.

’’Wait...’’ Diana quickly looked around them. Except for a few patients, the hallway was mostly empty because the staffs were not around during lunchtime.

Maxim pulled her all the way to his office.

"I am not a suitcase, Warner,’’ she complained.

’’A suitcase?" Maxim locked the door behind them and looked at her.

’’You are dragging me like one,’’ she glanced at him accusingly.

He pursed his lips, ’’You didn’t reply to my text.’’

’’Hmm? Which one?" she looked at her empty hand, realizing that she had left her phone outside.

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