’But if that child really is hers with another man, what can he do? What else can he do?’
That evening, he t Caleb Rhodes and Felix Draper for drinks in a private room at a bar. The scene from earlier that day kept replaying in his mind—the way she had indifferently asked him, "And you are?" As soon as Felix walked in, he sat down, picked a song, and began singing, completely lost in the music. Julian took a sip of his drink and asked Caleb,
"Caleb, do you really think there can be two people in the world who look exactly alike?"
Caleb Rhodes was currently the happiest of their group of four. He had finally won the girl he had loved for so many years and now had an adorable daughter, Ariel Rhodes. Back then, they all thought his quiet persistence wasn’t worth it. Now, it seed there was no "worth it" or "not worth it." When it ca to love, persistence was what truly mattered.
"Wasn’t there a news story a while back about a photographer who specifically took pictures of people who looked strikingly similar? They were all strangers with no blood relation. So, yes, the situation you’re describing is possible."
Caleb Rhodes frowned as he said this. Julian’s heart sank. He dejectedly downed a large gulp of his drink. ’That’s right,’ he thought. ’How could anyone have possibly survived a shipwreck like that?’
Seeing his expression, Caleb couldn’t help but ask worriedly,
"Why are you asking all of a sudden? Don’t tell ... you t soone who looks a lot like her?"
Before Julian Donovan could say anything, he heard Felix Draper singing.
"On this night I miss you, how I wish you were by my side. I don’t know if your heart can still change for . On this night I miss you, I’m begging you to let love you again, let our love return to where it began..."
When Felix Draper had been singing earlier, Julian hadn’t felt anything in particular. But these few lines felt like they were stabbing him right in the most vulnerable part of his heart. The pain was so sharp that he just sat there, clutching his glass, unable to recover for a long while.
Felix Draper seed to have poured his entire heart and soul into it, his voice weaving a tale of longing and regret. Even Caleb Rhodes couldn’t help but tilt his head and listen quietly. Those lyrics hadn’t just struck a chord with Julian; they also reflected Felix’s own recent feelings.
When the song ended, Felix Draper stood there holding the microphone, staring blankly into space. Caleb Rhodes raised his hands and clapped a little, then said to Felix,
"Felix, I think I’ve got a great idea for how you can get closer to Sarah Sutton!"
"What great idea?"
Felix Draper put down the microphone and sat down, his eyes full of anticipation as he looked at Caleb Rhodes. Caleb smiled.
"You’re a pretty good singer. Why don’t you just sign with the Suttons’ label and beco a singer? Sarah will be your boss. You could go see her whenever you want. Or you could stir up so trouble every other day, and as your boss, she’d have to give you a private lecture!"
Felix Draper’s eyes lit up when he heard this.
"That’s a brilliant idea!"
Julian Donovan was completely floored that Caleb Rhodes, known for his wisdom, would suggest such a ridiculous idea to Felix. And knowing Felix’s own reckless nature, he would absolutely do it. Julian quickly raised his glass to interrupt them.
"Caleb, stop fanning the flas. He’s an old man already. If he suddenly tries to break into the entertainnt industry, are you trying to give the head of the Draper family a heart attack?"
Caleb Rhodes just laughed. Felix Draper shot Julian an annoyed glare. ’Caleb’s idea really is brilliant, though,’ he thought.
Caleb Rhodes was a family man, so after drinking with them for a little while, he left first. Julian and Felix Draper kept drinking until midnight before leaving. When Julian got ho, he was in a complete daze. Dylan wasn’t asleep yet. Seeing his father’s state, he furrowed his small brow and asked,
"Julian Donovan, why are you so out of it? Are you sick?"
Julian Donovan looked at Dylan, opened his mouth, but then hesitated. ’No,’ he thought, ’I should wait until I’ve confird it tomorrow before I tell him. If it really is just a look-alike, Dylan will just get his hopes up for nothing.’
So he just said to Dylan,
"It’s nothing. I just had a little too much to drink..."
Dylan’s tone was grave.
"Julian Donovan, you co ho drunk like this every day. What woman would dare be with you? You’re not young anymore, you should find a woman to take care of you!"
’Since Mom has started a new family, Dad should move on with his life too,’ he thought. ’It’s not that I need them to be together. Mom wasn’t happy with him. As long as she’s alive, that’s enough for .’
Dylan’s words hit another sore spot for Julian. He turned, walked into his bedroom, and threw himself onto the large bed. He spent the rest of the night tossing and turning, drifting in and out of a restless sleep.
His appointnt with her was at nine o’clock at the hospital, but he arrived at seven. He couldn’t sleep and had been wide awake since five. After getting up, he went for a morning run, ca back, made breakfast for Dylan, and instructed the driver to take his son to school later. Then, he ca straight to the hospital.
For the past three years, he had poured all his love into Dylan, hoping to make up for the pain of losing his mother. Since coming to Wincastle this ti, Dylan had insisted on going to school here, flatly refusing to return to Thailos. So, Julian had no choice but to enroll him in the school run by Felix Draper’s family.
The Draper Family’s main business was education, supplented by Felix Draper’s own side ventures. They ran a chain of schools from kindergarten all the way to university, and they were the premier private educational institutions in Wincastle.
Although he had made breakfast for Dylan, he had no appetite himself. When he got to his office, he asked a young nurse to make him a cup of coffee. He was just eting soone, yet he was acting as if he were about to enter a major negotiation.
From seven to nine. He didn’t even know how he got through those two full hours. His mind was racing with wild thoughts. Sotis he would recall the little monts he had spent with her; when that beca too much, he would start planning how he would confront her when she arrived.
As the hands on his watch neared nine, he started looking toward his office door incessantly. He felt his heart begin to beat inexplicably faster. Frustrated, he got up and paced around the office, but his heart rate still wouldn’t settle down.
The mont he saw the hour hand point to nine, he yanked open his office door and roared at the young nurse outside,
"Why isn’t my appointnt here yet?"
’Damn woman. Does she have no sense of punctuality at all?’
The young nurse was terrified by his outburst.
"D-Director, it’s... it’s just now nine o’clock. Maybe she’s stuck in traffic? I’ll call and check right away!"
With a cold expression, Julian Donovan strode forward and snatched the appointnt book from the young nurse’s hands. He pulled out his phone and started dialing the number she had left. But for so reason, his fingers seed to disobey him; he misdialed several tis. The young nurse, watching his hand tremble so violently, assud he was furious about the patient being late and couldn’t help but feel nervous for the patient.
When Julian Donovan finally managed to dial the correct number, it had barely rung once before he hung up with a sharp tap. He couldn’t call her. If she recognized his voice, she might not co at all. Wincastle was a huge city; it would take a lot of effort to track her down then.
He tossed the book back to the young nurse and ordered coldly,
"Call and confirm, now!"
Frightened by his deanor, the young nurse hunched over the desk and quickly began to call. Julian stood to the side, listening. But after several tries, no one answered. The nurse had to brace herself and report,
"Director, no one’s picking up..."
"Keep calling!"
Julian Donovan’s expression grew even darker, as black as the suffocating sky before a thunderstorm. He threw that one command at the nurse and turned back into his office.
’Is this woman standing up? Logically, she shouldn’t know who I am. Very few people on the outside know that I’m the director of this hospital.’
’If she dares not to show up today, I’ll tear this city apart to find her!’
He stood by his office window, taking a hard drag from his cigarette as he fud.
A little while later, the young nurse ca in again, trembling with fear, to report.
"Director, the call went through. Joy Donovan’s mother said there was an accident on their way here..."
Before the young nurse could finish, she saw her director whip his head around, his handso features filled with worry.
"What kind of accident?"
She was so startled she stamred, quickly waving her hands.
"N-no! It wasn’t them! I heard soone else had an accident, and Joy’s mother is there helping with the rescue. She said she’s a nurse..."
The young nurse’s voice trailed off at the end, too scared of him to even breathe.
After hearing the nurse’s explanation, Julian Donovan finally let out a sigh of relief. That heart-wrenching feeling just a mont ago had transported him back to the pain he felt three years ago, when Tyson told him she had been in a shipwreck. He felt that his once-strong heart would sooner or later be tornted into sickness by her.
Reviews
All reviews (0)