Mia's eyes widened in disbelief for a moment, then quickly returned to normal, showing surprise at the news of an employee dating his boss.
"Holy crap! You kept this under wraps so well! We're together all the time at work, and I never caught wind of your relationship," Mia exclaimed.
"Come on. I didn't go broadcasting it, so only few of us know this," I said, scratching my head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Deep down, I sensed Mia might have ulterior motives, like she could pounce on me at any moment or something bad might happen. It made me nervous and scared.
"It looks like our bond isn't as strong as I thought. Even though we're always working together, your connection with the colleagues who started at the same time seems tighter," Mia remarked, her tone sharp and sarcastic.
"That's it, Mia. He hasn't even spilled the beans to me and Ryan," Scarlett chimed in, sensing Mia's pointed remarks.
I felt a wave of relief as Scarlett stepped in to ease the tension, her eyes like a savior, brimming with excitement and gratitude.
Seizing the opportunity while Mia was distracted, Scarlett gave my shoulder a reassuring pat.
"Have a good chat, I'll take David out for a late-night bite or something, so you can have your private chat," Ryan also picked up on the tension and subtly guided me away to give them some privacy.
"Sure thing, and don't forget to bring me back a snack," Scarlett added.
Ryan and I nodded and exited the ward.
Outside, we stumbled upon a nearby mart.
"Grab whatever you want. Consider this a late-night treat on me," Ryan said.
"Thanks, then I won't hold back," I chuckled, perusing the snacks and drinks.
After selecting a few items, we settled by the window to eat.
In situations not involving women, Ryan and I had a strong brotherly bond, free from manipulation, genuinely wishing each other well.
"David, there are some things I can't say in front of others. Now that it's just us, I need to talk to you," Ryan said, munching on a meatball.
I looked at him, puzzled, wondering if there was an ulterior motive behind him calling me out.
"Go ahead, Ryan. What's on your mind?" I asked.
"Are you dating this girl to dodge my request for you to help me have a child with Scarlett?" Ryan's words caught me off guard, causing me to slow down my eating as I found his intuition unbelievable.
"No, Ryan. I genuinely care for my girlfriend. I've known her longer than you've been trying to conceive," I replied, mixing truth and lies to strengthen my excuse.
"Really?" Ryan stared at my eyes and asked.
I said awkwardly, hoping to steer Ryan away from setting me up with Scarlett. "Of course, I met her when I saved her from a dicey situation while we were out shopping. She was taken with me for being her hero, and that's how we got together. At first, I was attracted to her looks, but then I realized she's a genuinely good person – kind, gentle, and beautiful. At first, I was attracted to her looks, but then I realized she's a genuinely good person – kind, gentle, and beautiful. As time went on, I fell in love with her. So, for the sake of my girlfriend and our happiness, let's forget about the idea of helping Scarlett have a child."
I intended to have a child with Scarlett in secret later on to avoid any embarrassment if the child wasn't Ryan's. I wanted to safeguard Scarlett's reputation by keeping things low-key.
"Well, it seems like we're not meant to have kids together," Ryan sighed with a hint of regret.
"Never give up, Ryan. Given the current medical level, your condition might improve in a few years," I reassured him. "Plus, I have a girlfriend now. When we have a child, you can treat them as your own."
"You're like a brother to me. Can a child be distant from his uncle?" I joked, and Ryan smiled, showing a touch of relief.
"Thanks for talking this through with me. Let's head back; it's getting late," Ryan suggested.
"Sure, let's grab two rolls and some milk for them on the way back," I nodded.
I selected two ice cream sandwiches and two bottles of yogurt from the freezer, paying for them this time.
After we got back to the hospital, Scarlett and Mia had wrapped up their chat. After handing over the snacks, Scarlett proposed heading home.
However, as I was about to leave, Mia stopped me. "David, hang on a sec."
"What's up?" I asked, turning back at the door, puzzled by Mia's request.
"It's nothing. I skipped the office today, so could you fill me in on the department's status? I'll be back to work in a few days, and I don't want to fall behind," Mia said logically, and Scarlett and Ryan didn't think much of it.
"David, stick around for a bit. If you're heading home to crash tonight, shoot me a message, and we'll leave the door open for you," Scarlett added.
"Okay," I nodded. After they exited the room, I shut and locked the door.
Given Mia's character, she wasn't a workaholic concerned about office matters, especially not about company updates from me. Most likely, she wanted to discuss my girlfriend.
As expected, as soon as I locked the door, Mia grabbed me by the neck from behind.
"You've got some nerve, huh? Dating and keeping it from me, and still carrying on with our affair?" Mia's grip tightened, her eyes flashing with a murderous intent.
"Mia, I did it out of concern for your fiancé not being around. I was just helping you fulfill your desires," I tried to explain.
"So, I should thank you?" Mia glared at me, a dangerous glint in her eyes.
"No... not really. Mia, cal... calm down a bit. I had my reasons," I stammered, hoping to make Mia understand.