Chapter 19 Not an Illusion
As Eugene's car sped away, the ambulance finally arrived, and firefighters rushed in to douse the flames and rescue anyone trapped inside. Eugene's guilt eased a bit as he thought, 'Jennifer, even if I didn't save you, you wouldn't have died.'
Before Jennifer slipped into unconsciousness again from blood loss, she thought she saw Francis running toward her. The last rays of the setting sun glinted off his hair, giving it a golden shimmer. The worry on his face was so real, it didn't seem like a hallucination. In her final moments of consciousness, she wondered—why am I thinking of Francis? Is it just because he's a doctor?
When Francis got the news about the car accident, he had just finished his shift. But he turned his car around and got to the scene almost at the same time as the ambulance. He was grateful for his decision, especially when he saw Jennifer, pale and trapped in the wrecked car. He quickly assessed that she was losing too much blood and immediately stopped the bleeding after pulling her out. Jennifer had injured her femoral artery and was bleeding heavily. If he hadn't arrived in time, she might have been in serious danger!
Seeing Jennifer covered in blood, he felt a surge of fear. He realized how much he dreaded never seeing her again.
Francis instructed the medical team to prepare plasma while keeping a close eye on Jennifer's condition. He held her hand as she convulsed from blood loss and covered her with his own coat when she shivered from the cold, completely ignoring the blood stains. Her trembling eyelashes and occasional groans of pain tugged at his heart. Maybe he cared for her more than he thought. He even began to regret not accepting her plea for help sooner. Maybe then she wouldn't have gone through this and might have avoided the accident altogether.
At the hospital, Francis arranged a private room for Jennifer and personally set up her IV. Only then did he go to manage the overcrowded ER due to the accident. He had to work overtime today, but he couldn't stop thinking about Jennifer.
He asked three times in half an hour, "Has the patient in room 303 woken up yet?"
The head nurse had to sternly remind him, "Dr. Carter, you've asked this a bunch of times. I've told the shift nurse to inform you as soon as she wakes up."
Francis cleared his throat, "Sorry, it's been busy. I forgot."
"If you're so worried, Dr. Carter, why don't you check on her yourself? But who is she? I've never seen you so concerned about a woman before," the head nurse, a kind middle-aged woman, asked curiously.
Francis signed the papers with a stern face, "Don't ask unnecessary questions. She's just a friend."
"Oh, just a friend."
Several nurses who had witnessed Francis's special attention to Jennifer couldn't help but talk about it. Francis was usually very serious at the hospital, never engaging in small talk with the young, pretty nurses. He wasn't known to be dating anyone, and many secretly considered him the ideal boyfriend.
In reality, Francis simply respected his profession and didn't like flirting at work.
After the blood transfusion, Jennifer's lips finally regained some color. When she woke up, it was late at night. The cold white lights in the room felt oddly warm. She was relieved to be alive. If she had died, who would take care of David and Marlowe? To her surprise, the person sitting by her bed was Francis. So, what she saw before losing consciousness wasn't a hallucination!
Francis seemed to have fallen asleep from exhaustion. His long legs were slightly bent, hands crossed on his lap, head tilted against the chair. He looked so peaceful in his sleep, making her heart soften.
Francis had a gentle side too. He had helped her several times, especially when she was sick or hurt. Was this just a doctor's habit?
Thinking this, Jennifer silently laughed. She didn't want to disturb him, so she quietly watched him, tracing the shape of his jaw and features with her eyes. She was so engrossed that she didn't look away when his eyes slowly opened. Francis chuckled, "Enjoying the view?"
Jennifer's eyes widened, then she quickly shut them, trying to bury her face in the pillow. Francis walked over and gently turned her face back, "Don't pretend. I saw you."
Jennifer's cheeks flushed as she slowly opened her eyes, "Did you save me? Thank you."
"Yeah." Francis noticed her dry lips and handed her a cup of warm water, "You haven't answered your rescuer's question yet."
Jennifer almost choked on the water. She hurriedly placed the cup on the table and whispered, "Yes, you're good-looking."
Pleased with the answer, Francis's mood lightened. He leaned in with a smile, "I've heard that in romance novels, if the rescuer is young and handsome, the woman will give her heart and soul to repay him?"
He was practically hinting! His breath tickled her face, making her want to escape, but the raised pillow behind her left no room. Francis even held her wrist to stop her from retreating.
Jennifer looked at him with teary eyes, "Dr. Carter, why joke with me? You have so many women around you; you don't need me."
"Are you jealous?" Francis laughed, and he said seriously, "Maybe because I failed a few times, I started thinking about you." He began to gently stroke Jennifer's small chin, a hint of affection in his touch.
Jennifer bit her lip. She knew Francis was only interested in her body! Yet she had been momentarily swayed by his rare gentleness and felt a flutter in her heart. Maybe it was the bridge effect—falling for someone who saved her in a crisis.
A knock on the door interrupted them, "Dr. Carter, may I come in?"
Francis straightened up, his expression becoming serious, "Come in."
The nurse walked in with a thermos, smiling, "Ms. Brown, you're awake! Dr. Carter guessed you'd wake around this time and asked me to bring you some oatmeal and chocolate." Her eyes were filled with curiosity and amusement. Francis looked normal, but Jennifer's face turned a bit red, wondering what they were doing before the nurse came in. The nurse, excited, handed her the oatmeal.
Jennifer smelled the oatmeal and realized how hungry she was. She quickly took the bowl, thanked the nurse, and began to eat.
Francis watched her eat with a smile before leaving. The nurse, seeing him go, sat by the bed excitedly, "Ms. Brown, are you Dr. Carter's girlfriend? How did you meet?"
Jennifer choked in surprise. The nurse quickly handed her tissues. After composing herself, Jennifer nervously said, "Please don't say that. Dr. Carter and I are not dating. We're not even close!"
The nurse smiled knowingly, clearly not believing her.