Chapter 104: The Atmosphere is Becoming More and More Ambiguous
"Hey, Ms. Johnson, you know about those two herbs?" York's eyes were narrow, filled with suspicion.
Daniel's safety was on the line, and patient confidentiality was supposed to be sacred. The fact that the doctor had shared this info with Emily really crossed a line for York. It made him think less of both the doctor and Emily.
Daniel, who was aware of Emily's true identity, understood why she knew about the herbs. Even though he knew York was looking out for him, he still scolded him sharply, "York, cut it out!"
Emily almost forgot to switch back to her current persona. She paused for a moment and explained, "Patient privacy is important, but I've dealt with Mr. Smith's kind of poison before, so I know which herbs are needed."
Seeing York's skeptical look, Emily, showing rare patience, elaborated, "Even if you know who I really am, if I meant any harm, wouldn't you be able to handle me easily? So, there's no need to worry. I'm just a professional doing my job."
York's expression softened a bit after considering her words.
Daniel's deep voice broke the silence, "York, apologize!"
His voice was deep and soothing. Emily couldn't stay mad at him when he looked at her so intently and sincerely.
"My apologies, Ms. Johnson," York said respectfully, without any resentment.
Emily waved it off, not really bothered, and said instead, "Take off your shirt. I'll start the acupuncture."
"Alright," Daniel agreed, starting to unbutton his shirt with a calm demeanor.
If you looked closely, you could see his ears turning red. It was almost endearing.
His movements were deliberate, his long fingers unbuttoning his shirt, occasionally brushing against his abs, which was quite a sight.
Emily couldn't help but swallow hard, her gaze drifting away.
Daniel did it on purpose, noticing Emily's reaction and trying to suppress a smile. It seemed his attempt at seduction was somewhat effective.
The intimate atmosphere was abruptly interrupted by York, who was still concerned and asked, "Ms. Johnson, if you have any leads on those two herbs, could you share them? It would increase our chances of obtaining them."
Emily's thoughts were interrupted. Those herbs were rare, and she didn't want York and the others involved directly. After all, who would the promised five million dollars go to if they succeeded?
Balancing Daniel's influence without direct involvement from them, the best solution was...
"Mr. Smith, do you have anything that signifies your identity?" Emily asked with a smile.
York frowned. Emily, like the doctor, seemed to be quite money-minded. Asking for something so brazenly, wasn't she embarrassed?
"Ms. Johnson, Mr. Smith's possessions are not..."
"Of course, York, fetch the jade seal from my study," Daniel commanded in a deep voice.
It was a perfect way to get York out of the room.
Emily's eyes lit up at the mention of the jade seal, a clear symbol of his identity. But Daniel's trust in her made her feel a bit uneasy.
"Mr. Smith, this..." York started to object.
Daniel's stern gaze silenced him, "Just do it, York."
"Yes, sir," York complied and left.
Now it was just Emily and Daniel in the room. Daniel had removed his shirt, revealing his well-defined abs. Emily raised an eyebrow, impressed yet again.
She refocused, taking out the silver needles. As she inserted one, Daniel's body tensed where her fingers brushed against him.
His gaze deepened.
"Relax," Emily said softly.
Daniel's voice was hoarse, "It's hard to relax around you."
His words made the atmosphere even more charged. Emily's heart raced, her face stiffening.
"I'm a doctor. As a patient, it's natural to feel tense," Daniel explained patiently.
Emily calmed her racing heart. Daniel couldn't possibly be interested in her, could he? It must be her imagination.
"No need to worry. Aside from the initial issue, your health is fine. The doctor said you could be cured," Emily reassured him, praising herself in the process.
Daniel, knowing she was the doctor, didn't correct her but smiled, "Yes, the doctor said I could be cured, so I'm reassured."
The acupuncture session didn't take long. Emily left, satisfied with the jade seal in hand.
Back home, her aunt had dinner ready. Emily, feeling guilty for being so busy lately, wanted to catch up with her. She'd noticed her aunt, Violette, seemed like she had something on her mind.
"Violette, let's talk. Is there something you want to tell me?" Emily patted the seat next to her, inviting Violette to sit.
Violette quickly sat down, "Emily, there's something. Atticus has an exam tomorrow, and I wanted to take him to the test center."
"That's great!" Emily felt guilty for almost forgetting such an important event. "Violette, I'm sorry I nearly forgot. Where's the test center? I'll drive Atticus there."
"No, you don't have to. I just wanted to inform you since you've helped us so much," Violette insisted.
Emily held Violette's hand, "Violette, don't feel burdened. I consider you family, so I want to do this."
Violette finally agreed to let Emily drive them the next morning. Emily went to bed early, waking up to drive Violette and Atticus to the test center.
After dropping them off, Emily decided to take Violette shopping nearby. Unexpectedly, they ran into Bianca and James.
James immediately wanted to approach Emily, but Bianca stopped him.
"James, if you go now, it'll just lead to another argument. Emily moved out, and we don't know her situation. Let's follow her and see where she's living and who she's associating with."
Bianca had another reason. Violette, who should have returned home, was still around. It seemed her debt was resolved. Could Emily have helped her?