But in the end, Harper just said, "Okay, I'll do it."
Taking a deep breath, she got up silently, picked up her bag, and said, "I'm feeling a bit unwell, so I'll head back first."
With that, she turned and left, with Patrick quickly following.
Joseph's gaze lingered on their retreating figures, his eyes filled with an emotion that he hadretracted for a long time.
Olivia, confused, took a sip of water. Why did they leave so suddenly?
"Don't you think Harper and Patrick make a great couple? He treats her so well and it must be genuine. A girl like Harper should be with someone who cherishes her."
Joseph leaned back, his tone unforgiving. "I don't think so."
Harper hailed a cab in a hurry, leaving Patrick behind.
She sat in the car, enduring the discomfort of her skin, and sent a message to Patrick.
Harper: [I have something to take care of. You go on ahead. Thank you so much for today.]
The scenes outside the window receded one by one, with the hospital and the restaurant fading into the distance, along with certain people who could tug at her heartstrings. Harper closed her eyes and pushed all the jumbled thoughts aside.
By the time she got home, her face was flushed.
She quickly opened the cabinet to find her allergy medicine.
Harper had always been aware of her allergy, so she was always careful with what she ate and wore.
But who could have thought that today, of all days, the medicine box would be empty, not a single pill left?
Harper sighed heavily and called for an express delivery of the medicine.
Fortunately, she knew that her allergic reactions were just uncomfortable, with no real danger.
She sat on the sofa, waiting for the medicine to arrive, her body itching uncontrollably, but she couldn't scratch it.
If she did, it would easily break the skin, making things worse.
She had no choice but to return to the bedroom, take off all her clothes, and put on a short vest and shorts.
Without the friction of clothes, she felt a bit more comfortable.
At that moment, Joseph happened to come in.
He didn't see anyone in the living room, so he hesitated for a moment before heading toward the master bedroom.
Harper heard the footsteps and, in a daze, sat up on the bed. "You... why are you back?"
Joseph glanced at her, his voice calm "This is my home."
In other words, he would come back whenever he wanted.
Harper pursed her lips.
Joseph didn't say any more. "Come over here and take your medicine."
Harper noticed the pharmacy bag in his hand and felt pleasantly surprised.
He came back to bring her the medicine after having dinner with Olivia. But where was Olivia?
Seeing that Joseph was already walking outside, she quickly put on her slippers and followed.
Joseph poured her a glass of water, squeezed three pills into his palm, and handed them to Harper. "Here."
Harper felt that the allergy made her dizzy, and her mind seemed to be slow.
She stared at Joseph blankly, feeling a bit unaccustomed, and swallowed her saliva.
It seemed that during this period, the two of them had been parting on bad terms, and it had been a long time since they had such a gentle interaction.
After Harper finished taking the medicine, she absentmindedly handed the water cup back to Joseph.
He took it and placed it on the coffee table, then picked up the ointment from the side and naturally sat down next to Harper. "Come closer."
Harper looked at him in confusion. "What?"
Joseph sighed helplessly, "Apply some ointment. iIt will help you recover faster."
"Okay." He was right.
But as soon as Harper moved, she stiffened, realizing that something was wrong.
Her current outfit! The high-waisted tank top and shorts barely covered the most important parts!
The living room was dimly lit with warm yellow light, and the air became somewhat ambiguous.
Harper felt her body heat up even more, but fortunately, she was already red from the allergy, so nothing should be noticeable.
Well, Joseph was a doctor, so he must have seen it all.
He was so calm, so she shouldn't appear too inexperienced.
Joseph, seeing Harper in a daze, didn't say anything more. He simply raised his hand, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her toward him.
Harper was taken aback, completely unprepared.
She ended up lying on Joseph's lap.
Her heart was beating rapidly, and she struggled to get up, but Joseph's mesmerizing voice sounded. "Don't move."
Harper looked at his face and subconsciously swallowed her saliva, not daring to move.
Joseph held a cotton swab and gently wiped her cheeks, neck, arms...
Wherever the swab touched, her skin felt cool, but it also made her heart burn even more.
Seeing Joseph about to apply the medicine on her thigh, Harper panicked and immediately sat up.
Joseph, with his head lowered, accidentally bumped into her face.
At the moment their lips touched, Harper even forgot about the pain in her nose and didn't dare to move.
Joseph lost in his thoughts and didn't avoid it either.
He lowered his gaze and looked at the girl's long eyelashes, each one distinct.
The air around them seemed to become increasingly viscous.
Harper, with her waist stiff, was finding it hard to hold on.
If she lay down, she would be on Joseph's lap, and if she sat up, she would be close to his mouth. Just before Harper completely lost her strength, a large hand timely embraced her waist.
Joseph's fingertips trembled, feeling the delicate and smooth touch.
For the first time, he realized that Harper's waist was so slender, delicate, and fragile.