“Lenka, which ward is Dr. Bennett in?” Andrea asked, trying to contain her excitement.
The nurse, Lenka Archer, replied, “On the third floor, VIP ward. But right now, all the senior professors are inside, and even Mr. Graham is there. You’d better wait until they come out before you go in.”
“Lenka, you’re so thoughtful,” Andrea said, taking out a gift she had prepared in advance and handing it to Lenka. “Lenka, this is a Chanel handbag I got for you. I hope you won’t dislike it.”
‘Oh, how can I accept this? You really shouldn’t have, and it’s so expensive.” Lenka’s desire, but she still hesitated.
eyes lit
up
with
Andrea smiled. “Just take it. It’s nothing compared to the value of my future! Now that I know Dr. Bennett’s ward, I’m sure she’ll be impressed and may let me work with her. And when that happens, I’ll have to thank you again. If you don’t accept it, I’ll feel bad.”
Andrea wore the look of someone who had just given away a huge favor. Lenka, seeing this, didn’t feel it was right to refuse again.
She said, “Alright then. I’ll take it. If Dr. Bennett… if you fail, I’ll return it to you.”
Andrea replied, “Lenka, you’re too much. You’ve given me a stepping stone. This is just a handbag in return. If you actually gave it back after I failed, wouldn’t that make me look petty?”
Andrea was good at talking and even better at getting others to do things for her.
‘Alright, I won’t say more. I’ll keep an eye out for you. Once the professors leave, I’ll let you know immediately.” Lenka was overjoyed, clutching the handbag.
“Thanks, Lenka. I really appreciate it.” Andrea smiled sweetly. After Lenka left, the corner of her lips curled up.
Poor folks really are easy to handle. Give them a little perk, and they’ll jump at the chance to do whatever you ask, Andrea thought to herself.
‘Money really is the best! Now that Kaia has been kicked out, I’m going to be the one and only Miss Bennett in this family!‘
She thought that if she could get Dr. Bennett to take her in, her future would be bright.
The more she thought about it, the wider her smile grew.
Inside the ward, Kaia rubbed her temples.
Lenka stepped forward. “Miss Bennett, are you alright?”
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The room instantly quieted.
Kaia replied, “Headache. I just want to rest for a while.”
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Joel thought for two seconds and asked the question all the professors had been wondering.
“You’re not just pretending to have a headache so you can avoid listening to us ramble, are you?”
Kaia pressed her fingers to her temples and looked up at the group.
She said, “It’s nothing serious, just a little pain. I can bear it. Please continue, I’m listening.”
They exchanged looks, wondering if she was for real. But none of them were willing to take that risk or slack off, not even a little.
Even if she were faking, they would treat it as real. And in truth, her condition probably did require
rest.
Finally, they all tacitly left the ward.
“Finally. It’s quiet.” Kaia sighed in relief.
Kaia lay back. Though she couldn’t sleep in broad daylight, it didn’t stop her from resting her eyes.
She had barely closed them when she heard a knock.
“Who is it?” Kaia asked.
“Dr. Bennett, can I come in?” A voice came from outside the door.
Andrea’s voice was muffled through the door, so Kaia didn’t recognize it. “What is it?” she asked.
“I’m here to visit you,” Andrea replied.
A visitor?‘ Kaia wondered. Almost everyone in the city knew she was hospitalized, but not the specific hospital, let alone the exact ward. So, this must be someone from the academic circle, or perhaps the granddaughter of one of the professors.
“Dr. Bennett? Dr. Bennett? Are you asleep? If you are, I can wait,” Andrea asked, sounding cautious.
“Come in,” Kaia replied casually.
Overjoyed, Andrea pushed the door open and stepped in.
The next second, she froze.
“Kaia? What are you doing here? Where’s Dr. Bennett? Isn’t this supposed to be her room?” Andrea blurted out, totally thrown off‘.
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Kaia, equally surprised, looked at her. She had assumed the visitor was someone from the science community. She didn’t know how Andrea found her ward.
And from Andrea’s tone, it was clear she hadn’t connected her to Dr. Bennett at all.
That wasn’t surprising. Andrea had always looked down on her. Even when Kaia became the city’s top scorer on the SAT, Andrea still saw her as a crude country girl.
“Why do you care why I’m here? The real question is, what are you doing here?” Kaia shot back.
Andrea’s eyes darted around the room, but she didn’t see anyone who looked like Dr. Bennett.
She asked, “I came to visit Dr. Bennett. Isn’t this her ward? Why are you here?”
Kaia took a banana from the fruit basket by the bed, peeling it slowly. “Who said this is Dr. Bennett’s ward?”
“This is your ward?” Andrea now suspected as much. But Lenka wouldn’t lie to her.
“If you already know it’s my ward, why aren’t you leaving? Do I have to kick you out?” Kaia said lazily.
Andrea retorted, “Who wants to stay here anyway? I came to see Dr. Bennett, not you!”
Andrea spun around and walked out. She would have to ask Lenka what was going on.
As she thought this, she saw Lenka walking toward her.
“Out so soon? Did it work? Did Dr. Bennett agree to take you into the research institute?” Lenka asked eagerly.
Andrea was burning up inside, dying to go off on Lenka, but she forced herself to keep it together.
She said, “I went in, but the person inside was not Dr. Bennett. Did you get the wrong room?”
“No way. You went to 308, right?” Lenka looked puzzled.
Andre said, “The person in 308 is not Dr. Bennett. It’s someone else.”
Lenka frowned. “Impossible! Dr. Bennett is in 308. I couldn’t be mistaken. Wait, Since you know what she looks like, how can you be sure it wasn’t her? Maybe you’re mistaken?”
don’t
Andrea held back an eye roll. “If it were a stranger, I might doubt myself. But the person inside… Do you know who she is?”
“Who? Someone you know?” Lenka was even more confused.
Andrea replied, “Of course I know her, and you’ve heard of her too.”
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Chapter 82
Lenka frowned. “I have?”
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Andrea said, “My country–bumpkin sister. The one whose bad reputation is all over lately! The one our family kicked out! It’s her in there, not Dr. Bennett. Do you think I could be wrong about that?”
Lenka froze in realization. “So it’s that bumpkin! The one from the countryside, the one kicked out a few days ago. But wait. How could she be in there? She… wait a minute!”
A thought struck Lenka, and her eyes went wide. “Your… that country sister of yours. What’s her full name again?”
Andrea didn’t understand why Lenka was suddenly stammering. “Kaia Bennett.”
“Kaia! Kaia!” Lenka suddenly grabbed the patient registration form in her hand.
