Joshua's tall figure stepped out of the villa. His usual warm and calm expression was now covered in gloom. The sharp lines of his face were tight, his lips nearly colorless, and a storm of emotions swirled in his eyes.
Secretary Kim waited by the car. Seeing Joshua like this, her heart clenched. She quickly stepped forward to meet him.
"Boss, are you okay?" she asked softly, looking up at him with concern.
"Did they say something again?" By "they," she meant his family inside the villa — the ones who always used sharp words to hurt others subtly. They both knew it.
Joshua just shook his head slightly and said, "It's nothing. Drive back to the office."
His voice tried to stay calm, but a trace of bitterness still slipped through.
His body was a bit stiff as he stepped into the car. The moment he sat down, it felt like most of his energy drained out of him. He leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes in exhaustion.
Secretary Kim gently closed the car door and got into the driver's seat. Through the rearview mirror, she saw Joshua's furrowed brow and felt a deep worry.
The car started slowly. Before they could even leave the villa's gates, Joshua's voice came from the back seat, low and firm:
"Secretary Kim, push forward everything with Concord Hospital. Not a moment of delay. I want results by tomorrow."
"So urgent?" she asked instinctively, her hands tightening slightly on the steering wheel.
She was used to Joshua's fast pace, but it was rare for him to demand something from the hospital so urgently.
"Yes. Not even a moment of delay."
His heart was filled with worry. Katherine's face kept flashing through his mind.
Just thinking about what his mother had said made him panic. He was genuinely afraid she might go look for Katherine.
He knew very well how his mother operated. He could never let Katherine get caught in that mess.
Secretary Kim noticed the seriousness in his voice and quietly nodded. "I understand, Boss. I'll take care of it right away."
The car fell into silence, only the soft hum of the engine could be heard.
Joshua clenched his fists, the knuckles turning white. He made a silent vow: No matter what, he would not let Katherine get hurt.
…
Katherine had been sitting in a coffee shop across from the hospital for a few hours. Just before work ended, she finally came out.
As she reached the door, some coworkers from her department stepped out as well.
"Dr. Katherine, are you really treating us to dinner?" someone asked with a mix of surprise and excitement.
Katherine smiled and nodded. Her voice was warm and steady. "Of course. I already reserved the place. It's the one you all suggested. Let's head there and meet up."
Everyone smiled happily. Their steps felt lighter, as if the day's exhaustion was swept away by the joy of a night out.
Someone asked, "Sana, whose car are you going with?"
Nurse Sana smiled sweetly and looked at Katherine with a friendly gaze. "I'm going with Katherine."
"Alright, then we'll head over first."
Once they got in the car, Nurse Sana immediately turned to face Katherine, her expression full of curiosity and confusion. "Katherine, the Director called Shanshan into the office again this afternoon. I wonder what they're talking about this time?"
Katherine started the car, eyes focused on the road. She paused for a moment before replying, "I went to the Director to get Patient Chen's medical records today. I wanted to check on his condition later on, but strangely, the Director said the computer had an issue, and the file just disappeared."
"Then I asked him to give me a handwritten copy. But based on how things are going now, chances are high that the handwritten file will mysteriously vanish by tomorrow too."
Nurse Sana's eyes widened in disbelief. She gasped, "They really have the guts to destroy medical records like that?"
Katherine's fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel. Her voice remained calm, but there was a cold edge beneath it.
"They're capable of far worse, even taking lives. Destroying a file like this is nothing to them, just a small, easy thing."
"There's too much at stake. Someone's desperate to cover the truth, and they'll do whatever it takes."
The air in the car instantly turned heavy, like a cloud had descended over them.
Sensing Nurse Sana's growing tension and anger, Katherine softened her tone to comfort her. "Let's not talk about that anymore."
"When we get there, just order whatever you want. Don't be polite with me."
Nurse Sana smiled and nodded. "Okay."
When they arrived at the restaurant, the group headed straight to the reserved table.
The waiter quickly brought them the menus.
"Katherine, are you really treating us to tomahawk steaks?" a young colleague asked, barely able to hide the surprise and delight in their voice.
Katherine had a gentle smile on her lips, her eyes curving slightly. "You're already sitting down. Are you planning to leave now?"
That line hit everyone's funny bone, and the table burst into laughter.
Katherine waved her hand casually, her tone sincere and generous. "Don't hold back. Order anything you want."
With that, everyone excitedly dove into the menu, talking and laughing as they discussed the dishes. The mood was lively and warm.
At the same time, Andrew finished his work and drove straight to Katherine's place.
The setting sun cast a golden glow on the car windows, outlining the sharp lines of his face, but the warmth couldn't reach the cold darkness in his eyes.
The car came to a steady stop. He stepped out with long strides and went straight to the door, pressing the doorbell again and again, his slender fingers tapping with urgency and frustration.
But all that could be heard was the lonely chime of the bell echoing in the air. No one answered from inside.
Andrew's brows instantly furrowed, irritation rising in his chest. A thought flashed through his mind uncontrollably — was she with Joshua again?
Jealousy and frustration twisted inside him, burning away his usual calm. In a moment of blind anger, he pulled out his phone, ready to call a locksmith. One thought filled his mind: he wasn't leaving until she came back.
He paced back and forth at the door. The calm and composed aura he normally had was in complete disarray now, every step filled with restless energy.
Just then, his phone suddenly rang, shattering the silence.
It was a call from the old family estate. The butler's anxious voice came through the receiver loud and clear. "Young Master, please come back quickly. Old Master Zhou isn't feeling well."