By the time I met up with Amy, it was lunchtime, and both our stomachs grumbled at the same time. We looked at each other and laughed as we walked into Moonlight Terrace.
Soft music filled the air, blending with the quiet hum of conversations. The restaurant was modern and immaculately designed.
A glass chandelier hung in the center of the dining room, shimmering under the lights.
A hostess greeted us at the entrance and motioned for us to follow her, picking up two menus. As we walked behind her, I suddenly stopped, causing Amy to bump into me.
"Why did you suddenly stop like that?" she asked, rubbing her sore nose.
"Harley is here," I murmured under my breath.
I exhaled softly as the hostess turned in another direction and seated us at an empty table.
"The waitress will be with you shortly," she said before leaving.
We both nodded.
"What is he doing here?" Amy wondered, leaning out of her seat to peek toward his table. "Looks like he's on a date."
Something stirred inside me at her words. I picked up the menu, forcing my eyes to focus on the food. "What are you having?" I asked.
Amy picked up her menu and scanned it. "I don't know yet."
The waitress arrived and introduced herself as Elle. She placed two glasses of water with lemon wedges on the rim in front of us. "Are you ready to order?"
"Could you give us a few more minutes?" I asked with a warm smile.
She nodded and excused herself.
We continued scanning the menu. I chose the grilled salmon with lemon butter, steamed vegetables, and jasmine rice, while Amy ordered creamy chicken alfredo pasta with garlic bread.
"And two glasses of iced tea, please," I added as Elle wrote down our order.
As soon as she walked away, Amy leaned forward and whispered, "Do you think he's serious about her?"
I shrugged, taking a sip of water. "Has he been dating while I was away?"
Amy nodded.
Hmph. Looks like he moved on. Still… I didn't understand why he had to be so hostile toward me.
Elle returned half an hour later with our food. The aroma filled the air, making my stomach grumble again. My face flushed as Elle chuckled softly at my embarrassment.
"Enjoy," she said before leaving.
Amy and I chatted about everything that had changed in our lives. I told her about England, and she told me how she became a barista at the Lumen Hotel bar.
Elle returned again. "Can I get you anything else?"
"We're good," Amy replied.
After finishing our meal, we headed toward the hostess stand near the entrance. My eyes widened when I saw Harley and his date already there, paying for their meal.
"Hello, Harley," Amy greeted cheerfully.
He looked in our direction — past Amy, straight at me. His gaze was cold and distant. I avoided his eyes, my fists tightening. Just leave before your date gets the wrong idea.
From the corner of my eye, I watched him remove his black card from the payment machine. An uneasy feeling washed over me when he smiled at his date and guided her out of the restaurant.
"What the hell?" Amy muttered, hands on her hips. "He's getting an earful from me next time."
I chuckled softly.
"What's the total?" I asked the hostess while Amy was still fuming.
The hostess smiled politely. "Ma'am, that handsome gentleman already paid for your meal."
Amy grabbed my arm, excitement lighting her face. "Forget what I said — Harley is the best friend any girl could ask for."
"I thought I was your best friend," I teased.
Amy hugged my arm tighter. "Second to you, of course."
We left the restaurant and walked toward her car, her arm still wrapped around mine. My mind replayed the hostess's words as we drove in silence.
How did he know I was there? Better yet… why did he pay for our meal? Ugh… he's so confusing.
When Amy pulled up to the Huang mansion, I hugged her goodbye and stepped inside. Harley stood at the entrance, arms crossed.
Adrenaline shot through me as I steadied myself. I looked up at him, annoyed. "Why are you standing there? You almost gave me a heart attack."
"Are you following me?" he asked.
"As if," I replied, walking past him.
Before I could take another step, he grabbed my hand, stopping me. I glanced back. "Let me go."
His grip tightened. "Not until you answer my question."
"I already did." Before pulling away, I asked quietly, "Then why did you pay for our meal?"
His jaw clenched, and he looked away, saying nothing. For a brief moment, his grip loosened.
The moment his grip loosened, I pulled free and ran upstairs to my room. Slamming the door behind me, I collapsed onto my bed, burying my face in the pillow and screaming softly.
Exhaustion took over, and I drifted off just like that — still in my clothes, makeup untouched.
I was definitely going to regret that in the morning.
The elevator dinged on the third floor. When the doors opened, nurses rushed back and forth while the receptionist struggled with the never-ending ringing of the phone. I took a deep breath and stepped onto the internal medicine floor.
"Dr. Huo," a nurse said, slightly flustered, handing me a folder. "The patient in room 303 has been experiencing intense stomach pain."
As I walked into room 303, I saw the patient's mother comforting her child, who was curled into a ball, clutching her stomach and crying.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Huo."
The mother turned to me, relief flooding her eyes, quickly wiping away the tears that had gathered. "What's wrong with my baby girl?" she asked.
I walked over to the bed and knelt down beside the whimpering child. "Hi, Amber. I'm Dr. Huo. Can I take a look at your stomach?"
Amber nodded. She slowly rolled onto her back and lifted her T-shirt, revealing her small stomach.
I looked at Amber with a warm smile. "I'm going to touch your stomach. Let me know where it hurts, okay?"
Amber nodded again.
I placed my hand on different parts of her stomach, gently pressing in small circles while watching her face for signs of pain.
"Ouch!" Amber cried.
I pulled my hand away and looked at her mother. "How has her appetite been lately?"
Amber's mother glanced at her daughter. "For the past couple of days, she hasn't been eating properly."
I nodded, then turned to the nurse beside me. "Please arrange bloodwork and an X-ray for Amber."
The nurse nodded and exited the room.
I turned to Amber's mother and said in a comforting tone, "I will be back soon with answers. I'll have a nurse bring some painkillers for Amber."
I returned to the room and saw Amber sound asleep, her breathing steady and peaceful, the painkillers clearly giving her relief.
I looked at her mother and motioned for her to step outside with me. As she followed me into the hallway, I said softly, "It looks like Amber has a mild case of stomach inflammation."
Relief washed over Amber's mother's face.
"It's nothing too serious," I reassured her gently. "We'll prescribe a mild anti-inflammatory medication and something to protect her stomach lining. Make sure she stays hydrated and eats light, bland foods for the next few days — soups, rice, toast. No spicy or heavy meals. With rest and proper care, she should recover quickly."
Relief flooded her expression as she thanked me for putting her mind at ease.
After wishing her a good day, I made my way around the floor, checking on the other patients who needed attention.
The rest of my shift passed with surprising ease.
After clocking out, I walked into the changing room and flopped down onto the bench in front of my locker, exhaustion settling into my bones.
After catching my breath, I changed back into the clothes I had worn to work and exited the building.
If only fixing hearts were as simple as fixing stomach aches.