Take My Breath Away

The car roared toward her, and Debbie squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable impact. The tires squealed on the asphalt as the car skidded to a stop, just centimeters away from Debbie.

Luckily, the driver was a top-notch circuit driver, and he knew the limits of machine and man... and he was quick enough to step on the brake when she jumped out in the middle of the road. Or else she would have been hit.

After the car stopped, Debbie limped to the back door. Still thinking that Carlos had come back for her, she tapped the car window excitedly. She couldn't wait to see him, to kiss him, to have him hold her in his arms once more.

That same faint buzzing sound came to her ears again as the window descended, revealing the passengers inside. Debbie was smiling; Carlos looked gloomy. He gave her a cold sideways glance and remained silent.

His silence made her heart ache. 'Didn't he come back for me?' Her blood froze in her veins. 'What if he didn't?'

Carlos seemed to have lost all patience. Debbie said hurriedly, "Mr. Huo, could you—"

"No," he refused even before she could finish her sentence.

Her heart tightened into a knot. But she wouldn't give up. "My leg was hurt. And I can't get a taxi. Could you please drop me off at a hospital before heading home?"

"I won't be passing near a hospital." With that, he rolled up the window.

The car drove off, leaving her with a sick feeling.

Debbie raised her head to look at the starry night as she tried to force back her tears.

Three years ago, they lied to her and made her believe he was dead. Every year on the anniversary of his death, she'd cry her eyes out. Sometimes, she would watch her daughter sleeping, watching her tender chest rise and fall, and think about him. When it hurt too much, she would hold Piggy tightly and sob endlessly. Piggy was the last thing of his that she had. The only living reminder. But no matter how hard those days had been, she never cried so much as now. Now she knew he was alive.

Inside the Emperor, Carlos' phone rang. When he saw the caller ID, he answered simply, "On my way."

"Sorry. They gave me overtime. The doc that is supposed to be working the night shift is stalled on the side of the road. Come to the hospital and wait for me?" a young voice said on the phone. Carlos' eyebrows knitted tightly.

Since he said nothing, the young voice giggled awkwardly, "It's not my fault. Look, if you don't want to come to the hospital, why not go to Orchid Private Club?"

He could sense Carlos was unhappy about this... because Carlos was on his way home when he called. And now he told him he had to work late.

Without a word, Carlos hung up.

In the hospital

Debbie got out of the cab and signed in at the ER. Outside the doctor's office, what she saw ripped her heart apart all over again.

In the hallway, a familiar figure was smoking by the window. As if sensing her stare, he turned his head slowly.

His eyes were void of feeling. Two seconds later, he turned around again.

'So much for "I won't be passing near a hospital."

He sure knows how to break my heart.' It was late. There were few patients in the hospital. Thankfully, this late, there were almost no lines.

Soon, a nurse called out Debbie's number.

In the doctor's office, she gave the doctor her receipt and told him in a hoarse voice, "I fell and hurt my leg."

The young doctor was in his twenties, energetic-looking. Underneath his uniform he wore an azure shirt. He took her receipt and said, "Okay. Have a seat. I'll have a look. We'll need to clean the wound."

Debbie sat opposite the doctor and pulled up the hem of her dress to reveal her injured knee.

The doctor examined the knee and injury and remarked, "Good. Nothing serious."

According to his instructions, a nurse squirted it with some antibiotic spray, applied some ointment to it, and dressed it. And she was all done.

Just then, another doctor in uniform came bounding in hastily. "Dammit Niles. I'm sorry. Car trouble."

Niles Li stood up and removed his mask. "It's cool. You came on time. My friend's waiting outside."

Debbie took a look at him. He looked familiar, but she couldn't say from where.

"Okay, thanks. Next time, dinner's on me."

"You're welcome." Niles Li noticed Debbie, who was about to leave, as he was taking off his uniform. "Your leg will be fine soon. Just don't get it wet. Call us if there's anything wrong," he reminded her.

They walked out of the office together. "Thank you, doctor," Debbie nodded.

When Carlos saw Niles Li come out of the office, he put out the cigarette and walked over to him.

Debbie spotted him as she was thanking the doctor. He took his suit jacket off, and hung it on his arm. He loosened his tie, and it hung around his neck casually. Right now, he looked sluggish and much less serious.

Niles Li wrapped his arm around Carlos' shoulder and said, "Dude, I'm off duty. Give me two minutes to change."

Carlos ignored him. He looked at Debbie's leg and offered, "Where do you live? I'll get a driver to take you home."

It was his way of saying sorry for not giving her a lift just now. His words drew Niles Li's attention.

He looked to and fro between Debbie and Carlos. "You two know each other?" he asked, intrigued.

Besides Stephanie and Megan, he had never heard Carlos do this for any other woman.

Debbie bit her lower lip. She looked up at Carlos and said, "No, thank you, Mr. Huo." It was not that she couldn't use a ride. But if Carlos wasn't bringing her home, she wasn't interested. She had to be patient. If she rushed things, she'd screw things up. He might even hate her. That was not what she wanted.

Carlos was taken aback. His face darkened. 'Turned me down? Is she mad?

She looks young, but she sure has a temper.'

Since Carlos didn't say anything in return, Debbie nodded to Niles Li who was observing them with interest, and made her way to the entrance.

It was almost midnight, and clouds were starting to gather to choke the moon. There were very few taxis passing by the hospital at this point. Debbie waited by the green belt at the roadside. At this point, Kasie called her. "Where are you? Done with dinner?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm on my way back."

"Where are you? I'll ask the driver to pick you up."

Debbie lied so Kasie wouldn't worry. "Don't sweat it. I'll get a cab."

Kasie thought about it. "Okay. You know martial arts anyway. I'm not worried. Call me before you get out of the cab. I'll meet you downstairs."

"Okay, bye."

When she hung up, a Mercedes SUV stopped in front of her. The window by the passenger seat was rolled down. Niles Li was in the driver's seat. "Hi, Miss Nian, we meet again so soon. It's not easy to get a cab at this hour. Do you need a ride?"

Debbie looked at the back seat. Another man was sitting back there. After some consideration, she shook her head and replied stubbornly, "Thank you, but I'll take a cab."