Take My Breath Away

Debbie was preparing to go to dinner with Elmer Xue. She thought about getting a caretaker for Ivan while she was gone. Then Kasie walked in.

She pushed open the door and walked quietly into the ward. "Debbie," she called.

"Kasie." Debbie put her phone away and stood up from the chair to greet her friend.

Kasie brought a lily bouquet and handed it to Debbie. While Debbie scrambled to grab a vase, Kasie said quietly, "This is for Ivan. Thank him for saving my life. The bullet was meant for me."

"Why are you telling me? You know our marriage is in name only," Debbie said.

Kasie looked at Ivan thoughtfully and shook her head as she replied, "You're still his wife. And I've seen you two together. You care about him."

Having been unable to find a vase, Debbie put the bouquet on the table beside the bed. She said casually, "Oh, come on, the only reason we got married was..." The rest of her words stuck in her throat. She wasn't sure she was quite comfortable with it.

Kasie had moved to the head of the bed, staring at Ivan, lost in thought. She couldn't stop thinking that she should have taken that bullet instead of him.

'Oh no!' Debbie cried inwardly. 'Is Kasie falling for Ivan?'

Emmett had been dead for three and a half years. She was madly in love with the man when he passed, and grieved heavily. In that time, she'd never looked at another guy the way she was looking at Ivan now.

'Wow. Will she be surprised... to find out he's gay?'

Debbie was flustered. She said hastily, "Kasie, have you been to Emmett's grave recently?"

She knew Emmett's name would make Kasie sad. Not wanting to look Kasie in the eye, she lowered her head, pretending to arrange the flowers.

Sure enough, Kasie came to her senses when she heard Emmett's name. The expression on her face was back to normal. She secretly pinched herself. 'Kasie, what were you thinking? He's Debbie's husband!' "N-not yet. I'm thinking going there in the next few days. Why?"

"Do you want some company? Since I'm here." Debbie feigned a casual tone. 'Sorry to bring Emmett up, but I didn't want to see you hurt, ' she thought to herself.

"All right. Why not? I need to go home now," Kasie told her calmly.

But before she could reach the door, Debbie took her hand. "Actually, I'm having dinner with someone later. Could you stay here and take care of Ivan?"

Kasie looked at the man in bed and replied in a relaxed tone, "Sure. He got hurt trying to save my life. I should take care of him. But you've been doing it, since you're his wife."

Debbie laughed. "Quit saying we're married. He's like a big brother to me," she said sincerely. Ivan had been good to her.

However, Kasie remembered her last sentence and took it very seriously. She started thinking even more.

After Debbie had left the ward, Kasie sat in the chair where Debbie had sat, ignoring the strange warm feeling of sitting where someone else had so recently sat. She put her chin in her hand, and looked at Ivan, whose eyes were closed.

The man was handsome, so was Emmett. He had the same thick eyebrows that Emmett did.

Yes, they were similar in some ways, but in other ways they couldn't be more different. Unlike Emmett, he had grown up rich, so his skin was smoother than Emmett's.

Blood drained from his lips making them quite pale. Emmett was always curling his lips.

Emmett had short hair while Ivan had slightly curly longer hair.

Kasie couldn't help reaching out her hand to slide her fingers across Ivan's pale chiseled features.

The memory where he held her tightly before the bullet buried itself in his body came flooding back into her mind.

"Don't be afraid," he had told her even after he had been shot.

The beating hadn't messed with his good looks or his courage to save her and Debbie.

Even his cologne did it for her. No other man ever had a better taste in cologne.

But...this man was her best friend's husband.

Kasie withdrew her hand, her fingers trembling.

'What are you doing? He's married to your best friend. Stop!' she said to herself.

She sprang to her feet, hurried to the window, and started to play games on her phone to cover her nervousness and get her mind off this gorgeous man.

On the fifth floor of the Alioth Building

Debbie got to the booth early. The manager who led her there told her it was an exclusive booth for Carlos.

She smiled happily. Carlos cared about her after all.

She waited for more than an hour for Elmer. She knew he was just trying to make things more difficult.

But she had to put up with it because she was the problem.

"Mr. Xue, so glad you came. I apologize for what I did. I'm so sorry." For the sake of her career, Debbie swallowed her pride and apologized profusely.

Elmer shook hands with her and chided, "I've done business with everyone from superstars down to indie artists. None of them were as irresponsible as you."

Debbie was embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I had an emergency. Something happened to my friend and I had to go help her. It was literally a matter of life and death. Please have a seat, Mr. Xue, so I can make up for it."

Her sincerity appeased Elmer a little. He sat opposite her, looked at his watch, and said grumpily, "I have another dinner to go to. You have twenty minutes."

"Okay," she smiled. Then she turned to the waiter and said, "Please bring Mr. Xue one of your finest vintages." As soon as she said that, something occurred to her. "Mr. Xue, would you like wine or liquor?" she asked politely.

Elmer raised one eyebrow and said readily, "This place has a kind of special liquor, a private reserve. It's divine, like nectar of the gods. I'd like a bottle of that."

'Private reserve?' Debbie had never had a glass. Nor did she know anything about it. But since Elmer had asked for it, she didn't think it mattered, as long as Elmer was happy. "Bring two," she said to the waiter.

The liquor was brought to the table quickly. Debbie filled Elmer's glass and said, "Mr. Xue, please have a taste."

Elmer touched his potbelly and smiled faintly, "I've had more than a few glasses over the years." It meant he knew damn well how it tasted.

Debbie forced herself to smile. "Right. What was I thinking? Mr. Xue has been around the world. Of course you'd know." She raised her glass. "To your health, Mr. Xue."

They clinked their glasses. Elmer gulped his liquor down.

Debbie only sipped a little. She hadn't come for drinks but to make sure he wouldn't terminate the contract. If it took some alcohol, so be it.

"Since you're so sincere, I'll be honest. If you weren't a singer of Star Empire, or Mr. Huo and Mr. Wen's friend, I would have fired you on the spot."

Debbie smiled awkwardly. 'Why can't he just say he signed me because I sing well?'

She felt frustrated because she didn't want people to think that she relied on men.

Debbie drained her glass sullenly. Then she refilled Elmer's glass and said, "You're right. Mr. Huo owns Star Empire, and takes care of his employees."