Chapter 11 She's the Only Embarrassing One

• Before Arthur could finish his words, Jasper sternly cut him off and chided, "Shut up. No one will think that you're mute just because you don't talk."
• Instantly, the atmosphere around the trio got quiet. Arthur must have realized that he had said the wrong thing as he gingerly turned and glanced at Talia. Talia, on the other hand, knew better than to continue making the situation awkward, and so she promptly stood up and announced, "I'm going to the washroom for a bit."
• However, she had not expected Arthur to know about Mandy. In fact, he seemed to know her quite well.
• That also meant that Talia was the only one among Jasper's harem of women that he didn't want others to know about. To him, she was the embarrassing one.
• However, Talia wanted to know the answer to Arthur's question too. Of all the hospitals available around, why would Jasper knowingly send Mandy to her workplace? Did he do it with the intention of letting her know about it? So she would voluntarily take a step back?
• She couldn't help but let out a sneer at the thought of it. He didn't have to put in so much effort to do something like this at all since she had already made up her mind to pull herself out of his mind games.
• She then dallied in the washroom while she swept at the screen of her phone in front of the sink. All of a sudden, the silhouette of a bubbly child jumped into her line of vision. "Miss Carey!" A cheerful voice called out.
• As Talia was surprised, her phone almost slipped out of her hands but when she recognized who it was, she reached out and gently caressed the child on her head. "Sophia, dear," she cooed. "Why are you here? Who did you come here with?"
• Sophia swiftly evaded the oncoming hand and pouted glumly. "You can't touch my hair, Miss Carey. Frank braided these little braids for me! I came here with Frank. Do you want to see him? He told me that you guys are old friends. Have you ever dated each other?"
• Surprised by the child's lingo, Talia incredulously asked, "How does someone as tiny as you know what dating is?"
• "Of course I know!" Sophia boasted, pretending to be an adult. "Dating means holding hands, eating together, and kissing on the lips, no?"
• The corner of Talia's lips began to twitch as she held back a smile. Kids these days grow up in the blink of an eye, she brooded before reminding Sophia. "Didn't you come here to use the toilet? Hurry up and go."
• Only then did the child step into one of the cubicles nearby.
• It took her only a short while to be done with her business. When she came out, she headed straight for the sink and washed her hands on tiptoe. Her eyes began to look at Talia from head to toe. "Did you come because you knew that Frank was going to be here?"
• Talia carefully thought about Sophia's words as she wondered if Frank previously had a bad relationship that was making Sophia so wary of her.
• "I really didn't," Talia finally answered after she stopped thinking so deeply about it. Feeling a headache coming, Talia quickly said, "You don't have to be on guard around me. I would have become your in-law years ago if I wanted that. I'm only here for a meal. I'll leave first if there is nothing else."
• As vain as her words might have sounded, she only spoke the truth. She probably would have gotten married to Frank already if she had agreed to date him.
• Talia was already heading out of the washroom before Sophia could say anything more. As soon as she stepped out, she came across Frank, who had been patiently waiting for his sister outside.
• A brother with a sister complex, she quietly thought to herself.
• He, too, was caught by surprise when he saw her. "What a coincidence," he exclaimed.
• "Indeed. I came here to eat after my business at the hospital. I didn't expect to see you here. Well, I'll be heading back to my seat then," she said with a smile.
• Frank could only nod in response as his little sister was already grumpily tugging on his sleeve. As amused as Talia was by the cheeky child, she also hastened her steps back to her table.
• Jasper's eyes unconsciously dimmed as he noticed the lingering smile on Talia's face.
• "Talia, I didn't know that you are well acquainted with the Shields," Arthur commented with his intentions unknown.
• "He was my coursemate from university," she explained honestly. "We are only acquaintances. We are not particularly close."
• Upon hearing that, Arthur suddenly spoke in an odd tone. "Oh really? Why did I hear rumors about him courting you, though?"