Chapter 4 A Pretentious Best Friend

• Water gushed out of the tap that was turned on in the restroom.
• The mirror reflected the image of a delicate-looking woman whose aura matched the vibe of the white coat. However, her eyes were red. Undoubtedly, she had been crying.
• If it were not for the incident seven years ago, I'd be the one marrying Raphael next month. Seven years ago...
• The thought of the night from seven years ago gave her a dull headache at the back of her head. Even her breathing stopped.
• She could picture the alley during that rainy night, the way the men surrounded her, and how she screamed for help. Yet, the sound of the rain drowned out all the noises.
• Bang! Bang! Bang!
• “Hey! Who's in there? Why is it locked?”
• The sound of someone banging on the door from outside pulled Elena out of her thoughts. Like a drowning person who suddenly resurfaced from the water, she took a deep breath, snapping back to reality.
• She quickly washed her hands, unlocked the door, and rushed out. “Sorry.”
• “Jeez. Do people not have manners nowadays? Besides, you're a doctor...”
• Ignoring the cursing woman, Elena fled the scene with her head hung low.
• The moment she opened the door to her office, she spotted a figure wearing a wedding gown in front of her desk.
• “Elena.” Vanessa got to her feet, dragging the hem of her gown across the floor. It looked utterly dazzling under the glaring sunlight.
• Noting Elena's red-rimmed eyes, Vanessa asked hesitatingly, “Are you okay?”
• “I'm fine. Some ointment got into my eyes when I was treating a patient earlier.” Elena feigned a subtle smile and placed a patient's medical record on the table. “Is there something you need?”
• “It's like this. Raphael wants his attending physician to be changed. I figured it would be best to inform you about it.” After a brief pause, Vanessa added, “Please don't misunderstand me. It's Raphael who wanted this, not me.”
• Elena secretly curled her fingers more intensely in her coat's pocket. However, she remained calm as she said, “It's okay. You can just let the director know. I understand, even if it was you who asked for it. You don't have to explain yourself.”
• After all, I did date Raphael in the past, and Vanessa was one of the few people who knew about it.
• “Elena, I know you must be feeling horrible now. You must be blaming me, too. If you didn't leave back then...” Vanessa's voice trailed off, and she held Elena's hand sadly. “It's just that you didn't return for many years. You even told me it was impossible between you and Raphael when you left. That's why I...”
• For some inexplicable reason, Elena could not help but feel disgusted at the sight of her ex-best friend's pitiful expression.
• I've always been a straightforward person. How did I not realize how pretentious this best friend of mine was?
• Forcing herself to be patient, Elena clarified, “It's all in the past now. What you're worrying about won't ever happen. My return has nothing to do with Raphael.”
• Vanessa was about to say something when a phone rang, interrupting her.
• Elena calmly removed her hand from her pocket and glanced at the caller's name. “I'm sorry, Vanessa. I've got work to do.”
• Vanessa smiled sheepishly. “You go ahead. Let's meet again someday.”
• With that, she lifted the hem of her gown and walked out. Seeing the white gown being pulled across the floor made Elena's eyes hurt.
• As soon as the door was shut, Elena's voice as she answered the phone could be heard from the office. “Hello?”
• Elena might have accidentally put the call on loudspeaker. Hence, an adorable voice could be clearly heard coming from the other end of the line. “Mommy! Guess who I am!”
• Mommy?
• Vanessa's expression froze, and she tightened her grip around the door handle, leaving the door half closed.