Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Are you free tomorrow, Dr. Sherwood?”

Alan stopped walking and turned to make eye contact with her. He smiled gently and said, “I am. What’s up?”

Samantha smiled back. “I just wanted to make it up to you and treat you to the meal I still owe you.”

“Oh, you want to treat me to a meal?”

Alan paused for half a second before he said, “Sure. Let me know the location and I’ll be there on time.”

“Sure.”

Samantha sent Alan off at the entrance of the hospital and waved goodbye. “See you tomorrow, Dr. Sherwood.”

“See you tomorrow!”

The driver drove off slowly after Alan got into the car.

He looked at Samantha’s figure through the rearview mirror, watching as she became further and further away until she was no longer in sight. It was only then that he withdrew his gaze.

After pondering for a moment, he said to his driver who was manning the wheel, “Hey, Martin, could you order a bunch of flowers tomorrow?”

Martin was stunned, but he soon recovered and asked aloud. “Okay. What kind of flowers do you want me to get?”

Alan looked out of the car window and narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he was trying to recall something. Half a minute passed before he answered, “Pink roses.”

…

The villa was empty. Instead of going back, Samantha stayed in the hospital that night and spoke to Corey.

She told him to hang on because he would soon receive treatment from the little saint.

She was waiting for him to finally open his eyes and wake up. Once he recovered, she could finally bring him home.

The next morning, Samantha woke up early to wipe Corey’s body and massage his limbs to relax them. She then had a very simple breakfast before driving out of the hospital.

She had invited Alan over for dinner that evening. In order to express her gratitude to him, she decided that she would show off all the cooking skills she learnt throughout her life.

Samantha had already figured out what she wanted to cook since the previous night. When it came to dishes that she was not too confident in cooking, she sent a WeTalk message to Aunt Julia, who then went all out in teaching her on the assumption that she was going to cook for Timothy.

Samantha drove to the grocer on the ground floor of a huge shopping mall, then pushed a shopping cart and filled it with high-quality ingredients.

When she returned to the villa, she went upstairs to change into some comfortable home clothes before heading down to the kitchen to start prepping.

While there were some dishes that she could cook a little later, the double-stewed soup she planned on making had to be boiled long enough or else it would not taste as flavorful and delicious.

After boiling the soup and leaving it to simmer on low heat, Samantha exited the kitchen to tidy and clean the villa a bit.

At around four in the evening, Samantha took out her cell phone and shared the location of the villa with Alan through a WeTalk message.

Alan replied swiftly: [Okay, see you later. :)]

He even added a smiling emoji at the end of his message.

Samantha estimated that Alan would arrive at half-past seven, so by six she went into the kitchen and started cooking.

Her actions were nimble and skillful, allowing her to prepare all the dishes with ease. She looked up at the time and saw that it was ten minutes past seven.

Samantha went out of the kitchen, went upstairs, and headed into the bedroom. She changed into a more formal dress, combed her messy hair, then stood in front of the full-length mirror to make sure that she looked decent. Only then did she leave the room and head back downstairs.

As soon as she walked to the ground floor, she heard the sound of a car outside the villa and could not help but raise an eyebrow. Alan had arrived rather early.

She unconsciously tidied her appearance again and walked over to open the door.

As soon as she looked up, however, the man whom she saw was not her guest Alan, but Timothy!

Samantha blinked her eyes a couple of times and wondered if she was seeing things.

The man strode over and came closer to her with each step that he took. That face of unparalleled handsomeness was reflected clearly within her eyes.

“You…” Samantha’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Didn’t you say that you won’t be back these few days?”

Timothy’s black eyes made eye contact with her and his expression was as insipid as his tone. “The meeting today has been canceled at the last minute. Am I not allowed to come back and rest?”

“Ah…” Samantha shook her head quickly. “No, of course you can. It’s just… I… I invited Dr. Sherwood over for dinner today.”

A hint of surprise flashed through Timothy’s eyes. “What a coincidence.”

Was it really a coincidence? There were plenty of other days he could have chosen to rest. Why did it have to be that day, of all days?

Samantha was just about to open her mouth and say something when another car drove in.

Timothy and Samantha looked over together and saw that the car’s rear door opened up. Alan had gotten out of the car with a bunch of pink roses in hand.

Timothy glanced at Alan and curled his lips slightly when he saw the pink roses.

He retracted his gaze and turned to Samantha, saying, “Your guest is here. Better welcome him in.”

His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but it was clear enough to reach the ears of everyone present there.

Alan was there. Samantha was no longer worried about whether Timothy being there was a coincidence. She calmed down and with a gentle smile on her face, said to Alan, “Dr. Sherwood, you’re here.”

Alan was stunned for a moment when he saw Timothy but smiled faintly in the blink of an eye. He then stepped forward and responded, “Yes, I am.”

Timothy let out a gentle cough at just the right time and said, “Aren’t you going to make any introductions, Darling?”

Samantha was speechless and felt goosebumps forming all over after hearing him call her ‘darling’. She forced herself to calm down and said calmly, “Dr. Sherwood, this is my…husband, Timothy. Sorry for not being forthcoming last time.”

She was referring to their encounter at the hospital.

Alan shook his head and replied in an understanding tone. “Don’t worry about it.”

Samantha smiled, then said to Timothy, “H-Honey, this is Dr. Sherwood.”

Timothy’s lips curled up ever so slightly and his black pupils looked straight at Alan. He stretched out his hand in an amenable manner and said, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you at last, Dr. Sherwood. My wife mentions you very often and she tells me she’s very grateful to you.”

Alan reached out and shook hands with Timothy. “Hello, Mr. Barker. The pleasure’s mine as well.”

The two men greeted and shook hands in quite a friendly manner, but Samantha somehow sensed a certain hostility between them, almost as if they were engaged in an invisible sword fight.

There seemed to be a hidden meaning behind their sentences and it gave her the chills.

She started to suspect that Timothy had a reason for telling her to invite Alan to the villa for dinner. She also felt that Timothy returned to the villa on purpose…

Were they able to have a decent, proper dinner?

Samantha was worried that something untoward might happen and so said immediately, “Come in and have a seat, Dr. Sherwood.”

Timothy let go of Alan’s hand, casually hooked Samantha’s slender waist, and turned her body slightly. He then said to Alan, “Yes, come in and have a seat.”

The man’s attitude spoke volumes.

Alan’s hand clenched unconsciously on the bunch of roses, but his expression remained calm and as gentle as always. He looked into Timothy’s eyes and responded, “Sure.”

Alan then lifted his feet and walked right in..