Take My Breath Away

"Ugh, Jared, you are making me sick," Debbie complained. Kristina and Kasie burst into laughter. Kristina blew on her soup and took a sip.

Debbie took off her apron and told her friends apologetically, "Sorry, guys. I'd love to hang out with you, but Carlos is still in the hospital. I need to bring him this soup. You guys leave after finishing the soup. I'll treat you to dinner some other day. Deal?"

Carlos' wound had still been bleeding when she had left the hospital. She was really worried about him.

Kasie, Kristina and Jared exchanged knowing looks. Recalling what Carlos had told them, Jared suggested, "Tomboy, don't worry about Mr. Huo. My brother is there, and the nurses will take good care of him. Have some fun with us tonight, and go to the hospital tomorrow. I'll drive you there myself, okay?"

Kicked by Jared under the table, Kasie echoed, "He's right. Tomboy, we've missed you a lot. Come with us, please! We've already booked a private booth."

Kristina ate her soup silently. After a while, she said in a low voice, "Dixon has been gone for more than a month. We've never been separated for so long. Debbie, keep us company tonight."

Debbie felt weird. It seemed like people around her all wanted to drag her away from the hospital and keep her at the manor.

'Something is off. Or is it just my imagination?' she thought. But she shook off her strange thoughts and said, "I'm really sorry, guys. Carlos' shoulder was still bleeding when I left the hospital. I can't leave him behind and have fun with you. I need to bring him some food. Guys, you're my best friends, and I know that you won't blame me for not keeping you company tonight. When his situation is stable, I'll treat you to a sumptuous meal."

Not daring to look Debbie in the eye, Jared continued to persuade her into staying. "Damon just called me. He said Mr. Huo was all right. Tomboy, don't worry too much."

Jared was confused about the whole situation too. He remembered Carlos telling him over the phone, "Make Debbie stay at the manor, or any other place. Stop her from coming to the hospital at all costs."

Jared's words made Debbie even more confused. 'Why do they keep trying to make me stay

untry for some urgent business. He's on a plane now. I was too busy to inform you about this. I'm really sorry."

'Z Country? For urgent business?' "Why didn't he tell me when I was with him? Is it that urgent?" she asked. 'It must have been really important because he had to rush to Z Country at night despite his wound.'

Tristan paused for a while to think about how to make his lie more convincing. He then answered, "It's not that urgent. But only Mr. Huo can deal with it. Before he left, he asked me to contact your friends so that they could keep you company. Mr. Huo will be back either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."

'Oh! So it was Carlos who told Jared, Kasie and Kristina to go to the manor, ' Debbie thought.

She could sense that something fishy was going on. Everyone around her had been acting really weird all day.

After hanging up, Debbie looked at the soup and sighed. She opened the lid and ate it herself.

She couldn't figure out what was happening, so she decided to let it go for now and wait for Carlos to come back. She would ask him about it then. She called Jared to ask where they were.

The four of them hung out together until it was very late. When she came back to the manor, she dozed off as soon as she hit the pillow. She didn't wake up until the next noon.

She called Carlos for the hundredth time, but his phone was still off. She was really anxious because she could tell that he was hiding something from her.