Chapter 140 - The Parasite (1/2)

”What are you doing here?” Claire asks in a tone that sounds more like, ”Will you please drop dead?”

Gary Smulders shrugs. ”Duty calls. A little bird told me something's afoot in this here medical establishment.” He squints as he looks at her sideways. ”Say, what are you doing here?”

Claire glances at the door of the ICU, hoping Gabriel doesn't come out; not yet, please. ”Annual physical exam. But what is it to you?”

”Oh, is your fiancé making you work in his company now, with all the regular requirements?” His eyebrows arch in mock disbelief. ”I would have thought he would simply flick a finger and every career obstacle in your way vanishes. Just like that.”

Claire makes a deep breath. She looks around; Gary Smulders seems alone. Maybe he's just fishing for information. He probably doesn't know anything. Except he asks a nurse here, and everything will spill out. It's going to be a public relations nightmare, and completely opposite of what she's just trying to do a while back.

”Are you still trying to get an interview with Gabriel?”

”Uh, isn't it obvious?”

”Then why are you here? Try calling him up at his office.”

Gary shrugs. ”Well, that's the question I'm also asking myself. But a little bird told me—”

”Who's that little bird?”

”Someone reliable.”

”Then that little bird, whoever he or she is, is lying. They just wasted your time by being here. It's still early in the morning. You can still get back to sleep.”

Gary Smulders looks at her sideways, as though smelling something fishy. ”Are you trying to make me go away?”

Claire fake-laughs, but he's starting to get on her nerves. ”You can hang around here if you want. I don't care. I'm just trying to get some medical check-ups.”

”Then why are you so early?”

Claire bites her lips and stifles her growing spite. ”Because this is how I am. I always want to be early, accomplish things early. There's a lot of stuff to do. But then, why do I have to explain all these things to you?”

Gary grins. ”Well, maybe because there's something else. Something that I might be interested to know.”

Claire scoffs, trying to convince him that she doesn't care about his presence. But she couldn't leave him here and risk having him bump into Gabriel later. She looks at him. She needs to think fast. If he doesn't leave right now, and still hangs around the hospital, he might see Miguel in the ICU, or get gossip from one of the nurses. That's the critical part.

”Tell you what,” Claire flashes her sweetest smile. ”I know you're doing this to help your career. I understand, truly. But you know how Gabriel is, his temper and what-have-you. I'm telling you, you won't get anything useful here. You're just wasting your time. But because I still feel bad at how you were treated at the pool party, let me try to make it up to you.”

Gary's eyes go big. ”I'm breathless with anticipation. How would you 'make it up' to me?”

Claire has to gulp down the rising irritation in her throat. She smiles. ”I could arrange a friendly interview with Gabriel. He would answer your questions, and I promise he won't beat you up or throw you to his bodyguards.”

Gary stares at her dumbfounded, as though he'd just heard the most unbelievable thing in his life. ”Are you not shitting me?”