Chapter 26 A New Job

The next day, Emily stood at John's office door, took a deep breath, and knocked gently.

"Come in," John called out, busy sorting patient files on his desk. When he saw Emily, his serious face lit up with a warm smile. "Emily, what's up?"

"I..." Emily hesitated, trying to find the right words to tell John she wanted to quit. But then John pulled out a cute, delicate insulated bag from behind him.

"Perfect timing! I brought you breakfast," John said, beaming as he unpacked various pastries and steaming porridge. "I got up early to make this just for you."

Seeing all the food was her favorite, Emily grew even more silent, struggling to voice her thoughts. Just yesterday, they were talking about working together and having each other's backs. Now, she was about to drop the bomb that she wanted to quit. It felt ridiculous.

Forcing a smile, she softly said, "John, I need to tell you something."

Seeing the exhaustion in her eyes, John felt a pang in his heart. "Emily, did something happen?" he asked cautiously.

Emily lowered her head, avoiding his gaze, her voice trembling. "I'm resigning."

John's smile vanished, and the insulated container in his hand almost slipped. "What did you say? Did someone upset you? Did something happen?"

Emily shook her head, not wanting to drag John into her complicated mess. John should just focus on saving lives. Her drama will only stress him out.

John was silent for a moment, sadness flickering in his eyes. But he quickly pulled himself together, sighed, and said, "Alright, if that's your decision, I won't push. Just take care of yourself."

He didn't try to stop her. Watching Emily lower her eyes, he felt something break inside, leaving a heavy, suffocating ache. He wondered if she had patched things up with James.

He glanced at the drawer where he kept snacks they used to enjoy as kids, feeling a pang of reluctance. With Emily leaving the hospital, it would be harder to look out for her.

Emily felt awful too, but she had no choice. "Thanks, John. I'm really sorry for the trouble."

She left John's office and went back to her department to pack her things.

Even though she hadn't been there long, Emily had grown close to Abigail. Now, Abigail stood next door, looking at Emily with sad eyes. "Don't go, Emily. I finally found someone to have lunch with, and now you're leaving me alone in this hospital."

Emily chuckled. "Abigail, I really have some important stuff to handle at home. How about you come visit me later?"

"My best friend is leaving me all alone, and my heart is breaking," Abigail said dramatically, clutching her chest. Just then, the head nurse walked by and gave her a light smack on the head. "Get back to work."

Abigail made a funny face and reluctantly smiled at Emily. The head nurse turned to Emily, her expression softening. She hated to see this gentle, polite, and responsible nurse leave. "Emily, are you sure about this? Are you really leaving?"

Emily nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't want to go; she loved this job. But at this point, it wasn't her choice anymore.

The head nurse sighed, no longer trying to persuade her, and patted her on the shoulder. "If you ever need help, just let me know. You're always welcome back."

A few days later, Emily didn't ask anyone for help, nor did she take the opportunity James offered. Instead, she applied online and landed a job at a rehabilitation center. After passing the interview, the manager quickly processed her employment when they found out she had hospital experience as a nurse.

When Emily asked about her duties, the young girl who greeted her gave a sympathetic smile. "Emily, we urgently need someone because we have a difficult patient named David Smith. He's a young little boy but has a bad temper and often throws fits. He's already driven away three caregivers; he's not easy to deal with."

She quickly added, worried Emily might back out. "But don't worry. His family is very wealthy. If you can handle David, not only will you secure a permanent position, but the bonuses will be substantial. However, if you really can't manage, it's okay to resign. The most important thing is to protect yourself."

Emily gently nodded as acknowledgement and prepared to enter the room. She had chosen this job and was mentally prepared. No matter what her patient was like, she wouldn't give up easily.

Under the young girl's worried gaze, Emily walked into the room. A teacup suddenly flew out from the corner, narrowly missing Emily's face, and shattered on the ground. Emily was startled but quickly composed herself and looked up at David sitting by the window.

David sat on the hospital bed, his eyes fixed on Emily with fierce intensity, silently conveying that he needed no one's sympathy.

But despite his attitude, David was exceptionally cute.

His short hair was soft and shiny, slightly messy, with some strands falling over his eyes. His skin was so delicate it was almost perfect, glowing faintly in the sunlight. His lips were thin and rosy, slightly pursed, making him look both fragile and irresistibly approachable.