Chapter 896 Not That Kind of Relationship
Lyra handed the menu to Jeffery. "Check it out and see if there's anything you can't eat."
Jeffery shrugged. "Nah, I'm good."
She took the menu back and carefully picked a few dishes that fit her budget. "How about these?"
Jeffery glanced at the menu.
Even though he looked calm, Lyra felt embarrassed and couldn't meet his eyes. She had invited him out for dinner, bragging she'd treat him, but she could only afford these few dishes.
She thought, 'He must think I'm a joke.'
As she was thinking this, Jeffery looked away. "It's fine. Just order what you want."
He had noticed Lyra was trying to guess his preferences when she chose the dishes.
Lyra's face turned red, realizing he had seen right through her.
The food arrived quickly.
Lyra grabbed the utensils. "At this place, you gotta get your utensils from the front. They're all sanitized."
Jeffery's expression softened a bit as he took the utensils.
Being a doctor, he probably had a bit of a cleanliness obsession, and he was no exception.
He looked at Lyra. "That was thoughtful of you."
Lyra sat down, not noticing his meaningful gaze. "I'm a doctor too, so I have the same habits."
Jeffery's lips curled into a faint smile.
Suddenly, his gaze swept across the room and stopped on a slender figure. Lyra then saw their always-composed director's calm expression change.
He softly uttered a name.
"Pearl?"
The woman called Pearl instinctively turned around.
Lyra looked up and was instantly struck by her beauty.
Pearl saw Jeffery, and her eyes lit up with joy. She walked over, holding Christopher's hand. "What are you doing here? I thought the hospital was busy."
Her gaze then fell on Lyra, pausing slightly before becoming more meaningful.
"So, you're out on a date with a young lady."
"No."
Lyra waved her hand, blushing and hurriedly explaining, "It's not what you think. I invited Mr. Gray out, but it's not for that reason. He helped me a lot, and I have nothing to repay him with, so I can only thank him this way."
Pearl smiled and looked at Jeffery.
She didn't say anything.
But Jeffery inexplicably avoided her gaze, the first time he had ever done so.
Pearl's lips curled knowingly.
Christopher tugged at her, and when she looked down, he said, "I know, isn't this what they call 'pursuing' on TV?"
Pearl laughed and rubbed his little face. "Don't be so blunt."
Lyra was already feeling uncomfortable, not knowing where to put her hands, her gaze fixed straight ahead, afraid to look to the side and see Jeffery's disdainful expression.
Finally, Jeffery spoke. "We're not in that kind of relationship, don't say that."
His tone was indifferent, distant, and cold.
Lyra felt her blood freeze.
Pearl glanced at her, then at Jeffery's tightly pressed lips, apologized, and quickly left with the child.
It was only after she left that Lyra reluctantly withdrew her gaze.
She wanted to say that the woman was really beautiful.
But seeing Jeffery's eyes, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
That woman seemed so familiar with him; they must be good friends.
Maybe more than friends.
She had never seen Jeffery look at anyone like that before. His eyes, though calm, had a subtle depth that required careful observation to notice.
Having spent so much time with Jeffery, Lyra had become very familiar with his subtle expressions.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Gray. Did I cause you trouble again?"
Jeffery looked up, the words he had prepared stuck in his throat under her gaze, and he changed them to, "You don't need to be so formal."
"What should I call you then, Mr. Gray?"
"Just call me by my name."
Jeffery used his knife and fork to cut the steak on his plate, his dark eyelashes casting a deep shadow, his demeanor calm and composed.
But even so, Lyra felt very satisfied and smiled. "Then I'll call you Mr. Gray at the hospital, and Jeffery in private."
When she said his name, Jeffery's movements paused slightly, and he softly said, "Whatever you prefer."
Lyra enjoyed the meal immensely.
She felt it was the happiest she had been in days, as if all the worries and sadness had disappeared in that moment. Holding the medical records Jeffery had given her, she felt confident and motivated.
However, the hospital began to have some unpleasant rumors.
At first, it was just talk about Jeffery giving Lyra special treatment, being unfair. She worried about it, but Jeffery told her not to mind, so she didn't.
But the rumors grew worse.
Even during work hours, nurses whispered.
"How did Lyra get into the hospital with her background? This isn't some low-end clinic; it's the most prestigious hospital in the city!"
"I bet she has some special connections. She's so close to Mr. Gray, maybe she used some shady methods to get in."
"Are you saying..."
Lyra's hand holding the medical records trembled slightly. "What are you talking about?"
Everyone was startled.
"It's Dr. Cole! We didn't say anything, you must have heard wrong."
A female nurse grabbed her things and was about to leave. "I just remembered, a patient in room 301 needs an IV. I have to go."
"Don't go!"
Lyra grabbed her, her attitude unusually firm. "You can say whatever you want about me, I'll tolerate it. But you shouldn't spread rumors about Mr. Gray. Everyone knows his conduct, how can you slander him like this?"
Their actions reminded her of the despicable Jace.
The same kind of slander.
Such malicious tactics were unimaginable.
Jeffery had never done anything wrong!
Lyra felt heartbroken for Jeffery, and a surge of anger, but she thought it was justified.
Jeffery had given her a chance, and even after learning the truth about what she had done, he had generously understood her.
Such a good person shouldn't be the subject of their gossip.
Lyra held the nurse's arm. "Come with me to the director's office and apologize."
The nurse looked at her like she was crazy and shouted, "You're nuts, I'm not going!"
No way.
They were just chatting privately; no one would dare say such things in front of Jeffery.
Did they want to lose their jobs, or were they too comfortable?
Lyra's actions seemed completely irrational to them.
"We were just talking, it's nothing compared to you secretly taking photos of Mr. Gray!"
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