Chapter 942 Anomaly
They'd long since accepted Jeffery, and whenever trouble popped up, he was the first guy they thought of.
Jeffery felt more at ease because of this.
As they walked, Lyra watched Jeffery's back as he led the way. She clenched her fists, determined.
She always thought she was getting better, but every time she realized it wasn't enough to catch up to him. She needed to work harder, to live up to Jeffery's expectations.
Soon, Lyra entered the operating room and took charge.
The sudden change in the lead surgeon startled the assisting nurses and other doctors.
But the operating room demanded silence, and with everyone wearing masks, no one said anything, though they were secretly worried.
Jeffery found a place to sit.
Lyra focused intently on the surgery, occasionally asking for forceps or other tools from those assisting her.
But then, something unexpected happened.
A nurse suddenly shouted, "Oh no, the patient's blood pressure is rising!"
Lyra steadied herself, her hands not trembling, as she glanced at the monitor. The blood pressure was indeed rising visibly.
Lacking experience, she began to panic.
Then Jeffery's calm voice came through, "Don't panic. Control your breathing. Remember what I taught you about handling this situation."
Lyra instinctively took a few deep breaths. Calm, yes, she needed to stay calm!
Following Jeffery's advice, she recalled his teachings.
In the next moment, her eyes lit up as she found the best solution to the problem!
Lyra methodically instructed the nurses around her to assist.
An hour later, the surgery was complete.
Before leaving the operating room, she removed her blood-stained gloves and exhaled deeply.
"Dr. Cole, that was a close call! Good thing you knew what to do. We really underestimated you," someone beside her said, awkwardly rubbing their nose at the end.
Seeing Lyra's confused look, he coughed and added, "I mean, some people said you got in through connections. I didn't believe it, but after hearing it so much... Anyway, a lot of people have changed their minds about you now."
Lyra understood and immediately expressed that she didn't mind.
Throughout history, rumors had always been powerful. Many people only listened to gossip without seeking the truth.
But if a surgery could change that perception, Lyra was happy.
After a quick hand wash, Lyra remembered Jeffery and instinctively looked for him, but he was nowhere to be found.
A nurse kindly informed her, "Mr. Gary left a while ago."
"Thanks, I'll head out, too," Lyra said, eager to share her excitement with him.
But as soon as she stepped out, a patient's family member stopped her.
Having recently been troubled by someone, Lyra instinctively tried to pull away when her hand was grabbed.
The family member said, "Thank you, Dr. Cole, for saving my dad. He's over fifty, and I was so scared... so scared he wouldn't make it through this surgery. Thank you so much!"
Hearing this, Lyra relaxed, her expression softening. "You're welcome. Your father will need to stay in the hospital for a while."
"He's already been moved to a regular room. You should go see him," the family member said, thanking her again before leaving.
Lyra felt lighter as she walked, even though the surgery had been exhausting.
Seeing the smiles of patients and their families made it all worthwhile.
But when she went to the director's office, it was empty.
The empty office seemed to still hold Jeffery's presence. She felt a bit lost. Where had he gone?
Just then, someone approached and said, "Looking for Mr. Gray? I saw him leave after changing clothes. He might've headed home since it's the end of the day."
Lyra glanced at the darkening sky outside, feeling a bit dazed.
But it still didn't make sense.
Jeffery usually told her when he was leaving, and he almost always drove her home. If he wanted to leave on his own, why not say something?
Suddenly, she slapped her cheeks, the sound echoing from the force. "What are you thinking, Lyra? Who are you to him? There's no rule that he has to report to you when he leaves."
Telling herself this made her feel better.
Lyra convinced herself not to dwell on it.
But as she tidied up her messy office and walked to the window, she couldn't help but murmur, "Maybe I shouldn't go straight home today. There's a flower shop near Jeffery's place."
The last plant she bought had been ruined by Ruben, and she hadn't replaced it.
Now seemed like a good time to check it out.
Of course, this was just an excuse Lyra made for herself. What she really wanted to see wasn't the flowers, but Jeffery.
His sudden departure and odd behavior today had left her inexplicably concerned, so she decided to go.
With her mind made up, she didn't hesitate any longer. Lyra hailed a cab to Jeffery's neighborhood.
When she rang the doorbell, the housekeeper answered.
Having waited a while, Lyra was chilled by the wind at the door, so she casually asked, "Rica, why'd it take so long?"
Rica Tate glanced inside the house and lowered her voice, "Dr. Cole, why are you here now. You should probably go back."
"Why? Is something wrong with Mr. Gray?"
"No, it's just that I think he might not want to see anyone right now," Rica tried to reassure the worried Lyra.
But instead of calming her, Lyra grew more anxious. When had Jeffery ever avoided people? Could he be hurt in some other way?
The thought made her unable to stay calm, and she pleaded with Rica to explain.
Rica was hesitant at first.
A housekeeper was just a servant, after all, and it wasn't her place to discuss her employer's affairs.
But seeing Lyra so concerned, she couldn't help but sigh and say, "Mr. Gray sometimes has bad days when he doesn't want to see anyone. You just didn't know."
"I don't know the details. I was hired to manage the house, but I can tell you Mr. Gray hasn't always had it easy."
With that, Rica sighed again.
That was putting it mildly.
Hired by Pearl, Rica had been taking care of Jeffery for a while and knew a bit about his past, like his occasional sleepwalking and talking in his sleep.
Whenever he had nightmares, he'd wake up drenched in sweat and sit silently for a long time. She had accidentally witnessed it once, hearing him mutter words like "kill" and "escape."
Listening to this, Lyra felt her heart sink. "Where is he now?"
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