Cross Lines

Chapter 54: Getting Into Trouble

When Maggie got home, she took a shower, applied the medication while staring at the mirror, and waited in the bathroom with her back exposed until the medication dried before putting on her clothes. She then decided to call Zachary to request a two-day leave to rest properly.

Since she didn't have to work the next day, she wasn't under any pressure to go to bed early. Lying in bed and feeling not very tired, she chatted idly with some online friends out of boredom and then decided to find a movie on her tablet to watch. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she heard the door downstairs ring.

Standing alert, the little one immediately ran to the door and began calling out loudly with its tiny voice.

Maggie blinked sleepily and checked the time. It was probably the time Ryan Ding finished work, and he must have forgotten to bring the spare key he left at Maggie’s place. So, she slowly made her way downstairs to open the door.

To her surprise, Emily Luo was standing at the door, carrying a bag, looking calm but slightly tired. Maggie was initially surprised but quickly invited her inside.

"Why are you coming over so late again?" Maggie asked.

Emily Luo reached out to touch her forehead. "I was worried you might have a fever."

Seeing that her temperature wasn't too high, Emily Luo relaxed and went to change her shoes. Maggie helped her hang up her clothes and bag, feeling a bit sorry.

"How did things go with Manager Gao?"

"Mm." Emily Luo, looking exhausted and not in the mood to talk, sank into the sofa, closing her eyes without moving. Maggie bent over, brushing a lock of hair from her forehead to behind her ear, and asked gently, "Are you very tired?"

Dr. Luo opened her eyes to glance at her. "Did you apply the medication?"

"Yes. I'll get some water for you. How about a shower and then sleep?"

Emily Luo, appearing a bit dazed, nodded slowly.

After taking a shower, Emily Luo seemed to feel better and no longer looked so fatigued. She curled up on the bed with the movie Maggie had been watching earlier. Maggie finished tidying up, turned off the lights, and sat on the edge of the bed.

Noticing that Emily Luo hadn't moved for a while, Maggie held out a set of keys with a gentle, serene look. "Here's a set of keys for you. From now on, just come in directly."

Emily Luo straightened up, lying down and looking at the keys in Maggie's hand, then at Maggie. She seemed to want to say something but hesitated and said nothing.

Maggie waited patiently in silence. After a while, Emily Luo slowly reached out and took the keys. Maggie smiled, leaned down, and kissed Emily Luo's forehead.

Dr. Luo showed no visible reaction, her gaze calm. She then reached up to unbutton Maggie’s nightgown. Maggie pouted and frowned but didn't stop her. After undoing two buttons, Dr. Luo carefully checked the allergic area, appearing satisfied as it hadn't worsened. She then looked up at Maggie, giving a subtle nod towards the pillow beside her.

Maggie understood what she meant but didn't move, merely raised her chin. Dr. Luo, in response, closed her eyes and allowed Maggie to kiss her lips again before she was satisfied and turned over to lie in bed.

"Do you have to work tomorrow? If not, you should take the day off until your allergy gets better."

Emily Luo fumbled around for the remote control to the lamp on the bedside.

"I’ve taken two days off," Maggie said, pulling her blanket up and sighing deeply.

"Good, then rest well at home. It should get better soon."

With the lights out, everything was quiet.

"Will you come again tomorrow?" Maggie's eyes sparkled in the darkness.

"Tomorrow? I can't. Your boss is having a birthday party, and I need to go."

Emily Luo adjusted her hair and found a comfortable position to lie down.

"Really? The chairman’s birthday?"

"Yes. Aren't you going? There should be quite a few people from your company attending."

"I'm not going. People at my level definitely won't be invited," Maggie muttered. She wanted to see Dr. Luo but was also worried about her running around and being tired like today. She moved closer to Emily Luo but remained silent.

Emily Luo was also silent for a while. "The birthday party is at the Jun Tai Seaview Hotel in Binhai. It will probably end quite late. I'll come over the day after tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," Maggie nodded obediently and closed her eyes.

The next morning, while Maggie was sleeping soundly, she suddenly felt the blanket being lifted. Feeling a cool breeze on her back, she groggily turned her head and saw Emily Luo, dressed for going out, applying medication to her back.

"I think it looks better. Just keep applying the medication today, and it should be much better by tomorrow."

"Okay." Maggie yawned and turned to continue sleeping.

"Breakfast is downstairs. Eat when you wake up. You can apply the medication yourself on the front, I’m in a hurry."

With that, Emily Luo hurried downstairs, and Maggie heard her bid farewell to the doorman before the front door closed with a sound.

Why wake up early during a vacation? Maggie flipped over, applied the medication, and fell back asleep until noon.

In the afternoon, with nothing much to do, Maggie doodled a few sketches out of boredom. She planned to have a simple meal in the evening and let the day pass. However, before it got dark, the doorbell rang again.

Seeing that it was Ryan Ding, Maggie immediately refused, "I haven’t cooked anything today. Find somewhere else to eat!"

To her surprise, Ryan Ding squeezed in with a grin. "No food? Perfect, come with me for a meal."

Maggie eyed him suspiciously and warily. Realizing he couldn’t trick her, Ryan Ding confessed, "My classmate is getting married. Can you come with me to the wedding?"

"Are you making me be your chauffeur again? No way. You get drunk and act like a lunatic."

"No, no, no! I’m not drinking," Ryan Ding said seriously, then adopted a pitiful look. "I can get a staff member to drive. I just need you to pretend to be my girlfriend. Everyone else will be paired up, and I’ll be a lonely loser."

"Ha," Maggie sneered, "That’s even more reason not to go. Who knows what tricks your friends will pull?"

"Not at all! These are all high school classmates, very respectable people, no weird friends."

"Even so, I’m not going. I’m still recovering from an allergy."

Maggie settled into the sofa by the window, hugging a fat cushion, and adopted a stance of refusal.

"Help me out, will you? You’re more presentable. Plus, it’s just attending a meal."

"Rubbish. The real reason you want me to come is so you can make me your pretend girlfriend again next time, right?" Maggie rolled her eyes. "Besides, you have a target now. That night was clearly a setup!"

Ryan Ding’s eyes darted around. "Oh, that’s a different story for later. Just help me out for now. The dinner is by the seaside. If you come, I’ll treat you to grilled squid! Your favorite. How about that?"

Maggie blinked. The allure of grilled squid was quite strong, and there was also the mention of the seaside, which caught her attention.

"Seaside?"

"Yes, the Ocean Holiday Hotel next to Jun Tai. It’s a bit far but the road is good and not congested."

"Is it Jun Tai?"

Ryan Ding made a face. "Don’t think my classmates are so high-end. Jun Tai is for the average person. It’s beside Jun Tai, at the Ocean Holiday Hotel, a four-star."

Maggie stopped talking. Going there might give her a chance to see Dr. Luo. It sounded like a good idea.

Noticing that she seemed to waver, Ryan Ding quickly seized the opportunity, "Come on, come on?"

"I’ll go, but you have to take me somewhere afterward."

"Absolutely no problem!"

When the night sky was filled with stars and the sea breeze felt pleasant on the face, Maggie had enjoyed the banquet and bought grilled squid before the vendor closed. Satisfied, she patted Ryan Ding and directed him to drive to the Jun Tai Seaview Hotel.

"Don’t stop in front, go around and park at the back."

Maggie had thought it through. The birthday party for Seymour Gao would definitely have Qiqi there, and she didn't want to run into her. She intended to sneak a look to see if Emily Luo was looking beautiful tonight.

However, plans don't always work out. As they rounded a decorative water curtain wall, Maggie saw the hotel’s side door with the Jasmine couple sending off guests. Qiqi and Emily Luo were also there, standing not far from the door, talking.

Because the hotel was newly opened, some basic facilities were still under construction, and the front entrance was temporarily closed. The hotel had kindly opened the side door for guests, with garden lights illuminating the area brightly.

While Maggie was happily focused on eating squid, she didn’t realize that turning the corner had exposed the entire car. Panicking, she shouted, "Oh no! Stop, stop, stop!"

Ryan Ding, who had been eating squid while driving, was startled by Maggie’s sudden shout and looked back at her.

"Turn around! Quick! We’ve been spotted!"

Uncertain of what was happening, Ryan Ding panicked and slammed on the brakes, shifted gears, and stepped on the gas—crash! Initially, no one had noticed them. But the car's erratic movements—sudden braking, hasty reversing, and a reckless collision with the flowerbed—immediately drew everyone's attention.

Emily Luo was no exception. She had seen the car as it turned and had a clear view of Maggie eating squid inside. The entire spectacle that followed was truly dramatic.