Chapter 1761

Karina immediately offered, “I’ll see if there are any more tangerines.”
“No need, I was just teasing,” Nina replied with a casual wave, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her relaxed demeanor, paired with her effortless charm, made her shine without even trying. She gave Karina a small smile before leaving. After she left, Fiona approached with a look of awe. “I can see now why everyone believes those rumors. She’s stunning! How could anyone not fall for her? If I were the director, I’d be head over heels too.”
Karina’s chest tightened at Fiona’s words, though she couldn’t pinpoint why. Just the thought of Wilfred having someone special made her heart feel heavy and uncomfortable.
She said nothing.
Fiona, having seen Nina in person and picked up on her genuine demeanor, realized the situation probably wasn’t what the rumors suggested. She wisely dropped the topic of the supposed love child. As for those who continued gossiping, Fiona decided to steer clear, keeping her head down to avoid trouble.
Not long after, word spread that several nurses had been fired. Coincidentally, all of them had been involved in spreading rumors.
Fiona, being a nurse herself and one of those who had gossiped, felt a wave of gratitude toward Karina. “Thank goodness you warned me, or I might have been next.”
She offered to treat Karina to a meal as thanks, but Karina brushed it off. It had only been a small effort on her part.
Suddenly, a nurse Karina didn’t recognize walked in. “Dr. Norman, the director wants to see you.”
Startled, Karina looked up.
Wilfred? What could he want now?
Without overthinking it, she quickly gathered her things and headed to his office.
She knocked on the door. “Dr. Wilfred, it’s me. May I come in?”
A clear, cool voice came from inside. “Come in.”
When Karina entered, she found Wilfred busy at his desk.
At the sound of her footsteps, he lifted his gaze briefly, his faintly colored eyes adding to his naturally aloof demeanor, making him seem even harder to approach. There was a subtle crease between his brows, suggesting something was weighing on his mind.
“Next time, don’t stand on ceremony. Just come in-I’m not big on formalities,” he said.
Karina’s attention lingered on the crease in his brow, so much so that she nearly missed his words. Wilfred frowned slightly, calling her name to bring her back to the moment.
Karina snapped out of her daze, her face flushing with embarrassment. “Sorry, I got distracted.”
He studied her for a moment before speaking. “Have you been getting enough rest lately?”
Realizing he was expressing concern, Karina felt her cheeks grow warmer, a small wave of comfort rising in her chest.
She shook her head and answered honestly, “Not much, honestly. I’ve been focusing on the project, and all the recent rumors have made it hard to stay calm and focused.”
Her comment was casual, but it struck a nerve in Wilfred.
Beneath his glasses, a flicker of something dark crossed his eyes before he lowered his head again. After a moment, his deep voice broke the silence. “If it’s about Nina coming to see you, I apologize on her behalf.
“She realized afterward that it was presumptuous to visit you. But since she didn’t have your contact information and couldn’t come to
the hospital herself, she asked me to pass along her message.”
The fluttering in Karina’s chest came to an abrupt halt, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her.
Her hands clenched tightly, and she couldn’t help but feel her earlier excitement had been ridiculous.
It was just a polite inquiry. She had foolishly read too much into it.
Clearly, in Wilfred’s eyes, Nina was the one closest to him. And what was Karina to him? Just a junior colleague he had taken an interest in mentoring.
The self-mocking thought burned through her mind like a flame, and she felt as if she had been jolted awake.
She wished she could slap herself for her foolishness.