Chapter 16

Jeremy paused. He glanced back at Melody. His dark eyes didn't show any emotion. For a second, Jeremy felt something shift inside when he met Melody's gaze. However, it was only for a moment. He returned to his former calm and said quietly, "No. Caleb picked it." The air seemed to freeze. Melody wasn't sure how to react. Should she be glad Jeremy hadn't chosen the mango cake himself, or should she feel sad about just how careless he was with her? Melody felt lost. Her hands, hanging at her sides, curled into fists, then slowly relaxed. Jeremy looked at her. "What's wrong? Is there an issue with the cake?" Melody opened her mouth, unsure what to say. Krystal had already walked over. She stopped next to Jeremy, and her brows knitted slightly. "It's just a cake. What could be wrong with it?" She glanced at Melody and said casually, "I saw Caleb order that cake. It's the top-rated flavor from that shop. Are you not happy with it, or did you want something else?" Jeremy didn't speak, and he didn't look irritated. He just glanced at his phone and said, "We have one minute until work starts. If you have something to say, say it." Melody bit her lower lip and suddenly couldn't say a word. Jeremy had gotten her a cake. Was there anything else she had to complain about? At least he remembered her. This time, he didn't ignore her. Even if she couldn't eat that cake, he had still ordered it. That was enough. Besides, Melody knew Jeremy well. To him, it was just a birthday cake. He didn't care who bought it or what flavor it was. If she told him she didn't like it, he would probably just order another one. However, she didn't want another one. Pushing for another cake would make it seem like she was making a fuss over nothing. She took a moment to steady herself, forcing a small smile. "Nothing. I just... wanted to say thank you." Jeremy responded with a nod. Melody looked at him, her heart hurting. Growing up, she learned to be thoughtful and hide how she really felt. Even if she didn't like something, she couldn't show it because it was from someone else's kindness. Turning it down would make her seem ungrateful. However, Melody thought of Tiffany's look of sympathy and shock when she saw the mango cake. She gathered her courage again. She wanted to remind Jeremy that she was allergic to mango. Yet, she couldn't make the words come out. She didn't know if Jeremy would remember her birthday next year anyway. Krystal watched her without any expression. She suddenly said, "If the cake is fine, can you head out? Dr. Chesson and I have some work to discuss." Melody had been about to say something else, but Krystal's words cut her off. She swallowed what she was going to say. ... Jeremy's surgery was set for 3:00 pm. The head nurse said Krystal would assist as well. However, at 2:10 pm, the older gentleman in Bed 4 suddenly started convulsing. The catheter was accidentally driven deeper into the blood vessel, and blood went everywhere. Melody was called to handle it, but after the convulsions subsided, the patient refused to let anyone treat his wound. Tiffany pushed Melody forward. "Mel, go and talk to him. He often listens to you." Melody checked the time. It was already 2:45 pm. She looked at the older gentleman, who was lying there with a defiant look on his face and blood all over him. She said to Tiffany, "There's a hematoma removal surgery at 3:00 pm with Dr. Chesson. Go and assist him. I'll handle things here." A hematoma removal wasn't too difficult, so Tiffany agreed. She went to the operating room. Jeremy was discussing something with the anesthesiologist. He paused when he saw Tiffany. Then, he asked, "Where is Melody? Why isn't she here?"