Sue shook her head and said, “Which of their ns would involve a psychologist?”


    Nina shook her head to show that she did not know. Percy was on an overseas business trip, and she


    did not know what was going on.


    Sue looked at Luca, who had been keeping silent. “Luca, aren’t you working at the T Corporation


    building? Have you heard any stories?”


    “If Mr. Crawford and Mr. Doyle were really nning something, they would have done so in secret. I’m


    only a researcher, so what could I possibly know? I hear many other employees gossiping about the


    news, and that’s about it,” Luca said with a smile. She ate thest bite of the cake and felt full.


    She did not want to hear her friends talk about the issue. The taste of the cake seemed to have


    changed, and the cream clung to her throat and made it hard to breathe.


    Luca was uneasy for the rest of the party.


    Until the party ended, Luke and Jason remained upstairs discussing something.


    The other parents came and brought their children away. Only Kari, Teri, and Tommy were left in the


    living room. They were tired from the party games and were sitting on the couch watching cartoons on


    the television.


    Luca and Nina helped Sue clean up the mess in the living room.


    Even though the children were well-behaved, messing up the living room was inevitable because there


    were so many of them.


    Sue sighed with relief and said, “Thanks to you two for helping me. If it were left up to me and the


    caretaker, we don’t know how long it’ll take us. Now, I finally understand why Jason suggested hosting


    the birthday party at an event venue. It’s so much of a hassle to clean up.”


    “It’s true that party venues are more convenient, but I’m sure that the children would appreciate it better


    when you host their birthday party at home,” Nina smiled and said.


    After they tidied up the ce, Luca saw that it was getting quitete. She told Sue that she wanted to


    go home.


    Nina said, “Are you going home? I can send you back.”


    Luca thought that it was a good idea, so she agreed to it.


    After they got into Nina’s car, Nina drove the car toward Luca’s apartment. None of them said anything


    until Luca broke the silence and asked, “You haven’t been sleeping well recently, have you?”


    Nina was surprised. She asked, “Did my makeup wear off?”


    “No, your makeup is perfect, but I can see that,” Luca said as she pointed at her eyes. “I can tell that


    your eyes are quite puffy under the makeup.”


    Nina smiled when she heard that. “I didn’t expect you to see through the fa?ade. Indeed, I haven’t been


    sleeping welltely.”


    “People in modern times face a lot of stress, and that might be the cause of poor sleep quality. You


    don’t have to worry though, you can alleviate the symptoms through medication,” Luca said. She did


    not know the exact source of Nina’s stress, but she could guess that it had something to do with her


    family and Percy.


    If Nina could have a good night’s sleep, she would be able to think more clearly. Things would not get


    any better for Nina if she did not sleep well, and the stress would only umte.


    She did not want to imagine what would happen to Nina if this went on.


    “I regrly take sleeping pills, but so many things have been happeningtely, and the pills don’t really


    have any effect on me anymore,” Nina said. She did not know why she told Luca more personal things.


    She was only acquainted with Luca a while ago, but it felt as though she had known Luca for a long


    time.


    “Have you consulted a psychologist? In any case, you might be able to find some relief if you change a


    different type of medication or if you can find a friend to talk to about your problems. A good night’s


    sleep is more important than anything else,” Luca said.


    The Nina she knew was cheerful and outgoing, but the Nina sitting next to her now was like a different


    person.


    Luca did not want to see her that way.


    Nina smiled. She was about to reply when her phone started to ring.


    She was unwilling to answer the call, but she put on the Bluetooth headset and answered it anyway.


    “What?”


    The call was from Jean. Nothing good could possiblye out from him.


    Jean’s voice was loud and uncouth. “Where are you now?” He yelled.


    “I’m driving. Why?” Nina said brusquely. She did not lose her temper because Luca was sitting next to


    her.


    She waste for the birthday party because of Jean. He had tried to get her to go home so that he


    could ask for more money from her.


    She went back home but did not give him any money. After yelling at each other for a while, Nina


    mmed the door and left the house.


    “Mom is in the hospital now because of you, and the doctor is trying to resuscitate her! Do you think


    you can neglect your mother just because you have money now?” Jean said brazenly.


    Nina was shocked when she heard that her mother was in the hospital again, but she knew that Jean


    might be lying to her. “Are you telling the truth?” She said.


    “I’m not in the mood to lie now. I’m at the payment counter. If you don’t believe me, you can hear the


    noises behind me. The doctor wants me to pay the bill now, and I don’t have any money. If you don’t


    come soon, the doctor will send Mom home!” Jean said and lifted the phone into the air.


    Nina heard the usual hospital sounds over the phone, and her expression changed drastically. She


    knew that Jean would lie to her to get money from her, but he would not deliberately run to the hospital


    to do so.


    She considered the possibility that her mother and her brother might conspire to scam her money, so


    she said, “Which hospital is it? I’ll go over now.”


    When Luca heard that, she turned her head and looked at Nina.


    Jean told her the name of the hospital, cursed for a bit, and hung up.


    Nina took off the Bluetooth headset and stopped the car at the side of the road. “I’m sorry about this,


    but I can’t send you home. There’s a cab stand nearby. Shall I drop you there?”


    “What’s wrong?” Luca asked out of concern instead of getting out of the car.


    “My mom is in the hospital now. I want to go over and see what’s going on,” Nina said.


    Luca nodded, but she remained in the car and said, “I have some medical skills. How about you bring


    me to the hospital? I’d like to see if I can help.”


    Nina had heard from Sue about Luca’s medical skills. She did not hesitate for too long before agreeing,


    “Alright, thank you.”


    “Don’t mention it. I don’t know if I can be of any help,” Luca said.


    Nina started the car again, made a U-turn, and drove toward the hospital.


    At the hospital, she found Jean and tugged his shirt sleeve. “Where’s Mom?”


    Jean pulled his arm away annoyedly and said, “What took you so long? The doctors and nurses are


    checking up on her inside.”


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    When Nina heard that, she felt her head spin.