Mysterious Mr.Richard novel Chapter 55

In the Jackson Hospital cafeteria.

Alex was giving his ribs to Pearl, but she was absent-minded.

"Did Richard trouble you?"

Alex's words pulled Pearl back. "No."

"Ok. Here, eat."

"Thanks."

Alex was quiet. He did not talk too much, but he was very caring.

The pork ribs were very delicious, but for some reason, it tasted like wax to her today.

"Alex, when did you know about Richard and me?"

"Why did you mention this?"

"I thought you didn't know before."

Pearl had never asked Alex about this for these years. When she was abroad, she thought Alex had no idea about her history with Richard, just like her other friends back home.

Until the two children ran up to Richard, he drove her there. He was not surprised when he saw Richard, and he didn't ask her anything.

"When we were in our second year, I happened to see you hang out with him around school," Alex replied.

"Second year? You've known for that long?" Pearl seemed to be lost in her thoughts.

He kept this a secret for almost ten years, but he had never mentioned it once.

Seeing that Pearl was silent, he asked, "in fact, I've always wanted to ask you if he was Brandon and Bonny's father. I thought that your leaving was a bit sudden and maybe you had your reasons, but I was afraid that you would be upset if I asked you."   

"No. It has nothing to do with him." Pearl forced a smile.

Alex was about to say something else, but interrupted by a phone call.

Pearl took out her phone, "Hello?"

"..."

"Now?" 

"..."

"Ok, I got it. I'm on my way."

After hanging up, Alex asked, "What's wrong?"

"The crew will start shooting again, so they asked me to go back as soon as possible. I have to go now." Pearl took her bag and rushed off.

Alex stood up too and said to her, "I'll fetch you home after work."

Pearl walked in a hurry, so she made a gesture of OK from a distance.

In the operating room, as soon as Pearl arrived, she saw that Richard was still on set and sitting behind the camera. Evelina was standing beside him, pointing to the camera and explaining the scenes that they were replaying. She looked so flirtatious, and her body language showed that they were very close.  

Pearl frowned and was going to go forward when the stylist stopped her. He shoved her a sterile suita, "Dr. Yonng, you'll need to change into this."

"Me?"

"The director said that the operating scene is too difficult for Evelina, so he decided to ask you as a double for the scene that zooms in on the hands. Dr. Yonng, since you're a doctor, then you can be double."

Pearl was pushed into the locker room to change, before she could say something.

The professional guidance in the contract signed with the crew also included the necessary professional demonstration, but Evelina didn't want her to be on the camera, especially as a double, otherwise she wouldn't have spent the whole morning practicing.

When Pearl finished changing, Evelina found out that she was going to be her double. She immediately got mad and stomped her feet, "I've been practicing the entire morning. Why did you ask her to be my double? I don't need a double."

The director, Mr. Blake, said unhappily, "You've been practicing for the whole morning, but you're still so stiff. You can wait, but the production crew can't afford to wait. Dr. Yonng will stand-in and be your double, and you'll be reading the lines. Okay, get cameras ready."

Although Mr. Blake always supported Evelina, he was a man who had principles. Even if the female lead was important, he had to make sure his work was extraordinary.  

Especially now, the boss of the exclusive investor was here, he could not treat the play at will.

Evelina was outraged. She walked up to the operation table and flashed Pearl a death glance. She muttered in a low voice, "Not bad. You managed to snatch my spotlight in just one afternoon. What have you done?"   

"I have done nothing. Didn't you hear what Mr. Blake said?" Pearl frowned.

"Do you think I'll buy that? You really haven't changed since childhood."

Pearl still wanted to say somehting, but the director had already said "action," so she could only keep silent. 

After Mr. Blake made a gesture, Pearl moved her hands up to the camera. She let the other actor put on gloves for her, then she picked up the scalpel to operate the prop human body.

Evelina was reading the lines beside her while the other camera was filming her face. The microphone was also held up high above her head.  

 During the whole process, Evelina didn't have many lines. She just explained the technical problems of the suture to the "students" who were observing beside her. Quickly, they were done with the scene. 

"Okay, this take was good." Mr. Blake praised her, after they were done.

The shooting team breathed a sigh of relief and showed a smiling face.

"It would have been much easier if we have done this earlier.

"That's right. It's easier for a professional doctor to do it."

......

Pearl accepted others' praise quietly. She lowered her head and packed up the props around her, ignoring Evelina, who was fuming with anger next to her.

"You're so happy, aren't you?" Evelina sneered. "It this your way to payback? Embarrassing me in front of everyone."

Pearl glanced at her and said, "You really think too much. I don't have as much free time as you, always making trouble for others."

"I'm making trouble?" Evelina was so mad that she gnashed her teeth. She looked around and suddenly grabbed the scalpel and pointed it at Pearl. "No one saw you threatening me with the scalpel this morning. I should call the police at that time."

Pearl frowned sightly.

Evelina said angrily, "You're trying to embarrass me in front of Richard, aren't you?"

Hearing that, Pearl finally understood why she was so mad.

Evelina had just lost her position as the ambassador of Zellweger Group. Now she was very worried, so she wanted to show her best for Richard. However, the play was completed by a double. Can she not be angry?

 "What are you doing, Evelina?" Just as she was about to explain herself, someone shouted.

The tone was really frightened. Everyone who was busy packing up was stunned. They looked at both of them, and all their faces turned pale.

Suddenly, Richard sat up straight in his chair.

"No, no." Evelina's face changed. "I did nothing? What are you looking at?"

"Evelina, you just pointed the knife at Dr. Yonng. I saw it. Although you bully people, but that was too much." The staff who spoke was a young girl. She said it in a very low voice and sounded terrified.  

Evelina was choked and speechless.

"You guys misunderstood her." Pearl looked at the crowd calmly. "Evelina was just helping me pack up the props."

 "Give me the knife." Then she held out her hand to Evelina.

She was kind to explain for Evelina, but Evelina was not grateful at all. 

Evelina raised her hand and said in anger, "Who needs your help?"

In a flash, all people gasped one after another.

"Dr. Yonng... You are bleeding..."