Page 38 of Dr. Damaged Protector

"Is there a particular reason you don't want to talk to me?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, it's just…you look so much like him," she replied. "I know you defended my best friend, but I can't just…"

She sighed and stopped speaking. I understood what she meant. My face was an uncanny replica of my father's face. After my siblings would get punished by him, they would glare at me like I didn't sometimes get punished. The favoritism may have rested on the fact that I looked like him.

"Is that also why you distance yourself from me?" I asked. "Maybe you want a professional work relationship because I reminded you of him."

"I didn't think about it that deeply, but maybe that's another reason why," she responded. "I don't know. I don't want to be in a situation where I'd feel that the reason why I succeed in anything I do is because I allowed my body to be used by someone in power. I know all too well how it feels."

"After seeing it happen to Kate?"

"Hmm?" She raised a brow, then switched expressions almost like she realized something, "Yeah…yeah, that's right. I'm talking about what happened to Kate."

"Right," I nodded, and the drive continued in silence.

Her response made me rethink a lot of things.

HR was the one who suggested her salary because of how efficient she was compared to most of the staff. The hospital was large, and yet it seemed like she had worked with every single person in the hospital. That was the reason for the increase in her original pay. But, considering the fact that we had sex in my office and the next day, she's getting an increase in original pay.

Wait, we didn't have an interview, save for her tasks as a secretary. There needed to be a discussion on how she would get paid. I just saw her, assumed she would be perfect for the role, and hired her on the spot. True, part of it was because of that night in the bar. Maybe she thought the same thing, which caused her discomfort.

Lucas, you dumb fool.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"No, it's… nothing," I answered. "I'm sorry for not respecting proper procedure concerning your job. Hiring you was indeed because of what happened two years ago."

I paused and turned to look at her. She was focused on what I had to say.

"You've proven yourself to be a wonderful asset to me and my hospital," I continued. "So, I would love for our relationship not to be as distant as it is."

"How do we do that?" she asked.

"Hmm, how about a date?" I suggested. "There's a fast-food joint I've been dying to try."

"A medical doctor, having fast food?" she mocked and chuckled. "Isn't that against the rules or something?"

"There's no written rule against it," I shrugged. "So what do you say? Nothing romantic, nothing intimate, just an employer and his employee having a nice out away from the responsibilities of the office."

"Sounds good to me," she said.

I smiled at her, focused on the drive to the office.

****

One problem: I had never been on a date before. I've mentioned this earlier, but as a medical doctor, there was hardly any time to get myself involved with romance. The times I had sex were either intoxication or just an 'in the heat of the moment' kind of situation.

"So now that I think of it, I have no idea what to do," I said to Sebastian on call.

"I have no idea why I was the first person you thought of calling," he answered.

"Who do you suggest I call? My father, mother, or siblings?" I asked.

"Fair enough," he said. "Shall I order flowers?"

"You have no idea how this works either, do you?" I laughed.

"I usually get my daughter flowers," he replied, laughing. "You'll be fine. It's nothing romantic."

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