The Intruder

Dr. Grace, out of her stubborn and carefree attitude, followed Jim to the ice cream cafe. There was no other ice cream house nearby, so she was sure that she would find him there.

She wanted to see for herself the truth of the humor.

She had known him ever since they started their training in Internal Medicine. He was a silent man and someone aloof from the world. He never hung around to talk idly to anyone. He was so dedicated to his work that you would seldom see him resting in the doctor's lounge. If ever he was there, either he was reading or on a serious business talk. He did not talk much about his private life, and no one knew that his family was one of the shareholders of the group of hospitals he was training in.

She had tried so hard to get close to him, but Jim always found ways to ignore her kindly. She included him in her snacks and meal orders but was politely turned down each time. She tried to help him with his reports and case presentations, but it wouldn't make him stay long enough for her to chat with him. She always reminded him of their activity updates, but she would only get in return those simple "thank you's."

He never involved himself with any women and never seen around any of them. He was simply a cold and mysterious, handsome man!

Dr. Grace, who was known for her diligence and competitiveness, would never accept any failure gracefully. Whatever she yearned for would surely be hers. Rejections were just a few of life's challenges, and challenges were her greatest attractions and obsessions. She looked soft and delicate, moved about gently and gracefully, but all those were only masking the fierce wickedness she kept inside.

The only thing that bound her closely to him was when he agreed to undergo training for fellowship in cardiology in the same institution with her. Only two of them chose cardiology, while the rest of their batch decided on different specialties.

Even in a foreign land, he did not help her in processing her application. He did not ask for her whereabouts, where she stayed, and when she would start. Thanks to her intelligence and persistence. She successfully linked herself to where he would be.

As she watched them sweetly pecking at each other, she got annoyed! How long had they been with each other? And they had a five-year-old child already?

Hearing footsteps coming towards them, Jia and Jim looked up and were greeted with a warm smile.

"Hi!" Dr. Grace looked at Jim and then at Jia, who both got surprised to see her.

"Sorry to bother you both, I just happened to see you as I passed by,  so I'm here  to say hi!" Her smile did not fade while she went on with her pretense.

Jim just nodded and smiled lightly, not convinced at all. He was used to the game she had long played with him, the boring 'hide and seek.'

"Dr. Jim, may I have the honor to be introduced to your first lady?" Dr. Grace shifted her gaze over to Jia, her smile still not lifted from her lips.

"Hmmn." He looked at Jia lovingly, as if asking for her approval. Jia smiled back at him, a smile that boiled up her intruder's envy deep inside.

"Sweetheart, meet Dr. Grace, my co-trainee.  And Dr. Grace, meet my wife, Mrs. Wayne. We got married six years ago." Then, Jim's eyes went over to Jian, to which Dr. Grace followed. "And this is Jian, our son."

Jia then extended a hand to Dr. Grace with a warm smile.

"Dr. Jim, you're such a cheater. You never told us about this way back when we were yet in the first year of our Internal Medicine training."

She said this to hurt Jia. She wanted her to know that they knew and had been with each other for already many years.

Jim just smiled. Jim didn't owe her anything.

Dr. Grace nodded and smiled, then fixed his gaze at the child.

"Dr. Jim, he's such a handsome boy just like you!"