There was an awkward silence in the car. This awkwardness didn't even allow them, neither the Klan nor Cali, to strike a proper conversation. The fact that they were alone in the cabin brought back memories of their previous night.
" Here we are." Klan finally said after he parked the car.
Cali looks through the car's windshield. She saw a white building in an urban area. There were emergency vehicles parked in front, and people coming in and out. All the signs indicated that it was a public hospital.
Honestly, she had imagined that with the kind of shit they had gotten themselves into, Klan was going to choose the most secluded, private VVIP clinic.
"This place is neither isolated nor truly private," Cali was intrigued.
"It's the most appropriate place, we can easily go in unnoticed rather than in a private clinic where most of the powerful family's doctors work. »
" Not wrong! Cali nodded.
wealthy families in this kind of circle _where open secrets were circulating easily_ had, in one way or another, connections with other wealthy families. they all knew and met often with each other. Moreover, nothing could remain secret if one of them came to learn about it. likewise, paparazzi or other high society magazine journalists kept watch of this kind of place known to gather socialites, on the lookout for a scoop; the more scandalous, the better.
Cali couldn't bring herself to live in the spotlight or even have her life exposed in the tabloid press. What would his family, those around him, especially the Klan grandparents, think?
As she and Klan walked through the hospital's hallways, Cali became more and more nervous, her throat became dry, her hands and feet shook with every step they took, and her heart raced like the Tam-tams. during a tribal rite. They finally stopped in front of a door.
'Knock Knock'
Klan knocked on the door.
" Yes! come in please." A muffled voice from behind the door permitted them to come in. A bespectacled young man in a white coat rose and came to greet them when they entered. He wasn't as young as Klan but he couldn't be considered old either.
Klan introduced the young doctor: "Cali, this is Doctor Melun, he is the one who will be in charge of our case from now on."
Cali was a little confused, despite everything, she shook the hand that the doctor extended to her
"Please take a seat." doctor Melun invited them to sit down.
Cali took advantage of the moment when the doctor turned his back toward them to seek explanations from Klan. In a split second, she pulled Klan by the arm, causing him to bow down so that his ear was within reach of Cali's lips.
She immediately whispered to him, "Isn't he a little too young? is he at least trustworthy?"
As most people thought, Cali also believed that wisdom comes with old age, young people these days had difficulties keeping their mouths shut. She knew it because she, too, was one of the light-spoken young people who could have revealed so many secrets if, thank God, she hadn't inadvertently forgotten them.
Klan smiled at her and stroked the hand that had held him by the elbow as he sat up. This skin-to-skin contact made her flinch.
" Don't worry " Klan also whispered.
"That's right, you don't have to worry" the doctor replied
Oops... did he hear Cali's whisperings? it wasn't her intention to doubt the doctor's professional ethics, Cali herself wouldn't have liked it if she were in his shoes right this instant. Being doubted like that would have felt like crap. And now he had heard and even answered to reassure her. She now felt embarrassed and would have liked to disappear into a hole.
"Mr. Artus had already explained your circumstances to me and you can count on my professionalism and my discretion, moreover, we have reached an agreement whose terms I do not wish to break in any way." the doctor said with a beaming smile.
" Agreement?" Cali tilted her head to observe Klan suspiciously.
"I'll tell you about it later, for now..." Klan glanced at the doctor, as a signal for him to begin.
"Well, from what Mr. Artus explained to me beforehand, we cannot assure at this early stage, since it would be difficult to determine whether there was impregnation or not. »
" What do you mean? Cali asked
"To put it short and simple…since your intercourse was only yesterday, it would be difficult to determine with accuracy through examinations whether there is an ongoing pregnancy or not. If it is not today and the young lady enters her period of ovulation while the male reproductive agents are still in their viability window, between seventy-two and one hundred and twenty hours, there may be impregnation."
"Even with taking the pill, is it still possible for me to get pregnant?" Cali asked intrigued
"I don't want to sound skeptical but, as they say, 'medicine cures but it is the Lord who heals', likewise, one should not have blind faith in contraceptives, cause they are not 100% reliable. Anyway, my role here is to accompany you and back you up if there is a pregnancy, that as discreetly as possible." the doctor concluded
"So, what can we do now?" Klan asked
"Just wait for possible pregnancy symptoms or do some tests in the next few days."
…
'Clack'
The door closed behind Cali and Klan.
Ah!!! Cali sighed heavily, clutching her chest, she thought her heart was going to fall into her stomach. They might not have come out of the inn, but this clearer perspective brought her some relief at some point.
" You're okay?" Klan's face had come a little too close to hers.
Cali turned her head away by reflex. Standing so close to Klan made her unconsciously remember what had happened between the two of them the day before, and she couldn't help but be aware of him. So being alone with Klan was the last thing Cali wanted, at least, until she forgot or got used to that fact, she wanted no physical proximity. Cali had to find something to talk about to avoid another awkward silence.
"How did you find this doctor?" Cali asked as she started walking.
"…I found it while chatting with the receptionists. "
" Really ? and they suspected nothing" She turned around to look at him a little surprised.
"I made sure to," Klan replied briefly.
The fact is, Klan started the discussion with basic gossip, and off the cuff, one of the receptionists came to tell him about the new, young doctor Melun, who had started working at her neighborhood hospital.
Most of the employees, whether those of the company or the people serving the Artus, showed unfailing loyalty to the president, that is to say, the grandfather of Klan. So, there was nothing the old man didn't know, especially about his grandson. That's why to keep his secrets secret, Klan sometimes had to use tricks.
"Why a young doctor... why not an older one?" Cali added
"Because a younger doctor can easily sympathize with people of his age group and have a lot of ambition," Klan answered without beating around the bush.
"So, what did you tell the doc to get him to agree to be loyal to you?" She continued
"Well, I've made him my private doctor," Klan replied as if it were a trivial matter.
" Only this?!" Cali said in disbelief
"Do you honestly believe that it is disadvantageous to be my private doctor? »
The saddest thing is that Klan was not playing cocky in any way. He was simply stating the facts. As the heir and future CEO of the world-famous Artus Group, being associated with his name, moreover being his private doctor could open any doors for anyone, anytime and anywhere.
"Do you want me to drop you off somewhere?" Klan asked, now that they were outside the hospital building.
" Nope! don't bother, I have other business to attend to." Cali scratched her cheek awkwardly, avoiding Klan with her gaze.
So, Klan said in a serious tone, "Cali, we haven't finished our conversation from this morning. »
"I-I know… well…" Cali hesitated.
"I know you want to avoid the topic as much as possible, but it's an important decision we'll have to make sooner or later."