Page 71 of Billionaire’s Promise

I had no idea all this gossip was going on, and I didn’t like it. People never talked about me. Apart from how nice I was, or rather how big a doormat I was. Anyway, that meant I had to kick Kai out of my clinic.

Well, perhaps after I see this couple from Cheng Du, China.

“Hi, I’m Dr. June Bennet, nice to meet you.”

“You speak pu tong hua?” The woman answered with a strong accent.

“No, I’m sorry. Dui bu qi, ni xu yao fan yi ma?” It meant, ‘sorry, do you need a translator’?

Normally, for our overseas clients, we would ask if they needed a translator before the appointment. The language barrier somehow slipped through the cracks, but we’d soon fix that.

“Yes. Yes.” The couple both nodded at my question.

Immediately, I called our translator, but he didn’t pick up.

The couple exchanged a few words to each other, then the husband got up and left. I couldn’t tell if he was angry that we weren’t prepared. And he was partly correct, if he was, we should have done a better job at going over their file. I made a note to discuss it with Siti before I called the translator again but it went straight to voicemail. Then I asked Siti to find him.

The wife stared at me with nothing but an awkward smile. And in return, I gave her an even more awkward smile, with an apology.

A few minutes later, the husband came back to the room with someone. I could hear as he approached the door that he was laughing at something funny.

Kai.

He shouldn’t be here.

“Oh no, no, no he’s not our translator.” I shook my head, feeling a little embarrassed that my patients had misunderstood me completely. “Siti, can you…”

“It’s okay, Dr. Bennet.” Kai put on a straight face and a tone that indicated there was nothing non-professional between us. Then he poked his head out of the room to let Siti know to ignore my last demand.

I watched Kai and the couple, talking and laughing among themselves. They talked like they had known each other for years, like they were just a bunch of good friends catching up at a coffee shop. I felt like a massive third wheel or fourth in this case, like I should take the hint and leave my own office and let them get on with their conversation.

Two very long minutes later, the woman said to me teasingly, “you lucky girl.”

Now I couldn’t wait to drill Kai on what they were saying to each other in Chinese.

“Dr. Bennet, are you aware that you have an award-winning actress and director sitting in your office?” Kai raised one of his eyebrows. No, of course, I didn’t know. And I appreciated his knowledge on this matter. I should have guessed, the couple were exceptionally attractive. Especially the wife, she had one of those flawless, dewy Korean skin tones that was nearly impossible to obtain unless you lived indoors twenty-four seven all while never being exposed to the sun.

“Do I? I’m so sorry. It was very ignorant of me.” I said apologetically.

“No, it’s okay. This guy is more famous.” Mr. Song pointed his finger at Kai.

“He makes the news more than us.” Then he let out a hearty laugh. His English had a very strong accent, but it was perfectly understandable. It seemed like he had no problem understanding me either. We would have no problem having our session without a translator. Without Kai.

I made a mental note for Siti to do a little research on the internet for our patients from now on, just to make sure that we knew who walked through the doors. Not in a weird spying, privacy-invading way – just the normal stuff that was widely available on the web. We could have the president of some country sitting in front of me and I wouldn’t know, due to my lack of interest in following news or global political affairs.

“Have I seen anything that you made?” I asked, attempting to make conversation. And to test my patient’s English, to collect enough proof that we didn’t need Kai there.

“In Chinese mainly.” The man added.

More proof that he understood me, but did the woman?

They switched back to Chinese again like they were discussing something they didn’t want me to know.

“Oh, that’s a shame.” And I really meant it. I have never pointed at a TV or billboard at someone and said, oh I treated him or her. It was something that I never planned to do due to patient-doctor confidentiality. But it would be nice to have the fantasy though.

“Mr. Song said he will send you some links later.”

“Thanks.” I wondered if it would be weird to see my clients on the screen, knowing that I had seen their most private parts.