###Chapter 107: Strangers Once More
She glanced over once before looking away.
Cecilia Young never expected that the person who ended up bringing her to the hospital would be Nina Wainwright, the one she disliked the most.
Zachary Hawthorne was just about to leave the hospital, but when he saw her walk in, he turned around and went back inside.
Nina Wainwright had registered Cecilia for the ergency surgical departnt. The doctor gently examined her ankle and said in a warm voice, "It’s just a minor sprain. We’ve already treated it. Go ho, have a family mber apply a warm compress, and rest for a couple of days. You’ll be fine."
Cecilia Young let out a sigh of relief.
"Are there any dicinal plasters?" Nina Wainwright asked the doctor. "She’s a dancer, so her ankles are very important to her."
"A dancer, you say? In that case, I’ll prescribe a few plasters for her." After speaking, the doctor examined her ankle again and added, "Eat more bone-strengthening foods when you get ho. A dancer’s bones can’t be too brittle."
"I understand," Cecilia Young replied in a low voice.
The doctor wrote the prescription, and Nina Wainwright got up to go get the dicine for her.
By the ti she returned, Cecilia Young’s parents had already arrived.
Nina Wainwright gave the dicine to Cecilia’s parents and was about to leave.
"You must be Ms. Walsh’s new student, right? How much was this plaster? I’ll transfer the money to you," Cecilia’s mother said gratefully.
"Okay." Nina Wainwright didn’t have much money on her, so she was more than happy to be reimbursed for the dical expenses.
Cecilia Young glanced at her and spoke up, "And the registration fee. Give her that, too."
"Why must you be so blunt, child? She was kind enough to bring you here because she was worried about your future. Don’t you have any gratitude at all?!" Cecilia’s mother said, displeased.
Cecilia huffed, a little annoyed. "Who said I’m not grateful? We barely make any money each month in the dance troupe. If you don’t pay her back, how is she supposed to get by?!"
Hearing this, her mother couldn’t help but chuckle. "Alright, I get it."
Nina Wainwright stood awkwardly to the side, pressing her lips together without a word.
Cecilia’s mother led Nina Wainwright out of the hospital room. She first apologized, then took out her phone and said warmly, "Thank you for taking precautions with her ankle... This child is inexperienced. Without you, she might have just tried to endure the pain."
"You’re welco. We’re in the sa troupe. It’s what I should do," Nina Wainwright said calmly.
"How much was the registration fee and everything? I’ll transfer it all to you," Cecilia’s mother said.
"Thirty-five," Nina Wainwright replied.
Cecilia’s mother thought about transferring more money to Nina, but she knew it might co across as an insult, so she gave up the idea.
When she returned to the hospital room, Nina Wainwright turned to leave.
As she walked toward the stairwell, she saw Zachary Hawthorne standing at the entrance. Pretending not to know him, she walked around him and headed for the stairs.
"You’re that hard up for cash?" Zachary Hawthorne asked her.
Nina Wainwright didn’t answer, simply walking down the stairs.
Zachary Hawthorne caught up to her and grabbed her wrist. "I told you, if you’re having any financial difficulties, you can tell ."
Nina Wainwright turned to look at him, her eyes calm. "I’m not having difficulties. The thirty million you gave was more than enough. Don’t feel like you still owe anything. We’re even. So please, when you see , treat like a stranger."
After speaking, she pulled her hand free from Zachary’s grasp and quickly walked downstairs.
Nina Wainwright was currently living in the office of Sandra Walsh’s studio. For one, she really didn’t have much money. The dance troupe didn’t pay unless they were on tour, and even then, performing as the center only earned her two or three thousand yuan. That wasn’t even enough to cover her living expenses.
Most importantly, it ant she could find ti to practice dancing in the studio at night.
Back at Sandra Walsh’s studio, Nina Wainwright thought of Zachary Hawthorne’s words and couldn’t help but scoff coldly.
Whenever she was about to think of Zachary Hawthorne, she would throw herself into her dance practice with all her might.
Only by keeping busy could she forget the pain, forget her child and her parents, who were now gone.
Exhausted from dancing, she sat on the floor, staring at her reflection in the mirror.
After sitting for a while, her phone began to ring.
She got up, walked over to her phone, and saw it was a call from Catherine Grant. She answered, asking gently, "What’s up?"
"You’ve been busy for so long. Don’t you miss ?" Catherine Grant asked playfully.
"I have been really busy lately. I’ve even forgotten to miss my friends," Nina Wainwright said, a faint smile in her voice.
"Mr. Pemberton and I are at The Moonlight Bar. Do you want to co? Even if you’re working hard on your dancing, you still need to relax, or you’ll burn out," Catherine said, her voice full of expectation.
"Okay, I’ll be over in a bit." She had run into Zachary Hawthorne, and her mood was already soured.
She couldn’t even focus on her dancing.
"We’ll be waiting for you then!" Catherine’s tone imdiately beca lively.
Nina Wainwright hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and headed to the restroom.
Arriving at The Moonlight Bar, Nina Wainwright looked at the narrow entrance. It felt unfamiliar, yet her conversation with Leo Larkin seed like it had happened just yesterday.
She walked up to the bar on the second floor.
Catherine Grant, who was waiting for her at the entrance, saw her and ran over happily, linking her arm through Nina’s. "Long ti no see!"
"It’s only been about two months. I’ve been busy preparing for the upcoming tour," Nina Wainwright explained to Catherine.
"I know, I know. Co on, let’s get a drink first," Catherine said, pulling her inside.
Walking farther in, Nina saw Adrian Pemberton sitting by the window. Their eyes t, and they exchanged a smile.
Nina Wainwright sat down, placed her handbag in the corner, and asked gently, "You ca here for a drink?"
"Cathy told you know how to mix drinks. I’ve been coming here often lately, hoping to run into you and try one of your cocktails," Adrian Pemberton said with a smile.
"I haven’t kept up with my mixology knowledge recently. I’m probably too rusty," Nina Wainwright said humbly.
"Why don’t you go give it a try?" Catherine Grant urged.
Nina sighed helplessly. "So you just called over to be your personal bartender."
Catherine giggled. "Even though you only worked at this bar for a short ti, there are still plenty of custors who miss your cocktails."
Nina Wainwright had no choice but to get up and head to the bar.
Arriving at the counter, she glanced at Lily and asked, "Can I mix a couple of drinks?"
"It’s not like you quit. Mix them if you want," Lily said coolly.
Ever since she found out Nina had so connection to Zachary Hawthorne, Lily hadn’t dared to be as passive-aggressive as she used to be.
Nina Wainwright stepped behind the bar and started mixing the drinks.
She was focused on her task with her head down, so she didn’t notice soone walk in through the door.
Until the person stood right in front of her.
Nina Wainwright looked up instinctively. Seeing it was Zachary Hawthorne, she frowned.
"Mix a drink," Zachary Hawthorne said.
Nina looked at Lily. "Have her mix it for you."
"Aren’t you an employee at this bar?" Zachary Hawthorne asked, raising his chin.
Nina thought of what Leo Larkin had said.
She was technically an hourly worker... and Leo Larkin’s number one rule was custor service. She shouldn’t refuse Zachary Hawthorne’s request.
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