"How's the situation?"
Martin walked into the emergency room and saw Sarah and Kate sitting there. He asked softly.
Sarah, her eyes red, stood up and hugged Martin tightly.
"Thank you, thank you, Martin. You saved Rachel. The doctor gave her a shot and said she'll be fine once the swelling goes down. The doctor also said if we hadn't gotten here in time, she—"
At this point, Sarah's tears threatened to spill again.
The middle-aged woman had never been so frightened in her life. Holding onto Martin was like clutching a comforting pillow—she didn't want to let go.
Kate also stepped forward, patting Sarah's back to comfort her. "It's over, it's all over. Rachel's fine now."
Just then, the female doctor came out of the emergency room. "Who's Rachel's family?"
"Me, I'm her mother," Sarah said quickly. "Is she okay?"
The doctor glanced at the medical chart. "She's fine. We've identified the allergen—it's maple syrup. Your daughter is allergic to maple syrup, so be careful in the future."
"Oh, thank goodness. She's never had maple syrup before, so we didn't know she was allergic."
"To be precise, she's allergic to a component in maple syrup—Holy crap, Martin? Is that you?!"
The doctor's eyes widened in shock and disbelief as she stared at Martin.
Martin quickly put a finger to his lips. "Shh, don't draw attention."
"Got it, I understand. Can I take a photo with you?"
"Let's go to the room. Sarah wants to see Rachel anyway. Oh, and can Rachel leave now?"
"Of course, she can leave anytime. Wait, this girl isn't your—"
"Hey, what are you talking about? Rachel's twelve. Unless I had her when I was three, that's impossible! She's a friend. I just brought her here."
The doctor laughed. "Sorry, that was silly of me. Talking to you, it's hard to believe you're only sixteen!"
Martin smiled. "Well, I'll take that as a compliment."
When they entered the room, Rachel was sitting on the hospital bed, bored and playing with her fingers.
Seeing them come in, Rachel's eyes lit up. "Mom, Auntie Kate, Martin, I'm fine, right?"
"Oh, sweetheart, you're fine!" Sarah hugged her daughter. "You have to thank Martin. He got you here in time. Oh, and Auntie Kate—she stayed with us the whole time."
The doctor then noticed another celebrity in the room—Kate Winslet.
"Oh, Kate, I'm sorry I didn't notice you earlier. I loved your performance in Titanic."
Kate smiled. "It's fine. Standing next to the stunning Legolas, it's normal to be overlooked."
The doctor chuckled awkwardly.
After taking photos with Martin and Kate, the three left the hospital with Rachel.
"Are we going back to the party?"
Kate checked the time and said to Sarah, "You and Rachel can stay at my place. It's too late, and the party's probably over by now."
Martin nodded. "Where do you live? I'll take you there."
Kate and Sarah thanked Martin, and Kate gave him her address. She then called Leonardo to briefly explain the situation.
The three got into Martin's car and headed to Kate's place in Los Angeles.
Rachel and Sarah, being slimmer, sat in the cramped back seat, while Kate took the passenger seat.
On the way, Rachel suddenly tapped Martin's back and whispered, "I forgot to say it earlier—thank you, Martin!"
Martin, who was driving, didn't turn around but replied softly, "You're welcome."
Kate's house in Los Angeles was a beachfront villa in Newport Beach.
As one of Southern California's—and the world's—most famous luxury coastal resorts and a major fashion shopping hub, properties here were incredibly expensive.
Even with Kate's wealth, she could only afford a small villa here.
The villa had white walls and a red roof, giving it a refined look.
Kate had Martin drive straight into the garage.
Sarah gently woke Rachel, who had fallen asleep in the car. "Sweetheart, we're at Auntie Kate's. Let's go inside and sleep in a proper bed."
"Mmm, so tired, Mom," Rachel mumbled, half-asleep.
"Sarah, you and Rachel go upstairs first. You know where the guest room is."
"Okay, thank you, Kate."
"Hey, no need for that between us."
After her friend led the drowsy Rachel upstairs, Kate turned to Martin. "It's so late. Why don't you stay?"
Martin smiled. "Sure."
Kate quietly led Martin to the master bedroom on the second floor, careful not to disturb Sarah and Rachel in the study downstairs.
"You go shower first," Kate said.
"No, let's go together," Martin replied, scooping Kate up in his arms.
Kate let out a surprised gasp, feeling the strength in Martin's arms.
This guy is really strong!
Half an hour later, the two were under the covers, about to get intimate.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Kate, sorry, can I come in?"
It was Sarah's voice.
Instinctively, Kate pushed Martin's head under the covers and called out, "Sarah? Come in."
Sarah walked in, wearing only her underwear. Before Kate could react, she quickly slipped into Kate's bed.
"Sweetie, keep me company. What happened today was so scary—I can't sleep."
Sarah hadn't noticed the unusual situation under the covers or her friend's stiffened body. She hugged Kate's shoulders and pleaded.
Kate stammered, "Uh, um, well..."
Before she could figure out how to respond, Sarah giggled and lightly hit Kate. "You're still the same as before, huh?"
Kate was confused. "What do you mean, 'the same as before'?"
"Heh, don't you remember? When we were young, we used to sleep together all the time. Back then, you were just as naughty—your hands would wander all over me."
No, it's that little pervert Martin!!!
"Look, you're still doing it. Well, I won't hold back either!"
Sarah seemed to recall the wild times she and Kate had shared in their youth. Her cheeks flushed as she reached out.
"Don't—" Before Kate could stop her, Sarah's hand had already found its target.
"Huh? Your muscles are so firm now. Wait, what's this—ah!"
Martin's head popped out from under the covers, grinning mischievously. "Hello, Mrs. Sarah. Could you let go of me now?"