100 Days to Seduce the Devil

Day Thirty-Two…

~~*****~~

Stephen was slightly disappointed since Cherry knew a different thing about Phantomflake. But he realized something. Phantomflake and the woman with her hid the truth from the entire members of the assassin guild.

But Stephen decided to continue asking Cherry, gathering information from her.

"When she got injured, do you think she also got depression and anxiety because of her injury?"

Cherry fell silent for a moment. She tried to recollect what had transpired in the past. After a while, she gasped when a realization dawned on her.

"Wait. You are not a physical therapist in profession, right? How come you become her doctor? You are a psychologist…" Cherry questioned him.

Stephen smiled faintly and said, "Yes I am a psychologist and at the same time, a psychiatrist. I was a psychology graduate and completed a medical degree in psychiatry." Stephen explained to Cherry.

Cherry just nodded her head, still trying to absorb his words. "You became her doctor. Does it mean… my sis sought help from you." Cherry was quite shocked because she was used to thinking that Phantomflake was a strong-willed woman. She was brave and she never showed weaknesses in front of them.

"Yes… we have a few sessions together to treat her trauma…" Stephen could only share this information with her. He couldn't tell her everything about Phantomflake and her problem. He wondered if she had noticed it before.

When he met Phantomflake, Stephen had no idea that she was an assassin. Now he could speculate that the cause of her trauma originated with one of her missions. A cold glint flashed through his eyes as he closed his fists tightly.

He had seen her in her vulnerable state. He would never forget that. At that time, he felt the urge to remove all her pains. For her to live, Stephen did something to her– Erasing some parts of her memory. This was a secret between Stephen and Phantomflake's guardian.

"If you could remember, how long has she disappeared? I mean, how much time had passed when you met her after she came back from her therapy?" Stephen simply asked her.

"One and a half years… I think. If my estimate is correct."

'Perhaps… my sister got affected so much by her first ever failed mission? All this time, I only thought that she got injured badly. I have never imagined that she was affected emotionally and psychologically.'

Cherry had a sullen look in her eyes when she glanced at Phantomflake. She remembered that year when their former Master took Phantomflake. They went abroad together for her rehabilitation and treatment. Who would have thought that she was already undergoing trauma and depression at that time?

But she did remember that something was off with Phantomflake after that failed mission. After getting treated by their guild's doctor, Phantomflake stayed in her room for two weeks. She shut herself from them. She only thought that maybe Phantomflake was too embarrassed to face them. She seldom failed with her mission. That was the first time it had ever happened.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that she suffered some trauma… I was not there when she needed me…" Cherry felt sorry for Phantomflake. She was also guilty of not helping her in her hardest moment. Phantomflake was someone who always supported them. But where were they when she was suffering alone?

"Life is so unfair… Please, stay strong. Live… you have to wake up." Cherry grabbed Phantomflake's hand and squeezed it gently. She spoke to her with all her heart, hoping that Phantomflake could hear her.

"Dr. Zhou, do you think she can hear now?" She softly asked. She was fighting the urge to cry once again.

Stephen just nodded his head. "Yes. So don't feel guilty anymore. I think your friend hid this from you because she didn't want you to worry. And she didn't want to show you her vulnerable side because, for her, she should look strong and brave inside and out like a role model."

Stephen was consoling Cherry. He could understand Phantomflake's motive. With her character and behavior, he could tell that she didn't want other people to see her vulnerable side, most especially the people close to her.

"This time… I will never leave her side. I will take care of her until she wakes up. I can't let her die. She is my strength… and my only family left…" Cherry began opening up to Stephen.

Talking to Stephen allowed Cherry to express her feelings. No wonder Stephen had become Phantomflake's doctor. He could connect to them easily. Cherry felt comfortable now knowing that Phantomflake trusted this doctor once.

"Don't worry… Nathan and I will do our best to cure her. All of us here want her to survive. Just be with her… talk to her. Let her know that someone is waiting for her. This might help a little to encourage the patient to continue fighting. I can tell that she is fighting so hard to live."

"Thank you, Dr. Zhou…"

"I told you… You should just call me Stephen."

Cherry let out a soft giggle and nodded. "Yes, Stephen. I will."

Knock! Knock!

The two were still talking when they heard a knock outside the door. Stephen and Cherry exchanged looks at each other before moving their gaze to the closed door.

"Come in," Stephen said.

Getting Stephen's cue, Aiden entered the room with a questioning look in his eyes. "Stephen! What are you doing here? No wonder we can't see you in the living room. It turned out you were here." Aiden sounded upset. He was jealous to see Stephen and Cherry together. Furthermore, he heard Cherry's giggle a while ago. It only meant that the two were having fun talking to each other.

"I just dropped by to check the patient. Why are you grumpy? Did Abigail beat you again?" Stephen teased Aiden.

Cherry couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. Aiden was such a weakling. She wouldn't be surprised if he got beaten up by Abigail.

"Shut up, Steph! Abi didn't beat me. We are so close! Bleh!" Aiden stuck his tongue out at Stephen.

"So childish!" Cherry blurted, rolling her eyes at him.

Aiden pouted his lips and put on a pitiful look. Cherry was clearly not on his side. He couldn't understand why this woman hated him so much.