The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 498 Tell No One

It was a busy morning for Anthony. At noon, he called Autumn to check if she had eaten lunch.

It pleased him to hear Autumn's tender voice on the phone. He could even imagine the scene that she held Shirley in her arms with a meek expression.

Deep inside, Anthony desperately wished that Autumn would stay with him indefinitely. But he knew no matter how hard he hoped, the woman and her baby belonged to someone else. And one day, they would have to leave.

"Well, I have to go now. See you later," he said. Anthony could not help smiling.

Autumn spoke up,"If you're busy, you don't have to call me. I can look after Shirley and myself."

"Got it!" Anthony replied. Anthony settled back in his chair, dreaming of the mother and baby.

He knew Autumn was not a child and could handle herself and care for the baby. But it felt good to take care of her and do everything for her sake.

Anthony ended the call and turned around.

He was startled to see Andy, standing afar, but with eyes fixed on him. The gaze made the doctor feel uncomfortable.

As his uneasiness increased, the doctor nervously put his phone behind his back. "Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Xu?" he asked, his voice carrying fluster.

"Yes," Andy replied, his lips pursed. He noticed Anthony suddenly looked panic-stricken and was more certain the doctor was hiding something.

"What is it that you need?" Anthony asked again. Slowly, he calmed his nerves and now looked composed as he went on talking to Andy, "Please tell me what I can do for you."

Andy hesitated to check Anthony's reaction. "Well, I do have several questions for you," he told the doctor. Anthony wanted to fidget under Andy's gaze.

"Okay, I'm listening," he said in his professional tone.

Andy opted to be frank and went straight to the point. "You must have heard of Autumn's disappearance," he said while watching Anthony's reaction. "Charles has scoured the whole Y City looking for her. I want to know if..." he paused. "If Autumn ever contacted you," Andy finished.

The doctor schooled his features to hide any reaction. "What? Why would she get in touch with me?" he asked. He attempted a laugh, but it was an awkward sound that came out. Anthony thought of how to respond. "I am only the physician in charge of Autumn. If ever she has problems, wouldn't she turn to you, her family, for help instead of her doctor?" he pointed out.

Andy hid his irritation. "But you are also her friend aside from being her doctor." Andy deliberately brought up the subject of Autumn's disappearance, hoping to see how Anthony would react.

To Anthony's credit, he showed no signs of concern about his missing patient. But he was rather quick to distance himself from Autumn, which again triggered Andy's suspicion.

The doctor tried to defend himself and raised an eyebrow as he replied,"Mr. Xu, I think you're quite mistaken. I feel sorry for what happened to her, but I have nothing to do with her disappearance." He made it very clear to Andy that Autumn was only a patient and that was the extent of their relationship. "I truly am sorry for what happened to her. But I know nothing else," he clarified again.

Andy's brow raised slightly. "I never implied you were involved," he said. "But please, tell me if Autumn ever called you," he urged, looking keenly at the doctor.

Anthony struggled to control himself. "I already said she did not," the doctor replied. He then added, "And it makes no sense for her to contact me."

Andy sighed in disappointment. "Well, if she does come to you, we would appreciate knowing about it immediately. It's not only Charles but my parents-in-law, my wife and I who are worried about her and hoping she will return safely." Andy kept his face impassive but still felt irritated.

Anthony nodded. "I will do that." The doctor added, "If I meet her, I will pass on your message."

Andy gave a small nod and thanked Anthony. He said, "Please get back to work. I have to return to my wife and watch over her."

On his way back to Abby's ward, Andy still had a nagging suspicion about Anthony. He decided to have his men closely monitor the doctor. From the hospital, Anthony went straight to the market to buy ingredients for tomorrow's meals. As soon as he arrived at the apartment, he went straight to the room and found Autumn and Shirley asleep on the bed. He smiled upon seeing their peaceful expressions. He left the room quietly and went to the kitchen to start cooking.

It was crucian for dinner tonight. Since Autumn came to live with him, Anthony would prepare a different soup each day. Autumn woke up and was led to the kitchen by the aroma of food.

At the doorway, she rubbed still drowsy eyes. Autumn took a deep breath and said, "I wondered what the pleasant smell was," Autumn said. "I should have guessed it was you cooking."

"Hello, Autumn!" Anthony called out as he sprinkled chopped green onions on the fish soup. "Dinner is ready. Go wash your hands," he instructed.

Autumn nodded and obeyed. At the dinner table, Anthony filled a bowl with rice for her. "Where's Shirley?" he asked. Anthony kept on chattering as he served Autumn. "Did she behave while I was away? Did she cry a lot?" He kept bombarding her with questions.

Autumn inhaled before replying, "No, she hasn't been crying. Once I give her milk, she falls asleep. Before you arrived, she was up but fell asleep after drinking milk." She remembered her delight at taking care of the baby. 'She's a good baby, so it's easy to take care of her,' she said to herself inside. Autumn continued to bask in joy as she thought of her child.

"Is she now?" Anthony replied with a twinkle in his eyes. He, too, adored Shirley and was very fond of her. Having spent a week staying with Shirley, Anthony became more fond of this obedient baby. He already treated her as his own daughter. When he went to work today, he missed his little girl very much.

Thinking about the day when the mother and daughter had to leave, he knew he would feel miserable and empty.

"Everything looks delicious!" Autumn exclaimed happily. She ignored Anthony's quiet moment. As she sipped the soup, Autumn couldn't stop complimenting Anthony. "You could open your own restaurant if you weren't a doctor. You're a terrific cook. And I bet your restaurant will be a big hit."

Anthony teasingly pouted. "No thanks! It's already hectic taking care of you, and you still want me to cook for others? You wish!" he joked.

Autumn gave him a faint smile. Since she moved into Anthony's apartment, their relationship became closer. Each time the doctor would crack a joke, his patient would smile.

Autumn slowly straightened herself.

The first time Anthony brought her to his home, Autumn looked like she would take her own life the minute he left her.

Suddenly he remembered the news that Autumn needed to know. Anthony scowled at the memory. "There is one thing you should know," he began. "Abby gave birth to a boy. They're both in the hospital," Anthony said without emotion.

Autumn froze at the news of her aunt's giving birth early. She tried her best to smile. "Did she?" she asked.

"I was told it was a premature delivery. Your aunt became stressed after learning about your accident. So she had an early labor. The baby was incubated for several days, but he's strong now," the doctor reported. He fixed his gaze on Autumn, and asked gingerly,"Are you truly going to keep hiding here for the rest of your life?" Their secret was slowly taking a toll on the doctor. "Charles has no idea you're here. But Andy..." he paused. "I think he suspects I know something, and I don't know how long I can keep him in the dark," Anthony admitted.

"As long as you can," Autumn said firmly. "I'll think of something else when they're close to replaceing me here," she declared.