Frustrated and angered, Brianna gave him a nudge on his chest, but Jacob simply grunted and went on chopping while holding Brianna's hand. Angrily, Brianna stomped on his foot, and somehow she lost balance and flipped the knife sideward and cut Jacob's finger.
To Brianna's surprise, Jacob deliberately cut it deeper as he was still holding Brianna's hand. It was dripping blood instantly. Brianna panicked and quickly took him over to the sink and ran water down his finger.
The cut was so deep that the sink was soon dyed with blood. Brianna panicked. Holding his finger tight, she led Jacob to the living room and asked the maid to get the first aid box, thinking of bandaging it now and take him to the hospital afterward.
Just then, Scott had just finished a phone call and came in to see Brianna holding Jacob's bloody hand anxiously.
Angered, he marched over and pulled Brianna aside. Seeing the blood on Jacob's hand and the floor, he frowned. "How the hell did you cut your finger?!" He asked worriedly.
Jacob watched Scott's worried face and was pleased despite the pain. He answered casually, "I asked Brianna to teach me how to cook. Don't worry. It's nothing."
"It's nothing?! Do you see how deep the cut is?!"
The maid brought the first aid box, and Scott bandaged it swiftly. "The cut is too deep. It will need stitching. I will take you to the hospital now."
"No, I don't want to go to the hospital. Scott, you know I hate the smell there." Jacob said pitifully and leaned on Scott's shoulder.
"Alright. I will call for a doctor." Scott made a phone call to the Anderson Private Hospital to send a doctor over.
Brianna stood aside, watching quietly and feeling terribly sorry. Yet, the guilt was soon replaced by a strange feeling. In the past two months, she had never seen Scott care about someone so much. Looking at Scott's anxious look and Jacob resting his head on his shoulder so intimately, she wasn't sure how to think of it.
Am I actually feeling jealous? She asked herself. He's too charming, isn't he? I mean, he can charm a fifty-year-old lady like Sophia as well as a young lad like Jacob! Jacob has cut himself deliberately to get Scott's attention! I'm jealous because of a mid-aged woman, AND a young guy! Brianna was rather shocked by her own realization. Jealous?! Scott and I aren't in love. It's just a deal we made with each other. She tapped her head to wake herself up from her thoughts.
Scott looked at Brianna and said rather sternly, "Aren't you making breakfast?"
"Right," Brianna said and hurried to the kitchen. She couldn't help recalling what had happened while preparing breakfast.
When she was done and came out of the kitchen, the doctor had arrived and was stitching Jacob's finger.
She clenched her hands nervously as she watched as if she could feel the pain, yet then she noticed that Jacob was looking at Scott with a smile, his eyes were shining with admiration and affection, while Scott was holding his other hand and comforting him, "It will be done soon."
"Scott, please don't worry. This is nothing, really. I've hurt myself much worse before."
The following days, Jacob stayed at Home for Sol with the excuse that he couldn't let his parents see that he was injured, that if they did, they would go mad, and his father would not even allow him to work for The Anderson Corporation any more.
To get Scott's attention, Jacob took a long cold shower and went to sleep naked with the AC on all night, blowing cold air right at himself, and as he had planned, he caught a cold. He refused to see the doctor or to have the servants look after him. Scott had tried to persuade him and sweet-talked him, but Jacob refused to listen till Scott agreed to stay home to take care of him.
Scott stayed in Jacob's room most of the time, checking on him while working with his laptop. Brianna, of course, had to stay at home as well and take Scott's orders, be it to cook a light meal or make tea for Jacob. It was all for Jacob.
If I was the one who got sick, would he ever look after me this way? Brianna couldn't help wondering. Very likely not. Definitely not. They are best friends, or actually probably more than just friends. And who am I to him anyway?
What upset her even more was that Jacob later insisted that Scott should sleep with him as he kept having nightmares and was too scared to be in the room alone at night. So the two ended up sharing a bed.
A few days later, Brianna's feelings towards Jacob had developed from dislike to resentment. Whenever Scott's not watching, she would glare at Jacob angrily while Jacob would respond with a victorious smile.
To get revenge, Brianna would put extra salt in Jacob's food. To make Scott stay with him for longer, Jacob would deliberately tear the cut deeper and asked Scott to bandage it for him.
Five days later, Brianna gave up. Frustrated and angered, she skipped dinner that night and locked herself in her room. After lying on the bed and beating the pillow for some time, she thought she had to redirect her focus, and so she took out her sketchbook, planning on working on her designs. It was, however, useless as she found herself thinking of nothing but what Scott and Jacob would be doing.
She looked out of the window and saw the pond in the garden. I shall go for a walk. She thought and went down for a stroke in the garden.
She seemed to feel a bit better in the open air slowly. She stopped by the pond, lay down on the bench next to it, and watched the night sky.
The light in Jacob's room was still on. He must still be looking after him. Brianna thought and heaved a sigh.