Wendy shot out an arm to steady her. ‘Are you all right?’
Callie blinked away the black dots. ‘I’m fine. Just needed a sec.’
Her entire left arm felt numb, like she had a dead tree branch attached to her body.
Enduring the weird sensation, Callie removed her mask with her right hand and walked towards the door. ‘Wendy, let me know if anything changes.’
‘Will do, Dr Hawthorne.’
Callie beckoned at Abby, who had not made a sound since she entered the operating theatre. ‘You. Come with me.’
Abby hesitated, her expression a mix of fear and defiance.
But she had no choice but to follow Callie out of the room.
Wendy shook her head as she watched the two women leave.
Though both were surgical residents, in her mind, only one of them could be called a doctor.
As they stepped into an empty hallway, Abby braced herself for a dressing-down. ‘I was only trying to—’
Smack!
Before she could finish her sentence, Callie’s right hand connected solidly with Abby’s cheek, leaving a fiery mark behind.
The sharp sound of the slap reverberated through the hallway.
Abby recoiled, her hand flying to her stinging cheek.
The pain mirrored the shock on her face as she stared at Callie, disbelief written all over her features. ‘You...Did you just hit me?’
Callie stood tall, her eyes blazing with a fire that couldn’t be extinguished. ‘Did you not listen to a word I said? You could’ve killed the patient!’
Abby, her tears welling up, mustered a feeble defence. ‘But he didn’t die, did he?’
‘No thanks to you.’ Callie sneered.
Abby bit her trembling lower lip. ‘Fine, I made a mistake! But that doesn’t give you the right to hit me! You are not my superior! You are just a resident!’
‘Senior resident,’ Callie reminded her.
‘But you still work for my father. He owns this hospital!’ Abby seethed. ‘What do you think he’ll say if he finds out you hit me?’
‘What do you think he’ll say if he finds out you almost killed a patient?’ Callie shot back. ‘A soldier no less?’
Abby couldn’t find a reply to that sharp remark.
So she changed the topic. ‘You just have it in for me because you are jealous! You picked on me because your boyfriend chose me over you! This is revenge!’
Callie’s eyes narrowed, her patience wearing thin.
She wasn’t about to let Abby’s words deflect from the real issue. ‘I couldn’t care less if you’re the director’s daughter or my ex-boyfriend’s new squeeze or the queen of the universe. You deserved that slap, and you’ll deserve more than a slap if you keep repeating stupid mistakes like the ones you made today.’
Before Abby could react further, a familiar figure emerged from Operating Theatre One.
Simon, fresh out of two back-to-back surgeries, approached with weary steps.
His gaze flickered between Callie and Abby, sensing the tension in the air.
‘Abby, what happened?’ he asked, his voice tinged with worry.
His protective instincts kicked in as he noticed the red mark on Abby’s cheek. ‘Did Callie do this to you?’
Abby, tears streaming down her face, nodded pitifully. ‘My face hurts!’
Simon turned to Callie, his eyes filled with disbelief.
He couldn’t fathom why she would resort to violence. ‘Callie, why did you hit Abby?’
‘Why don’t you ask her why I did it?’
Simon looked at Abby, who averted her eyes.
He turned back to Callie, scowling. ‘Even if she did something wrong, violence isn’t the answer!’
Callie, physically and emotionally drained from the exhausting surgeries and the blood loss she had endured, inhaled deeply.
She hadn’t slapped Abby because the woman had taken Simon away from her, but because Abby’s irresponsible actions had put a patient’s life in jeopardy.
Yet, Simon jumped straight to Abbey’s defence without even bothering to find out why.
Callie couldn’t believe this was the man who had been with her for three years, who’d made the most solemn vows to her.
‘Dr Moncrieff, I did slap her. And I’d have done a lot worse if the patient had died.’
‘What patient?’ Simon scowled.
‘Why don’t you ask her?’ Callie turned away. ‘Go comfort your precious girlfriend. Just make sure she never sets foot in the operating theatre again!’
She left before Simon could see the tears welling up in her eyes.
The pain of being admonished by Simon, who seemed more concerned about Abby’s face than the truth, hurt worse than the blood draw.
Callie couldn’t help but wonder: what about the three years they’d spent together?
She had placed her trust in Simon, not just as a colleague but also as a boyfriend, believing that they would eventually build a future together.
Even if their breakup led her to revise her opinion of him as a man, she never doubted his professional integrity.
Simon was a competent doctor.
Yet, it was obvious that he didn’t have the same faith in her.
Tears blurred Callie’s vision, making everything before her appear hazy.
Under a brave facade, her heart throbbed with pain as if it had been ripped in half.
She hurriedly walked with her head down, not wanting anyone to witness her sorrow and disarray.
Lost in her thoughts, she collided with a man at the corner, her face taking the brunt of the impact as she stumbled backwards.
Just as Callie thought she was about to crash onto the ground, a pair of strong arms caught her waist, saving her from the fall.
She found herself leaning into a man’s comforting embrace, feeling a warmth in her ear as his breath brushed against her skin.
Blinking, Callie mumbled, ‘Um, sorry. And thank you.’
She looked up and stared into a pair of deep, unfathomable eyes.
‘We meet again.’ Elias’s lips curved slightly.
He hadn’t anticipated running into her here; a pleasant surprise amidst a hectic and tragic day.
‘Um.’ Callie blinked away her tears, her gaze fixated on Elias, trying to place the familiar face.
Then her eyes widened with recognition and surprise. ‘It’s you!’
Some distance away, the emergency room buzzed with activity as doctors and nurses hurried past, their scrubs swishing in a flurry of purpose.But the hallway outside the operating theatres was quiet.Callie leaned against the wall, her white coat wrinkled and stained with blood.She tried to compose herself, wiping away the remnants of tears that stained her cheeks.Elias didn’t release his grip on Callie, his eyes penetrating into her soul.‘What happened?’ he asked, his concern seeping through the sternness in his tone. ‘Why were you crying? And what’s with the blood on your arm?’Callie’s guard shot up like a fortress wall.She wiped away her tears, determined not to let a stranger witness her vulnerability.‘It’s none of your business,’ she snapped, her voice tinged with defiance.Elias moved closer, his gaze unwavering.Callie’s breath hitched as she felt his proximity, his presence engulfing her.‘Maybe it is my business,’ he countered, his voice low and commanding. ‘I don’t lik
Callie and Wendy exchanged amazed glances, struggling to process the revelation.Callie couldn’t help but feel a sense of astonishment at Elias being a soldier, as he wasn’t dressed in uniform.But then, it would explain all the bullet wounds and scars on his body.Lieutenant Colonel—a high-ranking position, she assumed, given the young soldier’s respect.There was something undeniably alluring about a man in uniform.Wendy, always the romantic, seized Callie’s hands, her eyes shining with excitement. ‘Oh my gosh, Callie! Are all soldiers that ridiculously attractive?’Callie was about to respond, but a sudden wave of dizziness crashed over her like a rogue wave.Her head spun, the world blurring into a whirlpool of confusion.And then, without warning, her legs buckled beneath her, and she slumped to the ground in a heap.‘Woah, hold up!’ Wendy lunged forward, but before she could catch Callie, a pair of strong arms swooped in and cradled her limp form.‘Callie!’ Wendy reached for Ca
Callie could feel the waves of anger radiating from Elias, like a volcanic eruption about to happen.Why was he angry?What did any of this have to do with him?It was her embarrassment, her pain—it had nothing to do with him.‘Lieutenant Colonel Westwood, this is a hospital!’ Callie’s voice quivered.‘That night, you could have left me on the street. Why did you save me? Why did you take me home?’ Elias’s gaze locked with Callie’s reddened eyes, his own eyes deep and intense‘Because, like I told you, I’m a doctor,’ she replied with utmost seriousness. ‘A doctor’s duty is to save lives and heal wounds. What happened that night, I would have done it for anyone.’Elias’s fingers tightened gradually, conflicting emotions swirling within him.As he looked into Callie’s red-rimmed eyes, he knew she spoke the truth.And yet, the knowledge that she would have done it for anyone agitated him.In the next instant, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.Unlike their previous staged
‘I don’t owe Callie anything,’ Abby retorted defiantly. ‘She only intervened to show off and prove herself better than me. I won’t thank her for that.’Stuart’s frustration deepened, his face reddening with anger. ‘Abby, this is not about your personal vendettas or petty rivalries. This is about patient care and professionalism. You must learn to put your ego aside and acknowledge the assistance you receive, regardless of who it comes from.’Simon, a suave and ambitious surgeon who always had a smooth answer ready, stepped forward to defend his fiancée. ‘Mr Colman, it’s Abby’s first year as a surgical resident. Mistakes happen, especially in high-pressure situations. She was only trying to help. I can assure you that she has learned her lesson.’Stuart glanced at Simon, his expression softened slightly. ‘Simon, as Abby’s future husband, I expect you to take good care of her at work. Ensure that she learns from this incident and improves her practice. We can’t afford any more slip-ups.
Callie’s eyebrows furrowed in surprise, but she maintained her composure.She appreciated Joshua’s straightforwardness, even if his approach seemed a bit cold.She nodded, indicating her willingness to participate.‘How much do you earn per month?’ Joshua asked.‘Well, as a fifth-year surgical resident, I make around five to six thousand dollars a month.’‘Not bad. Now, what about your parents? What do they do for a living?’‘Actually, I don't have parents. I grew up as an orphan.’Joshua scowled. ‘I see. Moving on, do you own any property or are you living in a rental?’‘I currently live in a rented one-bedroom apartment.’‘Fair enough. Last question, are you currently in debt?’‘Well, I do have a student loan of about two hundred fifty thousand dollars.’ Callie shrugged. ‘Medical school loans, you know how it is.’Joshua stood up abruptly and started packing up his belongings. ‘Well, this has been a complete waste of my time. You should know better than to lead people on, Miss Hawth
Despite her tough exterior, Callie was still hurting from the breakup.She had poured her heart and soul into the relationship, only to be betrayed by Simon for the sake of his career.Simon’s face contorted with pain, his voice filled with anguish. ‘Please, Callie, give me another chance. Let me prove to you that we belong together.’He grasped Callie’s wrist, pleading with her. ‘I know you still have feelings for me. I remember the promises I made, that I’d take care of you for the rest of my life. I haven’t forgotten.’Callie’s eyes narrowed, disbelief written across her face.She said mockingly, ‘Take care of me? Really, Simon? With your empty promises and broken trust?’Simon’s voice quivered as he tried to explain himself. ‘You don’t understand, Callie. I’m just a surgeon from an ordinary family. I can’t give you the luxurious lifestyle you deserve. That’s why I had to marry Abby. But it’s only temporary, I promise. Once I have everything I want—the hospital directorship and wea
Abby, clad in her pristine white coat, finished her morning rounds and emerged into the bustling hospital hallway just in time to overhear Callie and Wendy’s conversation.A smug smirk danced across her lips as she savoured the opportunity to stir up trouble.She approached Callie, her voice dripping with false sympathy. ‘Oh, Dr Hawthorne, I heard about your article. Such a shame it got rejected. I thought it was top-notch.’Her tone was smooth and sugary, but her words rang hollow.Callie remained silent, refusing to take the bait set by her ex-boyfriend’s conniving fiancée.Abby continued, unfazed, ‘Maybe it just wasn’t good enough, Callie. It’s too bad. Such a rejection might even hinder your chances of getting your full-time position at the hospital approved.’Callie’s composure remained unshaken. ‘Thank you for your concern, Abby. But as a fifth-year surgical resident, I have offers from other hospitals. Staying at Rosedale isn’t my only option. Besides, you should be more concer
Callie bit her lower lip, her thoughts racing as she tried to gather her thoughts.The demands of her gruelling schedule as a surgical resident had left her with little time for personal matters, and she had honestly forgotten about Elias’s proposal.She looked up at him, uncertainty in her eyes.‘I... I’m sorry, Lieutenant Colonel Westwood, I—’‘Just call me Elias.’‘All right. Um, Elias, the past few days have been a blur. I completely forgot about your, um, your proposal.’ She shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of the decision pressing upon her.Before she could utter another word, her phone buzzed in the pocket of her pristine white lab coat.The caller ID flashed ‘Abby Colman.’Confusion washed over Callie’s face—why would Simon’s new girlfriend be calling her?The two women certainly weren’t friends, given the tension that had lingered since the end of Callie’s relationship with Simon.Curiosity gnawed at her, and she stepped away from Elias, answering the call. ‘Hello, A