The night was calm and quiet.Most of the cadets were fast asleep, including Wendy, who shared the dorm with Angelia.Seizing this opportunity, Angelia decided to carry out her sneaky plan to catch Callie with another man.She slipped out of the dormitory with her phone in hand, her heart pounding with excitement and anticipation.She had grown tired of Callie, the soft-spoken and seemingly perfect doctor, always stealing the spotlight and attention.This was her chance to expose Callie’s true colours and put an end to the admiration and adoration she received from everyone.With cat-like stealth, Angelia made her way towards a secluded spot near the dormitories, where the bushes offered ample cover.She hid among the foliage, her phone ready to capture any incriminating evidence.If Callie dared to have a secret affair with another man, Angelia would make sure the whole academy knew about it.Time seemed to pass slowly as Angelia waited, her anticipation growing with each minute.Fin
Callie smiled warmly. ‘That’s all anyone can ask for, Angelia. We’re here to serve. And I’d love for us to get along.’With the tension eased, the three roommates decided to have breakfast together.They chatted and laughed like old times, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders.However, while Wendy and Callie enjoyed their meal, Angelia was only pretending to do so.It had been difficult to hide her resentment towards Callie and apologising to her was a bitter pill to swallow.But Angelia had done what she felt was necessary to regain the woman’s trust before she could plot the next step.Her grudge against Callie for stealing Elias’s heart had only grown stronger with time.While Callie was deep in thought about what to give Elias for his birthday, Angelia was scheming in her mind.She couldn’t let Callie win Elias without a fight, even if she had to pretend to be friendly on the surface.Callie, meanwhile, wasn’t as naïve as Angelia believed.Having grown up
Callie’s eyes softened as she listened to the soldiers’ heartfelt conversations.She was glad that her words had made an impact on them.As a doctor, her primary goal was to heal and protect lives, and she felt immense pride in being able to contribute to the soldiers’ well-being.Eventually, she ventured to ask, trying to sound casual, ‘Tell me more about General Westwood. What’s he like?’The soldiers exchanged knowing glances before Jake, one of Elias’s most ardent admirers, stepped forward to answer. ‘General Westwood is a legend in the military academy. He’s not just a high-ranking officer, but also a remarkable leader and mentor. Everyone respects and admires him for his skills and dedication to the military.’Callie nodded. ‘I see.’But the information Jade gave was kind of vague.Mike chimed in, ‘He’s a Major General, one of the youngest to achieve that rank. He’s always been ambitious and driven to succeed.’Callie’s eyes widened in astonishment as the young soldiers continue
Angelia had noticed Callie’s departure from the corner of her eye.Curiosity and jealousy gnawed at her, and she couldn’t resist the urge to pry.She asked Wendy, who was engrossed in her romance novels and munching on cookies, where Callie was going.Wendy looked up, her eyes flickering with amusement. ‘Oh, Callie? She’s probably just going for a walk or something. You know how she enjoys stargazing.’But Angelia was not convinced.She had a hunch that there was more to Callie’s sudden departure.***In Elias’s private quarters, Lemuel, his loyal aide and friend, urged him to join a small group of officers for a birthday celebration, but Elias said no.‘Come on, sir! It’s your birthday, and we’re all going to have a good time. You can’t stay cooped up here,’ Lemuel insisted, giving his superior a playful nudge.‘Thanks, Lem, but I have other plans.’Before Lemuel could inquire further, Elias’s phone buzzed with an incoming call.He glanced at the screen and saw that it was General He
Surprised by his sudden boldness, Callie gasped, but her words were muffled by Elias’s lips on hers.His kiss was tender yet fierce, gentle yet possessive.Feeling overwhelmed by the rush of emotions, Callie’s mind raced, unsure of how to respond.But the undeniable chemistry between them left her unable to resist the pull of Elias’s embrace.As they continued to kiss, their bodies pressed together, their hearts beating in sync.The intensity of their connection made it impossible for Callie to maintain her guard.Under the starry night sky, Elias held her tightly, his arms wrapped securely around her waist.It felt as if they were the only two people in the world, lost in their own private moment of passion.Elias’s desire for more grew, and he lightly bit Callie’s lower lip, a teasing gesture that sent a shiver down her spine.She gasped in response, her pulse racing.Elias’s kiss was intoxicating, and she found herself completely captivated by him.She tried to be cautious; their r
‘Thank you.’ Callie glanced at Elias, who seemed unaffected by the cold despite wearing just his uniform. ‘Aren’t you cold?’Elias shrugged. ‘We’ve trained here multiple times. I’m used to tougher challenges than a bit of cold.’Then he smirked. ‘But if you insist…’He scooted over and lifted an edge of the blanket, burrowing inside.Their bodies pressed together under the shared blanket.Callie’s cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and warmth, but she couldn’t deny the soothing sensation of being held by Elias.She leaned into him, finding solace in his strong and protective presence.As they cuddled together, their eyes turned towards the night sky, which was now illuminated by a shower of shooting stars.Callie pointed excitedly. ‘Look! The meteor shower’s here!’She gazed up in awe, mesmerised by the magnificent display above them.‘It’s so beautiful,’ she whispered, captivated by the celestial spectacle.Then an idea struck her. ‘Quick, make a wish!’She put her palms
Callie bounded up the stairs with Wendy and Angelia right after her.Craig Aguirre, the only male nurse in the health centre, was watching over the soldier lying unconscious on an examination table.The young man’s face was contorted in agony, beads of sweat trickling down his furrowed brow, and his breaths came in desperate gasps beneath the oxygen mask strapped tightly to his face.‘What do we know?’ Angelia asked Jeannette, who was monitoring the patient’s vitals.‘Pulse weak, difficulty breathing, and presenting with nausea and vomiting.’ Jeannette’s eyes never left the monitor screen, which tracked the patient’s heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation levels.‘He’s tachycardic, BP is dropping!’ Jeannette shouted. ‘The oxygen mask is failing!’The patient started convulsing, his face turning a cyanotic shade of blue.‘We have to do a cricothyrotomy!’ Angelia said.‘But we don’t even know what’s the cause yet,’ Callie objected.‘Knowing the cause won’t help if he’s alread
‘All right, here’s what we’re going to do,’ Callie asserted, her voice filled with a sense of urgency. ‘Wendy, go talk to the soldiers who brought the patient in. See if they have any idea about what bit him. Jeanette, keep monitoring his condition and call us immediately if anything changes.’Callie then assigned Angelia to conduct a PCR test, a sophisticated diagnostic tool that could detect specific spider venom components in the patient’s blood or tissue samples.Turning to Craig, Callie said, ‘Let’s hit the medical records room. We’ll comb through the computerised database for any patients with similar symptoms in the past.’The team dispersed, each focused on their assigned tasks.Angelia hurried to the laboratory to begin the Polymerase Chain Reaction test, while Callie and Craig headed to the medical records room.Seconds ticked away, and no one dared to slow down even one bit.As they scrolled through the database, Craig’s sharp eyes honed in on a promising entry. ‘I think th