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 Callie’s hand.
Elias, his brows furrowed with concern, shot Wendy a stern glance. ‘Seriously, nurse? You should know how to handle this situation.’
Wendy covered her mouth, her eyes wide with astonishment as she watched Elias embrace Callie protectively.
His voice dripped with annoyance, tinged with an underlying worry.
The man cared, that much was obvious.
Pulling herself together, Wendy found her voice. ‘Right, follow me.’
Elias scooped Callie up effortlessly, his strong arms cradling her gently as he followed Wendy’s lead.
The trio made their way through the hallways of Rosedale Hospital, Elias’s powerful strides matching Wendy’s hurried steps.
***
The sterile white room hummed with the soft sound of medical equipment.
Callie’s eyes fluttered open, and she found herself lying on a hospital bed.
The scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils, and she noticed the IV needle secured to her arm, administering a mixture of saline and glucose.
She sat up, feeling exhausted and disoriented, her head throbbing.
Before she could gather her thoughts, Nurse Wendy hurried over, placing a pillow behind Callie’s back. ‘Easy there. You fainted, remember?’
Callie rubbed her temples, trying to recall the events that led to her current predicament. ‘Fainted? But why?’
Wendy removed the IV needle carefully and tended to the puncture on Callie’s hand.
She scolded Callie gently, ‘You shouldn’t have been moving about after donating so much blood.’
A sigh escaped Callie’s lips as she leaned back against the pillow. ‘I guess I pushed myself too far. Two surgeries and donating blood—it was a recipe for disaster.’
Wendy nodded, her face etched with a mix of admonishment and concern. ‘Girl, you should know better. Your blood sugar must have tanked after all that. Seriously, as a doctor, you should take better care of yourself. If Lieutenant Colonel Westwood hadn’t caught you in time, you’d have bashed your head against the floor.’
‘Lieutenant Colonel Westwood?’ Callie muttered the name.
‘Yeah, Elias Westwood, that’s him! A commander in the Special Forces,’ Wendy answered casually. ‘The soldiers admitted here earlier are his men. And let me tell you, he’s got quite the high rank. You should’ve seen the way Director Colman fawned all over him.’
Wendy rolled her eyes. ‘But our director never said a word about the medical mishap his precious daughter caused earlier. Almost killed one of the soldiers when she nicked the wrong artery during surgery.’
Callie let out a resigned sigh. ‘Let’s not dwell on that. The important thing is that the soldier survived. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have let it slide.’
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation, and Callie beckoned the person inside.
It was none other than Elias Westwood himself, striding into the room with an air of commanding confidence.
Callie’s grip tightened involuntarily around Wendy’s hand, nerves fluttering in her stomach.
Wendy withdrew her hand with a playful wink. ‘Dr Hawthorne, you have no idea how worried Lieutenant Colonel Westwood was about you. I thought he might explode with anger if anything happened to you. I’ll leave you two to chat. Rest up, Callie!’
With a knowing smile, Wendy discreetly slipped away, leaving Callie and Elias alone in the hospital room.
Elias closed the distance between them, his steps deliberate and purposeful.
With a low, almost whispered voice, he uttered a heartfelt ‘Thank you.’
Callie, taken aback, furrowed her brows. ‘Thank me? For what?’
‘For saving my men.’
Not only did she step up and perform the surgeries, she gave her own blood to one of his soldiers who otherwise might not have made it.
‘Oh, that.’ Callie shrugged. ‘You don’t have to thank me. I’m a doctor. It’s my job to save the patients in any way I can.’
Elias’s gaze softened, his eyes lingering on her calm expression, his mind wandering back to the image of her tear-stained face.
This woman, who shed tears for others with such sadness, treated herself with such ruthless disregard.
It stirred an uncomfortable feeling within him.
‘Why did you cry?’ Elias’s voice held a trace of coldness, tinged with a flicker of anger. ‘Just because of the man who betrayed you?’
Callie’s fingers tightened around the glass of water, a flicker of pain flashing through her puffy eyes.
She had always clutched her emotions tightly, not wanting anyone else to witness her sorrow and amplify her misery.
Yet, this man kept barging into places where he had no right to be.
‘I didn’t cry! I didn’t!’ Callie’s voice rose, her eyes welling up with tears once again.
She couldn’t understand why her eyes stung and tears flowed so easily.
‘What’s the big deal with crying anyway? It’s none of your business!’ Tears streamed down Callie’s face as she defiantly confronted Elias.
His irritation grew as he stared at the tears on her face, a maddening sensation overpowering his reasoning.
It made him want to shatter the fragile vulnerability of this woman standing before him.
In a sudden burst of anger, Elias seized the glass from Callie’s hand and set it down on the bedside table with a loud thud.
Callie, startled, glared at him.
Elias’s hands closed in around her, his long legs pressing against hers, trapping her against the bed.
It was a stark contrast to their previous encounter, where he was the one lying in bed and she the one standing.
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
Callie’s voice trembled as she demanded to know if he had been eavesdropping on her phone call with Abby.Elias’s gaze never wavered as he spoke, his voice deep and resonant. ‘There were only the two of us up here on the roof, bunny. I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. It wasn’t intentional eavesdropping.’His words held a mix of apology and understanding.Humiliation washed over Callie, her vulnerability exposed before this man she barely knew.Her voice broke as she sobbed. ‘Why? Why is she doing this to me? I don’t understand. All I want is to focus on my work as a doctor, to make a difference in people’s lives. Why is Abby persisting in tormenting me?’Elias’s strong presence remained unwavering as he leaned down, his voice a whisper against her ear. ‘Callie, be my woman. Marry me.’His words held a promise of protection, a vow to shield her from any harm that might come her way.He spoke with conviction, his voice tinged with the authority of a soldier accustomed to g
‘I... I didn’t...’ Simon stammered, his voice filled with desperation as he tried to salvage his delusion. ‘I know... deep down, you still have feelings for me. Your indifference only hides the space you’ve kept for me in your heart.’Callie’s patience wore thin as she listened to Simon’s feeble attempts to hold onto a love that no longer existed.She mustered her strength and shot back, ‘Simon, there is no space in my heart for you. You need to understand that and move on.’Desperation tinged Simon’s voice as he persisted, his words slurred and laden with false promises. ‘I want... I want to tell you not to come to my wedding. I’m afraid you’ll be hurt. Don’t worry, once I have everything, I’ll divorce Abby. I’ll choose you over her.’Callie clenched her teeth, her frustration boiling within her.She glanced up to meet Elias’s gaze, expecting to see a hint of disdain or triumph.However, to her surprise, his eyes held a clear, unwavering gaze.‘Give me the phone,’ Elias said, his voi