Chapter 139: Confrontation and Vulnerability
Chapter 139: Confrontation and Vulnerability
(Elena Blackwood’s POV)
Hugo arrived at the medical center dormitory with food and drinks, but was met with an unwelcoming response from his colleagues. The atmosphere in the break room grew tense as soon as he entered.
Dr. Edmond Fisher looked up from his coffee with obvious irritation. “Hugo, your timing is terrible. We’re trying to have a peaceful meal here.”
Hugo set down the bags of food with deliberate care. “Why are you being so picky about timing?”
Dr. Mitchell shifted uncomfortably in his chair. The tension between the colleagues was palpable.
Dr. Edmond Fisher’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Your mood swings lately are worse than a she–wolf during
her heat cycle.”
Hugo’s expression darkened instantly. A cold laugh escaped his lips as he straightened to his full height.
“Is that so?” His voice carried a dangerous edge that made everyone in the room freeze.
Without another word, Hugo slammed the door shut with such force that the entire frame shook. The sound echoed through the corridor like a gunshot.
Dr. Mitchell and 1 exchanged puzzled glances. Neither of us understood what had triggered Hugo’s sudden burst of anger.
“What was that about?” Dr. Mitchell whispered, still staring at the closed door.
I shook my head, equally confused by Hugo’s volatile reaction to what seemed like harmless teasing.
As evening approached, I returned to my apartment expecting to find Rachel settling in comfortably. Instead,
I discovered Marcus sitting in my living room with his legs crossed, looking perfectly at home.
Rachel sat across from him on the edge of the sofa, her posture rigid with discomfort. Her eyes darted nervously between Marcus and the door.
The moment she saw me, her face lit up with unmistakable relief. “Elena! You’re back!”
I set down my medical bag and looked between them. “When did you arrive, Marcus?”
“This evening,” he replied smoothly. “I was curious why you hadn’t informed me about your friend’s visit to
Riverside City.”
I deflected his implied criticism with practiced ease. “I didn’t want to trouble you with such small matters.”
Marcus’s golden eyes studied Rachel with calculating interest. “I could rent her an empty apartment in this building at a reduced rate.”
Rachel’s eyes widened with obvious temptation. The offer was clearly generous beyond her expectations.
“The first three months could even be rent–free,” Marcus added, his tone deceptively casual.
Despite Rachel’s obvious intérest, I stepped forward firmly. “That won’t be necessary. Rachel can stay with me since I have a guest room,
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Marcus’s jaw tightened slightly. “She has no income yet. It would be more practical-
“If you want her to leave,” I interrupted, my voice rising with determination, “then I’ll move out too.”
The words hung in the air like a challenge. The atmosphere became suffocatingly silent.
Rachel’s face went pale as she witnessed the confrontation between the mated pair. She quietly retreated to her room, clearly terrified by the tension.
Marcus finally stood and approached us with measured steps. His presence seemed to fill the entire room.
“You promised to make amends,” I reminded him, trying to keep my voice steady.
He pulled me into his embrace before I could step away. His arms encircled me with gentle but firm pressure.
“I will satisfy your requests,” he admitted quietly. “But I don’t want you to avoid me.”
I tried to deny his accusation. “I’m not avoiding you.”
His golden eyes pierced through my weak protest. “Having Rachel
stay is clearly a way to
event being alone
with me.”
The truth in his words hit me like a physical blow. I couldn’t maintain the pretense any longer
In a moment of vulnerability, I finally opened my heart to him. The words poured out like water through
broken dam.
“You make me feel uneasy, and I’m afraid,” I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.
Marcus’s grip on me tightened, but he remained silent, letting me continue.
a
“How can I not be afraid? In my memory, you were never this good to me, never held me like this or said such things.”
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes as years of pain surfaced. “You ask me to trust you, but I’ve trusted you countless times before.”
My voice cracked with emotion. “Every single time ended in disappointment.”
Marcus’s face contorted with pain as my words struck him. His golden eyes reflected genuine remorse.
“I’m afraid that your current kindness can’t erase past hurts,” I continued desperately. “If I believe in you again, it might all turn out to be just another dream.”
The fear in my voice was raw and honest. “A dream that will end in emptiness, leaving me with nothing but
more pain.”
Marcus cupped my face with both hands, forcing me to meet his intense gaze. His touch was gentle despite
the firmness of his grip.
“It won’t happen, Elena,” he promised with unwavering conviction. “I promise you.”
He sealed his words with a gentle kiss on my forehead. The gesture was tender and reverent, unlike anything
he had ever done before.
S
Rachel remained at my apartment, though she was still visibly shaken by the previous night’s tension when
we went to the hospital the next day.
“Are you sure you’re ready for the interview?” I asked as we walked through the hospital corridors.
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Rachel nodded, though her hands trembled slightly. “I need this job, Elena, I can’t let fear hold me back.”
At the hospital, I was supposed to work with Dr. Edmond Fisher for the morning shift. However, Hugo Ashworth unexpectedly appeared at the nurses‘ station.
“I’d like to switch shifts with Dr. Fisher,” Hugo announced without preamble.
Dr. Fisher locked surprised but didn’t object. “If that’s what you prefer.”
The morning proved particularly busy with a long queue of patients waiting in the corridor. Several emergency cases of acute cerebral infarction arrived simultaneously, creating chaos in the emergency department.
I found myself assisting Hugo, quietly taking notes while he explained surgical risks to worried family members. His bedside manner was professional but compassionate.
“The procedure carries inherent risks,” Hugo explained to an elderly couple. “But without intervention, the prognosis is significantly worse.”
The family members nodded gravely, trusting his expertise despite their obvious fear.
After seeing several patients through the morning rush, we finally had a moment of quiet as noon approached. The corridor had emptied, and the emergency cases had been stabilized.
Hugo paused at the office door as he prepared to leave for his lunch break.
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