Beautiful and Deadly

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 like seeing tears in those beautiful eyes.’

Callie’s cheeks flushed, her heart pounding against her ribcage.

She wasn’t accustomed to such directness.

Her instincts told her to step back, but a small part of her longed for the solace of a comforting touch.

Her voice trembled slightly as she met his eyes. ‘It’s nothing, really.’

‘Then why are you crying?’

‘It’s nothing,’ she repeated, her voice shaky. ‘Just a bad day.’

Elias moved closer, his gaze unwavering.

Callie’s heart skipped a beat, and she stumbled over her words. ‘I-I really can handle it myself,’ she stammered, flustered by his proximity.

‘Did you donate blood?’ Elias demanded. ‘Is that why you have a bandage on your arm and why you look so pale?’

Callie looked away nonchalantly, dismissing his remark. ‘I don’t have to explain myself to you.’

Elias leaned in, his lips dangerously close to hers.

Flustered, Callie took an instinctive step backwards, bumping into the wall behind her.

Her breath caught, and her mind whirled with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

Just then, a familiar voice pierced through the tension, cutting through their conversation like a knife.

It was Wendy, the spunky nurse with a fiery spirit and a knack for speaking her mind.

‘Callie!’ Wendy exclaimed, rushing towards them. ‘There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you. How are you feeling? You lost so much blood. Are you all right?’

Callie managed a weak smile. ‘I’m fine, Wendy. Really. Just a little tired, that’s all.’

Wendy’s eyes narrowed, her frustration evident in her tone. ‘Abby is such a pain, you know? Always acting like she knows everything. If it weren’t for you, that soldier wouldn’t have made it. She needs to learn her place.’

Callie patted the nurse’s arm. ‘Wendy, calm down. It’s not worth getting worked up over. Let’s focus on the patients.’

‘That despicable Abby Colman!’ Wendy’s teeth clenched, still seething. ‘I don’t understand how Simon could choose Abby over you. You two had plans to get married next year, and your relationship seemed so solid. If it weren’t for Abby’s meddling, everything would have worked out perfectly. Simon is such a jerk. He must be after that witch’s wealth and status...’

Wendy’s words struck Callie’s heart once again, breaking it further.

She intervened, speaking softly, ‘Wendy, that’s enough. Their relationship has nothing to do with me. I saved that soldier not to prove a point but because I’m a doctor...’

Elias watched the interaction between Callie and Wendy, his gaze shifting from one to the other.

A pensive expression played on his face as he assessed the strength and resilience in Callie’s eyes, and the unmistakable anguish in her voice.

Thoughts of the photo he had seen in her apartment haunted him—the despicable ex-boyfriend Simon, he concluded.

However, the fact that the photo was discarded in the trash can brought him a sense of relief.

Elias studied Callie once more, his eyes lingering on the bandage adorning her arm.

Nurse Wendy’s words told him that it was a result of a blood transfusion.

Impressed by Callie’s dedication, Elias couldn’t help but be drawn to her.

She had not only performed life-saving surgery on one of his subordinates but had also donated her own blood for the patient’s recovery.

Meanwhile, Wendy, engrossed in conversation with Callie, couldn’t help but notice the tall, muscular man standing nearby.

Her eyes widened, and she almost let out a wolf whistle.

Clad in a tight-fitting black t-shirt and black pants, the man exuded a commanding presence.

His striking features and intense gaze were enough to make anyone weak in the knees.

Wendy nudged Callie, pulling her aside.

‘Callie, girl! Do you know who that hunk of a man is?’ Wendy gushed, her eyes filled with excitement.

Callie shook her head, her expression wary. ‘I have no idea, Wendy.’

Wendy swooned, her voice laced with admiration. ‘Look at him! He’s like a walking work of art. I mean, seriously, have you ever seen anyone so good-looking?’

Callie sighed, cautioning her friend and colleague. ‘Wendy, you have to be careful. Just remember, the prettier they are, the more dangerous they can be. It’s like in nature—beautiful creatures are often the deadliest.’

Elias, standing nearby, caught wind of their conversation and couldn’t help but smirk.

Callie warned Wendy to keep her distance, and yet, here she was, praising his appearance.

Elias found her contradictory statement amusing.

Unconvinced by Callie’s words, Wendy pressed for evidence. ‘Come on, Callie, you can’t just judge a book by its cover. Is there any proof that he’s dangerous?’

Callie almost revealed the truth, her thoughts drifting back to that rainy night weeks ago—the torn blouse, the forceful kiss.

But she caught herself just in time, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

She deflected Wendy’s curiosity, dismissing it as nothing.

Just as Wendy pressed her for an answer, a soldier in combat gear approached, drawing their attention.

Both Wendy and Callie saw him, but paid him no heed.

Rosedale Hospital, where they worked, had close ties to the military.

It was not uncommon to see soldiers there.

The soldier came to a halt before Elias, saluting sharply.

He addressed Elias as ‘Lieutenant Colonel Westwood’ and reported that the injured members of their squad, who had been admitted to Rosedale Hospital, were now in stable condition.

Elias nodded in acknowledgement, his military instincts taking over.

Recipe for Disaster

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.

Peculiar Proposal

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 encounter, this kiss was real, raw, and filled with longing.

Elias’s tongue explored her mouth with a sense of urgency, leaving Callie feeling overwhelmed and lightheaded.

She struggled to break free from his firm grip on her wrists, but he held her firmly in place, his eyes filled with desire.

Callie mustered all her strength and bit down on his tongue, hard enough to draw blood.

Elias pulled back, panting.

The sight of her lips stained with his blood only fuelled his desire for her even more.

‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ Callie snapped, her voice dripping with anger. ‘Is this how you treat someone who saved your life just weeks ago?’

His gaze lingered on her lips.

‘Callie,’ he began, his voice husky, ‘crying over your ex-boyfriend won’t solve anything.’

Confusion etched across her face, Callie furrowed her brows.

‘Then what will?’ she demanded, her voice tinged with frustration.

Elias leaned closer, his warm breath caressing her cheek. ‘You need to show him what he’s lost. Find a man who’s more handsome, more powerful, and richer than him. Then, make a grand entrance into his life with your new partner.’

Callie scoffed, her eyes rolling in disbelief. ‘Where am I supposed to find someone like that?’

Elias’s fingers gently lifted her chin, locking their gazes together.

‘I can be that man,’ he said. ‘If you agree to be with me, I’ll protect you from any harm, including your ex-boyfriend.’

Flustered and caught off guard, Callie’s mind raced with conflicting thoughts.

Elias, a virtual stranger, stood before her with an earnestness that she couldn’t ignore.

She bit her lower lip, contemplating his proposal.

Revenge against Simon and Abby, her ex-boyfriend and his new flame, had been consuming her thoughts.

Callie’s heart was torn between accepting Elias’s proposal and remaining cautious.

She barely knew him, having only crossed paths with him twice.

Doubt clouded her eyes, and she found herself lost in the uncertainty of the moment.

Elias observed Callie with an unwavering gaze, tenderness gleaming in his eyes.

As a seasoned soldier, he was accustomed to making swift decisions and taking immediate action.

It was a trait that had propelled him through the ranks to become a lieutenant colonel.

But with Callie, he realised the need for patience.

He understood that their connection was still nascent, and he wanted to give her the time she needed to decide.

‘Take your time, Callie,’ Elias said, his voice gentle yet firm. ‘If you’re unsure about this, you have three days to think it over. Rest well and take care of yourself.’

With those words, Elias turned and left the hospital room.

Standing in the hallway, he glanced back through the window and caught sight of Callie pulling the blanket over her face, as if seeking solace or a means of hiding.

A smile crept onto his lips; it was evident that she didn’t remember their first meeting three years ago.

In her eyes, he was merely a stranger.

But Elias didn’t mind.

He remembered her well, every moment of their brief encounter etched into his memory.

He knew there would be ample time for Callie to get to know him better, to discover the depths of his character and the sincerity behind his proposal.

***

Stuart Colman, a middle-aged man with thinning hair and a pair of spectacles perched on his nose, sat behind his polished desk in his spacious office at Rosedale Hospital.

Dressed in a tailored suit, he exuded an air of authority and arrogance.

Before him stood his daughter, Abby Colman, her head bowed and tears welling in her eyes.

Stuart sighed deeply and removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose.

He had just scolded Abby for a grave mistake she had made earlier that day.

Her reckless decision to perform an unauthorised thoracotomy had nearly cost a patient’s life, and it was only through the swift intervention of Dr Hawthorne that disaster had been averted.

‘Abby,’ Stuart’s voice resonated with disappointment and frustration. ‘Do you understand the gravity of your actions? You could have killed that soldier today. If I hadn’t used my position as director to suppress this matter, you could have faced severe consequences. Your career as a doctor could have been ruined.’

Abby’s voice trembled as she tried to defend herself. ‘Dad, I only did it because the patient was in critical condition. There was no other qualified surgeon available at the time. I had to try and save him.’

Stuart’s anger surged through his body, causing his voice to quiver with intensity. ‘Abby, if that soldier had died on the operating table, it would have been a catastrophe. Even I, as the director, would not have been able to protect you. You need to realise the consequences of your actions. The soldier belongs to the Special Forces, and this hospital is accountable to them. If your negligence had cost him his life, you could have faced court-martial. Do you understand?’

As Stuart’s words sank in, Abby’s eyes widened with realisation.

The weight of her mistake pressed upon her, and she could no longer deny the severity of the situation.

However, her pride prevented her from expressing gratitude towards Callie Hawthorne.