005 | Fangless Viper

“Of course I won't miss the gala. No, Dad. You don't have to get me a dress," Harper said, her phone pressed to her ear, her cheeks stained pink. Her heels clicked softly against the polished floor as she crossed the lobby of Hemsworth General, her white coat folded neatly over her arm. The name badge clipped to her brown blazer caught the light when she stopped at the security desk.

Dr. Harper Blackwell.

Her fingers brushed the badge unconsciously as she stepped into the elevator, the doors sliding shut with a muted thud.

"Alright, Dad. See you later," she said, and the line went dead.

Harper released a sigh, staring at the wall of the elevator, her thoughts clouding her mind.

“Are we moving houses because Daddy doesn't love us anymore?”

Summer's small voice echoed in her head.

Harper had frozen then.

“We're just changing places, sweetheart,” she'd finally said, stroking Summer's hair. "Sometimes adults need new beginnings."

Summer had nodded, clearly unconvinced. Harper didn't want to separate her daughter from her dad, but thinking about the fact that he'd only ever seen her as a baby-making machine stung. Especially after all the trouble she had with the IVF cycles.

The elevator chimed, sliding open.

"Good morning, Dr. Blackwell," a nurse greeted quickly.

Harper inclined her head. "Morning."

The smell of antiseptics flooded her nose as she stepped into the wards, checking systems and charts. This was her world. The one place that had truly kept her going. As she studied the chart of a fifty-year-old male recovering from atrial fibrillation, someone cleared his throat behind her.

Slowly, she turned around and found a strikingly handsome man in a white coat, his brown hair perfectly combed away from his face. His warm blue eyes met hers, and he inclined his head towards the patient.

"That's my patient," he said.

"Oh...okay," she replied, and he held out a hand for a handshake.

"You must be the new transfer. The legendary Dr. Ice Heart," he said, and she arched a brow, amusement flashing in her grey eyes.

"Ice Heart?"

"They say you never panic. I'm Tyson Argent. Cardiology specialist. You are?"

Harper accepted his handshake. "Harper."

His gaze darted to her ID. "Hmmm...interesting," he murmured. "Just Harper?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I should go. See you around."

As she sauntered off, the corner of Tyson's mouth quirked.

"She's definitely cute," he muttered.

Hours later, most of the staff already knew Harper by name. She had put two senior staff in their place when they tried to test her. Her unflinching calmness got on the nerves of those that were easily intimidated.

"Dr. Harper? There's someone waiting for you in the lobby," Nurse Sasha, a dark-skinned woman with a beautiful smile, said to her by late afternoon. Surprised and puzzled, she headed to the lobby, only to freeze when she saw him. Malakai.

His eyes were hollow, his hair slightly messy. He was immaculately dressed in a gray coat and suit, but she could see that he was a wreck.

Blowing out a breath, she started to turn away. He hurried after her, grabbing her by the wrist.

"Wait, please. Just...just hear me out," Malakai said, his voice hoarse.

Harper paused, a blank look on her face.

"Do you really want to be embarrassed right here?" She asked softly, and he flinched.

"Harper—"

"I have more important things to do. You are nothing to me now—"

"No," he snapped, drawing in a shaky breath. "You are still my wife, Harper."

She stiffened at those words. "Well, you are no longer my husband, Malakai."

He recoiled, feeling like he'd just been slapped across the face. Nonetheless, he held on. His head was still pounding, his heart thundering. And he feared that if he let her go right then, he would never get another chance.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Malakai’s deep voice cracked.

Only a few hours ago, he had seen the news about the long-lost heiress of the Hemsworth Group reuniting with her family. And that heiress turned out to be his wife. And worse, the men he thought she'd been cheating with were her father's business partners. It meant they'd been in contact for years. Malakai was beyond devastated.

"Does it matter? At the end of the day, I was only a means to an end for you and your mother. You should go back to your mistress. She's carrying your child—" Harper started but was interrupted.

"Malakai?"

The voice was light and sweet.

Malakai’s grip loosened as if his spine had been yanked straight, and Harper turned slowly.

Maddison stood a few steps away, impeccably dressed in a cream silk dress that skimmed her figure just enough to look effortless. Her hair was perfectly styled, her makeup soft and innocent, unlike her usual bold style. One manicured hand rested lightly over her lower abdomen.

Several heads turned. Nurses slowed. A security guard pretended not to stare.

Maddison's gaze darted briefly to Harper's white coat, then to the way Malakai’s hand was still wrapped around her wrist.

Her lips curved.

"Oh," she said gently. "I didn't realize you were busy."

Harper looked down at Malakai’s hand. Then back up at him.

"Let go," she said calmly.

The lack of emotion in her voice startled him. His fingers loosened immediately, as if he had just been burned.

Maddison moved closer, pouting.

"I've been calling you," she said to Malakai, concern lacing her tone. "You didn't answer. I got worried."

Her eyes finally met Harper's fully then, glittering with something ugly beneath the sweetness.

"It's good to meet you again, Harper," Maddison said, offering her a polite smile. "I heard about the divorce. If you did this because of me...you really shouldn't have. I'm not a home wrecker. I just..."

She sniffled, bringing a pink handkerchief to her nose.

Harper blinked at her, realizing that this woman was more than just a fangless viper.

"I just don't want my baby to live without her father," Maddison said, and Malakai pinched the bridge of his nose, a pained look on his face.

"Maddison, please not now—" he started to say, and she pressed her hand more firmly to her stomach.

"I didn't mean to interrupt," she continued, her voice carrying just enough to draw attention. "I just had an appointment upstairs. The doctor wanted to be sure everything was... progressing well for the baby."

A murmur rippled through the lobby.

Malakai stiffened. "Maddie, this is not the place—"

"Oh, it's fine," Maddison said quickly, waving him off. "I don't want there to be any misunderstandings."

She turned fully to Harper then, tilting her head.

"I hope you don't mind," she said softly. "But Malakai and I have a lot to discuss. Especially now."

Harper studied her for a long moment. Then she nodded.

"You're right," she said. "You do."

Maddison blinked, clearly not expecting that.

Harper reached up and smoothed the sleeve of her white coat, straightening her posture. When she spoke again, her voice was clear and calm.

"Just make sure," she added, looking directly at Maddison, "that you hold on to him as tight as you can. Ask him not to bother me. Or I might just place a restraining order on him."

Malakai’s breath hitched. "Harper—"

She turned to him then, fully.

"You lost the right to say my name," she said. "Don't follow me again."

Then she walked past Maddison without another glance, her heels clicking against the marble floor.

For a moment, neither Malakai nor his mistress moved. Maddison's smile slowly faded as she realized that something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Because Malakai wasn't looking at her.

He was staring at Harper.

"For the sake of our children," he blurted out in desperation. "Please give me a chance."

Harper halted and slowly turned around. There was a cold smile tugging at her lips now.

"What children, Malakai? Are you sure they're yours?"

He froze, his blood running cold in his veins.

"W-what?"

Just then, Harper’s phone vibrated. A new text had popped up. She quickly unlocked the screen to view the message.

[I adore your finesse. Come meet me on the third floor. Storage room 4B. You have five minutes.]

Her eyes widened. The stranger was…here?

As soon as Harper turned away, the deafening sound of a gunshot went off.