Chapter 1

I was momentarily at a loss when Dylan Lewis, the hospital director, asked me why I wanted to become an intern.

The sound of cannonfire and the cries of patients on the battlefield abruptly rang in my ears.

"I wanted a break from wielding the scalpel," I replied. "During my time here, I'll make sure that all surgeries in the hospital are carried out safely. In exchange, you have to help me keep my identity under wraps."

Dylan's eyes lit up. He shook my hand and conveyed his joyful, enthusiastic agreement.

After he left, I turned to go buy some coffee, only for someone to bump into me.

Medical charts scattered across the floor. I was about to bend down and pick them up when a sharp female voice pierced my ears.

"Are you blind?"

I frowned and straightened up to see a female doctor glaring coldly at me with her arms crossed. She was wearing a white coat and had put on exquisite makeup.

The assistant next to her pointed an accusing finger at me. "Watch where you're going! Can you even afford the compensation for scalding Dr. Chase's hands?"

I sneered and retorted, "If my eyes served me right, she was the one who wasn't paying attention and bumped into me. Dr. Chase, was it? You may be able to get away with not paying attention while walking, but definitely not when performing a surgery."

The assistant was furious. She was about to step forward when Dr. Chase stopped her.

She glanced down at my name tag before smiling scornfully.

"A new intern? I'm about to perform a surgery on a renowned diplomat named Roland Garcia."

She lifted her hand to indicate her wristwatch, then pointed at the scattered charts on the floor.

"You have three seconds left to pick up the charts," she snapped, furrowing her brow.

All the nurses and doctors passing through the hallway slowed down to watch us.

"Isn't that Dr. Sylvia Chase, our hospital's lead surgeon and neurology specialist? She's a superstar doctor who has countless celebrities clamoring to have her lead their surgeries!"

"This intern might very well end up vanishing from the medical world for offending her!"

The assistant threw me a smug look, clearly expecting the onlookers' words to scare me into apologizing.

I simply sneered again and looked straight into Sylvia's eyes. "Instead of apologizing for bumping into me, you're asking me to pick up your medical charts for you?"

Everyone fell silent instantly. Their eyes went wide, as if I'd said something unbelievable.

Sylvia's gaze turned cold. "What did you say?"

I replied slowly and clearly, "I'm not picking them up."

To my surprise, Sylvia sneered. "Not bad. You men have certainly upgraded your tactic. It's just a pity that they don't work on me."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

The assistant, whose name was Zoe Quinn, laughed mockingly. "Oh, drop the act! Everyone knows that Dr. Chase is renowned for her beauty in the medical industry. Countless men wish to pursue her affections!

"You bumped into her on purpose and then made a show of defying her just to get her attention, didn't you?"

The male doctors gathered around also scoffed and added their own two cents.

"So, he turned out to be yet another one of Dr. Chase's admirers!"

"These newbies are getting more and more shameless with their moves."

Sylvia stepped forward and poked at my name tag with the tip of a pen. She sneered. "Xavier Russell, an intern who just started here today. I suggest you give up, because I won't spare a loser like you even a single glance."

I laughed in disbelief. I'd met plenty of beautiful and professional female doctors, but this was my first time encountering someone as mediocre yet narcissistic as her.

Sylvia looked arrogantly at me. "Stop trying to get my attention. Pick up those medical charts, or I'll call the hospital director and get him to fire you!"

I stuck a hand into my pants pocket. "Call him, then," I said casually. "I'd certainly like to see who Dylan will fire—you or me."

"You even have the nerve to address Dr. Lewis by name!" Sylvia exclaimed, looking somewhat enraged.

She took out her phone and shouted threateningly at me, "You'd better not regret this!"