ANMELDENSpirit woke up that morning feeling completely lifeless on her mattress. No, scratch that. She was actually feeling every single nerve in her body all at once, the sensations so overwhelming that she could only lie flat on her back, paralyzed, staring up blankly at the popcorn texture of the ceiling.The memories of her and Charles back in that supply room had been playing in a nonstop loop inside her head from the second she stepped out of that cramped space yesterday.It was driving her totally insane.She hadn’t been able to focus on anything for the rest of her shift, her hands trembling every time she went to clear a tray or hand off a chart. Thankfully, Charles hadn’t requested her presence for the rest of the day. In fact, Chloe had mentioned at clock-out that the chief surgeon had left the building exceptionally early.Strange… Charles Voss is a well-known workaholic. He doesn’t leave work until at least two hours after the usual closing t
A fresh wave of panic settled over them. But before Mrs. Higgins could say anything else, Chase stepped right into the line of fire.“Yeah, Grandpops, it was crazy,” Chase chipped in, waving a hand casually as he backed up the story.“We were just playing a little game with her, you know? We wanted to see if she had the brains to recognize who was who if we all wore the same outfit. It was something we came up with to keep us on our toes and help pass the time while we were stuck on those boring-ass treatment drips. It wasn’t even that deep, but it kept the vibes alive.”Hearing Chase smooth things over, Charles and Chris both let out a breath they hadn’t realized they’d been holding. Their shoulders finally relaxed.Thank God, Charles thought, his pulse beginning to settle. So they were only talking about the matching-outfit prank. Nothing else.Of course. Why would Mrs. Higgins know about what had happened between him and Spirit? Apart from Chris, nobody else knew about their secret
Alexander Voss burst into laughter. It wasn’t just a regular chuckle; it was a deep, boisterous roar that filled every corner of the sprawling living room. He looked genuinely delighted, his shoulders shaking as he slumped back against the leather cushion.To him, this was one of the happiest moments he’d had in years.Apart from his lifelong obsession with getting his grandsons to marry and settle down, this photograph was the second greatest thing he’d been dreaming about for nearly three decades.He was so happy he could barely keep himself together.“Oh, my goodness… this is absolutely wonderful!” Alexander exclaimed, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.“Is it not, sir?” Mrs. Higgins smiled warmly, holding the tray close as she tried to contain her own excitement. “I was just as surprised when I walked into the dining room and saw them sitting together like that. That’s exactly why I had to sneak a photo.”Charles, Chris, and Chase all glanced at one another, their brows fur
“Mind your own fucking business,” Charles growled, his blue eyes throwing daggers at Chase.Chase immediately threw his hands up in surrender, a mocking smile spreading across his face.“Okay, okay! My bad! I’m shutting my mouth. I’m just here for the vibes.”“If you do not hold your tongue, young man, I will make you kneel right alongside them,” Alexander warned, pointing a finger at him.“The only reason you are not on your knees right now is because, even though you are arguably the worst of the batch, at least you haven’t turned against your own blood in a physical fight.”“Of course, Granddad. I love these guys too much to ever throw a punch,” Chase cooed smoothly, slipping off the armrest and adjusting his cuffs. He cleared his throat and shifted his attention to something he knew might actually earn him a few points with the old man.“And honestly, I’m incredibly sorry I couldn’t be at the airport to receive you, Grandpops. No one told us your flight was coming in today!”“I do
Charles and Chris both froze, their eyes locking onto Mrs. Higgins as panic washed over them. Charles’s analytical mind immediately went into a tailspin, his thoughts racing at a million miles an hour.Please, God, do not let her talk about what’s been going on in this house lately, he thought, his stomach twisting with worry.He was praying she wasn’t about to expose the whole mess with Spirit when she had come to treat them, or the disaster from last night when he had brought her home completely hammered.Chris was having the same internal crisis.Both brothers stared at the old woman, their fearful expressions growing more desperate as they waited for her to reveal what she had come to report. Neither of them dared to speak or even exchange a glance. They just remained on their knees, hoping she would somehow change her mind and keep whatever she knew to herself.Alexander Voss leaned back in his chair, his tired eyes narrowing as he adjusted his grip on the armrest.“Oh, really, M
Alexander let out a long, weary breath and slowly shook his head. He looked obviously fed up, and the beads of sweat on his forehead did little to hide how exhausted he was already. He reached up and briefly rubbed his temple, as if the memory alone was giving him a headache. “I set up exceptional matches for you with women from reputable families, and you three collectively chose to insult my arrangements, sending me messages claiming you were suddenly too sick to attend.” “We were actually sick,” Charles lied smoothly, keeping his gaze anywhere but on his seething grandfather. “Of course you were. You always have an excuse,” Alexander huffed in annoyance. Then he looked around the sprawling living space. “And where on earth is Chase? Is he not aware of my arrival?” “I called him already,” Chris muttered respectfully. “He was busy at the hospital, but he’s on his way home now.” “Good. Because I’ve already heard about the nonsense he’s been pulling while I was gone, bringing al
Spirit had spent the remainder of the afternoon tucked in the bedroom, the television playing in the background while her tired eyes tracked the slow hands of the wall clock. Despite the ridiculous luxury surrounding her, her stomach was beginning to growl with hunger. Chris had told her to u
For ten agonizing seconds, the only movement in the room was the slow drift of dust in the morning sunbeams.Spirit’s hand remained suspended in mid-air, the palm burning as if she had struck an open flame instead of human skin. The vibration of the impact rattled right up to her elbow. Then, t
A mocking chuckle vibrated through Charles’s chest. “You’ve got a lot of nerve for a rookie, Nurse Browne,” Charles murmured, straightening to his full, imposing height. He took a step forward, using his tall body to crowd her into the glass side table. “But let’s get something straight. This is
Spirit froze, the kit suddenly weighing a hundred pounds. If she went back to the hospital now, she would lose the five-thousand-dollar bonus. Worse, Katherine would know she had failed on her very first day, completely ruining her credibility before her residency even truly began. She thought o







