All Chapters of BENEATH THE SURGEON’S BLADE: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

“CELESTE! Welcome home, hija!” her Grandpa Salvador greeted her enthusiastically. Celeste offered a shy but sweet smile in return, her heart swelling with a quiet mixture of relief and affection. The moment felt surreal—stepping out of the van after a long journey and immediately being enveloped in the warm familiarity of family. As they passed through the grand gates of the mansion, her eyes landed on the elderly man who had been waiting there just for her. Dressed neatly and standing tall despite his age, Salvador radiated a kind of joy that softened the edges of her weariness. His face lit up the instant he saw her, his open arms and eager smile making it clear just how much he had missed her.“Grandpa,” was all she could manage to say, her voice barely above a whisper, thick with emotion. Without hesitation, she rushed into his embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around him. There was something grounding in the way he held her back—firm and full of unspoken love. For a few seco

In the dining room, Celeste was momentarily overwhelmed by the sight that greeted her—a lavish and well-prepared lunch spread that looked like it could feed a small gathering rather than just a single person. The table was adorned with steaming dishes, perfectly arranged servings of various viands, fresh fruits, and an array of desserts that seemed more fitting for a festive celebration than an ordinary midday meal. It was clear that a great deal of care, thought, and perhaps even extravagance had gone into its preparation. Yet instead of blurting out what she felt or commenting on the obvious excess, she chose silence. It wasn't out of indifference, but out of a quiet appreciation she couldn't quite articulate. The gesture, though unspoken, wrapped around her like a warm blanket—comforting, even touching.As her gaze swept across the table, she couldn't help but imagine the hands that had worked behind the scenes to make the spread possible. Perhaps her grandfather had ordered it sp

Celeste didn’t have much trouble finding her classroom. Everything she needed was clearly printed on the schedule she held, from the building name to the exact room number. It gave her a sense of relief and confidence, especially since this was her first day and she didn’t want to appear lost. The only catch was that the College of Fine Arts Building was located quite a distance from the designated parking area, so the walk wasn’t short. The concrete path she followed stretched out under the morning sun, and with every step, she could feel the weight of her bag and the slight stickiness of sweat forming at the nape of her neck.Still, she figured she might as well see the bright side. If she had to do this kind of walk every day, then maybe it was the universe’s way of giving her a free fitness routine. She imagined herself burning calories just by commuting to class—now *that* was efficient. The idea made her laugh softly under her breath. Maybe this walk wasn’t so bad after all. It w

As she had mentioned before, Science was never really her thing. Numbers and formulas were manageable, even tolerable on her best days, but Science—with all its technical terms, processes, and memorization—felt like an entirely different battlefield. It didn’t spark her curiosity the way other subjects did. While other students might have been fascinated by cells, DNA, or chemical reactions, she found herself yawning halfway through diagrams and zoning out during experiments. Back when she was studying in America, she often found herself dozing off in class, her notes turning into doodles as the lectures blurred into a monotonous hum. And she made no effort to hide this disinterest from Pauline, who had long accepted that her best friend would never be a science enthusiast.“Biological Science is our next subject,” she muttered with a hint of dread, her voice heavy with complaint as she stared ahead—though her eyes weren’t really on the topic at hand. Ironically, it wasn’t the Science

“Hey,” Celeste said cautiously, raising an eyebrow and setting her fork down. “Are you okay?” Her tone was light, but the awkwardness made her stomach twist even more than the thought of Marcus did. She hadn’t expected a dramatic reaction—maybe a bit of concern, a casual “Oh, really?” at most—but certainly not this level of stunned silence. Her chest tightened slightly, unsure if she had overshared or made the situation sound more dramatic than it actually was. Maybe Pauline thought she was being ridiculous, and the thought made Celeste glance down again, suddenly self-conscious.But then Pauline blinked, as if snapping out of a trance, and suddenly broke into a wide, teasing grin. “Wait—so that wasn’t your first encounter? Wow! That’s like foreshadowing in a romance novel!” she gushed, her voice bubbling with excitement as she practically bounced in her seat. “You bumped into him before you found out he was your teacher? That’s classic plot material, girl!” Her giggle spilled out, i