The hospital auditorium buzzed with quiet chatter and the occasional clatter of heels echoing against the floors. Doctors, both seasoned and new, filled the seats with professional curiosity, eager to see who this new doctor was that warranted such a grand orientation. The air smelled faintly of warmup food with coffee and classic hospital lemon perfume.
Arno sat near the edge of the second row, her lab coat draped over her arm, fingers wrapped around a half-empty paper cup. She hadn't slept well. Her eyes were a little puffy despite the effort she'd put into looking composed. But she smiled when someone greeted her, and nodded when the Chief Surgeon made a joke about a story that wasn't even funny.
She was here. But, her mind was all thinking about Lucien's eyes when he asked her to be his girlfriend. Though she didn't want to think about how it felt to say no. She pressed her thumb against her coffee lid.
Breathe, Arno. Just focus on the orientation.
The session began with the usual introductions, hospital board welcome, safety guidelines, HR policies, and the hospital's vision for 2030. Arno tried to concentrate, even took notes.
Then came the part that made the whole room sit up straighter.
"And now," announced Dr. Emerson, one of the senior consultants, "let me introduce someone special who recently joined us from abroad. A top scorer in Geneva, trained under some of Europe's finest surgical mentors…"
He turned slightly, gesturing toward the tall woman approaching from the side door.
"Please welcome, Dr. Cordelia Ruxin."
A quiet murmur rippled through the room. All eyes into her.
Arno's eyes lifted calmly.
Cordelia walked in like she owned the air around her. Her black hair was sleek and glossy, parted precisely down the center. Her long white coat hugged her hourglass frame, and her deep brown eyes scanned the room with all the warmth of a winter moon.
"Thank you for the kind introduction, Dr. Emerson," Cordelia said smoothly. Her voice was sweeter than the sugar, charming and sharp. "I'm honored to return to my home country and be part of this esteemed institution."
She smiled. Just enough to show teeth. All the doctors and nurses were mesmerized to see how beautiful a person could be!
Then Dr. Emerson gestured toward Arno. "And of course, Dr. Solace—Arno—our youngest surgical star and part of the family already. Arno, would you do the honors?"
Arno stood gracefully, her heels clicking softly as she extended her hand.
"I'm Arno Theryn Solace," she said, her voice clear and polite. "But feel free to call me Arno. Welcome aboard."
Cordelia glanced down at Arno's outstretched hand.
And didn't take it.
Instead, she turned to the other doctors nearby, her smile widening. "Ah, yes... before I forget!" she clapped lightly. "I brought a few welcome gifts for our first meeting. A small gesture to start on a sweet note."
Her assistant, a man in a neat black suit, entered behind her carrying a tray of neatly wrapped gift boxes, fancy chocolates, imported pens, luxury notepads.
He handed them out to the group one by one.
"Dr. Lin, Dr. Marquez, Nurse Theo, oh! Dr. Benson, of course!" Cordelia called out names with precision and warmth. The gifts passed down the row like currency.
Arno waited. Hand still half-lifted, then slowly lowered.
She didn't care about the gift. She cared about the intent.
The tray reached the last person. Cordelia's assistant turned back. Empty.
"Oh dear…" Cordelia tilted her head dramatically. "No more boxes?"
The assistant shook his head, confused. "Seems we've run out, ma'am."
Cordelia blinked innocently and turned to Arno, pressing a hand to her chest. "Oops! Looks like I miscounted. No gift for you, Dr. Solace. I'm terribly sorry."
Terribly...
Arno kept her smile intact, though her eyes dimmed slightly. Her shoulders didn't flinch. Her hands folded neatly in front of her.
"It's alright," she said softly, with grace that came from deep endurance. "I didn't come for the chocolates."
Some of the other doctors chuckled nervously, not sure what just happened.
Cordelia's lips curled slightly. The smile never touched her eyes. "Of course not. You're far too… accomplished for simple sweets."
Then she turned away, as if Arno had already been dismissed.
Arno sat back down without a word.
She didn't know this woman. Had never met her before. And yet… the hostility felt strangely personal. Like a blade sharpened with a name already etched on it.
Was it professional jealousy? Something from the past? Or… something far more calculated?
She looked at the back of Cordelia's perfect head.
No, Arno thought. This wasn't coincidence. She must have done it intentionally. But, why?
---
Cordelia's heels clicked rhythmically as she walked down the hallway, her smile calm and poised. Just pleasant enough to pass as polite. Inside, though, her chest hummed with a quiet satisfaction.
She walked slowly on purpose, giving herself time to observe. All saw what happened.
Her smile twitched upward. Perfect.
The little Solace girl looked surprised, didn't she? Hand halfway out like a schoolchild offering peace. It almost made Cordelia laugh.
She passed the reflective glass on the side wall and checked her hair, still sleek, not a strand out of place. Good. Her assistant trailed a few steps behind.
Cordelia know what Arno was doing. Probably sitting straight, lips pressed, pretending like it didn't matter. She had that reputation, grace under pressure. The youngest surgeon with nerves of steel. Ha...
Cordelia turned a corner, finally alone, and let her smile fade for a moment. The corners of her mouth relaxed, her posture loosened just slightly.
She hadn't come back from Geneva to make friends with Arno, a mere background less girl.
What if the hospital already had a golden girl? A prodigy? Arno Theryn Solace!
Well, golden things tarnished fast under the right conditions.
She tapped her fingernail . The polished lacquer made a soft clicking sound. The same rhythm as Arno's polite voice.
"Feel free to call me Arno…"
Cordelia mimicked the tone under her breath, mocking.
Ugh. So sweet, humble, perfectly irritating.
She had heard all about her. Arno Solace... adopted, overachiever, surgical prodigy, beloved by patients and colleagues alike.
Her jaw clenched. For just a second. Then she exhaled, slow and calm, smoothing her expression like it was part of her life.
"Don't be petty, Cordelia," she whispered to herself. "Just be... memorable." Hahahaha...
---