CHAPTER 4 : UNEXPECTED RIDE HOME
1300 Words
"Juliet... you are fired"
His voice was cold. Final.
My heart dropped to my stomach as he stood in front of the staff, one hand stretched toward the door like I was nothing more than a mistake to be erased.
“Sir, please… I’m sorry… I won’t do it again…” My voice broke as tears filled my eyes.
“I can’t work with unstable people. This is a hospital,” he said firmly. “I don’t know what you might do next.”
Murmurs spread across the room.
“She just wanted his attention…”
“So desperate…”
My chest tightened.
My dream job… My freedom… everything slipping away.
“No!” I cried out loud—
“Juliet!”
Joy’s voice snapped me back to reality.
I froze.
I shook my head hard.
"What's wrong?" she asked, staring at me.
Without answering, I grabbed her wrist and dragged her into the restroom.
I started pacing immediately, my heart racing like I had just escaped something terrible.
“Joy… I think it’s over before it even started,” I said, panicking. “My dream job is gone.”
“Okay… slow down,” she said, leaning against the door. “You’ve been acting weird all day. What happened?”
"Joy!" I cried dramatically.
"Please tell me that he is just an ordinary doctor here."
She blinked at me.
"Does he look like one?" Joy whispered.
My heart sank.
"That’s the Mr. Handsome I’ve been telling you about… Mr. Vincent… The Chairman’s son… He is going to be the new…" Joy whispered.
I grabbed her shoulders before she could finish.
"Joy, listen to what I’m about to tell you now," I said, whispering.
Her eyes widened as I told her everything — how I’d panicked, spoken Korean, touched his chest without asking, shoved a one-dollar note at him like a maniac, then ran away.
"What!..." Joy exclaimed after I told her everything.
"You bumped into Mr. Vincent, poured coffee on him… shoved a one-dollar note at him?" Joy repeated slowly.
I nodded miserably after each point.
Then she laughed.
“No—no, I’m sorry,” she said, trying to hold it in but failing. “I really am—”
"Girl, I knew something was going to happen to you, I just didn’t know it would be this," she said, amused.
"Joy!" I stared at her in disbelief. "You’re really laughing?"
“I’m not!” she said quickly… then laughed again.
"How is it that the same man you acted like a crazy maniac in front of is the same Mr. Handsome?" she asked, shaking her head.
“I don’t know…” I muttered, feeling like the universe was playing a cruel joke on me.
“This is what happens when you watch too much drama,” she teased.
I groaned.
She looked at my face and laughed again.
“Joy, I’m serious. I might get fired on my first day.”
She finally stopped laughing and placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Relax. He won’t fire you over that.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“He might think you’re crazy,” she added — and laughed again.
“Joy…”
“But listen,” she said, turning serious. “He judges people based on their work. If you don’t want to get fired, prove yourself. Be serious. Show him you’re not crazy.”
I exhaled slowly.
I was a little relieved, but not fully.
That day, I worked like my life depended on it.
I checked on patients nonstop — almost twice every hour. I did extra tasks, avoided mistakes, and stayed alert, ears open for the words I dreaded most: "Mr. Vincent is looking for you."
I had already planned my apology, memorized it, practiced it. Even in the restroom, I faced the mirror.
"Mr. Handsome… oh no, no — Mr. Vincent, I’m really sorry… I didn’t really see you then and my brain just went blank, that’s why I touched you without…"
I paused.
"So your brain is blank, how did you manage to become a nurse?"
I mocked my own reflection, groaned, and poured water on my face.
"Juliet, your day is over and nothing happened. Pack your things and go home and rest," I told myself as I splashed cold water on my face.
I stepped out, said goodbye to Joy — who had night duty — and headed to the parking lot.
"Ha, who really decided to park this close behind my motorcycle..." I muttered when I saw a sleek jeep parked too tight beside it.
"Today has really been a wonderful day… does this person really have to park here?" I said mockingly.
"That's my space," a deep voice said calmly.
I froze.
Slowly I turned.
The same man.
That glacier-handsome man.
Mr. Vincent.
Of course.
Why wouldn’t fate embarrass me again?
He pointed behind me.
I turned and saw the sign: FOR THE BOSS ONLY.
Since when did that appear?!
I smiled nervously and turned back.
"I'm sorry, I didn't notice."
"Can you remove your motorcycle?" he said calmly, already heading to his car.
I nodded quickly.
Does he remember me? Or is he just waiting for the perfect time to destroy me?
I quickly tried to start my motorcycle. Nothing.
That motorcycle had been having issues since morning. I knew I should’ve left it, but I told myself I’d manage for today.
Maybe that was my biggest mistake.
Oh God. Not now. Not in front of him.
I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
He was already in his car, waiting.
I tried again. Still nothing.
Oh God. I’m really an embarrassment.
I’ve never embarrassed myself this badly in one full day — and definitely not because of a guy.
I looked at his window. He wound it down but didn’t say a word.
I had no other choice.
I dragged the motorcycle out of the way like a wounded child.
He started his car.
I lowered my head in silent apology.
He drove off but stopped halfway.
For a few minutes he didn’t move.
"Can you please start moving and stop making this more embarrassing for me," I whispered to myself.
He finally drove off.
I stood there, staring at my useless motorcycle.
Out of frustration, I kicked it —
“Ahh!” I winced, hopping on one leg.
I was about to leave it there when a hospital engineer came out through the door.
I stood shocked — what a miracle in the middle of trouble.
He came closer.
"Did you see Mr. Vincent?" he asked.
"He just drove off now. Can you please help me with this? I know you only handle the high-profile ones but—"
He noticed it.
"Is this the motorcycle?" he asked.
I nodded quickly.
How does he know which motorcycle it is?
But I brushed it off.
"Yes..." I said excitedly.
I drove my motorcycle back home, the night breeze cooling my burning face.
I smiled. At least one miracle happened in all this chaos.
I reached home, fell onto my bed.
My phone rang. Joy.
"Girl, I finally got a break… how are you doing? Have you been fired?" she joked.
"I wasn't," I joked back.
We laughed.
"Girl, this is really suspicious… too many coincidences," Joy said, surprised, after I told her everything.
I exhaled heavily.
"Girl, watch — you two are going to fall in love," she said, half joking, half serious.
I laughed.
The word "love" still sounded like a joke in real life.
"Girl, definitely not… I don’t still believe in true love. And I’m sure he thinks I’m crazy and weird," I said, amused.
"I'm just saying."
She said.
Little did I know… those words would actually come true.
- Writer
