Kissed and Conquered

Chapter Twelve: A Powerful Patient’s Relative

Emily Harper was still reeling from Nathan Brooks’ swoon-worthy exit when a gaggle of junior doctors swarmed her like paparazzi at a red carpet. “Spill the tea, Harper!” one chirped, eyes gleaming with gossip-fueled glee. “You and Dr. Brooks go way back, don’t you? Or, wait—are you two already a thing?”

Emily’s face screamed send help. “If I said today was literally the first time I met him, would you buy it?”

“First time? And he’s carrying you like you’re his prom date?” another doctor scoffed, grinning. “Come on, Harper, don’t hold out on us! How long have you two been Netflix-and-chilling? And is he always that smooth? I’m dying here!”

Smooth? Try a human rollercoaster, Emily thought, tempted to gift-wrap Nathan and ship him to these fangirls. “Y’all, I swear on my med school debt, I’m not dating him. Can we drop this?”

“No way, dish the dirt!” a third doctor begged, tugging her sleeve like a kid after candy. “We won’t steal your man, promise. Just feed our curiosity!”

Emily opened her mouth, desperate for an escape hatch, when a new voice cut through the chaos. “Excuse me, is Dr. Emily Harper here?”

“That’s me!” Emily raised her hand, but her stomach dropped when she saw who it was—Chad, the check-waving patient’s son who’d sprained her ankle. Oh, great. Round two of ‘Insult Emily with Cash’. Was he back to bribe her again, miffed she’d shredded his last offer? Bring it on, buddy. This time, I might just frame the check for laughs.

Chad shuffled toward her, looking like a kid caught sneaking cookies. “Hey, Dr. Harper, I’m Chad Wheeler. I came to apologize. I was a total tool before, throwing money at you like you’re some reality TV contestant. I didn’t realize you’re, like, way too classy for that.”

Emily’s hopeful smirk froze. Wait… so the money’s off the table? Her dreams of a new coffee maker crumbled. “Uh… right,” she said, forcing a smile. “No harm done.”

“No, seriously, I owe you,” Chad insisted, rubbing his neck. “I messed up your ankle. How about I give you a ride home? It’s the least I can do.”

Ten grand to a Lyft ride? Emily’s wallet wept, but with the whole office watching and Chad praising her “classy vibes,” she couldn’t exactly demand a cash retry. “That’s… thoughtful, Chad, but I’m good,” she said through gritted teeth. “Let’s call it even.”

“Come on, your ankle’s busted!” Chad pressed. “Don’t make me feel worse.”

Before Emily could dodge, Vanessa Kline sashayed forward, her voice dripping with venom. “Oh, Chad, sweetie, you don’t know? Our dear Dr. Harper’s got a boyfriend who’s so devoted, he won’t even let her walk. Carries her everywhere like she’s Cleopatra. Right, Harper?”

“Boyfriend?” Chad’s brow furrowed. “You mean… Dr. Brooks?”

“No!” Emily waved her hands like she was swatting flies. “Dr. Brooks is just my boss. That’s it. Nada. Zilch. Can we please clear this up?”

Vanessa’s eyes glinted with malice. “Oh, please, Harper. You were all over Brooks when he scooped you up. Looked pretty cozy to me.”

Emily’s patience snapped. Vanessa had been poking her like a kid with a stick, and she was done playing nice. “What’s your deal, Kline? My ankle’s sprained, and my boss helped me out. Was I supposed to kick him and call him a creep? Get real.”

Her words, laced with just enough sarcasm, made her blush—Nathan’s “help” was over-the-top, and she knew it. But she straightened her spine, channeling every ounce of confidence to sell the lie. The junior doctors exchanged looks, half-convinced.

Vanessa faltered, then laughed. “Help? That’s rich. Brooks has been in the ER forever, and I’ve never seen him play knight in shining armor for me.”

“Maybe you should ask yourself why,” Emily shot back, her tone sharp but playful. “If Brooks is such a caring boss, why’s he ghosting you? Trouble in paradise?”

Vanessa’s face reddened. “Don’t twist my words, Harper! When has Brooks ever been ‘caring’ to anyone else?”

“Oh, so now you’re saying he’s a jerk to his staff?” Emily tilted her head, feigning innocence. “That’s not what I’ve seen.”

“You’re deliberately misquoting me!” Vanessa sputtered, her heels clacking as she stomped closer.

“Am I? Then spell it out, Kline. What are you saying?” Emily crossed her arms, cool as a cucumber, not giving an inch to the dean’s niece.

The office went silent, the junior doctors gaping like they’d front-row seats to a cage match. Emily had just verbally judo-flipped Vanessa, leaving her speechless—a first for the resident mean girl. Even Chad’s eyes sparkled, clearly impressed by Emily’s quick wit.

Vanessa recovered, her voice venomous. “Don’t play innocent, Harper. You’re juggling Brooks and Chad here, stringing them along for kicks. You’re just loving the drama, aren’t you? Bet you get a thrill watching them trip over themselves for you.”

“Chad… who?” Emily raised a brow, glancing at Chad. “You mean Mr. Wheeler?”

Vanessa’s theory was almost convincing—props for creativity—but Emily’s curiosity snagged on her calling Chad “Mr. Wheeler.” It sounded… loaded, like Vanessa knew him. And not just casually. The way she said it, all deferential, was weird. Vanessa was the dean’s niece, a hospital VIP. Why was she fawning over some patient’s kid like he was a big shot?

Emily tilted her head, her smile sly. “Hold up, Kline. ‘Mr. Wheeler’? Sounds like you two go way back. Care to share? Or is that another one of your wild theories?”

Vanessa’s face twitched, caught off guard. Chad shifted, looking uneasy, and the office buzzed with new gossip potential. Emily leaned back, ready for whatever Vanessa threw next. Game on.