Silent Strings

Chapter 3

I turned the corner into the break room, grateful for a moment to breathe after the adrenaline-packed morning. As I reached for a bottle of water, I felt a familiar presence close in behind me.

“Still stealing the spotlight, huh?” Jackson’s voice was smooth and teasing, his words brushing against my ear as he leaned over my shoulder to grab a water bottle from the counter—completely unnecessary, considering there was plenty of space beside me.

I shot him a side-eye, ignoring the way his proximity made my pulse quicken. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied, twisting the cap off my bottle.

“Oh, come on.” He straightened, his warm hand casually brushing against my lower back as he leaned on the counter beside me. It was subtle—barely there—but enough to send a spark up my spine. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Commanding the room, calling the shots… I swear, it’s almost like you enjoy making everyone stare at you in awe.”

“I wasn’t the one strutting through the hallways like it was a runway, Dr. Huáng,” I shot back, my tone sharp but my voice betraying a hint of amusement.

He grinned, completely unbothered. “What can I say? I aim to impress.” His eyes flicked over me then, not in a clinical way but in a way that made me suddenly hyperaware of my scrubs. “Speaking of impressive… You’ve changed a lot in three years, haven’t you?”

I froze, narrowing my eyes at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, nothing.” His gaze swept over me blatantly now, lingering for a moment longer than necessary. “Just that you’ve… matured. More confident. A little sharper around the edges.” He paused, his grin turning sly. “And, well, let’s just say you’ve filled out nicely. Turns me on.”

I choked on my water. “Jackson!” I hissed, shooting a panicked glance at the door. My cheeks burned as I struggled to maintain my composure.

“What?” He shrugged innocently, though the glint in his eye betrayed him. “It’s an observation. You’ve always been beautiful, Ines. Just… now there’s a bit more to admire.”

My mouth opened and closed, no words forming as his grin widened. “You’re impossible,” I finally managed, my voice a mix of indignation and embarrassment. “And inappropriate.” He hasn’t changed at all.

“Relax, Nurse Cua,” he teased, his hand briefly resting on my shoulder before trailing down to lightly tap my elbow. “I’m just being honest. You’re the one taking it personally.”

“Taking it personally?” I repeated, my voice rising just slightly before I caught myself. I clenched my water bottle, throwing him a glare. “Jackson, we’re at work. You can’t just say things like that.”

“Why not? I’m not lying.” He tilted his head, his gaze dropping unapologetically to my chest for a second before meeting my eyes again. “Besides, it’s not like anyone here doesn’t already know you’re gorgeous.”

I was certain my face was as red as the emergency signs on the walls. “Jackson,” I hissed again, my tone low and threatening, though it lacked any real bite.

“And,” he continued, completely ignoring me, “you’ve definitely been working out. Your scrubs weren’t that fitted back in the day. Or maybe it’s just…” His eyes flicked down to my hips, and he raised a brow. “You know.”

I gawked at him, heat rushing to my face. “You—!” My voice cracked, and I swallowed hard, glancing again at the door. “I swear, if we weren’t in a hospital right now—”

“You’d what?” he cut in, stepping just a little closer, his voice dropping into a low, teasing murmur. “Threaten me? Punch me? Or maybe you’d admit that you won’t mind me noticing.”

I wanted to scream, but all I could do was glare at him, my composure barely intact. “I’m going to murder you,” I muttered under my breath.

Jackson chuckled, completely unfazed. “See? There’s the fiery Ines I remember. Always so quick to get worked up around me.”

He leaned back, crossing his arms as he smirked. “But seriously, Ines, you were incredible out there today. Everyone saw it, but I always knew you had it in you.”

The sincerity in his tone threw me off balance, and for a moment, I forgot how furious I was. His gaze softened, and the teasing glint faded just enough for me to see the boy I’d known in college—the one who always had my back, no matter what.

Before I could respond, he straightened up and reached out, lightly tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Relax, Nurse Cua,” he said with a wink. “I’m just here to make sure you don’t take life too seriously. Someone’s got to keep you on your toes.”

“And someone needs to keep you in check,” I retorted, crossing my arms. “Careful, Jackson. One of these days, I might just call your bluff.”

“I’d love to see you try,” he replied, his grin nothing short of devilish. Then, with a casual wave, he strolled out of the break room, leaving me with a pounding heart, burning cheeks, and the maddening realization that, no matter how much time passed, Jackson Huáng still knew how to get under my skin.

I slipped back into my tasks, trying to ignore the faint warmth still lingering on my skin from his touch. The nurses’ station buzzed with the usual chaos of charts and updates, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Sure enough, a few pairs of eyes kept darting in my direction, accompanied by hushed whispers that grew louder by the second.

“Nurse Kassandra Cua, isn’t it?” Amelia, one of the senior nurses, approached with a clipboard in hand, though her expression suggested this was less about work and more about scrutiny. Her voice was sweetly polite but carried an unmistakable edge. “You certainly made quite an impression on Dr. Huáng today.”

I looked up from the patient file I was reviewing, blinking in confusion. “I—sorry?”

“Oh, don’t play coy,” Amelia said, a smile tugging at her lips. “You know exactly what I mean. The way he hugged you earlier? And that little… moment in the hallway? It’s not something we see every day.”

“I-it wasn’t a moment,” I stammered, feeling the heat creep up my neck. “We’re just friends. College friends. That’s all.”

“Friends?” another nurse chimed in, raising an eyebrow as she leaned on the counter. “Right. Because Dr. Huáng is known for casually hugging ‘just friends’ in the middle of a shift.”

“Exactly,” Amelia added, her tone dripping with faux innocence. “I’ve worked with him for years, and I’ve never seen him act like that. He’s usually so… composed. But with you, it’s like all his walls are down. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?”

I opened my mouth to respond but faltered, unsure how to argue when even I couldn’t quite explain Jackson’s behavior. The truth was, I didn’t know what to make of it either. Was this just him being his usual, infuriatingly confident self? Or was there something else I wasn’t seeing?

Before I could gather my thoughts, Amelia pressed on. “You should’ve seen the way he was looking at you earlier. Like you hung the moon or something. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say there’s history between you two. Something more than just friendship.”

“There’s not!” I said, a little louder than intended. “He’s just—he’s just being Jackson.”

“‘Just Jackson,’ huh?” The younger nurse snickered. “Well, I wouldn’t mind being in your shoes. He’s practically a legend around here. Handsome, brilliant, and now apparently super affectionate? You must be special, Nurse Cua.”

The blush burning my cheeks only deepened. “You’re reading too much into it,” I said firmly, though my voice wavered slightly. “We’re colleagues now, and that’s all there is to it.”

“Hmm,” Amelia said, clearly unconvinced. “If you say so. But just a friendly warning—don’t get too comfortable. Dr. Huáng may be charming, but he’s not exactly known for sticking to one thing—or one person—for long.”

The comment stung more than I cared to admit, though I wasn’t entirely sure why. Before I could dwell on it, a familiar voice interrupted, smooth and unmistakably amused. I know that.

“Am I interrupting something?”

All heads turned as Jackson appeared, his white coat as pristine as ever and his dark eyes glinting with mischief. The nurses straightened instinctively, their earlier confidence replaced by flustered fidgeting.

“Dr. Huáng,” Amelia said, her tone immediately shifting to one of deference. “We were just… welcoming Nurse Cua to the team.”

“Were you?” His gaze flicked to me, and the corner of his mouth quirked into a smirk. “Because it sounded like you were interrogating her.”

The younger nurse giggled nervously. “Not at all, sir. Just… getting to know her.”

“Good to hear,” he said, his tone light but his eyes sharp as they lingered on Amelia for a beat longer than necessary. “I wouldn’t want anyone making her feel unwelcome.”

My cheeks burned, and I focused intently on the chart in front of me, pretending not to notice the way his gaze softened when it shifted to me.

“Anyway,” Jackson continued, stepping closer to the counter. “Ines, have you had lunch yet?”

I looked up, startled by the question. “Uh, no. Not yet.”

“Perfect. I’ll treat you,” he said, completely ignoring the curious stares from the nurses. “Consider it a proper welcome.”

“Oh, no, that’s not necessary,” I said quickly, glancing nervously at Amelia and the others. Their expressions ranged from envious to downright annoyed.

“Nonsense,” he said, flashing me that infuriatingly charming smile. “You’ve had a busy day. You deserve it.”

Before I could protest further, he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a low murmur that only I could hear. “Unless you’d rather keep working under their watchful eyes? They’re not exactly subtle.”

I glanced around, realizing he was right—the nurses were practically hanging on to our every word. Letting out a resigned sigh, I stood and set down the chart. “Fine. Lunch. But just this once.”

“Whatever you say,” he said with a wink, straightening and gesturing for me to follow. “Ladies,” he added, addressing the nurses with a polite nod before turning on his heel.

As I trailed after him, I couldn’t help but notice the envious glares boring into my back. The thought made my stomach twist uncomfortably, but Jackson, as always, seemed completely unfazed.

“This is going to be an interesting ride,” I muttered under my breath, more to myself than anyone else.

And as Jackson held the door open for me, his gaze warm and teasing all at once, I couldn’t help but wonder just how true that was.