Fever Pitch Temptation

Chapter 4 A Test

Whispers erupted around me, and people shot me looks like I was some kind of monster.

"Did you hear what Owen said? Our school doctor Anveena killed Taylor?!"

"That's insane! They were just arguing, and she went crazy to stab Taylor? She's either lost her mind, or she's straight-up evil!"

"Oh man, this is huge news! Someone better snap a picture of this snake-hearted woman!"

I was stunned, like someone had just poured a whole bottle of tequila down my throat—my brain completely went blank!

'What the hell? Did I hear that right? Owen, the perfect guy in my heart, accused me of murder?' My mind reeled.

"No... Owen? There's gotta be some mistake..."

I licked my dry lips, trying to process what just happened. I wanted to ask Owen what the hell he meant, but Wilson blocked my way with his broad shoulder, his eyes full of warning.

"You psycho! Stay the hell away from Owen! He's a key witness and the star of our school's baseball team. I'm not letting anyone ruin him!" Wilson yelled.

"What? I didn't—" I was completely shocked. He was worried I was going to hurt his teammate?!

I was still trying to figure out how to talk Wilson down and talk to Owen when Wilson turned around and muttered, "Owen, you should leave now."

"Yeah... but I need a minute..." Owen's eyes drifted to Taylor, who was slowly starting to wake up.

"f**k! I'm gonna kill you! You haven't heard the last of me..."

I couldn't believe the first thing the big guy Taylor wanted to do after waking up was try to get up and keep the fight going!

"Oh my god! Taylor's alive!" The crowd outside the infirmary door was growing. They raised their phones high to record every second of this insane spectacle, and I could already feel the gossip train starting to run.

Thank goodness Taylor was alive. At least it cleared the name of a murderer for me.

But with his struggles, the bleeding started again, and things were getting more complicated. I quickly shouted, "Stop moving, Taylor! I promise you're not in danger!"

Just then, Owen pounced on him like a predator, his strong hand pressing firmly to Taylor's forehead.

Owen whispered something to Taylor's ear, and by the time he lifted his hand, Taylor went still, his eyes shut. His jaw was clenched tight, and I wasn't sure if he'd passed out again.

"Phew... Dr. Everly, you can go ahead and stop the bleeding again," Owen said, letting out a relieved sigh and flashing me a charming grin.

One second ago, he was a ruthless beast, and the next, he was this smooth, good-looking guy with a playful smirk and a look that could melt anyone. How could anyone resist Owen's charm? I couldn't help but feel the flutter in my chest.

When my gaze landed back on Taylor, I forced myself to snap out of it and stay focused. "Alright, thanks for the assist. I need to call an ambulance and get him to the nearest hospital..."

Though I was pretty sure the cut didn't reach his organs, I still thought Taylor should get a full check-up. Better safe than sorry.

"Of course," Owen said with a shrug and turned to Wilson. "Relax, sir. Dr. Everly isn't the bad guy..."

I quickly hung up the phone and turned back to find Owen handing me a medical tray. Seizing the chance, I whispered to him, "I'm curious what did you say to Taylor? He went from raging to lying there like a kitten all of a sudden."

A soft and amused chuckle came from him as he replied, "Not much. Just told him to chill out. If Dr. Everly gets mad, she might end up poking a few more holes in him. I can't stop that."

The tension in the room was palpable, and I wasn't the only one feeling it. Taylor, who had been lying there, shot a furious glare at Owen before he reluctantly closed his eyes again, clearly annoyed. Owen, on the other hand, seemed to take pleasure in the whole thing.

I retorted, "You know damn well I'm not the only one responsible for this! Don't try to put everything on me. I won't have it!"

"Alright, alright, Dr. Everly. You said Taylor's not in danger, right? So just take it as... a little test, maybe?" Owen replied, his voice dripping with a hint of amusement.

"A test?" My hands were almost done with the procedure, but I couldn't help but glance at Owen, feeling confused. His lips were curved into a teasing smile as he slowly leaned in, his warm breath tickling my ear.

"Yep... If you pass the test, you'll get a private, exclusive photo of me. What do you think? Only for you."

"Oh..." I gasped softly, instinctively covering my phone in my pocket. My heart was hammering in my chest. He must've noticed my lock screen when he used my phone to airdrop the video. It was snapped by a fan, and in the photo, he was shirtless in the locker room.

It was the most circulated photo on campus, and now he knew I was just another one of his many fans!

I felt like I'd just been launched into space without a seatbelt and was spun out of control until a loud roar at the door snapped me back to reality.

"Stay away from Taylor! Don't touch my player!" Before I could process what was happening, I was suddenly bulldozed by a pissed-off beast.

It was Witte, the basketball team's coach, who stormed into the room with his hulking teammates. I stammered, "Ah, Witte, calm down. I'm just trying to stop his bleeding..."

Shit! Everyone knew that Taylor had learned more than basketball skills from Witte—his short temper was legendary. Even Taylor had to play nice around Witte. And Alissa was now hiding behind a teacher with a guilty face.

Worse still, there were people fueling the fire. "Stopping his bleeding? Are you sure? Taylor is still alive, and you're trying to finish the job, huh?"

"No, no, that's not what happened!" I was desperately trying to explain. "It was an accident! I've called the hospital, and Taylor will be fine!" I could barely stand from the pain in my legs, and the whole room seemed to be filled with people waiting for my downfall.

"Nice job! A crazy woman like her needs a good lesson!" someone said.

I looked around, hoping for some kind of support. But Owen was nowhere to be seen.

I could feel my body shaking, and the truth hit me hard. After all this time, I finally saw Owen for what he really was—clever, manipulative, and ruthless. How could I have been so blind?

As Witte and his team started to lift Taylor and carry him out, I gritted my teeth and ran after them. "Wait! The ambulance is on its way. Moving him like this could make his bleeding worse!"

"Shut up, b***h!" Witte snapped, pointing a finger in my face. "We don't trust you! You'll pay for what you've done!"

I froze on the spot. Shock, confusion, frustration, and hurt hit me all at once. Was this really happening? Was this some kind of nightmare?

As the basketball team left, the crowd around the door thinned out. Alissa took my hand and gave me a sympathetic look. "Dr. Everly, you're a good person. I'll always be grateful for what you did today. Don't worry, I'll make sure to explain this to the school. This isn't your fault."

'Well, at least it can't get any worse, right?' Just as I thought, the security captain walked up to me with a grim face.

"Come with me, Ms. Everly. You're in big trouble now."