Under His Rules
1535 Words
Ava Bennett had spent years dreaming about becoming a doctor.
She had imagined difficult surgeries, long nights studying, complicated patients, and the satisfaction of knowing that her work could save someone's life.
She had never imagined that one of the hardest parts of becoming a doctor would be surviving Dr. Ethan Hart.
By seven in the morning, Ava had already discovered that Ethan's definition of an assistant was very different from hers.
According to him, an assistant wasn't simply someone who followed instructions.
An assistant anticipated them.
She learned that lesson when she arrived at the surgical department with three patient files carefully organized in the order she had been instructed to use.
Ethan glanced at the files.
“These aren't arranged correctly.”
Ava frowned.
“You told me to arrange them according to surgery time.”
“I told you to arrange them according to surgical priority.”
“You said—”
“I know what I said.”
He handed the files back.
“Do it again.”
Ava stared at him.
“You could have just said priority.”
“I assumed you understood.”
“I can't read minds, Dr. Hart.”
His eyebrow lifted.
“Then learn quickly.”
He walked away.
Ava clenched her jaw.
She had never met anyone so irritating.
She rearranged the files.
Five minutes later, Ethan returned.
He looked through them.
“Better.”
That was it.
No thank you.
No acknowledgment.
Just better.
Ava took a slow breath.
“I'm going to survive three months.”
“What?”
She hadn't realized she'd spoken aloud.
“Nothing.”
Ethan looked suspicious but didn't question her.
Instead, he handed her another folder.
“Patient in room 418. Review the history and tell me the three most important concerns.”
Ava opened the folder.
“Now?”
“That's generally when I give instructions.”
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
“Yes, Doctor.”
She headed toward the patient ward.
For the next hour, Ethan tested her constantly.
He asked questions during rounds.
He corrected her notes.
He challenged her clinical reasoning.
Whenever Ava thought she had finally answered something correctly, he found another question.
But something unexpected happened.
She started enjoying it.
Not arrogance.
Not the attitude.
The medicine.
Ethan was brilliant.
There was no denying it.
He could look at a patient's history and notice details that everyone else had overlooked. He remembered medications, previous procedures, family histories, and small changes in symptoms.
He didn't simply treat patients.
He studied them.
And when he spoke to them, his personality changed.
The cold surgeon disappeared.
In his place was a calm, patient doctor who listened carefully.
Ava noticed it with their fourth patient of the morning.
An elderly man named Mr. Collins was scheduled for surgery.
He looked terrified.
“Doctor,” he said quietly, “I've been trying not to think about the operation.”
Ethan pulled a chair beside his bed.
“You don't have to pretend you're not scared.”
Mr. Collins looked surprised.
Ethan smiled faintly.
“Being afraid doesn't make you weak.”
Ava watched from the other side of the room.
Mr. Collins relaxed.
Ethan explained the procedure in simple language, answered every question, and stayed until the patient stopped trembling.
When they left the room, Ava looked at him differently.
“You're good with patients.”
Ethan kept walking.
“I know.”
She almost laughed.
“Was that compliment really necessary?”
“I wasn't complimenting myself.”
“You absolutely were.”
He glanced at her.
For half a second, she saw something playful in his eyes.
Then it vanished.
“You're learning.”
Ava smiled.
“Was that another compliment?”
“No.”
“It definitely sounded like one.”
“Don't get used to it.”
They continued down the hallway.
Ava found herself smiling.
Then she remembered who he was.
Ethan Hart.
Her role model's son.
Her boss.
Her biggest obstacle.
And the man who had warned her not to fall for him.
She immediately stopped smiling.
By noon, Ava was exhausted.
She sat in the cafeteria with a sandwich and a bottle of water, trying to process everything she'd learned.
Her phone buzzed.
It was her mother.
How's your first day going?
Ava smiled.
She typed:
Busy. My new supervisor is difficult.
Her mother's reply came quickly.
You'll be fine. Remember why you started.
Ava stared at those words.
Remember why you started.
She did.
She remembered the hospital room from five years ago.
Her mother's pale face.
The fear.
The uncertainty.
And Dr. Amelia Hart walking into the room.
Ava had been sixteen then.
She remembered watching the surgeon explain the operation with such confidence that Ava had believed everything would be okay.
And somehow, it had been.
That was why she wanted to become a doctor.
Not for money.
Not for recognition.
Not even for the title.
She wanted to give other families the hope Amelia Hart had given hers.
Ava locked her phone.
When she returned to the surgical department, Ethan was standing outside the operating room.
“You're late.”
She checked the clock.
“I'm two minutes early.”
“You're late compared to me.”
Ava sighed.
“Of course.”
He handed her a surgical cap.
“We're going in.”
Her heart jumped.
Her first surgery with Ethan.
She quickly put on the cap.
As they entered the operating room, Ava's nerves returned.
The bright lights.
The equipment.
The monitors.
The quiet concentration of the surgical team.
Everything felt different here.
Seriously.
Precise.
Ethan stood at the operating table.
His entire demeanor changed.
No arrogance.
No sarcasm.
Just focus.
Ava assisted where instructed.
She watched carefully.
Every movement was controlled.
Every decision was deliberate.
For the first time, she understood why Ethan had earned such a remarkable reputation.
He wasn't merely talented.
He was disciplined.
The procedure became complicated halfway through.
A monitor changed.
One of the nurses immediately alerted Ethan.
He remained calm.
“Stay focused.”
The room became tense.
Ava watched him work.
Minutes passed.
Then the numbers stabilized.
The tension slowly disappeared.
The surgery continued.
When it was finally over, Ethan stepped away from the table.
“Good work.”
Ava looked at him.
Was he talking to her?
“You mean me?”
He glanced at her.
“You followed instructions.”
She smiled.
“I'll take that as a compliment.”
“Don't.”
She laughed softly.
For the first time that day, Ethan almost smiled.
After the surgery, Ava was reviewing notes when Ethan entered the office.
He placed a folder on her desk.
“Your performance today was acceptable.”
Ava looked up.
“Acceptable?”
“Yes.”
“After everything I did?”
“You didn't make any serious mistakes.”
“That sounds almost positive.”
“It isn't.”
She shook her head.
“You're impossible.”
Ethan leaned against the desk.
“And yet you're still here.”
“Because I need to graduate.”
His expression changed slightly.
“That's the only reason?”
Ava hesitated.
“Yes.”
He studied her for a moment.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Something about his expression changed.
The playful confidence disappeared.
“Excuse me.”
He walked toward the window before answering.
Ava returned to her notes.
She didn't intend to listen.
But she heard his voice.
“I'm not discussing this here.”
A pause.
“No.”
Another pause.
“You promised me this was over.”
Ava's hand stopped moving.
Ethan lowered his voice.
“If she finds out, everything changes.”
Ava looked up.
He turned his back toward her.
“I'm warning you. Leave my mother out of this.”
Ava's heart began beating faster.
His mother.
Dr. Amelia Hart.
Who was he talking about?
Ethan ended the call.
For a moment, he remained by the window.
Then he turned.
Their eyes met.
Ava quickly looked back at her notes.
He walked toward her.
“What did you hear?”
His voice was different.
Not teasing.
Not arrogant.
Cold.
Ava swallowed.
“Nothing.”
“Don't lie to me.”
She looked up.
“I wasn't listening.”
He stared at her.
The silence stretched between them.
Finally, he leaned closer.
“This is your first warning, Ava.”
Her stomach tightened.
“About what?”
“About asking questions that don't concern you.”
He walked away.
Ava watched him disappear through the door.
She looked down at the patient file in front of her.
But she couldn't concentrate anymore.
Because for the first time, she realized something.
Ethan Hart wasn't simply hiding something from the hospital.
He was hiding something about his mother.
And whatever it was, it scared him.
Ava had promised herself she would focus on becoming a doctor.
She had promised herself she wouldn't get distracted by Ethan.
But now there was something else she couldn't ignore.
A secret.
And somehow, she had a feeling that working beside Ethan Hart for the next three months would bring her dangerously close to it.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD