8. "You have proved how unfit you are for such prestigious gatherings."
"Wait, so you're not allowed to leave the hospital at all?" Eva questioned incredulously, her eyebrows scrunched up. We had just finished our early morning ward round.
"New CEO's orders." I muttered agitatedly under my breath.
"What is his problem with you?"
"I'm dying to know too."
"I'm still unable to process that he's the CEO; what made him make that decision overnight?" She said.
The overnight revelation to make my life hell for some sin I'm sure I never committed.
"The second worst thing someone has ever done to me." His words echoed in my mind. What was that even supposed to mean?
What's the first worst thing? I found myself impulsively wondering.
"Earth to Aysel." Eva snapped her fingers in front of my eyes.
I sighed. "I feel like a hostage in here, Eva."
"I have a useful piece of advice for you," she said, making me look at her expectantly. "Go to his office. Tell him to fuck off and that you won't take orders from him."
I shook my head. "He's technically our boss."
"Not a good one."
I sighed again. "Yeah, he's worse than Dr. Bailey."
She giggled in response.
"Hey guys!" Andrew walked up to us. We greeted him back. "I heard the list has been put up of all the doctors that will be attending the annual surgical conference."
My eyes lit up at the news. I had been excitedly looking forward to that conference.
It was an excellent opportunity for young doctors like me to learn, grow and connect with other professionals in the field.
Plus it was a great addition in the CV. I was positive that I had made the list. Not that I mean to brag, but I had put in more hours than any other doctor of my same rank ever since I had started working.
I hadn't taken a single day off or slacked off.
I had to be selected to attend that conference, right?
My enthusiasm died as soon as I went to see the list with Andrew and Eva. My eyes scanned the list over and over again, desperately searching for my name, hoping it was there somewhere and I was just somehow unable to see it.
"There has to be a mistake." Andrew voiced. My heart sank in my chest. All the junior doctors working in the general surgery department had been selected. Except me.
Eva frowned, disbelief coating her features as she closed her face in on the list as if that would magically ink my name on it.
My lips thinned. I wanted to cry. It must seem pathetic, but I had been dreaming of attending that conference since I was in medical school.
I was enthusiastic about that kind of stuff.
Andrew turned to me. "You should go talk to Dr. Bailey. I'm sure it's a mistake. Why would they leave only you out?"
A little spark of hope lit up in my heart. Perhaps it was a genuine mistake. Perhaps I could still go.
I nodded. "I'll go talk to her."
"Yeah, go." He agreed, giving me a gentle push toward her office.
———
"There's no mistake, Dr. Aysel. That list is final." Dr. Bailey deadpanned. My heart sank again.
"But that's not fair," I couldn't help but argue. "How is it possible that I have worked the hardest out of everyone and put in extra hours all these months, to be the only one who is left out to avail an opportunity like this?"
"I know, but there is nothing I can do about it." She replied uncaringly, returning her attention to a patient's lab reports.
"Yes, you can," I frowned. "You're my boss."
She sighed in annoyance, looking up at me again. "And I, too, have a boss to answer to."
My eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What do you mean?"
She sighed once more, seeming like her patience was hanging by a thread. "Mr. Knight finalised this list. I don't have a say in it."
My lips parted in surprise, before my mouth closed again. It made sense then. But then again, it didn't. Why was he doing that to me?
"That's unfair," I bickered, getting more upset. "He just recently bought the hospital and took charge. He does not know who has been working the hardest and who deserves this opportunity or not."
"Dr. Aysel, that's enough," she raised her voice a little, shooting me a glare. "He's not just my boss. My husband works for him too. I can't risk both mine and my husband's jobs just because you're not getting to attend a conference. Now leave and assume your duties."
I gaped at her in bewilderment. She returned her attention to the reports on her desk. My morale dropped as I turned to leave her office.
I wasn't thinking straight as my feet started leading me to the evil new CEO's office.
I pushed the door to his office open roughly, storming inside, before slamming the door close behind me. He was caught off guard as he abruptly rose from his chair. He quickly composed himself, shooting me the angriest look so far.
I was too hurt and crestfallen to give a damn about his anger or what he could do to me. What more could he do to me?
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He growled, standing behind his desk, the veins in his neck bulging. I stalked up to his desk and angrily grabbed hold of his laptop, throwing it to the floor without another thought.
It made a loud sound as it broke into pieces. He gawked at me, baffled, while I glared at him as fiercely and fearlessly as I could.
"Are you insane?!" He yelled.
"Yes!" I yelled back. "I am! You've made me insane! You're the most pathetic man I have ever come across."
His merciless eyes looked like they were plotting my murder. "Get lost!" He bellowed.
"Or what?" I screamed. "You'll fire me?! Go ahead! I don't give a damn! I'd rather die homeless and hungry than have a tyrant as a boss!"
"Leave. This. Instant." He drawled through gritted teeth, the veins in his neck and forehead seeming to be on the verge of popping.
"I'm not going anywhere!" I quarrelled.
He walked around his desk, stopping a few centimetres in front of me. The next second his hand was aggressively grabbing my wrist in an attempt to drag me out of his office, but the very next second, his office echoed with a loud sound.
The sound of him getting slapped.
He stood there shocked. I stood there shocked. I had not intended for that to happen.
The silence that fell began to draw me out of whatever spell of courage I was under. Reality dawned on me. I had just yelled at Aiden Knight, broken his laptop and then slapped him. Him. The most powerful and dangerous man in the country. And also my boss.
A shiver ran down my spine as I watched him recover from the shock of the slap he had received, his gaze meeting mine again. I doubted that he had ever experienced something like that before. A literal slap on his face.
Where would I go and hide? He would hunt me down in no time.
His eyes were a lot colder than they ever had been before as he stared at me quietly. His chest rose and fell abruptly, and so did mine as we held each other's gaze.
"Aysel," he drawled out my name threateningly, his eyes darkening even more. I gulped. "You will pay for this disrespect."
"I'm already paying for some unknown, undefined crime against you." I said softly. I felt like breaking down. I hated how emotional I got after an anger episode.
His gaze remained hard and cold, his jaw clenched. I noticed him suck in a staggered breath as if he was holding himself back from doing something horrible to me.
"Get out. Now." He said, his voice now totally devoid of emotion.
"No," I argued, fighting back the stupid, unnecessary tears that were threatening to fall out. "I want to go to the conference."
His eyebrows scrunched up together, incredulity coating his features. "The only place you're going is the top psychiatrist's office in this hospital."
I scowled. "I have worked my ass off all these months! I deserve to go!"
"You have proved how unfit you are for such prestigious gatherings."
My frown grew. "You do not get to decide what I am fit for or not!"
He rubbed his forehead, rolling his eyes. "I'll attribute this unduly disgraceful behaviour of yours to pre-menstrual syndrome or whatever, so I'll let you off with a warning this time. But be assured that such behaviour will not be toler—"
I stepped closer to him, grabbing him by the collar, causing his eyes to widen in surprise and his sentence to be left hanging. "Shut up!" I uttered, glowering at him.
He grabbed my wrists, peeling my hands away from his collar, before pushing me against the wall. I shuddered as he pressed his body to mine, my eyes widening in fear as I saw the venomous look in his dark brown orbs. I was instantly reminded of our height difference. I was so small compared to him.
I tried pushing him away, but he held me firmly against the wall.
I shivered as his lips ghosted over the sensitive flesh of my earlobe.
"If you ever," he began, his voice a threatening whisper.
"Pull a stunt like this again," his grip on my wrist grew tighter, making me wince.
"I will kill you, and I promise, you won't even have a grave for your loved ones to visit. "
A chill ran down my spine at his uncalled-for threat. Then he pulled away from me, his grasp on my wrist staying, using which he dragged me out of his office and pushed me out, slamming the door in my face.