Becoming strangers again (Lily and Ryan) novel Chapter 140

NEW BEGINNING

LILY

ONE YEAR LATER

Ryan and I have been married for a year now, and I must say, it has been the most wonderful, joy-filled year of my life. Everything between us has gone incredibly smoothly.

His parents have been nothing short of amazing, offering their support to us in every possible way. As for the boys, they've grown so fond of Ryan’s parents that they actually prefer spending the holidays with them instead of with us.

But I don't mind at all—it just means I get to enjoy more moments alone with my husband.

“Ma’am?” My secretary’s voice broke through my thoughts, drawing my attention back to the present. She had just poked her head into my office. “The resident doctors are here.”

The hospital decided it was a good idea to bring in more resident doctors this year, and today is the day they’re arriving. “Where are they?”

"In the conference room with the new neurosurgeon," she responded.

Ah, right. *Amell Windsor* is arriving today. He’s not just any neurosurgeon; he’s a renowned figure in the field, known far and wide for his expertise. However, I should add that his reputation for being exceptionally skilled is also matched by his arrogance.

The hospital spared no expense, practically throwing a fortune his way to entice him to join our team.

The decision to bring him on board wasn’t really mine, though. It was more of a board directive, and here I am, about to meet a man who blatantly ignored my calls, left my emails sitting unanswered in his inbox, only to turn around and respond immediately to the chairman of the board’s message.

How much more arrogant can one person be?

“I’ll be with them shortly,” I finally replied. Grace nodded in acknowledgment before quietly retreating, closing the door behind her.

Amell made me wait, so he can wait for me, too. Yes, I’m that petty.

Thirty minutes and one lengthy Zoom call later, I finally decided to make my way to the conference room.

When I walked into the room, the three resident doctors immediately stood up, their expressions shifting into respectful acknowledgment of my presence. However, the smug bastard remained seated, casually taking a sip of his coffee with an annoying arrogance.

His legs were crossed nonchalantly, and he had the audacity to stare at me with an expression of almost deliberate disinterest, as if he had far better things to do than be in this room.

We locked eyes for a tense moment, each of us silently measuring the other. I could feel the irritation building up inside me, and it took everything in me to pull my gaze away before I lost my cool and snapped at him. Instead, I redirected my focus to the new resident doctors, pushing aside my annoyance.

“It’s a pleasure to work with you all,” I said, my voice calm and professional.

The first resident, a young woman, stepped forward with a tentative smile, extending her hand for a handshake. “My name is Dr. Dinny,” she introduced herself. Her name was already clearly displayed on her ID badge, but I allowed her to introduce herself nonetheless, understanding that it might help her feel more comfortable.

The other two residents followed her lead, introducing themselves in turn. I could see the nervousness in their eyes, as they tried to present themselves with confidence.

“You don’t have to be nervous,” I assured them, offering a reassuring smile. “The hospital, and myself, are glad to have you on our team. We’re here to support you as you grow and learn, so please feel free to reach out if you need anything.”

Amell cleared his throat, drawing my attention away from the new residents. He uncrossed his legs, placed his coffee cup on the desk with a thud, and leaned forward slightly, glancing at his wristwatch. “If you’re truly happy to work with us, you wouldn’t have kept us waiting for over thirty minutes,” he said, his tone deadpan. He then rose to his feet.

There was something about his haughty demeanor that irked me deeply. It reminded me of Ryan, though the distinction was clear: with Ryan, I found his arrogance somewhat endearing, even attractive. But with Amell, his arrogance was nothing short of irritating and unsettling.

“Perhaps I had other pressing matters to attend to,” I shot back, my tone equally deadpan. “You know, important issues like matters of life and death, or perhaps hospital affairs.”

Amell’s smirk only widened. “Or maybe you just intentionally kept us waiting.”

He approached me and extended his hand, a gesture that was more about asserting dominance than genuine friendliness. For the sake of maintaining some courtesy, I shook his hand. “My name is Dr. Amell Windsor,” he said. “And you can call me Dr. Windsor.”