The hallway was eerily quiet, save for the distant hum of hospital equipment and the soft shuffle of Arjun's shoes on the polished floors. He had only just finished a shift, but the nerves gnawing at him werenât from exhaustion. No, they were something far more unsettling, something he hadnât been able to push aside for days.
Arjun had made another mistake.
This one was big.
He couldnât believe it. How could he have been so careless? It was supposed to be a simple task, just a quick check of some paperwork for one of the senior doctors. But in his rush to get everything right, he accidentally mixed up the wrong files, leading to a minor but still significant delay in the hospitalâs operations.
His hands still shook as he approached Elias's office, feeling the weight of his mistake like a lead ball in his stomach. Arjun had no idea how Elias would react. It wasnât just any mistake; this one felt different. This one felt like it could cost him more than just his job. Heâd never been in a situation like this before, not with Elias, not with someone so high up in the hierarchy. The Matthews family were known for their high standards, and Elias, especially, had made it clear that he demanded nothing less than perfection.
But as Arjun stood outside the office, he couldnât help but wonder: Was this mistake the final straw? Or could Elias give him another chance? He didnât even know if he was ready for the answer, but he couldnât avoid it any longer.
Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, his knuckles barely making a sound against the wood. When Eliasâs voice called out from inside, Arjun hesitated for a brief moment before stepping in.
âElias... Iââ Arjun started, his voice barely above a whisper. He tried to sound confident, but the tightness in his throat betrayed him.
Elias was standing behind his desk, a paper in hand, but his eyes were fixed on Arjun the moment he entered. There was no hiding the annoyance on his face, and Arjun immediately regretted it. This wasnât going to be pretty.
âArjun,â Elias said in that smooth, authoritative tone of his, folding the paper and setting it down. He didnât seem angry at first, just... calm. But that calm was even more intimidating than anything else. âWhat happened this time?â
Arjun opened his mouth to explain, but no words came out. He swallowed, feeling his nerves surge. âI... I made a mistake, Elias. A big one.â
âI can see that,â Elias replied, his voice neutral but his eyes narrowing just a little. He didnât shout or raise his voice; instead, he simply waited for Arjun to continue. The silence stretched out between them, thick and heavy.
âI mixed up some files. I was in a rush, and... I thought I was being careful, but I messed up. I didnât mean for it to happen,â Arjun said, his voice cracking a little at the end. He felt like a child who had been caught doing something wrong.
Elias took a long moment to consider this. He didnât seem as angry as Arjun had expected, though there was a flicker of something else in his eyes. Was it disappointment? Frustration? It was hard to tell.
âIâll let it slide this time,â Elias said after a pause, his voice surprisingly calm. âBut I need you to be more careful in the future. You canât afford to make mistakes like this again.â
Arjun nodded furiously, relief flooding through him, though a tinge of guilt lingered. He hadnât expected that, but he wasnât about to question it. âThank you. I wonât let it happen again, I promise.â
Eliasâs gaze softened for a moment, but then he tilted his head slightly, and a new question seemed to form in his mind. âArjun,â he began, his voice taking on a more personal tone. âAre you married? Do you have a girlfriend?â
Arjun blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in the conversation. âWhat?â he stammered. He hadnât expected that question at all. His brain scrambled to process it, but his thoughts were a tangled mess.
âJust wondering,â Elias said with a shrug, though there was something about his posture that seemed... different. More intense. âYouâve been avoiding me a lot lately, and Iâm curious. Do you have someone else in your life?â
âNo,â Arjun said quickly, too quickly. He hadnât meant for the word to come out that fast, but now that it had, he felt his heart pounding a little harder. âNo, I donât have anyone.â
Elias studied him, and there was a long, uncomfortable silence between them. Arjun felt his cheeks flush, his heart racing in his chest. Why was this conversation suddenly taking such an unexpected turn? Why was Elias asking him about this?
Then Elias leaned back in his chair, and Arjun could see the glint of something in his eyes that he couldnât quite place. Eliasâs expression softened, but there was something far more intense there now. His posture changed as he straightened up, and suddenly, everything seemed to shift.
âGood,â Elias said quietly, his voice low, as if he were considering something important. âBecause Iâm interested in you, Arjun.â
Arjunâs stomach did a flip. He blinked, not quite processing the words that had just left Eliasâs mouth. âWhat?â
âIâve been trying to get your attention for a while now,â Elias said, his gaze steady, but there was something new in it nowâsomething far more personal, far more direct. âI know youâve been avoiding me, but Iâm not someone whoâs easily ignored.â
Arjunâs breath caught in his throat. He didnât know what to say, didnât know how to respond. His mind was racing, and all he could focus on was the steady beat of his heart, pounding in his chest.
Elias continued, a small, almost imperceptible smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. âAnd if Iâm being honest... I want you. I want you to be mine.â
Arjun swallowed, his throat dry. He didnât know if he could trust his own voice at this point, but he managed to say, âI donât... I donât understand.â
âYou donât have to understand right now,â Elias said, his voice gentle but firm. He leaned forward just slightly, his eyes locked on Arjunâs. âI just wanted you to know. Iâm not the kind of man who waits around for someone to figure things out. But Iâll give you time. No more running from me, Arjun.â
Arjun was speechless. He felt like the room had gotten warmer, like the air between them had thickened with tension. He wanted to say somethingâanythingâbut the words wouldnât come.
Elias watched him carefully, waiting for a response, but Arjun couldnât form one. He was too confused, too overwhelmed by everything that had just happened.
Eliasâs gaze softened for a brief moment, his expression shifting to something gentler, but his tone remained firm. âTake your time, Arjun. But donât make me wait too long. Iâm not a patient man when it comes to things I want.â
Arjun opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He didnât know what to say, didnât know how to respond to the weight of Eliasâs confession. So, in the end, he just stood there, frozen in place, feeling the heat of Eliasâs gaze on him.
Elias watched him for a few moments longer before standing up, his eyes never leaving Arjun. âIâll be waiting,â he said, and with that, he turned and walked out of the office, leaving Arjun standing there, more confused than ever.
Typical Elias with his proposal heheh