The first meet

A month had passed since Arjun Patel’s brush with danger in the supply closet, yet the incident had done little to shake his reputation for being accident-prone. It had, however, brought him closer to Adam Carter and Sophia Matthews, who had quickly become his closest allies in the bustling ER. Between shifts filled with frantic emergencies and quieter moments of camaraderie, the three had developed an easy friendship that made the challenges of the job more bearable.

Arjun didn’t know it, but his stories and warmth had also made him a frequent topic at Matthews family dinners. Sophia often recounted his humorous escapades, much to the amusement—and quiet curiosity—of Elias Matthews. Despite being busy with the endless demands of running a hospital empire, Elias found himself thinking about Arjun more often than he cared to admit. His plans to visit the ER and meet the young nurse always seemed to be thwarted by last-minute meetings or business emergencies, leaving him frustrated and strangely unsettled.

One such day began like any other, with Elias buried under a mountain of paperwork in his office. He was reviewing projections for the next quarter when his phone buzzed. It was Sophia.

“Mom’s had a fall,” she said, her voice laced with urgency. “She’s okay, but she’s at the hospital. Arjun’s taking care of her.”

Elias felt a jolt of panic. “Is she seriously hurt?”

“She fractured her wrist,” Sophia replied, trying to reassure him. “Nothing life-threatening, but you should come.”

“I’m on my way,” Elias said, grabbing his coat and heading out.

Arjun, meanwhile, was making his rounds, blissfully unaware of the storm about to descend on his already chaotic day. He was outside Grace Matthews’s room, balancing a tea tray with two cups, sugar packets, and biscuits. His eyes were focused on keeping everything steady as he navigated the busy corridor.

He didn’t notice the tall, imposing figure striding toward him until it was too late.

“Excuse me!” Arjun exclaimed, halting abruptly to avoid a collision.

The man—Elias—barely spared him a glance. “Move,” he said curtly, brushing past without a second thought.

Arjun froze, his mouth falling open in disbelief. “Hey!” he called after him, his temper flaring. “Excuse you! A simple ‘sorry’ would be nice!”

Elias stopped in his tracks, turning to face Arjun with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t have time for this,” he said, his tone clipped.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Arjun shot back, sarcasm dripping from his words. “I didn’t realize being polite was beneath you!”

Elias’s jaw tightened, his irritation evident. “I’m not having this conversation.”

“And I’m not letting you off the hook!” Arjun retorted, stepping forward despite the precarious tea tray in his hands. “Who do you think you are?”

The hallway grew quieter as a few passing staff members slowed down, sensing the tension.

Elias’s gaze hardened. “I don’t have time to explain who I am to you,” he said before turning and walking into Grace’s room.

Arjun stood there, fuming, as the realization began to dawn on him. He glanced at the nameplate on the door. Grace Matthews. His stomach sank.

Inside, Elias approached his mother, his concern washing away the irritation from the hallway encounter. “Mom, are you okay?” he asked, taking her uninjured hand.

Grace smiled warmly. “I’m fine, darling. Just a little fall. Nothing to fuss over.”

Before Elias could respond, the door creaked open, and Arjun stepped in, looking sheepish but still holding the tea tray.

“Ah, Arjun!” Grace greeted him cheerfully. “Thank you for taking such good care of me. Come in, dear.”

Elias turned to look at him, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re the nurse?”

“And you’re Elias Matthews,” Arjun replied, his tone flat as realization fully hit him. He had just argued with the CEO of St. Jude’s Hospital—his boss.

Grace chuckled, sensing the awkwardness. “Well, isn’t this a small world?”

For a moment, no one spoke. Then, with a quiet sigh, Elias turned back to his mother. “We’ll talk later,” he muttered to Arjun, dismissing him with a nod.

Arjun left the room, his cheeks burning.

Outside, he leaned against the wall, trying to collect himself. He didn’t have long to stew before Elias appeared again, stepping into the hallway.

“Look,” Arjun began, determined to stand his ground. “I didn’t know who you were earlier, but that doesn’t excuse how you treated me. You could’ve just said ‘sorry.’”

Elias stared at him, his expression unreadable. “You’re asking me to apologize?”

“Yes,” Arjun said, crossing his arms. “I don’t care if you’re the CEO or the king of the world. Basic courtesy is free.”

There was a long pause as Elias studied him, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. Then, to Arjun’s surprise, he exhaled slowly.

“You’re right,” Elias said, his voice quieter than before. “I shouldn’t have dismissed you. I apologize.”

Arjun blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his tone. “Oh… um, okay. Apology accepted.”

Elias nodded curtly, as if that settled the matter, and turned to leave.

As Arjun watched him go, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a man unaccustomed to admitting fault. It made the apology feel… significant.

Back in the room, Grace smiled knowingly as Elias returned to her side. “I like him,” she said lightly.

Elias frowned. “Who?”

“Arjun,” Grace replied. “He has spirit. You could learn a thing or two from him.”

Elias didn’t respond, but his thoughts lingered on the fiery nurse who had dared to demand an apology from him.

For the rest of the evening, as he sat in his office, Elias found his mind wandering back to their clash in the hallway. Despite the frustration, there was something undeniably intriguing about Arjun Patel.

For the first time in a long while, Elias found himself looking forward to his next trip to the ER.

The First meet everyone ,

Dont worry visits are gonna be daily from now on .

Do drop ur thoughts