Chapter 148

Chapter 148
“Excuse me.” She stepped away from the desk, smoothing down the front of her coat without realizing she was doing it.

“Officers.”

They gave her a nod. One of them, slightly taller with observant eyes and an intimidating presence, seemed to be the one in charge. The other stood just behind him.

“This way, please.”

Olivia led them down the corridor. Nurses glanced up as they passed, their eyes lingering a moment too long while a meaningful smile graced their lips. She returned each one with a brief, awkward curve of her lips.

By now, Olivia could tell from the glances alone that the story had already spread: she had frightened a fully grown man so badly that he had soiled his pants.

And judging by the looks she was getting, no one was going to let her forget it anytime soon.

At last, they reached Dr. Wilson’s office.

She looked around for Dr. Wilson, but it seemed he hadn’t returned from his rounds yet.

“Please, have a seat.”

Once the men were settled, Olivia moved toward the small side table where refreshments were displayed. “Would you like something to drink? Water? Coffee?”

The one in charge shook his head. “Please don't bother.” He took out his notebook so they could begin. “Whenever you’re ready, Madam.”

Olivia sat down opposite them. “So this is what happened…”

She replayed the entire incident in her mind and told them everything, step by step, without leaving out a single detail.

The officer listened quietly, not once interrupting her. Every so often, he would look up to study her face as if trying to read what lay behind her words, before lowering his gaze to continue taking notes.

“And after that?” he asked when she finished.

Olivia gave a small shrug. “After that, the security personnel stepped in to contain the situation. The person involved is currently being held at the hospital security office.”

The officer nodded again, still writing. “We will take over from here. If the patient’s family wants to file charges—which they likely will, given the extent of what happened—they can proceed to the police station.” He capped his pen and closed his notebook.

When he looked up again, his gaze was assessing. She met his eyes without flinching.

“Do doctors usually walk around carrying firearms?” He paused, adding apologetically, “I mean… isn’t it uncomfortable?”

Olivia had been waiting for that question. She had expected it the moment she decided to sit down. Her answer came without hesitation. “It’s actually my first time bringing a firearm to work. It never even crossed my mind that I would use it today.”

“My husband was the one who insisted I bring it,” she continued, a little embarrassed to share the small details of her life. “He said I might come across a lunatic—which I thought was crazy—and that I would need it to protect myself, if necessary.”

“Good for him. Your husband proved to be right. But may I ask, do you have a legal permit?”

Olivia didn’t say a word and simply handed him the folded paper she had brought with her.

He took it, flipping through the documents with practiced ease. His eyes scanned each page, checking names, dates, and signatures.

After a moment, he seemed satisfied and handed the papers back to her.

“You mentioned your husband,” his tone shifted from formal to friendly. “Is he the one who taught you how to use a gun?”

“Yes,” she replied.

But it was only partly true.

Clayton had trained her after she finally gave in to his persistent insistence. But what she didn’t tell him was that she had already known how to shoot long before that.

Olivia often slipped away in secret to shooting ranges, not to train, but to release the pent-up stress from both work and home, especially whenever her husband was away on military deployments.

When the pressure built too tightly in her chest, when the world felt like it was closing in around her, she went there to let it all out.

It was the only place where she could control something when everything else in her life felt out of control.

The officer’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “So… how good are you with a gun?”

A subtle smile touched the corner of her lips. “I don’t miss,” she said evenly. “Once I aim, it’s as good as a hit.”

—

“Thank you for your time, Dr. Hilton. We got all the details we needed.”

Olivia offered the officer a polite smile. A wave of relief rushed through her. It was finally over. She could go back to her rounds, and if she was lucky, steal a bit of rest before her next surgery.

“You don’t have to thank me, sir. It’s my obligation. We understand protocols and I am doing this for the patient's sake.” She explained softly.

A sudden awareness prickled at the back of her neck—the unmistakable feeling of being watched. She stood up. A smile still lingered on her lips, but it faded in an instant when she turned toward the door. Her mind went blank and breath hitched to her throat.

She was certain she hadn’t heard any sound. And yet, Clayton was there, leaning against the door, arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were fixed on her.

Olivia tried to read his expression, but it was like looking through a book written in a different language. She couldn’t tell if he was angry, impressed, or quietly simmering with something in between.

The officer noticed the change in her demeanor. His gaze followed hers, landing on Clayton. For a second, he looked genuinely startled. Then he rose abruptly from his seat. The other officer, who had remained silent the entire time, followed suit almost immediately.

Clayton didn’t acknowledge them. He kept looking at her. And then it hit her—he had heard every word.

Heat rushed in both of her cheeks.

She straightened, forcing composure back into her posture.