Chapter 201 Opposite him

Chapter 201 Opposite him
Chapter 201: Opposite him

The next morning, Florida woke beneath a pale gold sunrise that spilled across the city. Traffic crawled steadily through the streets, palm trees swayed lazily in the warm breeze, and the towering glass building of St. Augustine Medical Institute reflected the morning sky with intimidating perfection.

Golden stepped out of her car with her bag over her shoulder, sunglasses shielding the exhaustion in her eyes.

She had barely slept.

Her mind had spent most of the night replaying everything. Linda's words. Xander hitting her. Alex and Varney ignoring her. The feeling that her life was slowly shifting beneath her feet while she stood there pretending she still had control over it.

The heels of her shoes clicked softly against the marble entrance floor as she walked into the building.

The lobby already buzzed with movement. Doctors, assistants, nurses, executives. Everyone moved with purpose.

Golden headed toward the elevator, but before she could reach it, she heard someone call her name.

“Dr. Nixon.”

She turned.

It was one of the administrative staff hurrying toward her with a bright smile and a large envelope in hand.

“Congratulations, ma’am.”

Golden frowned slightly. “For what?”

The woman blinked in surprise. “You haven’t seen it yet?”

“Seen what?”

The woman handed over the envelope eagerly. “Your promotion.”

Golden stared at her.

“My what?”

The woman laughed lightly. “Everyone's talking about it upstairs already.”

Golden slowly took the envelope, confusion tightening her expression.

The elevator doors opened behind her.

She stepped inside almost mechanically, her fingers already pulling the document free.

Her brows furrowed deeper as her eyes scanned the page. Then widened.

"Deputy Executive Director."

Her breath caught slightly. No. That had to be wrong. She kept reading quickly.

Directly under Executive Director Allan Renshaw.

Private executive office allocation. Immediate effect.

Golden blinked hard.

“What the hell…”

The elevator doors opened again before she could finish processing it.

The moment she stepped into the executive floor, she knew something was different.

Heads turned immediately. People smiled at her.

A few stood. Others whispered.

“Congratulations, Dr. Nixon.”

“That’s huge.”

“You deserve it.”

“We heard the news this morning.”

Golden forced polite smiles despite the confusion swirling violently inside her chest.

“Thank you,” she managed.

She spotted Alex first.

Alex stood near one of the desks holding a tablet, visibly shocked.

“You got promoted?” Alex asked immediately.

Golden walked toward her. “Apparently.”

Alex grabbed the paper from her hand, eyes scanning it quickly.

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"When last did you pick or returned my calls?" Golden snapped. 

Linda looked up from her desk at the exact moment.

Fabulous turned too. Within seconds, the entire shared office atmosphere shifted.

“Golden...” Fabulous muttered.

Linda slowly stood from her seat, staring at Golden carefully.

“Deputy Executive Director?” Linda repeated. “That was fast.”

Golden exhaled. “I didn’t ask for this.”

“No one said you did,” Linda replied calmly.

But there was something unreadable in her expression.

Alex looked between all of them. “Wait. This means…”

Golden nodded slowly.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “I report directly to Allan now.”

The room went silent for a brief second. Everyone understood exactly what that meant.

Golden was no longer simply one of the doctors. She was now management. Powerful management.

Higher than almost everyone on the floor, including Xander.

The thought alone made her stomach tighten. A soft knock interrupted the tension. They all turned.

Aj stood at the doorway dressed sharply in a fitted dark suit, tablet in hand, calm as always.

“Good morning, everyone.”

Nobody answered immediately.

Aj’s eyes landed on Golden.

“Dr. Nixon,” he said politely. “Mr. Renshaw requested I escort you to your new office.”

The atmosphere shifted again. Golden felt every pair of eyes on her. Even Alex looked stunned.

Golden swallowed once before nodding slightly.

“Okay.”

Aj stepped aside for her. Golden followed him quietly down the hallway.

The executive wing was separated from the rest of the floor by glass walls, minimalist architecture, and a silence that felt expensive.

Their footsteps echoed softly against polished flooring. Golden folded her arms lightly as they walked.

“What exactly is going on?” she asked quietly.

Aj glanced at her briefly. “You were promoted.”

“You know what I mean.”

Aj gave a faint smile but said nothing.

Golden scoffed softly under her breath.
Of course.

They stopped finally in front of a large frosted glass door. Aj pushed it open. Golden stepped inside and froze.

The office was beautiful. Not cold corporate beautiful, intentional beautiful.

Soft cream walls. Warm lighting. Floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline. Elegant shelves already stocked with medical journals and research files. Fresh white roses arranged carefully on the desk.

There was even a sitting area near the windows with a velvet couch and a small coffee table.

The room smelled faintly of vanilla and expensive wood polish.

Golden slowly stepped further inside, stunned.

“This is…”

Her voice trailed off.

Aj watched her reaction carefully.

“Your office,” he said simply.

Golden looked around again. Every detail felt strangely personal.

Like someone had studied her tastes carefully before designing it.

Her gaze slowly shifted toward the massive glass wall directly opposite her office.

And her heart stumbled. That was Allan's office. His entire office faced hers. Separated only by glass. And at that exact moment, Allan looked up from his desk.

Their eyes met instantly. Golden froze.

He leaned back slowly in his chair, completely relaxed. Power looked natural on him now.

Aj quietly excused himself, leaving them alone across the glass divide.

Golden should have looked away immediately. Instead, she stood there staring.

Allan’s gaze moved over her slowly, deliberately, but not disrespectfully. Then one side of his mouth lifted slightly. And before Golden could prepare herself, Allan winked, then he blew her a kiss.

Golden’s lips parted slightly in shock. A small laugh escaped her. The moment it left her mouth, her eyes widened slightly like she couldn’t believe herself.

Allan noticed. His smirk deepened.

Golden immediately looked away, turning sharply toward her desk as heat crept embarrassingly into her face.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered under her breath.

But her pulse had already betrayed her.



Across the building, Xander stepped out of the elevator holding a file in one hand and coffee in the other. Two doctors passed him talking excitedly.

“She got promoted overnight.”

“Executive management too.”

“Renshaw clearly favors her.”

Xander slowed slightly. Something cold settled in his stomach. He stopped one of them.

“Who got promoted?”

The doctor blinked. “Dr. Golden Nixon.”

Xander’s jaw tightened instantly.

“To what?”

The doctor hesitated slightly beneath the intensity in his stare.

“Deputy Executive Director.”

Silence.
Xander stared at him. Then laughed once softly in disbelief.

“You’re joking.”

“No, sir.”

The doctor shifted awkwardly before hurrying away.

Xander stood there motionless for several seconds. His grip tightened around the coffee cup.