Chapter 126– First Day and Chaos
Trinity Medical Campus
New York City
6:00 AM
The first official day.
---
The beginning of something new.
---
The beginning of chaos.
---
Professional chaos.
---
Which was somehow worse.
---
The Staff
Were excited.
---
Nervous.
---
Terrified.
---
Because today—
the heads of Trinity NYC officially took charge.
---
And their reputations had arrived long before they did.
---
Stories.
---
Legends.
---
Rumors.
---
Whispers.
---
Dr. Care Patel
The cardiologist who once performed surgery for twenty-two hours straight.
---
Dr. Rhys Kapoor
The trauma surgeon who apparently drank coffee like it was an IV fluid.
---
Dr. Lyra Sharma
The neuroscience genius who scared interns by knowing their mistakes before they made them.
---
Dr. Aera Vael
The surgical innovator who argued with literally everyone.
---
Nobody knew if the stories were true.
---
Unfortunately—
they were.
---
7:00 AM
Cardiology Building
The entire department stood waiting.
---
Perfectly organized.
---
Perfectly prepared.
---
Perfectly nervous.
---
Then—
the doors opened.
---
Care Patel
Entered.
---
White coat.
---
Hair tied back.
---
Coffee in one hand.
---
Tablet in the other.
---
Instant silence.
---
Because suddenly—
the friendly woman from family dinners was gone.
---
This was Dr. Care Patel.
---
Head of Cardiology.
---
And she looked terrifyingly competent.
---
Care
Good morning.
---
Silence.
---
Care
"..."
---
Staff
"..."
---
Care
"You all look like you're attending a funeral."
---
A few people laughed nervously.
---
Care
"Relax."
---
Pause.
---
Care
"Nobody is getting fired today."
---
Today.
---
The entire department became concerned.
---
Trauma Department
Simultaneously
---
Rhys Kapoor
Walked in carrying coffee.
---
Another coffee.
---
And somehow—
a third coffee.
---
Nobody understood how.
---
Rhys
Morning.
---
Intern
Morning, sir.
---
Rhys
You look terrified.
---
Intern
I am.
---
Rhys
Good.
---
Intern
...what?
---
Rhys
Fear keeps people careful.
---
Pause.
---
Rhys
Panic doesn't.
---
The intern immediately wrote that down.
---
Because it sounded wise.
---
And terrifying.
---
Neuroscience Department
---
Lyra Sharma
Entered.
---
Calm.
---
Elegant.
---
Professional.
---
Dangerous.
---
The staff immediately straightened.
---
Lyra
Good morning.
---
Everyone greeted her.
---
Lyra
Excellent.
---
Pause.
---
Lyra
Who forgot to update patient 217's scans?
---
Silence.
---
Absolute silence.
---
Because she had been there for six seconds.
---
SIX.
---
Lyra
Exactly.
---
A nurse whispered.
---
Nurse
How did she know?
---
Nobody knew.
---
Nobody wanted to know.
---
Surgical Innovation Center
---
And then—
---
The most chaotic department.
---
Dr. Aera Vael
Arrived.
---
Already arguing.
---
With a wall.
---
Nobody knew why.
---
Aera
That design is stupid.
---
Architect
Dr. Vael, that's a door.
---
Aera
Exactly.
---
The architect looked exhausted.
---
And the day had just started.
---
Then
Aera entered the department.
---
Aera
Morning.
---
Staff
Morning, doctor.
---
Aera
Excellent.
---
Pause.
---
Aera
Now who wants to argue?
---
Nobody moved.
---
Nobody breathed.
---
Nobody volunteered.
---
Aera
Cowards.
---
11:45 AM
Trinity Cafeteria
The morning had somehow survived.
---
Barely.
---
A Young Doctor
Sat beside a senior nurse.
---
Still recovering.
---
Doctor
Can I ask something?
---
Nurse
Sure.
---
Doctor
Are they always like this?
---
The nurse looked up.
---
Across the cafeteria.
---
Where:
---
Care was stealing fries from Rhys.
---
Rhys was arguing about coffee.
---
Lyra was threatening both of them.
---
Aera was arguing with everyone.
---
Alex was pretending none of them existed.
---
And somehow—
they were all laughing.
---
Nurse
Smiled.
---
Nurse
You haven't seen lunch break yet.
---
Doctor
That was the calm version?
---
Nurse
Much calmer.
---
Doctor
...oh.
---
Then
The cafeteria doors opened.
---
And in walked—
---
Cole Watson.
---
Instant silence.
---
Because everyone knew who he was.
---
Even if he wasn't hospital staff.
---
Care
Looked up.
---
Cole
Looked up.
---
Rhys
Immediately noticed.
---
Aera
Immediately noticed.
---
Lyra
Immediately noticed.
---
Alex
Immediately noticed.
---
Entire Friend Group
Immediately noticed.
---
Care
"..."
---
Cole
"..."
---
Aera
Whispering.
---
"Five."
---
Rhys
"What?"
---
Aera
"Five seconds until disaster."
---
Care
Don't.
---
Cole
I didn't say anything.
---
Care
You're thinking it.
---
Cole
Maybe.
---
Aera
Three.
---
Rhys
Two.
---
Lyra
One.
---
Cole
Looking directly at Care.
---
"Did Spider Senior ever find Spider Junior?"
---
Silence.
---
Care
Slowly stood up.
---
Rhys
RUN.
---
Aera
RUN.
---
Lyra
RUN.
---
Alex
RUN.
---
Cole
Already backing away.
---
Too late.
---
Because an entire cafeteria got to witness the Head of Cardiology chase one of the most powerful CEOs in the world with a hospital file.
---
And thus—
Trinity NYC officially began.
---
Exactly as everyone expected.
---
Completely unprofessional.
---
And completely perfect.
---
Trinity Medical Campus
Cardiology Department
3:17 PM
The cafeteria incident had ended.
---
Barely.
---
Care had chased Cole.
---
Cole had escaped.
---
Rhys, Aera, and Lyra had nearly died laughing.
---
A normal Trinity afternoon.
---
Present
Care's Cabin
---
Care sat behind her desk.
---
Reviewing patient reports.
---
Focused.
---
Professional.
---
Completely absorbed in work.
---
Across from her—
---
Cole Watson.
---
Supposedly working.
---
Supposedly.
---
His laptop was open.
---
Several important documents waited.
---
Millions of dollars probably depended on them.
---
Unfortunately.
---
Care Patel existed.
---
And she was currently arguing with him.
---
Care
"You deserved it."
---
Cole
"For mentioning one spider?"
---
Care
"It wasn't one spider."
---
Cole
"It was literally one spider."
---
Care
"What if it had relatives?"
---
Cole
"..."
---
Cole
"We're not having this conversation again."
---
Care
"We are."
---
Cole
"No."
---
Care
"Yes."
---
Cole
"No."
---
Care
"Yes."
---
Cole
"..."
---
Cole
"I miss the spider."
---
Care
"GET OUT."
---
Then
A knock came.
---
Care
Come in.
---
The door opened.
---
And suddenly—
everything changed.
---
Because standing there was a man.
---
Tall.
---
Confident.
---
Well dressed.
---
A doctor.
---
A very famous doctor.
---
Dr. Adrian
---
One of the most respected cardiologists in the world.
---
Recently recruited to Trinity NYC.
---
The hospital staff already admired him.
---
The medical community admired him.
---
His research papers were famous.
---
His surgical success rate was ridiculous.
---
And unfortunately—
he was also charming.
---
Very charming.
---
Adrian
Smiled warmly.
---
Adrian
Dr. Patel.
---
Care
Looked up.
---
Smiled politely.
---
Care
Dr. Reyes.
---
Adrian
I wanted to discuss tomorrow's surgery schedule.
---
Care
Of course.
---
Professional.
---
Normal.
---
Reasonable.
---
Everything was fine.
---
Then
Adrian smiled again.
---
Adrian
By the way—
---
A pause.
---
Adrian
I attended your lecture in Singapore two years ago.
---
Care
Blink.
---
Adrian
It was brilliant.
---
Care
Thank you.
---
Adrian
Honestly one of the best cardiology presentations I've ever seen.
---
Care
That's kind of you.
---
Adrian
I'm serious.
---
Care
Smiled.
---
Because it was a professional compliment.
---
A completely normal professional compliment.
---
Meanwhile
Across the room—
---
Cole stopped typing.
---
Very slowly.
---
Adrian
I've wanted to work with you for years.
---
Care
Thank you.
---
Adrian
Trinity was actually one of the reasons I accepted the offer.
---
Care
Really?
---
Adrian
Of course.
---
A smile.
---
Adrian
Who wouldn't want to work with the famous Dr. Care Patel?
---
Care
Trying not to laugh.
---
Care
Now you're exaggerating.
---
Adrian
Not even slightly.
---
Silence.
---
Cole
Clicked his keyboard.
---
Hard.
---
Very hard.
---
Care
Looked toward him.
---
Cole
Typing.
---
Aggressively.
---
Adrian
Anyway—
I'll let you get back to work.
---
Then he paused.
---
Adrian
Good seeing you again, Dr. Patel.
---
Care
You too.
---
The door closed.
---
Silence.
---
Absolute silence.
---
Care
Returned to her reports.
---
Cole
Returned to his laptop.
---
Supposedly.
---
Thirty Seconds Later
---
Cole
Who was that?
---
Care
Dr. Adrian Reyes.
---
Cole
Hmm.
---
Care
Hmm?
---
Cole
Nothing.
---
Care
Okay.
---
Two Minutes Later
---
Cole
He seems friendly.
---
Care
He is.
---
Cole
Hmm.
---
Care
What?
---
Cole
Nothing.
---
Five Minutes Later
---
Cole
You know him well?
---
Care
Not really.
---
Cole
Hmm.
---
Care
Cole.
---
Cole
What?
---
Care
You're being weird.
---
Cole
I'm always weird.
---
Fair.
---
Then
Another knock.
---
The door opened.
---
Adrian
Forgot my file.
---
He picked it up.
---
Then smiled at Care.
---
Again.
---
Adrian
See you tomorrow.
---
Care
See you.
---
Door closed.
---
Silence.
---
Care
Looked up.
---
Because something felt wrong.
---
Very wrong.
---
Cole
Was staring at the door.
---
Care
"..."
---
Cole
"..."
---
Care
Cole.
---
Cole
What?
---
Care
Are you jealous?
---
Cole
No.
---
Immediate answer.
---
Too immediate.
---
Care
Very quick answer.
---
Cole
Because it's true.
---
Care
Sure.
---
Cole
It is.
---
Care
Right.
---
Cole
I am not jealous.
---
Care
Okay.
---
Cole
At all.
---
Care
Okay.
---
Cole
Not even slightly.
---
Care
Okay.
---
Cole
Why do you keep saying okay?
---
Care
Because this is funny.
---
Cole
Nothing about this is funny.
---
Care
It really is.
---
Later That Evening
---
The entire friend group somehow found out.
---
Nobody knew how.
---
Probably Aera.
---
Definitely Aera.
---
Aera
Looking at Cole.
---
Aera
So.
---
Cole
No.
---
Aera
You got jealous.
---
Cole
No.
---
Rhys
You did.
---
Cole
No.
---
Lyra
You absolutely did.
---
Cole
No.
---
JJ
You were possessive.
---
Cole
No.
---
Percy
You were one compliment away from declaring war.
---
Cole
No.
---
Keifer
Brother.
---
Cole
No.
---
Keifer
You're in love.
---
Cole
...
---
Entire Table
...
---
JJ
HE DIDN'T SAY NO.
---
The mansion exploded.
---
And somewhere upstairs—
---
Care was laughing so hard she nearly dropped her coffee.
---
Because apparently—
the terrifying CEO of C2W.
---
The man feared by corporations.
---
The man feared by governments.
---
The man feared by criminals.
---
Had finally discovered his greatest enemy.
---
A cardiologist saying:
---
"Dr. Patel, you're brilliant."
---
And he still denied being jealous.
---
Nobody believed him.
---
Not even Keifer.
---
Especially not Keifer.
---
J&K Corporation Headquarters
New York City
8:00 AM
There were many powerful CEOs in New York.
---
Serious CEOs.
---
Professional CEOs.
---
Intimidating CEOs.
---
The kind who walked into boardrooms and made entire departments nervous.
---
Unfortunately—
---
J&K Corporation had Jasper Jean Mariano.
---
JJ
Arrived wearing a perfectly tailored CEO suit.
---
Professional.
---
Elegant.
---
Confident.
---
The employees immediately straightened.
---
Because stories about their CEO already existed.
---
A self-made businesswoman.
---
Brilliant strategist.
---
Visionary leader.
---
Young corporate prodigy.
---
Employee #1
Whispering.
---
"She's terrifying."
---
Employee #2
"I heard she built this company from nothing."
---
Employee #3
"I heard she's a genius."
---
Then
The elevator opened.
---
JJ
Walked out.
---
Looked around.
---
Smiled.
---
JJ
"HELLO PEOPLE."
---
The entire floor froze.
---
JJ
"Why do you all look like you're attending a funeral?"
---
Employee #1
"..."
---
Employee #2
"..."
---
Employee #3
"..."
---
JJ
"Okay this is awkward."
---
And somehow—
within thirty seconds—
their CEO had become weirder than expected.
---
Conference Room
8:20 AM
---
The first executive meeting.
---
Important.
---
Serious.
---
Professional.
---
At least in theory.
---
JJ
Sat at the head of the table.
---
Looking important.
---
Trying very hard.
---
Executive
Ma'am, the quarterly projections—
---
JJ
One second.
---
Executive
?
---
JJ
Is that coffee?
---
Executive
Yes?
---
JJ
Can I have it?
---
Executive
...what?
---
JJ
Please.
---
Five minutes later—
---
She had stolen the executive's coffee.
---
Percy
Who had arrived to review inheritance documents—
---
Witnessed everything.
---
Percy
"You're the CEO."
---
JJ
"Correct."
---
Percy
"Stop stealing people's coffee."
---
JJ
"No."
---
Percy
"Buy your own."
---
JJ
"His tasted better."
---
Employee #4
Watching from outside.
---
Employee #4
"..."
---
Employee #5
"..."
---
Employee #4
This is our CEO?
---
10:00 AM
Corridor
---
JJ had discovered something dangerous.
---
A hallway.
---
A very long hallway.
---
JJ
To Percy.
---
"Race you."
---
Percy
"No."
---
JJ
"Race you."
---
Percy
"No."
---
JJ
Already running.
---
Percy
"GET BACK HERE."
---
The CEO of J&K Corporation sprinted through her own headquarters.
---
At full speed.
---
Being chased by her brother.
---
While senior executives watched.
---
In horror.
---
Executive
"..."
---
Executive
"This is our CEO."
---
11:15 AM
Marketing Floor
---
JJ got bored.
---
A dangerous development.
---
Very dangerous.
---
JJ
Gathered employees.
---
Employee
What's happening?
---
JJ
Office Olympics.
---
Employee
What?
---
JJ
Office Olympics.
---
Employee
We have deadlines.
---
JJ
Now you have competitions.
---
Employee
What competitions?
---
JJ
Chair races.
---
Employee
...
---
JJ
Paper airplane accuracy.
---
Employee
...
---
JJ
And coffee relay.
---
Employee
...
---
Employee
This feels illegal.
---
JJ
Probably.
---
Meanwhile
C2W Headquarters
---
Keifer and Cole received a call.
---
Cole
Answering.
---
Percy
On speaker.
---
Percy
"COME GET YOUR Wife, KEIFER."
---
Cole
"..."
---
Keifer
"..."
---
Percy
"SHE'S STARTING OFFICE GAMES."
---
Cole
Again?
---
Percy
AGAIN?
---
Cole
Nothing.
---
Percy
WHAT DO YOU MEAN AGAIN?
---
Noon
J&K Cafeteria
---
The employees had now spent four hours with JJ.
---
And had learned several things.
---
Lesson One
She was brilliant.
---
Lesson Two
She genuinely cared about everyone.
---
Lesson Three
She was completely insane.
---
Employee #2
To Employee #1.
---
"I was scared of her."
---
Employee #1
"Me too."
---
Employee #2
"I'm not scared anymore."
---
Employee #1
"Why?"
---
Across the cafeteria—
---
JJ was trying to steal Percy's lunch.
---
Again.
---
Percy
"STOP IT."
---
JJ
"NO."
---
Employee #1
Because nobody fears a CEO who's losing a fight over french fries.
---
And somehow—
---
That made everyone like her even more.
---
Because behind the titles.
---
Behind the offices.
---
Behind the success.
---
Jasper Jean Mariano was still—
---
Exactly the same chaotic person she had always been.
---
Just with a much bigger office.
---
And significantly more employees to traumatize.
---
Meanwhile
On Floor 27
---
A new employee looked through the glass wall.
---
Watching JJ run down the corridor.
---
Again.
---
New Employee
"..."
---
Senior Employee
First day?
---
New Employee
Yes.
---
Senior Employee
Questions?
---
New Employee
Only one.
---
Senior Employee
What?
---
New Employee
That's our CEO?
---
Senior Employee
Unfortunately.
---
New Employee
...is she always like this?
---
Senior Employee
The scary part?
---
A pause.
---
Senior Employee
She's actually behaving today.
---
The new employee nearly resigned.
---
Immediately.
---
J&K Corporation Headquarters
New York City
2:15 PM
Keifer Watson had survived many things.
---
Corporate wars.
---
Hostile takeovers.
---
Kaizer Watson.
---
Board meetings.
---
JJ's mood swings.
---
JJ's ideas.
---
JJ's other ideas.
---
And JJ's "good ideas."
---
Unfortunately—
---
Nothing could prepare him for visiting J&K Corporation.
---
Floor 27
The elevator doors opened.
---
Keifer stepped out.
---
Perfect suit.
---
Perfect posture.
---
Perfect CEO aura.
---
The entire floor straightened.
---
Employees immediately recognized him.
---
The CEO of Watson Corporation.
---
One of the most powerful businessmen in the world.
---
Intimidating.
---
Respected.
---
Feared.
---
Employee #1
Whispering.
---
"That's Keifer Watson."
---
Employee #2
"Oh my God."
---
Employee #3
"He looks terrifying."
---
Then
A scream echoed down the hallway.
---
JJ
"KEIFERRRRRRR!"
---
The entire office froze.
---
Keifer
Closed his eyes.
---
Because he already knew.
---
He already knew exactly what was about to happen.
---
JJ
Appeared.
---
Running.
---
At full speed.
---
Through her own headquarters.
---
Employee #4
"..."
---
Employee #5
"..."
---
Employee #6
"..."
---
JJ
Still running.
---
Percy
Running behind her.
---
Percy
"USE THE ELEVATOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON."
---
JJ
"NO."
---
Percy
"YOU OWN THE BUILDING."
---
JJ
"EXACTLY."
---
And then—
---
She launched herself.
---
Directly at Keifer.
---
Keifer
Caught her automatically.
---
Like he'd done hundreds of times before.
---
Employee #1
...
---
Employee #2
...
---
Employee #3
...
---
Their CEO was currently hanging from another CEO.
---
Like a very expensive koala.
---
JJ
Grinning.
---
JJ
"You came."
---
Keifer
"You called me fourteen times."
---
JJ
"I was busy."
---
Keifer
"Doing what?"
---
Percy
Walking past.
---
Percy
"Office Olympics."
---
Keifer
"..."
---
Percy
"Don't ask."
---
Keifer
Too late.
---
He already regretted asking.
---
Ten Minutes Later
Executive Floor
---
Keifer was touring the headquarters.
---
Trying very hard to act professional.
---
JJ
Failing very hard to act professional.
---
JJ
Showing him around.
---
JJ
"This is Marketing."
---
Marketing Team
Smiled.
---
JJ
"They beat Finance in chair races."
---
Keifer
"What."
---
Marketing Team
Looking away.
---
JJ
"This is Legal."
---
Legal Team
Terrified.
---
JJ
"They lost paper airplane championships."
---
Keifer
What.
---
Legal Team
Looking away harder.
---
Keifer
Realized something.
---
His fiancée was running a Fortune-level company like a kindergarten.
---
And somehow—
---
It was working.
---
Later
Main Office Floor
---
Employees were working.
---
Meetings were happening.
---
Everything seemed normal.
---
For approximately thirty seconds.
---
JJ
Standing beside Keifer.
---
Talking.
---
Laughing.
---
Being completely distracted.
---
Employee #7
To Employee #8.
---
"They're cute."
---
Employee #8
"They're disgusting."
---
Employee #7
"Also true."
---
Then
JJ noticed something.
---
JJ
"You shaved."
---
Keifer
"..."
---
JJ
"You did."
---
Keifer
"Yes."
---
JJ
"I like it."
---
Employee #8
Oh no.
---
Employee #7
OH NO.
---
Because everyone knew that look.
---
Everyone.
---
Even people who had worked there for three days.
---
Keifer
Looking at her.
---
JJ
Looking at him.
---
Percy
From across the room.
---
Percy
"NO."
---
Too late.
---
JJ
Grabbed his tie.
---
Keifer
Immediately knew.
---
Keifer
"JJ."
---
JJ
"Yes?"
---
Keifer
"We're in your office."
---
JJ
"Correct."
---
Keifer
"Full of employees."
---
JJ
"Also correct."
---
Keifer
"Watching."
---
JJ
"I know."
---
Percy
"NO."
---
Too Late.
---
JJ kissed him.
---
Right there.
---
In front of everyone.
---
Not long.
---
Not dramatic.
---
Just enough.
---
Just enough to destroy the office.
---
Silence.
---
Complete silence.
---
Employee #1
...
---
Employee #2
...
---
Employee #3
...
---
Finance Team
...
---
Marketing Team
...
---
Legal Team
...
---
IT Team
...
---
Percy
Dead.
---
Actually dead.
---
Percy
"I need a transfer."
---
JJ
Laughing.
---
Keifer
Trying not to laugh.
---
Failed.
---
Employee #5
Quietly.
---
Employee #5
"Did that just happen?"
---
Employee #6
"Yes."
---
Employee #5
"In front of everyone?"
---
Employee #6
"Yes."
---
Employee #5
"Can CEOs do that?"
---
Employee #6
"Apparently."
---
Then
The worst part.
---
JJ
Turned.
---
Faced her employees.
---
JJ
"Meeting at four."
---
Pause.
---
JJ
"Also if anyone tells Percy I embarrassed him on purpose—"
---
Entire Office
"We won't."
---
Percy
"LIARS."
---
The office exploded into laughter.
---
And Keifer finally understood something.
---
He had spent years building Watson Corporation.
---
Creating order.
---
Building structure.
---
Building discipline.
---
And JJ had spent years building J&K Corporation.
---
Creating chaos.
---
Building friendships.
---
Starting office games.
---
And somehow—
---
Both had become wildly successful.
---
Which honestly made no sense.
---
But neither did JJ.
---
And that was probably why he loved her.
---
Much to Percy's eternal suffering.