Incision of the Heart

Chapter 3: A Glimpse of Weakness

The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of Johns Hopkins Hospital, casting long beams of light across the sterile hallways.

Emily’s footsteps echoed softly as she walked toward the cafeteria, her mind still racing from the events of the previous day.

The surgery had gone well, but Liam’s presence in the operating room had been a constant distraction.

He seemed to have effortless control over everything, a confidence she both envied and despised.

She knew she wasn’t there to make friends. She was there to prove herself, to show that she belonged in the same room as those elite students who had spent their lives preparing for moments like this. But the constant overshadowing of Liam’s superior attitude was beginning to get under her skin.

The cafeteria was bustling with students, nurses, and doctors grabbing a quick bite between shifts.

Emily walked through the line, grabbing a coffee and a muffin, when she saw Liam sitting by the window, flipping through a medical journal.

For a moment, she considered sitting at the opposite end of the room, avoiding him entirely. But then she hesitated, her competitive streak flaring. She needed to know how far Liam was willing to push things. She needed to find his weak spot.

Without overthinking, she walked over and took the seat opposite him, her eyes narrowing as she stared him down.

Liam looked up, his expression unreadable.

For a brief second, she thought he would ignore her, but instead, he gave her a small, tight-lipped smile.

“Carter,” he said, setting the journal down. “How’s the coffee? Must be nice to be awake this early.”

Emily’s eyes flickered to the clock on the wall. It was barely 8 a.m. “You think you’re funny, don’t you, Grant?”

Liam’s smile widened as he leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. “Well, I will try.” His gaze swept over her for a moment, as if assessing something, but before Emily could analyze what that something might be, he continued. “You looked a little shaky in surgery yesterday. Nervous?”

Emily’s blood boiled, but she took a deep breath, controlling her temper. “I was focused. Something you wouldn’t understand.”

Liam raised an eyebrow. “Really? You looked like you were about to pass out when Dr. Reynolds asked you to pass the scalpel.”

The words stung, but Emily kept her expression calm. She refused to let him see that he was getting under her skin. “I’m not here to impress you, Grant. I’m here to learn. And maybe you should focus on your performance instead of trying to critique mine.”

Liam leaned forward, his voice dropping an octave. “Trust me, Carter, I’m not worried about you. But if you want to make it through this program, you might want to find a way to handle the pressure better. It’s only going to get worse from here.”

A chill ran through Emily at his words, but she didn’t flinch. Instead, she met his gaze head-on, her chin lifted in defiance. “I don’t need your advice. I’ll handle it just fine, thank you.”

For a moment, the tension between them was palpable. Liam’s expression was unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—perhaps amusement, perhaps a challenge. Finally, he sat back and picked up his coffee, as if the conversation was over.

Emily stared at him for a moment longer, her pulse quickening. She couldn’t quite figure him out. One minute, he was mocking her, the next, he was offering advice. There was an underlying complexity to Liam Grant that frustrated her. She had never met anyone like him before.