The hospital was buzzing with news of an important new patient: Mr. Rajiv Kapoor, a billionaire businessman and philanthropist. Known for his eccentric personality and demanding nature, Mr. Kapoor had been admitted for what was supposed to be a routine gallbladder surgery. But his reputation preceded him - staff whispered tales of his extravagant demands and unpredictable moods.
"I don't know why they're all panicking," Priya said, rolling her eyes as she reviewed his file. "It's just another patient."
"Oh, you'll see," one of the nurses murmured. "He's not *just* another patient. He's the patient from hell."
True to his reputation, Mr. Kapoor wasted no time making his presence felt. He insisted on bottled water chilled to exactly 4 degrees Celsius, refused to use the hospital-issued pillows, and demanded hourly updates on his condition - despite having no changes to report.
"Nurse Sharma!" he bellowed from his room, startling Priya mid-shift.
Priya sighed, plastering on her best professional smile before stepping inside. "Yes, Mr. Kapoor? How can I assist you?"
"You can start by finding me some proper tea," he snapped, waving his hand dismissively at the cup on his bedside table. "This tastes like dishwater."
"It's hospital-grade tea, sir," Priya replied evenly. "We don't have a five-star menu here, but I'll see what I can do."
"And bring me a different blanket. This one feels scratchy," he added, pulling at the fabric like it personally offended him.
"Of course," Priya said through gritted teeth. As she exited the room, she muttered under her breath, "I should've gone into pediatrics."
Her day took a turn for the worse when Mr. Kapoor developed complications during his stay. His condition deteriorated rapidly, and Priya found herself in the thick of it, coordinating with doctors and calming the patient's increasingly panicked family.
"Call Dr. Mehra," one of the junior doctors said. "He's the only one who can handle this."
Priya groaned inwardly. The last thing she needed was Arjun swooping in to play hero. But protocol was protocol, and within minutes, he arrived, his usual confidence radiating from every pore.
"What do we have?" Arjun asked, taking the patient's chart from Priya.
"Acute pain, fever, and signs of infection," she replied curtly. "It looks like a post-surgical complication, possibly bile leakage."
Arjun nodded, scanning the chart quickly. "We'll need to take him back to the OR immediately. Sharma, you're assisting."
Priya blinked. "Me? Don't you have a team of surgeons for that?"
"I trust you more," Arjun said simply, already moving toward the preparation area.
In the operating room, the tension was palpable. Mr. Kapoor's condition was critical, and every second counted. But as the surgery progressed, Priya found herself falling into an easy rhythm with Arjun.
"Suction," he said, his tone calm but firm.
"Here," Priya replied, handing him the instrument without hesitation.
"Good catch," he said a few minutes later when she spotted a problem he hadn't noticed.
"You're welcome," she replied, her focus never wavering.
The surgery lasted over three hours, but in the end, they stabilized Mr. Kapoor and saved his life. As they stepped out of the OR, Priya let out a sigh of relief, her exhaustion evident.
"You did great in there," Arjun said, glancing at her as they walked toward the locker room.
"Thanks," Priya replied, too tired to argue.
But Arjun wasn't done. "Seriously, Sharma. You were incredible. I couldn't have done it without you."
Priya looked at him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. "I guess you're not *completely* insufferable," she said with a small smile.
"High praise," he teased, though his grin softened into something more genuine.
Later that evening, Mr. Kapoor's family thanked Priya profusely for her efforts. Even the man himself, though still demanding, managed a gruff "thank you."
"You know," Mr. Kapoor said as Priya adjusted his IV, "you and that doctor of yours make quite the team."
"He's not 'my doctor,'" Priya replied automatically, though her cheeks flushed slightly.
"Oh, please," Mr. Kapoor said with a knowing smirk. "I may be old, but I'm not blind. There's something there."
Priya rolled her eyes and left the room, but his words lingered in her mind longer than she cared to admit.
Meanwhile, Arjun was having a similar conversation with Dr. Rohan Kapoor (no relation to the patient) in the hospital cafeteria.
"You and Nurse Sharma, huh?" Rohan said, raising an eyebrow.
"What about us?" Arjun replied, though his casual tone was betrayed by the slight flush on his face.
"You've been spending a lot of time around her," Rohan said, smirking. "She's not like your usual... admirers."
"That's because she's not an admirer," Arjun shot back. "She's... different."
Rohan grinned. "Different, huh? Sounds serious."
"It's not," Arjun insisted, though his thoughts were already drifting back to Priya's determined expression during the surgery.
As the day ended, both Arjun and Priya found themselves thinking about each other more than they cared to admit.
End of Chapter 3.