Chapter 101

chapter101

“Ms. Quillen! Stop it!”

As a physician, Emmanuel possessed a level of self-restraint and professional detachment that most men lacked. He firmly but gently moved her face away, trying to break the trance she was in.

In her state of clouded consciousness, Mackenzie was uncharacteristically bold, her actions driven by the lingering effects of the night's events. She leaned in again, leaving traces of her presence on his cheek, her proximity testing the limits of Emmanuel's composure.

What is happening? We can't let it go this far, Emmanuel thought.

Realizing that Mackenzie was not in her right mind and that they would both regret any impulsive actions once she sobered up, Emmanuel made a split-second decision. He used a precise medical pressure point to knock her out momentarily, ensuring she would finally get the rest she needed without further escalating the situation.

To him, taking advantage of someone in such a vulnerable, confused state was beneath his principles. Furthermore, he knew Mackenzie well enough to know that if their relationship crossed that line while she was incapacitated, the fallout would be catastrophic.

The next morning, the first rays of sunlight filtered through the glass windows, warming Mackenzie’s face. She stirred groggily, her head throbbing with a dull ache. As she sat up with great difficulty, she realized she was in her own bed, but her memory of how she got there was a fragmented blur.

Looking down, she saw she was dressed in light loungewear—not the evening gown she remembered wearing. Panic flared in her chest. What happened last night?

“Ms. Quillen, you’re awake?”

At that moment, Emmanuel walked in, carrying a tray with the breakfast he had prepared. He looked tired, his eyes showing the strain of a long night.

“You—what are you doing here?” Mackenzie demanded, reflexively pulling the duvet higher. Her mind raced to the worst possible conclusions.

“Ms. Quillen, please calm down,” Emmanuel said, setting the tray on a nearby table.

“What did you do to me?” Mackenzie’s voice trembled with a mixture of fear and fury. Her natural distrust of men amplified her panic. She couldn't bear the thought of losing control over her own life or body. In a moment of blind desperation, she grabbed a pair of decorative scissors from the bedside table and lunged toward him.

“Whoa! Stop!”

Emmanuel reacted with the speed of his military training, catching her wrist before she could do any damage. He held her firmly, his expression one of utter disbelief. “Are you trying to kill me over a misunderstanding?”

“A misunderstanding? I wake up confused, and you’re standing right there!” Mackenzie’s chest heaved with emotion, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

“Listen to me!” Emmanuel said urgently. “I was the one who had to deal with the chaos last night! You were completely incoherent when I brought you home. You were disoriented, acting out, and you even made a mess of your own clothes. I had to intervene just to keep you safe and get you into something comfortable so you could sleep it off.”

He spoke with an agitated honesty that gave her pause.

“I gave you a mild remedy for your hangover and spent the morning making you breakfast. And this is the thanks I get? Someone trying to attack me with office supplies?”

As Emmanuel vented his frustrations, Mackenzie’s face flushed a deep crimson. She took a moment to assess how she felt—she wasn't in any physical pain, and the room was orderly. She realized the bedsheets were untouched and her dignity was intact. Emmanuel had stayed true to his word as a gentleman and a doctor.

“You… you also had to deal with the fact that you were quite ill from the drink,” Emmanuel added, his tone softening but still annoyed. “I’m pretty sure I still have the scent of the evening on my jacket.”

Mackenzie felt a wave of intense embarrassment. She lowered the scissors, her gaze shifting to the floor. “Stop… Just stop talking about it. I’m sorry, alright?”

Even her apology carried a hint of her usual domineering tone, but the edge was gone.

“There’s no need for an apology,” Emmanuel said, his anger dissipating as quickly as it had arrived. “Just try to remember that I’m on your side.”