Hospital Debauchery

Devon stepped into the lobby, his presence like a sudden gust of wind that rippled through the frenetic morning air. The golden sunlight streaming through the towering glass windows caught the crisp edges of his shirt, tailored perfectly to his broad shoulders and chiseled torso, the fabric hugging his muscles just enough to draw lingering glances.

Despite the countless times staff had seen him striding through these halls, the stares were different today, heavier, more loaded with something he couldn't quite place. Nurses paused mid-conversation, interns with coffee cups frozen halfway to their mouths gawked openly, even the security guard at the desk straightened up, his uniform crisp but his eyes wide with a mix of respect and curiosity.

As he crossed the lobby, weaving through a cluster of interns clutching steaming coffee cups and clipboards stacked with patient notes, a radiology tech broke away from his group of coworkers, his scrubs slightly wrinkled from an overnight shift, a nervous but genuine grin spreading across his face as he jogged a few steps to catch up. "Dr Devon, congratulations in advance, sir!" he called out, his voice loud enough to turn a few more heads, his hand extended for a quick dap that Devon returned with a firm grip.

Devon slowed, one eyebrow arching in curiosity as he registered the words, but before he could ask for clarification, a nurse from the reception desk, a woman with a tight bun and a clipboard clutched like a lifeline chimed in from behind her counter, "Yeah, big congrats, Doc! You totally deserve it about time someone shook things up!" Her smile was wide but her eyes darted nervously, as if she was testing the waters, searching for his reaction.

A ripple of murmurs erupted around them, more voices joining the chorus like a wave building orderlies pausing their carts with a squeak of wheels, residents leaning over railings from the upper floors, even a janitor leaning on his mop handle, all offering variations of "Congrats, man!" and "Well done, Dr Devon you're the best!"

Devon's lips parted to ask what the hell they were congratulating him for, the puzzle pieces not yet clicking, but he caught himself, offering only a slow nod and a polite, "Thanks, appreciate it," his mind racing to piece it together as he continued toward the elevators.

The weight of their stares felt heavier now, not just admiration but expectation, as if they were waiting for him to confirm something monumental, their eyes following him like spotlights on a stage, the lobby's chatter swelling behind him with excited speculation.

"Told you it'd be him."

"He's gonna run this place soon."

The elevator doors dinged open with a soft chime, and Devon stepped inside, the steel walls reflecting his furrowed brow and the faint smile tugging at his lips as he headed toward his office on the fifth floor.

When the doors parted on the fifth floor, the surgical wing's corridor greeted him with more of the same staff pausing in their rounds, nurses at the station whispering furiously before flashing smiles his way.

He strode forward, the air here thicker with the scent of fresh linens from the laundry carts and the faint beep of patient monitors from open rooms, but the gossip was just as loud, snippets drifting to him, "Thorne's toast, but Devon is him."

He was still puzzling it out when Helena appeared in his path like a roadblock, her sharp eyes locking on him, her dark hair pulled into a messy ponytail that framed her flushed face.

She stood squarely, arms crossed over her chest, her scrub top hugging her curves, lips pressed into a thin line as she sized him up from head to toe, her gaze lingering on his crisp shirt and the faint stubble along his jaw, a mix of accusation and curiosity burning in her stare.

Devon braced for another round of congratulations, but the intensity in her eyes told him this was something else entirely, something personal. Her voice cut through the hallway, sharp and low, carrying a weight that demanded attention. "Did you do it, Devon?"

He stopped short, his brows knitting together in genuine confusion, though a spark of amusement flickered in his hazel eyes as he tilted his head. "Do what, Helena?" he asked, his tone smooth but curious, crossing his arms as he studied her.

She planted a hand on her hip, her eyes narrowing further, her voice dropping to a near-whisper that carried a mix of accusation and awe.

"Don't play dumb with me you know exactly what I mean. Were you the one who orchestrated Thorne's downfall? The video that exposed him, the firing that came out of nowhere, the license revocation that sealed it, everyone's saying it was too clean, too perfect. It had to be you."

Devon's lips curved into a slow, almost predatory smile, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Now why would you think I'd have anything to do with that?" he countered, his voice low and teasing, stepping closer just enough to make her shift her weight uncomfortably, her bravado wavering for a split second as his cologne wafted toward her, the air between them thickening.

Helena's jaw tightened, but she held her ground, her hand still on her hip as she leaned forward slightly, her voice clearer now, each word deliberate and probing, her eyes searching his for any crack. "It's not a coincidence, Devon. Not long after that mess in the OR and now he's suddenly out of a job, his license gone, his life in complete ruins. And on top of that, the whole hospital's buzzing that you're the frontrunner for chief of emergency surgery. You're telling me that's just luck? Come on, it has your fingerprints all over it."

Devon's smile widened, but his eyes darkened, a flicker of something unreadable, perhaps satisfaction. He opened his mouth slightly, the realization clicking as her words sank in, the congratulations, the stares, the whispers all morning. So that's what they were on about.

The chief position.

He hadn't applied, hadn't even considered it, but the pieces fell into place like a perfectly executed surgical stitch, and with Thorne out, the board must have wanted to use this position to solidify his place here.

He met Helena's gaze, his expression calm but impenetrable, and after a beat of silence, she pressed again, her voice softer but urgent, her hand gesturing emphatically. "Come on, Devon. Tell me the truth. Did you make it happen? Was it you behind the whole thing?"

He leaned back slightly, crossing his arms over his chest, his smile turning almost playful, though his eyes held a steely edge that made her pulse quicken. "Well, Helena, since you're so curious and persistent… yeah, it was my doing." His voice was direct, unapologetic, the words landing like a slap across her face, hanging in the air between them.

Helena's jaw dropped, her hand flying to her mouth in shock, her breath catching sharply as she processed his confession, her fingers trembling slightly against her lips, "You… you did all that?" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper, her green eyes wide with a mix of horror and reluctant admiration. "Why? Was it… was it because of me? Did you do it to get back at him for what he did to me in the OR?"

The question tumbled out before she could stop it, raw and vulnerable, her cheeks flushing a deep red as she realized how it sounded, her hand dropping from her mouth to fidget with the hem of her scrub top.

Devon's smile softened, but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes, like he was savoring her reaction, enjoying the way her curiosity had shifted to something more personal. He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, almost intimate murmur that sent a shiver down her spine. "Not so much. Thorne questioned my ability, that's a mistake I don't let slide. It opens old wounds." He paused, then added with a grin that was half-joking, half-dangerous, a twinkle in his hazel eyes, "Besides, my ego's a fragile thing. Gotta protect it, you know? Can't have some has-been like Thorne chipping away at it."

Helena blinked, caught off guard by his disarming smile, her mind still reeling from the revelation, her heart pounding as she searched his face for any sign of deceit. Before she could respond, a sharp voice cut through the moment, high-pitched and impatient, slicing the tension like a blade.

"Dr Devon!" Sophie appeared from around the corner, her dark eyes flicking briefly to Helena with a flash of disdain before focusing solely on Devon, as if Helena was nothing more than a minor annoyance. Ignoring Helena entirely, she continued, "You have a very important guest waiting in your office. She's been there for over thirty minutes."

Devon's brows lifted, his interest piqued, a spark of curiosity lighting his hazel eyes. "Who is it?"

Sophie's lips pursed slightly, her tone clipped and professional, though a hint of intrigue crept in. "Marianne Voss."

A slow, satisfied smile spread across Devon's face, his eyes gleaming with something like triumph, a predatory glint that made Sophie shift her weight uncomfortably. "It's about time," he murmured under his breath, the words almost lost in the hum of the corridor.

He glanced between Helena and Sophie, noting the tension crackling between them like static electricity in a dry storm, Helena's arms crossed defensively, Sophie's clipboard held like a barrier. With a playful smirk, he leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial drawl that carried a teasing edge. "You know, ladies, the best way to settle this little feud of yours is a threesome. What do you say? I've got time before my meeting."

The response was instantaneous, a synchronized snap from both women, "Never!"

Helena's voice was sharp with indignation, her cheeks flushing red with a mix of embarrassment and anger, while Sophie's was cold, her eyes narrowing to slits like daggers, her grip on the clipboard tightening until her knuckles whitened. Devon chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that echoed in the corridor, shrugging his shoulders with an exaggerated nonchalance, his watch catching the light as he turned. "Suit yourselves," he said, brushing past them with that same confident stride.

As he disappeared down the hall, his footsteps fading into the hospital's hum, Sophie started to walk away, her heels clicking sharply against the tiles like angry punctuation marks, but Helena's voice stopped her cold, low and urgent. "Sophie, wait. We have a problem."

Sophie turned slowly, her expression guarded, one eyebrow arched in skepticism, her clipboard shifting in her arms as she crossed them. "What now, Helena?"

Helena's voice dropped to a hushed, urgent whisper, her eyes darting left and right to make sure no one was eavesdropping in the busy wing, the distant beep of a monitor underscoring her words. "Devon was behind everything with Thorne. The video that exposed him, the firing that came out of nowhere, the license revocation that sealed it, he just admitted it to me, straight up, like it was nothing."

Sophie's eyes widened, her clipboard slipping slightly in her grip as her arms uncrossed, her tone shifting from annoyance to shock. "Devon? You're serious? Why the hell would he do that? Thorne was an ass, but to go that far?"

Helena swallowed hard, her fingers twisting the hem of her scrub top nervously, her voice trembling slightly as she leaned closer, the words tumbling out in a rush. "He said it was because Thorne crossed him, questioned his skills. Said it hit some old wounds, stuff from his past he's still raw about. But that's not all."

She paused, her breath catching, her hazel eyes wide with fear as she glanced around again, the hallway's fluorescent lights buzzing overhead like a warning. "Think about it, Sophie. Do you remember what we submitted to Agent Marisa Vaughn? That report we filed a few weeks back."

Sophie's face paled, her lips parting as the implications hit her like a cold wave, her clipboard now clutched tightly to her chest like a shield, her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat. "Oh my God," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the distant roll of a gurney in the hall. "If Devon was willing to destroy Thorne's entire career over a slight a few words what do you think he'd do to us if he found out we reported him?"