Confession from a Doctor

Catherine did not expect what she just heard. She looks up at Luke only to see him looking intently at her. His eyes showed a serious expression. Catherine sighed and started speaking. "Doctor Luke, you are one of the first people who treated me kindly when I started working. You are also very good to me, taking care of me and helping me every time I'm in trouble." Catherine could not bear to continue knowing that her following words might hurt the man in front of her.

"..." silence echoed through the whole grounds, even the usual sound of birds chirping was not present. It was a suffocating silence.

"I'm sorry. I only see you as a brother figure. I'm sorry, I couldn't reciprocate your love." Catherine finally spoke her peace. Luke just stand there unmoving without saying anything.

"Why?" Luke asked in a low voice. "Is it because of everyone that you are hesitant? Or do you feel pressure about my noble status? Or maybe you find something about me that is hateful? Please tell me why won't you accept me?"

Luke grabbed Catherine's hands and holds them tightly while looking at Catherine with hope visible in his eyes.

Catherine was torn apart. Luke was like a brother figure and a friend to Catherine, it would be a sad event to lose him just because of this matter.

"I do not love you."

"That alone is enough to reject you. I'm really sorry. I only see you as a friend." after saying this painful piece, Catherine left the garden, leaving a dejected Luke. Unbeknown to them, this whole ordeal was witnessed by the trio, consisting of Lord Zachary, Doctor Helene, and the Hospital Director who is standing atop the balcony to the Director's office.

"Do you think Catherine was a bit harsh for rejecting Doctor Luke on the spot?" Doctor Helene asked as she brought her teacup outside to gossip. Lord Zachary just sneered at her actions, it was the Director who replied. "I do not think so. If you don't have any feelings for someone, then you ought to tell them straight away. Why wait further?"

"But what I can't understand, is why isn't Catherine attracted to Luke? First of all, He is the only son of Baron Rosenthal, a very good catch. Secondly, He is kind and sensible. But most importantly, he is very handsome." Doctor Helene smirked at the end of her sentence. This time, it was Lord Zachary, whose face turned black at her words, who replied to her.

"You speak as if you are innocent. Didn't you also forsake your aristocracy to become a doctor, leaving a huge wealth and reputation? As I remember correctly, you snapped when your parents tried to arrange for you to- ha ha ha… Now when I think about it, Isn't Luke's father supposed to be your Fiance? But now look at you, you're trying to match make two people who don't even interest each other. Aren't you shooting yourself? Also, correction to your earlier statement, Love is the most important factor, not Appearances. Ha ha ha…" It was now Doctor Helene's turn to be pissed. Her face was much more soured than Lord Zachary's. The more Lord Zachary laughed, the worse her face become.

"Someone is talking without looking at themself. Aren't you single until now? You also broke off your engagement to Lady Marie Hansfel. Although you did not revoke your status, the fact is that you are alone and lonely." Doctor Helene said with sarcasm in her voice. Lord Zachary chucked before rebutting.

"Wrong! I'm alone but very much happy." he then smiled at Doctor Helene, showing off his white healthy teeth. Doctor Helene lost her cool and started to call Lord Zachary names which the latter also rebutted. The two started fighting without caring about their surroundings.

The Director rolled his eyes at the sight. After having a few conversations with the two senior doctors, he realized that behind their authoritative attitude at work, both of them are very similar in terms of personality. Very childish. Take now, for instance, they both fought as if they were a six-year-old kid, trying to prove their answers correct. The first time he witness this, he was shocked and nervous, their choice of words was a bit vulgar and hurtful and he really thought they had fallen off. Surprisingly on the next day, it was as if that fight did not even exist and they both acted like they were best friends since young. After a while, he was pretty much used to this kind of scenario.

After a while, the Director noticed a flaw in one of Lord Zachary's sentences earlier. "Um… excuse me for interrupting your lovely conversation but, Lord Zachary, I have a question. You said earlier 'Also' when you replied to doctor Helene earlier, does that mean Catherine is also in a similar predicament to doctor Helene?"

Both Lord Zachary and Doctor Helene stopped their argument and turned silent. Doctor Helene recalled their conversation and notice the flaw, she turned to Lord Zachary waiting for an explanation. Lord Zachary just sighed.

"for the record, that was the most unpleasant conversation I had the moment I was born." Doctor Helene's face turned black at the word but did not say anything. She waited patiently for Lord Zachary to explain.

"Yes. Catherine is in the same situation as Doctor Helene." he did not go further with his explanation which made Doctor Helene lose her temper. In a fit of rage, she slapped Lord Zachary's left arm and demanded. "Oh! For F*ck's sake, can you just spill the whole story… who are you trying to keep the suspense for?"

Lord Zachary rubbed the arm that doctor Helene slapped just now then sighed. He signals to both of them to head inside. There was only one meaning to it. It's going to be a long talk. They also followed and headed inside.

Lord Zachary poured each of them a cup of freshly brewed tea. After settling in his seat. He talked. "Catherine is the youngest daughter of Duke Frederick Faucigny and Duchess Isabella Faucigny. The 19th was in line to the British throne. Relative of Queen Victoria."

After saying that shocking piece of news about Catherine's real identity, Doctor Helene spitted out her tea in shock while the Director almost spilled his cup. Even in far provinces, the Queen is popular and known as the most powerful figure in the whole of England. Meeting the Queen was already a miracle, but being counted as her relative was a privilege that not everyone could have in their lifetimes. After knowing this, the Director viewed Catherine in a different limelight.

Doctor Helene on the other hand, just spewed all of the curse words in her vocabulary as the information finally sinks into her. "How could you keep this big piece of information."

"So… you are saying, that Catherine is a royalty?" after calming down, she asked again.

"Yes and no. Duke Faucigny was against the idea of Catherine pursuing a medical career. He expected her to get married to his chosen noble and be a quite married woman. But contrary to his expectations, Catherine voiced her protest to that kind of arrangement. The two of them argued until Catherine couldn't take up the pressure anymore and left her family. She also resolutely revoke her aristocracy and inheritance rights. Both her mother and brother tried to stop her, but all in vain." Lord Zachary told them the story.

"Did the Queen know about this matter?" It was Doctor Helene who asked the question.

"From what I heard, she knows about this matter. It was actually Catherine's brother who reported this personally to the Queen. She sided with Catherine and gave her approval silently." Lord Zachary replied while sipping his tea.