Contract With The Alpha King
Contract 38

Chapter 38

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A thick silence blanketed the infirmary as Fiona stood there, her eyes fixed on Cillian. His face had turned a deep shade of red, a mix of embarrassment and anger. The crowd of soldiers and healers, who had been watching everything unfold stood frozen, eyes darting between Fiona and Cillian. No one dared to move or speak.

Before Cillian could gather himself to respond, Carissa suddenly stepped forward, her face composed, but her tone full of questions. "Was that really necessary, Fiona?" she asked.

Fiona turned to look at Carissa. She never expected to see the woman here. Seeing Carissa only worsened Fiona's mood. "I'm owed an apology," she said, trying to calm her anger.

Carissa sighed, shaking her head slightly. "Cillian was only doing his job. There's no need to turn this into a spectacle."

Fiona's eyes sharpened. "By berating me in front of everyone? Is that how things work here?" She gestured to the wounded soldiers lying around them. "Do you think they feel reassured when a senior healer publicly humiliates someone new? Does it make them feel safe, knowing the people responsible for their lives can't even agree in a calm and professional manner?"

Carissa's face reddened, clearly not expecting such a direct response. Her lips parted as if to speak, but nothing came out.

Fiona didn't give her time to recover as she added, "Tell me, Miss Carissa, was this really the right thing to do? For Cillian to berate me in front of everyone while people are fighting for their lives? Is that the way of the infirmary?"

The silence stretched again as the meaning behind Fiona's words started sinking into the room. Carissa's expression faltered, the confidence she had earlier slowly fading as she struggled for a response.

Before she could, Rio, who had been standing by silently, finally decided to interject. "Lower your voice when you speak to Carissa," he said sharply, stepping forward. "There's no need to raise your voice at her." Fiona's gaze swung to Rio, unimpressed. "My voice is your concern?" she snorted. "Are you not concerned that Miss Carissa decided to stick her nose into something that wasn't her business in the first place?" Rio opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. His face reddened, a mixture of anger and frustration building, but he couldn't replace the right response to Fiona's cutting words.

Before the tension could escalate further, Carissa quickly stepped in again, her voice softer this time, trying to maintain some semblance of control. "I would like to apologize on behalf of the senior healer," she said, her tone smooth, as if offering a gracious concession. Fiona's eyes narrowed. She immediately understood what Carissa was doing. It was a move she recognized too well from her sister Elise-an attempt to appear magnanimous while subtly keeping the upper hand. Carissa wanted to offer the apology on Cillian's behalf, ensuring the power dynamics stayed in her favor.

But Fiona wasn't fooled. She smiled faintly, but her eyes remained cold. This wasn't over yet. She had experienced this scene too many times not to recognize it.

Fiona kept her gaze steady, her faint smile never quite reaching her eyes. "Well then, I'll accept your apology, Miss Carissa," she said smoothly, her voice laced with a biting sweetness that was impossible to miss. In cases like this, the best thing to do is fight fire with fire. There was no need to lower herself and explode on Carissa. All she needed to do was smile. "And, of course, I must apologize to you as well. It must have been terribly difficult for you to step in and save the situation. To think you had to butt in, believing you were doing the right thing by defending the one who was publicly humiliating me. That takes such... courage," Fiona added.

Carissa blinked, clearly thrown by the calm venom in Fiona's words, but Fiona wasn't done.

"I truly admire how you always seem to be there, defending everyone-even if that person was in the wrong. That's a special kind of kindness, wouldn't you agree? I mean, to see someone bullying another in front of all these people and still rush to protect them? It really says something about your character." Fiona's smile widened, though her eyes were hard. "So understanding of the situation, so quick to offer apologies on behalf of others. It's... admirable."

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Chapter 38

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A murmur rippled through the room. The soldiers and healers exchanged glances, clearly catching on to Fiona's point. The tension shifted. Almost immediately, Carissa's face flushed with embarrassment.

Fiona tilted her head slightly, her expression still soft, but every word sharp as a blade. "So again, thank you, Miss Carissa. For always being so kind. So thoughtful. It really means a lot to all of us that you take the time to step in-even when no one asked."

The silence that followed was thick as Carissa's composure faltered visibly. She opened her mouth to respond but seemed to struggle for words. Everyone in the room had understood exactly what Fiona was saying, and Carissa's attempt at control had backfired. Rio stood stiffly beside her, his face still red, but this time he had the sense to stay quiet. He knew better than to add fuel to the fire.

Fiona's smile turned even sweeter. "Now, please allow me to do my job and help the one who needed my help." Fiona sounded as if she was asking for Carissa's permission. Without waiting for Carissa's response, she turned around and moved to the next wounded soldier. Hours later, Fiona sat in Miss Rosenda's modest office, her hands resting calmly in her lap as she waited. The room was neat and organized, with shelves lined with medical books and various herbs arranged meticulously in jars. A simple wooden desk stood between her and Miss Rosenda, who sat across from her in silence. The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating, but Fiona kept her gaze steady, waiting for Miss Rosenda-Miss Rose, as many called her-to speak.

After they finished treating the wounded soldiers, Miss Rosenda immediately asked to see her in her office. Fiona agreed without saying another word.

Now, here she was, in front of someone who seemed hell-bent on giving her the silent treatment.

The only sound in the room was the ticking of an old clock on the wall, each second stretching longer than the last. Fiona had been in this office for what felt like an eternity, the weight of the earlier events still fresh in her mind. She knew what this conversation was about, but she wasn't going to back down.

Miss Rose finally let out a long, heavy sigh, breaking the silence. Her sharp eyes bore into Fiona's, as though searching for something.

"Did you feel it was necessary to do that?" Miss Rose asked.

"Yes," Fiona replied.

Miss Rose's lips thinned into a straight line. She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms as she regarded Fiona. "So, humiliating a senior healer felt good to you?"

Fiona didn't blink. "It did."

Miss Rose raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting such an honest answer. "And why, Fiona? Why did it feel good? Was it because you wanted to impress the Prince? Or maybe you enjoyed showing up someone more experienced than you?"

Fiona met her gaze steadily. "I saved a soldier's life. Would you rather I had done nothing and let him die just to spare Cillian's ego?"

Miss Rose's face hardened, her eyes narrowing slightly. For a moment, she didn't answer. The tension between them hung in the air, thick and unyielding.

"You don't know everything, Fiona," Miss Rose said, her voice tight, betraying a flash of anger. "There's more at stake here than just you proving yourself."

"And there's more at stake than someone's pride," Fiona shot back, her tone firm but respectful. "I did what needed to be done. The rest doesn't matter." She knew that Miss Rose would sold her for her actions, but she didn't care. She honestly didn't see anything wrong with standing up for herself.

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However, the scolding she expected didn't happen. Instead, Miss Rosenda let out a sigh. "You know..." she paused deliberately. "I didn't know how troublesome it would be to have you on my team. If I had known, perhaps I wouldn't have agreed to let you in." There was another silence before she added, "And for that, I would like to apologize."

Fiona blinked. Did she hear the wrong word?

Miss Rose continued. "It is me who would like to apologize for Cillian's behavior," Miss Rose said. "In fact, I do not blame you for doing what you did, and I- I would even like to applaud your courage. I just never expected this kind of drama."

Fiona's lips thinned. She didn't know if she should feel happy or not when she heard Miss Rose's words. She knew that, like the other senior healers, Miss Rose disliked what Fiona had done. After all, she had not only embarrassed a senior healer in front of everyone, but she had also made Miss Carissa, the daughter of an elder, apologize. Fiona sighed inwardly.

"You don't have to worry," Miss Rose said, getting up and walking towards a small cabinet. She took out what looked like wine and two cups. "I've already sent a letter to the elder, telling him about what transpired. He-if he's smart enough- won't do anything stupid to bother you."

"And if he isn't?" Fiona asked before she could think. She cursed herself silently.

"Then-" Miss Rose handed her the other cup and poured some wine into it. "Then you'll have to pray to the goddess that he doesn't kill you."