Blurb Mark Geoffrey, a trained surgeon from the esteemed lineage of Geoffrey Philip, appears to possess all the necessary attributes for a fulfilling life, except for the understanding of fostering authentic love, nurturing relationships, and achieving a harmonious marriage. Throughout his time in medical school, he struggled to articulate his affection when faced with genuine love. This inability had a profound impact on his interactions with the opposite gender, primarily focusing on superficial attributes and proximity. The prevailing question remains: how will he recognize the individual with whom he will spend a lifetime? Mark, unwavering in his pursuits, remained devoted to his profession until he encountered Rose Stephen, an employee under his supervision. Despite her humble beginnings and a resemblance to his former love interest, Rose embodies the qualities of a committed partner and a compatible life companion. The dilemma now arises: how will Mark establish a connection with Rose amidst the shadow of his past failed relationships and his initial ill treatment to Rose? How will he communicate his intentions for marriage to Rose? Will Rose be open to it given her own experiences of heartbreak? How will Rose fit into his social circle? Could the relationship encounter challenges from Mark's covert adversaries aiming to undermine him and seize his expected inheritance?
Chapter 1 Lucky Break
Good evening, dad." Mark greeted his father, checking up on him. "How was your day? I hope it was not stressful."
"My amazing son, my day was stressful as usual, you know," Mr. Geoffrey Philip replied. "Offering discounts on medical services will bring many people from all over the world to us. Of course, that is also affecting me, as we have a limited number of surgeons in our international hospital."
"Son, what else do you expect from me?" his father continued. "I have since asked the human resources department to announce vacancies for surgeons on the various websites and media platforms."
"I know, Dad, it's just that it takes time to get a qualified application. Let me allow you to rest. I just came to check on you. How are your wife and my other siblings? It seems like they are not around. See you later. Good night, Dad."
"Wake up, Mrs. Martha," a woman with a heart of gold said to her daughter, Rose, who carefully woke up to avoid pushing down books on her bed. "Good morning, mom."
"Rose, like a golden bird with a golden voice, good morning, my sunshine," her mother replied. "How was your night?"
"Fine, mom," Rose echoed back. "Take this; I think you need this." Her mother handed over some pages of the news dailies. Rose microscopically observed the news dailies and shouted thank you as she encountered a golden ticket exposing a job vacancy for a medical doctor needed at Geoffrey’s International Hospital.
"Miss. Rose Stephen, the tardigrade of her peers, stayed many years without the water of distraction from streams of love and romance except the waters from walls owed by doctors after a heartbroken relationship with Williams Michael and also being on rocks because of her mother, who is a carcinoma patient,
Rose, waiting for a golden ticket into the hospital as a surgeon, had been certified as one. With her multifaceted nature of attractiveness and a mind tuned like a well-tuned instrument, she eagerly anticipated the surgical offer. Quickly, she prepared her curriculum vitae on her HP laptop and submitted it to the provided email address, ensuring a timely delivery.
Rose fell to her knees as tears streamed down her face. She prayed to God for the opportunity to save her mom and serve humanity at Geoffrey’s International Hospital. Her mother reassured her that God had heard her prayers and encouraged her to start preparing for the interview and potential work ahead.
Meanwhile, Miss Cynthia, the HR Manager of Geoffrey’s International Hospital, was impressed by Rose's application for a surgical position. She immediately notified Dr. Mark Geoffrey, the Assistant Chief Medical Director and Chief Surgeon, who was equally excited by the prospect of a new surgeon joining their team.
Upon reviewing Rose's application, Dr. Mark was initially irritated by her resemblance to someone he disliked. However, he set aside his personal feelings and focused on her qualifications. While Rose had a strong academic background, she lacked practical experience as a surgeon. Despite his initial reservations, Dr. Mark decided to give her a chance and consider her for the position. Mark decided to recommend her employment with a peanut as her salary. Quickly, he took a piece of paper and wrote, "Employ her with a $15,000 monthly start-up salary as against $30,607, the minimum standard salary." After writing his recommendation, Dr. Mark remembered how he met his first love, Miss Catherine Paul, at first sight in his medical school 12 years ago. Her smiles, gestures, dress fashion, and golden voice gave Dr. Mark a sleepless night of romance fantasy until he approached Catherine. Catherine accepted, but Mark, being inexperienced in love and relationships, never asked for her hand in marriage for two years until Dr. James Kelvin asked for Catherine’s hand in marriage. Catherine, without hesitation, accepted Dr. James’ offer. A day after concluding their wedding plan and preparation, Catherine went to Mark’s place to inform him of her upcoming wedding. On arrival, she discovered that Mark has a golden spoon in his mouth and was born into a wealthy family. In her mind, she regretted accepting Kelvin’s marriage offer. But it was too late, as the wedding was three weeks away. Catherine seduced Mark in his sprawling and contemporary sitting room; unconsciously for Mark, he steamed up and had sex with Catherine for hours. Immediately after the intercourse, Mark summoned the courage to propose to Catherine. Catherine reacted after dressing up by dropping her wedding invitation card and saying, "I love and want to be your wife, but it's too late, sweetheart." Immediately, Mark felt an earthquake around him. Right from there, Mark hated Catherine's personality for refusing his proposal after being friends with her for years and having sex with her. Hence, he planned revenge on anyone related to Catherine. For Dr. Mark, Rose relates to Catherine, so he planned hostile treatment for Rose. Flooded with tears in his eyes, Dr. Mark had a knock on his door. "Who is that?" He angrily asked. "I am HR, sir, Miss Cynthia replied. "Come in, Dr. Mark," he said in a convincing tone. Dr. Mark, the HR manager, shouted as Miss Cynthia fearfully entered the room. "Sir, it is about an hour before the close of work. The nurses have been trying to reach you on both your office and private line, but you are not picking up. What happened, sir?" she asked.
Dr. Mark replied, "Oh, nothing. I just remembered my late mom, who passed away."
HR then informed him, "There was an emerging surgical case, but Dr. Peter took care of it. I also came to collect your decision on the application I dropped for you."
Dr. Mark instructed, "Take a careful background check and gather information about her parents, nuclear family, and extended family."
As HR opened the file to read the written recommendation, she noticed a discrepancy. "Sir, what you told me now is different from what you wrote," she said.
Dr. Mark asked, "What is the difference?"
HR pointed out, "The written recommendation states that you have already employed her with a salary below $30,000."
Dr. Mark confirmed, "Yes, of course. She has no practical experience as a surgeon."
HR suggested, "Shouldn't applicants go through an interview process and at least be compensated with a salary of $30,000?"
Dr. Mark disagreed and instructed, "Invite her for a behavioral interview."
HR asked for permission to offer professional advice, to which Dr. Mark agreed. She advised, "You seem more emotional than usual today. Take some time to process your emotions. Your mom would not want you to make hasty decisions regarding your career."
Dr. Mark considered her words and responded, "Thank you for your professional advice. I will think about it. For now, please follow my instructions."
HR acknowledged his decision and prepared to leave. "Thank you for your time," she said before closing the door gently behind her.
Dr. Mark picked up his phone and car keys and went home.
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