Chapter 1

Later, the Caesar family crest became a white rose.

Brianna

The day my mother was diagnosed with leukemia, I stood outside her hospital room clutching my acceptance letter to Ronaldo Medical School.

My father hunched over, gazing at my pale mother lying in bed. It was the first time I'd ever seen him cry in front of me.

His weathered hands took my acceptance letter, his eyes flickering with excitement before quickly being overtaken by sorrow.

"Brianna, you've always been your mother's and my pride, but we don't have any extra money left..."

"Your mother wants to go home..."

Watching my mother struggle to breathe in that hospital bed, I knew this wasn't a discussion—it was a notification.

My mother was saying goodbye. She didn't want to burden our family anymore, didn't want to burden me. She wanted to leave the hospital, save the money, and let me finish my education.

It meant she would give up her life.

But I had fought tooth and nail to get into medical school precisely so that one day I could cure my mother. Of course I wouldn't agree to this.

Actually, I'd known she was sick since that night three years ago.

That evening, my mother suddenly collapsed in the kitchen. Scalding soup splashed all over her, but she felt nothing.

I screamed and held her, calling her name, but she was like a beautiful wax figure—giving me no response at all.

Afterward, I didn't want to study anymore. I wanted to work, to make money, to do whatever it took to save her...

When my mother learned of my plan, she slapped me. That slap was so hard it knocked me to the ground.

"Brianna, I don't need you to do this for me!"

"I want my daughter to have her own future, not be dragged down by me!"

"I didn't give birth to you so you'd sacrifice your life for mine!"

I'll never forget the determination in my mother's eyes that day.

Her determination meant I would resolutely complete my education and resolutely become an excellent doctor.

So facing my father's helplessness, I gripped my acceptance letter tighter.

"No, Father."

"Let Mother stay in the hospital. I'll figure out my tuition myself."

I had to complete my education. I would go to the top cancer center, to the leukemia subspecialty. I would save her.

Leaving the hospital room, the corridor reeked of disinfectant while also permeating with sadness and despair.

The atmosphere was suffocating. If I stayed another second, my taut nerves would snap and destroy my last bit of strength.

I could only walk forward with my head down, trying to process my grief.

"Hey! Don't you watch where you're going!"

A man's voice. I looked up to see a large swelling on his forehead, bruising around his eyes, and blood still seeping from his nose.

Clearly someone with serious strength had punched him, knocked him down, and made him hit his head.

Seeing my lack of reaction, he roughly shoved my shoulder and began angrily complaining to someone beside him.

"A lunatic and an idiot on the same day! Damn!"

"That psycho Cole—just because I hurt him while cleaning his wound, he hit me again? I'm the team doctor for his damn football team! A senior team doctor! You understand? There's no one more professional than me in this entire university! And he dared hit me!"

"I'm done! Let him find someone else!"

The short man with gold-rimmed glasses standing beside him smiled with professional politeness:

"I can double the price."

But the man seemed well-acquainted with such situations and roughly shook off the smaller man's hand.

"Screw doubling the price—how many times has this happened!"

Watching the man's retreating figure, I knew God was helping me. This was fate, and I needed to seize this opportunity.

I rushed forward and blocked the path of the man with gold-rimmed glasses.

"Do you need a team doctor? I think I could do it."

"I was the football team doctor throughout high school at Blade, and this year I got into Ronaldo Medical School with top grades."

The man looked me up and down:

"Holden. Pleased to meet you."

"I need an experienced team doctor."

"Miss, if you'd like to try, tomorrow at this time you can come take our team doctor exam."

The man handed me a business card.

That card felt burning hot. I saw the future, saw hope.

...

"Holden! I told you I don't need a team doctor!"

That was Cole. Through the examination room door, I heard the sound of shattering teacups.

"Stop bringing me team doctors! You bring one, I'll beat one! I'll beat them until no one dares become my team doctor!"

His roar was almost hysterical.

All the candidates waiting to be examined were trembling with fear at Cole's rage.

Perhaps because the pay was high, no one left the waiting room.

They all sat quietly in their seats, waiting for the miracle of being hired.

One, two...

No one got hired. From inside the examination room came only endless arguing and screaming.

Then they'd emerge with bloodied heads.

This was the twentieth one.

"That guy's a maniac!"

Judging by his wounds, Cole must have gone all out.

I clutched Holden's business card, my body beginning to tremble involuntarily.

Before coming, I'd done some research. Cole Caesar—Ronaldo's star football player.

But his temperament was violent and unpredictable. Since joining the team, they'd gone through five team doctors in one year.

This was the sixth team doctor examination so far.

"Actually, I thought the last team doctor was pretty good—he was our university's ace doctor. Holden poached him from the hockey team, but somehow Cole still wasn't satisfied."

"Who knows? What a freak!"

Football team members?

They seemed to notice me. One of them stopped and looked at me with barely concealed mockery in his eyes.

"You're here to interview for team doctor too?"

I nodded seriously.

"Yes."

Hearing my answer, both men burst out laughing as if they'd heard the funniest joke ever.

"A girl?"

"Don't go crying to mommy when you get beaten up!"

I gave a cold laugh. Of course I wouldn't—my mother had taught me strength and courage.

Facing their flippant tone, I calmly walked around them and entered the examination room.

Inside, the lighting was dim, but I could make out Cole's silhouette sitting in a chair.

I seriously wondered if that was even human.

Such an overwhelming presence, such incredible muscle definition—he was just too powerful...

"Scared stupid?"

The two players from before.

"Go home, little girl."

Honestly, my legs were already weak. I was calculating whether one of Cole's punches could land me in the hospital.

"Look, she's shaking! How ridiculous!"

"Well, at least she's standing. I think the last girl fainted from fright."

Listening to their conversation, my back was soaked with sweat.

I tried to psych myself up, attempted to make eye contact with Cole and introduce myself.

But there was a pressure that left me breathless. My throat couldn't make any sound.

"Cole hates timid people like this the most! The way she looks right now is exactly what Cole hates most."

Before I could speak, Cole had walked right up to me.

I felt like his fist would smash into my face at any second.

"Think Cole will beat her up? How far will she fly?"

"Should we call an ambulance in advance? Hahaha..."

I squeezed my eyes shut, preparing for the weight of his punch.

"You're hired."