The Surgeon's Unexpected Intern

Chapter 1 ( First Impression )

[Neurosurgeon Lounge – Regency Medical Center]

Tahimik ang lounge, puro tunog lang ng mga papers at kape machine.
Nandun si Prof. Marcus Lazaro, naka-cross arms habang ina-announce ng Medical Coordinator ang arrival ng bagong interns.

Coordinator:
"Good morning, Doctors. Please welcome our four new interns for the neurosurgery program. Dalawa boys, dalawa girls."

Pumila ang interns. Kinakabahan yung iba, halatang gustong mag-impress.

Prof. Lazaro (cold, serious):
"Introduce yourselves. Briefly. I don't want flowery words—just your name and why you're here."

Isa-isa silang nagsalita. Medyo nanginginig ang boses pero pasado naman kay Lazaro—hanggang sa dumating yung moment na lahat napatingin sa pinto.

(Door opens — late entrance)
Pumasok si Sophie De Vera, kalmado, walang guilt, parang deliberately late. Naka-lab coat pero halatang hindi excited.

Coordinator (half-scolding, half-covering):
"Ah... here's our last intern. Miss Sophie De Vera."

Intern 1 (bulong sa katabi):
"Wait, De Vera? As in... Chairman De Vera?"

Intern 2:
"OMG. Anak ng may-ari?"

Napaangat ang kilay ni Prof. Lazaro. Cold stare. Arms crossed tighter.

Prof. Lazaro (flat voice):
"So, you're the Chairman's daughter. That explains... your lack of professionalism."

Tahimik ang room. Sophie just smirked, parang wala lang.

Sophie (calm but sarcastic):
"Well... at least you already know me. Saves me the effort."

Napakunot lalo ang noo ni Lazaro, pero hindi na siya nag-comment. Tumalikod na lang siya, halatang hindi impressed.

[Later – Medical Director's Office]

Galit na pumasok si Prof. Lazaro.

Marcus (serious, controlled anger):
"You know I don't accept interns na pumasok because of power or connections. Why assign De Vera to me? Transfer her out."

Medical Director (calm, trying to reason):
"Marcus, listen. She wasn't just randomly placed here. Sebastian requested it personally."

Napatigil si Marcus. Napalalim ang buntong-hininga.

Marcus (in disbelief):
"Sebastian knows me. He knows my standards. Even if she's his sister, bakit ako pa?"

Director:
"Because he trusts you. He knows you'll push her the hardest. Don't judge her too quickly. Just... give her a chance."

Nagtaas ulit ng kilay si Marcus, obvious na hindi convinced. Pero tumahimik siya. Ang tanging nasa isip niya: This is going to be a disaster.

Sophie's POV

Late na naman ako. Well, duh. Exactly what I wanted.
Hindi ako nagmamadali sa hallway. Nakikita ko pa yung interns na nagmamadali kanina, parang first day of school vibes. Ako? Walang pakialam.

Ayaw ko talagang magka-"good impression." If anything, gusto kong makita nila na hindi ako yung tipong nagpipilit. Kasi totoo naman—hindi ko choice 'to. Hindi ko pangarap. Hindi ko gusto.

Pagbukas ko ng pinto, lahat ng mata sa'kin. Oh, great. Perfect entrance.

"Miss Sophie De Vera," pakilala ng coordinator, halatang na-stress kasi late ako.

At ayun na. May narinig akong bulong. "De Vera? Anak ng Chairman?"
Nice. Exactly what I didn't want—and exactly what I expected.

Then I saw him.
Prof. Marcus Lazaro.

Sharp eyes. Naka-cross arms. The type na isang tingin pa lang, gusto mong mag-behave. Pero guess what? Hindi ako magbe-behave.

"So you're the Chairman's daughter," sabi niya, monotone pero lethal. "That explains your lack of professionalism."

Ouch. Direct to the point si Doc.
Pero instead of feeling insulted, natawa lang ako sa loob-loob ko.

So this is the famous Marcus Lazaro? Intimidating, yes. Handsome... unfortunately, also yes. But rude as hell.

Ngumiti lang ako, sinadya kong gawing sarcastic.
"Well, at least you already know me. Saves me the effort."

Ayun. Kita ko yung slight twitch sa jaw niya.
Score: Sophie – 1, Professor Lazaro – 0.

Marcus's POV

The moment she walked in, I knew she would be trouble.

Late. Calm. Carefree.
Not even a hint of guilt on her face. And when the coordinator said her name—De Vera—it all made sense.

Chairman's daughter. Of course. Another spoiled intern who thinks she can waltz into my program just because her family owns the hospital.

I've seen her type before. Pretty face, confident smile, pero zero discipline. And that's the kind of intern who ruins lives in the OR.

"That explains your lack of professionalism," I told her, watching for a flicker of shame.
But no—she just smiled. Sarcastic. Almost amused.

"Well, at least you already know me. Saves me the effort."

Napakagat ako sa loob ng pisngi ko.
That smirk... God, it was infuriating. Hindi siya intimidated. She should've been.

Instead, parang siya pa yung nag-challenge.
Unbelievable.

And yet, in that second, I realized something dangerous:
She wasn't just Sebastian's sister.
She was going to be my biggest headache.

And for some reason, a part of me wasn't sure if that was entirely a bad thing.

Sophie's POV

Okay, nandito na ako. Fine, Mom. Pinagbigyan kita.
Pero one thing's for sure—hindi ko 'to tatagal.

Seryoso, law school dapat ako ngayon. Courtrooms, arguments, debates... not scalpels and sutures. Pero dahil sa deal na 'to, eto ako, naka-lab coat at pinapila sa harap ng isang professor na mukhang kaya akong durugin ng isang tingin.

So, what's the plan? Simple.
Gagawin ko lahat ng ikaka-bad impression ko. Para makita ni Mommy na sayang lang oras ko dito. Pag bumagsak ako sa performance, wala na siyang rason to keep me in med school.

Kaya ayan—late sa first day, walang energy, walang effort. I'll act like I don't care. Kasi I don't.

Napansin ko si Prof. Lazaro habang tinitignan niya ako. Grabe yung kilay raise niya, parang sinasabi niya na "Another spoiled brat."
Well, let him think that. Mas madali.

Kung galit siya, perfect. Kasi once I fail in front of him, mas lalo niyang ipu-push na i-drop ako. Exactly what I want.

Marcus's POV

There it was again. That attitude.

I've seen dozens of interns on their first day—nervous, eager, hungry to prove themselves. But Sophie De Vera? She walked in late, stood there like she owned the place, and acted like this was all beneath her.

Unacceptable.

Hindi ko alam kung anong mas nakakainis—yung pagiging late niya, o yung smug little smirk sa labi niya.

If she thinks she can coast through my program just because of her last name, she's mistaken. Sa OR, wala akong pakialam kung sino ang tatay o nanay mo. One mistake, one second of hesitation, and someone dies on the table.

I won't allow that.

The worst part? Sebastian requested this. He wanted me to "guide" his sister. Guide her? She doesn't even look like she wants to be here.

Pero habang pinagmamasdan ko siya, may nakita akong kakaiba.
It wasn't just arrogance.
It was... detachment. Parang may sariling plano. As if failing is exactly what she wants.

I clenched my jaw.
If that's the case, then she picked the wrong professor to test.