"You have the same kind of relationship with Iliad and Bianca, don't you?"
When Alice heard Adam mention Iliad, she scoffed. "So, you managed to charm all three of the 'Golden Flowers' from Columbia Medical School's Class of '95? Impressive."
"Don't be ridiculous, I didn't."
Adam chuckled. "My relationships with Iliad and Bianca are completely pure."
"Pure like your relationship with me?"
Alice sneered.
"Heh."
Adam simply smiled and changed the subject. "Let me give you a heads-up—this year, the medical center's residency program is getting two top-tier graduates from Harvard Medical School. They're both incredibly skilled, especially Meredith Grey. Be careful, or she might just clip your wings and take off with them."
"Grey?"
Alice's eyes narrowed. "That Grey?"
"That's right."
Adam nodded.
Meredith's mother was a legend in the medical world—an icon among female doctors. The name Grey was instantly recognizable.
"Is she pretty?"
Alice half-sat up and looked at Adam.
The name Grey carried so much weight, and since the medical center had been Meredith's mother's primary workplace before moving to Boston, there were undoubtedly strong connections there.
Even if Alice wasn't aware that the surgical director at the medical center was a close friend of Meredith's mother, she still understood why a top Harvard Medical graduate like Meredith would choose to intern in New York instead of staying in Boston's prestigious hospitals.
Americans value networking above all else.
Look at their system—recommendation letters are more important than exams.
It's basically a modern version of an ancient Eastern system, where officials were selected based on personal endorsements rather than merit.
Back then, a well-known figure would nominate someone, a powerful person would approve it, and just like that, they'd land a government position. Over time, they could climb even higher.
In the U.S., it works the same way—famous endorsements, elite university admissions, networking in college, and then using those connections to secure jobs. Performance doesn't really matter—sometimes, the worse your grades, the higher you climb…
Truly, nothing under the sun is new.
"She's beautiful, and her voice is incredibly sultry," Adam said with a grin. "Very seductive. Plus, she's got a… liberal attitude."
"Another one of your so-called friends?"
Alice rolled her eyes.
"Of course not."
Adam feigned seriousness. "What do you take me for? Not just any woman can be my friend."
And that was the truth.
Women like Meredith Grey—who lost control after a few drinks—were tempting, sure, but Adam wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole.
Residency was about to start, and this was an American hospital in the world of a medical TV drama!
With the way this world worked, hospitals were high-risk zones.
If Alice had been the type to rely purely on her looks to manipulate men, Adam wouldn't have gotten involved with her either. But she was strategic—carefully managing her image and keeping Steven and William on a string. She even leaned toward being conservative in her approach.
William, on the other hand, was completely infatuated with Alice, acting like she was the only woman in the world for him.
If that weren't the case, Adam would never have gone near her.
The great Lü Joy Barney Smallcloth once said:
"Before getting into a relationship with a woman, make sure you have more boats than she does—otherwise, you're at a serious disadvantage."
On the surface, the message was obvious.
But underneath, it carried an unspoken rule that all playboys instinctively understood: If a woman is wilder than you, stay the hell away—unless you enjoy regret.
Alice stared at Adam for a moment, then smiled slightly. She lay back down and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought. Clearly, Adam's words had struck a nerve.
Steven and William—one a backup, the other a devoted admirer—were both assets she didn't want to lose. And if Meredith really was as Adam described, she could be a serious threat.
"Don't overthink it. Just enjoy the moment," Adam said, laughing.
"Yeah, right."
Alice shoved Adam away as he started getting handsy again, then got up and began dressing. "That's it for tonight. I don't have time to do extra hours of yoga just to recover."
"Just ignore William for a week."
Adam pulled her back. "Desire is strongest when you can't have what you want."
"And what does that make you?"
Alice, unable to fight Adam's strength, was pulled back into his arms. She smirked.
"Someone you'll never truly have."
Adam grinned.
"You're such a pervert!"
Alice laughed and cursed.
One hour later.
As always, Alice forced herself to walk away, refusing to stay the night. Aside from the first time when she spent all night debating with Adam, she never dared to stay over.
The Next Day.
"What's wrong?"
Adam rushed over after getting an urgent call from Chandler.
Ross and Joey were there too.
"My wedding vows! How the hell do I write them?"
Chandler was holding a blank sheet of paper and a pen, looking completely lost. "Monica wrote hers in no time, but I can't come up with a single word. She's clearly way more in love with me than I am with her!"
"Relax, take your time."
Adam reassured him. "We'll help you figure it out."
As the best man, anything the groom couldn't handle became his responsibility.
Glory and responsibility always go hand in hand.
"Relax?"
Chandler scoffed. "Monica keeps randomly shouting at me, 'Do you know we're getting married in four weeks? Four weeks, babe! FOUR WEEKS!' And every time, she gets louder and more intense. If she finds out I haven't written a single word, who knows what will happen?"
"That's just Monica."
Ross shrugged. "She's been planning this wedding since she was a kid. I've told you this before. You're the one who insisted on dating and marrying her."
"Thanks for reminding me."
Chandler rolled his eyes.
"You're welcome…"
Ross was about to keep joking, but Chandler's fiery glare shut him up. He mimed zipping his lips.
"Adam, you're a writer and the best man—this is your job," Joey declared, passing the responsibility along.
"Yeah," Ross agreed.
Chandler looked at Adam expectantly.
"…"
Adam's mouth twitched.
He was a novelist—what did he know about wedding vows?
Sure, Lord of the Mysteries had some great lines, but that was written by someone else. Back in his previous life, Adam had been a struggling writer with zero experience in crafting romantic speeches.
But now, he had to step up.
Luckily, he'd watched The Big Bang Theory religiously.
He quickly remembered a scene where Sheldon used a quote from Spider-Man to deal with an angry Amy.
If it worked there, it might work here.
"When I look into your eyes, and you look back into mine, everything feels different.
I feel stronger… yet weaker.
I feel excited… yet terrified.
The truth is, I don't know exactly how I feel.
But I do know one thing—I know the kind of man I want to be…"
read more inpatreon
belamy20