Hayden glanced over and asked, "Do you want to go over?"I shook my head gently. This wasn't a moment where Wade needed someone else. He needed to be alone with his thoughts.Hayden didn't push it. After a few seconds, I turned my gaze back and said softly, "Let's go."As the car pulled away, I caught one last glimpse of Wade in the rearview mirror. He was still standing there, staring up at the sky like he was trying to find some kind of answer in it. His grief felt almost like a physical weight, pressing down on everything around him.Even when we reached Yuna's room, my mind was still stuck on what I'd seen.Hayden didn't say anything, but as we walked in, he slipped his hand into mine, his fingers lacing with mine. That simple gesture said it all.I smiled up at him. "Don't worry, I won't let it affect Yuna.""I just don't want it to ruin your appetite," he teased, squeezing my hand. "Everyone has their own burdens. Only they can carry them.""Mm." I nodded, and we pushed o
But what did Wade mean by "do this to her?" Was he talking about... giving up on Narelle?I stood frozen by the doorway, watching as Wade's face tightened with strain. His fists were clenched, hanging stiffly by his sides, his complexion pale, almost ghostly."Are you deaf? I told you to leave! Leave!" the middle-aged woman cried out, her voice rising as she shoved him.Wade stumbled slightly but steadied himself. "At least let me stay with her until the end. Please.""It's your fault! If it wasn't for you, she wouldn't be like this!" the woman screamed, pounding weakly on his chest. "Give me back my Narelle! Give me back my daughter!"So she was Narelle's mom, Mrs. Yule.Watching this, my heart ached. I wanted to step in, say something, do anything to help.Before I could move, Mr. Yule walked over and gently pulled her away. "Stop. Let Narelle have some peace.""Narelle... my Narelle..." Mrs. Yule's sobs grew louder, her body trembling in her husband's arms.Mr. Yule led her
Could Wade have been talking about Narelle's burial arrangements after she passed?My mind wandered to that possibility, but only Wade knew the real answer.It seemed I'd have to wait for another chance to ask him—though, honestly, I wasn't sure if that moment would ever come.Wade and I had crossed paths twice, but after Narelle... Wade might never come back to this hospital. And in this huge world, our lives would probably never cross again.I glanced one last time at Narelle's bed, surrounded by her family. 'Miss Yule, I hope you find peace,' I whispered in my heart.After leaving the room, I decided to find Lena, but she was in the middle of surgery. With some time to kill, I headed out to the hospital's garden to clear my head."Miss Kay," someone called out behind me.I turned to see Mr. Yule. He was alone, slightly out of breath, like he had hurried over.I wasn't too surprised. I had a feeling he'd come find me."I'm sorry, my wife was... overwhelmed," Mr. Yule said im
When Ron said someone was looking for me, my first thought was uh-oh, maybe I'd taken too many days off.Before last night, I'd figured Ron was letting me take time off because I believed Hayden was the mysterious big boss behind him. But now... things felt different.I shook off the awkwardness and replied, "Is it a client? I can head back right now.""It's not a client. It's a woman, all dolled up like a femme fatale, and she's storming in like the wife catching her husband with a mistress," Ron said, blunt as ever. Zero filter.Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "Ms. Kay, I know about you and Hayden. No judgment here, just giving you a heads-up. You sure you didn't upset someone?"I was confused, but stayed calm. "What's her name?""No idea. She said her last name's Grey. But she's got that 'I'm in charge' attitude," Ron sounded like he was still recovering from her entrance.Grey?I ran through my mental Rolodex but came up blank. I didn't know anyone named Grey.I
I smiled to myself—so it was her.Thorsten must have told her my name.When Sasha arrived, I was lounging in the garden, soaking up the sun. She strutted up to me in full "rich wife" mode, her posture screaming arrogance. "Keira Kay, you've got some nerve making me come all the way here to find you.""You've got it wrong," I replied, completely calm. "You came because you wanted to see me."Sasha's perfectly made-up face twisted into an ugly scowl. "You know why I'm here, don't you?"She stood there, casting a shadow that blocked my sunlight. I had to admit, from my angle, her hourglass figure was... impressive.It wasn't hard to see why a guy like Thorsten would be attracted to her. Even I could appreciate her appeal—both visually and practically.I smiled. "I have no idea. Is your daughter looking for a playdate?"If it weren't for Milly, Sasha and I would never have crossed paths, and we definitely wouldn't be here having this conversation.Funny enough, it had also been ri
Sasha sounded sincere.I could tell she was lonely—otherwise, why would she be coming at me with all that attitude one minute and trying to be my friend the next?"I don't have many friends. Thorsten doesn't let me make any," Sasha said, stepping closer. "But I can tell he treats you differently. So, if I become friends with you, he might be okay with it."I didn't respond to her."I really don't have any ulterior motives. I just want to be friends. And Milly really likes you; she talks about you all the time," Sasha added, pulling the "my kid likes you" card."I know you probably don't think much of me," she continued, her voice softening. "But can't we at least try? For Milly's sake?"Gone was the cocky attitude from earlier. Now, she seemed almost... vulnerable, like she was pleading.I gave her a polite but firm smile. "I'm busy. I don't have time for new friends."It wasn't that I wanted to be cold, but getting involved with Thorsten's women? That was a mess I didn't need
I held Hayden's hand, silently trying to give him strength.Nate had warned us the surgery would last at least six hours. After three hours of waiting, Hayden suddenly got a nosebleed.It was his anxiety breaking through, and it hit me just how much Yuna meant to him."I'll get you some water," I said. We hadn't had a thing to drink in hours.The night before, Yuna couldn't eat because of her surgery prep, and Hayden, in solidarity, hadn't eaten either."I'm fine," he muttered, still trying to be the strong one. "You should rest a bit and come back later."I nodded and headed to the hospital's convenience store to grab some water.On my way back, I was surprised to spot Wade leaning against the wall near the surgical floor, staring at the ground, looking completely lost in thought.Considering what I had seen in Narelle's room two days ago, I was sure she must have passed. Wade shouldn't be here.But there he was, standing quietly, like a shadow.I glanced around. This floor
Hayden had just cracked open a water bottle and taken a sip when the OR doors flew open. Retta rushed out, looking serious. "Who's the patient's family?"She was assisting Nate in the surgery today."I am!" Hayden jumped to his feet so fast he almost lost his balance.I caught his arm and walked with him toward Retta. "What's happening?""There was major bleeding during the surgery. You need to prepare yourselves." She handed him a consent form.Her words hit like a truck, freezing us both."How bad is it? What's happening now?" Lena, still in her scrubs, walked up, right on time. She wasn't even supposed to be here, but had to fill in last minute."We're doing blood transfusions and trying to find the source of the bleeding," Retta explained, passing another form to Hayden.He didn't move, his hands frozen with fear.I had no clue what to do, so I glanced at Lena.She shot me a look, silently telling me to grab the form.But before I could, Hayden snatched it up himself. He
The black Cayenne roared through the night, the driver pushing the car to its limits as if his foot might break through the gas pedal. Yet, Aaron wasn’t satisfied. "Faster," he barked. "There’s no need to rush. Safety first," Lena said, her voice calm despite her pale complexion. As a doctor, she knew the basics—judging by the snake that bit her, it was likely just a common green snake, non-venomous. Despite her reassurances, Aaron remained tense, his entire body rigid. The driver, responding to the urgency, raced toward the hospital with record-breaking speed. What should have been a twenty-minute drive was reduced to eight. By the time they screeched to a halt, the driver’s legs were trembling from the adrenaline rush. It was the first time in his life he had experienced such an intense, heart-pounding ride. Aaron didn’t wait for the car to stop completely. He leapt out, carrying Lena straight into the emergency room. "Doctor, she's been bitten by a snake," he said urgently.
"Then why are his photos identical to yours?" Keira demanded. Lena didn’t answer immediately. She understood what Keira meant, opened her social media app, and found Aaron’s post. Sure enough, he’d shared the exact same photo as hers. To make things worse, the comments underneath included a particularly mortifying one from her mother: [You’re with Lena, huh?] Her mother probably didn’t mean anything by it, but the comment still felt inappropriate. As Lena silently cursed her mother’s lack of tact, she noticed another reply under that comment. This one, from Aaron himself, read: [Wherever she goes, I’ll take her with me and make sure she’s well taken care of. Don’t worry, Sis.] Lena was absolutely speechless. These two siblings were a perfect match: one was clueless, and the other oblivious. Her mother, as an older woman, could be excused for her lack of social awareness. But Aaron? Why was he commenting like this, knowing full well that their mutual friends could see it?
Lena hastily withdrew her hand, but her movements were too abrupt. As she stepped back, she tripped over the support pole of the tent and fell backward. Just as she braced herself for a painful landing, Aaron’s long arm reached out and caught her waist, pulling her into his embrace. Her cheek pressed against his chest, and the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat filled her ears, blending with her own erratic pulse. This suffocating feeling... It was almost intoxicating. It reminded her of the time she had accidentally walked in on him while he was showering. Awkward. So awkward that she didn’t even know how to extricate herself, nor did she have the courage to pull away from his arms. “You’re already an adult, yet you’re still so clumsy,” Aaron scolded lightly, his voice coming from above her. Then he released her and added, “No wonder your mom worries about you so much and insists on you staying at home.” Lena’s suffocating embarrassment was instantly eased by his rem
“Don’t randomly go into the tents. Some employees brought their families or significant others. It’d be awkward if you interrupted them,” Aaron reminded from behind her. “Wow, Uncle, how considerate of you—allowing employees to bring their families,” Lena teased, her tone light. She walked through the array of pitched tents, but with so many scattered around, she had no idea which one belonged to Aaron. Still, since he insisted she find it herself, she was determined to try. Approaching one tent, she suddenly heard muffled voices inside—intimate murmurs between a man and a woman. The woman’s hushed voice carried a hint of urgency. “Be gentle, don’t let anyone hear…” Even though Lena was a gynecologist, her cheeks flushed uncontrollably. She couldn’t help but think that if she had brought a stash of "protection" tonight, she might have made a small fortune. Meanwhile, Aaron stayed back, standing a short distance away and watching her from afar. In the moonlight, she looked l
“Reconciled with Nate?” In the quiet car, Aaron’s voice broke the silence as he glanced at Nate standing motionless in the rearview mirror. “No,” Lena denied softly. “He came back this time because of you, didn’t he?” Aaron asked as the car turned a corner. His hands moved fluidly on the steering wheel, the motion revealing a gray-gold watch on his wrist. The watch’s polished edges caught the light streaming through the window, casting a fleeting glimmer. Lena’s gaze lingered on the watch, her thoughts momentarily drifting. If she remembered correctly, she had given him a watch as a coming-of-age gift years ago. It had cost her all her savings back then. But that was over a decade ago. Surely, the watch she gave him would have broken by now. This one likely just resembled it—or maybe she was remembering it wrong after so much time. “Hm?” Aaron’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts, his eyes briefly flicking to her. Lena quickly recovered. “He came back for a research pro
“No problem. Let’s schedule the simulations after work each day. It’ll mean some extra hours, but I appreciate everyone’s effort,” Nate said, nodding to the team to show his gratitude. “If anyone has concerns or special circumstances, please let me know in advance so I can make adjustments,” Lena added. As the primary surgeon responsible for the operation, she not only had to ensure the procedure’s success but also maintain the morale of the entire medical team. Everyone shook their heads, indicating they had no issues. “Great. In that case, you can all head home and get some rest. Dr. Lane and I will stay back to finalize a few details,” Nate said, dismissing the team but keeping Lena behind. The two went over the finer points of the plan, and by the time they finished, it was nearly 9 p.m. “I noticed this morning that Mr. Ace dropped you off. Is your car broken?” Nate asked. He had seen her getting out of Aaron’s car earlier. “Flat tire,” Lena replied, realizing she hadn’
Lena wanted to sleep early, but the more she tried, the harder it was to fall asleep. She tossed and turned until dawn and only managed to sleep for a short while. Naturally, she woke up late. Rushing downstairs in a flurry, she saw Aaron calmly eating breakfast in the dining area. "Good morning, Uncle!" she greeted as she hurried toward the door. "Your car has a flat tire," Aaron said nonchalantly, stopping her in her tracks. Without even looking up, he continued cutting his steak with precision. "I’ve contacted a repairman, but it’s too early for them to come over." In other words, there was no way she could drive to work this morning. But she had already arranged with Nate to conduct an examination on the pregnant woman whose fetus had an underdeveloped heart. They needed to finalize the surgical plan and decide on the team. Being late would be unacceptable. "Then I’ll call a cab," Lena said, quickly coming up with a solution. "It’s rush hour—good luck finding one," Aa
After finishing their rounds, Lena and Nate sat down together, joined by the family of the pregnant woman. They carefully explained the risks and possible complications of the surgery, ultimately leaving the decision to the family. The family member immediately signed the consent form and said, "We trust you, Dr. Lane and Professor Neumann. As long as you do your best, the rest is up to fate." Their trust and composure reminded Lena of a previous case where both mother and child had died. The circumstances were similar, but the family’s attitude and understanding were vastly different. What no one realized was that such trust placed immense pressure and responsibility on them. The greater the trust, the greater the fear of making a mistake and disappointing the family. “Professor Neumann, I know medicine isn’t a guarantee, but for this surgery, I hope you can…” Lena’s voice carried a formal tone mixed with a faint plea as she addressed Nate. “I will give it my all and ensure
On Monday, the atmosphere was tense and bustling, with everyone moving as if their feet were powered by jet wheels. The start of the week brought a whirlwind of responsibilities. As the head of obstetrics and gynecology, Lena had to lead the entire team of doctors on their rounds. This wasn’t new for her, but today, she had an extra companion—Nate. Nate was here for a research collaboration, aiming to promote his scientific project. To fully grasp its application, he needed a deep understanding of maternal and fetal conditions. His presence didn’t faze Lena, though. While she was playful and lively in her personal life—sometimes resembling a child—she transformed completely in her white coat. Her professionalism, warmth, and exceptional medical expertise were nothing short of godlike. “Dr. Lane, we admitted a pregnant woman yesterday with fetal tetralogy of Fallot at 24 weeks of gestation. She also has pregnancy-induced hypertension,” the on-call doctor reported. Lena reached