JAMES POVI was lying slumped on the central chair in my office; exhaustion was making my bones feel like soaked foam.My breath was shallow, a reminder of the six hours that I just spent in the operating room.One thing about complicated surgeries like the one I just saw through was that same-old feeling of weariness that would settle on top of you hours after it was over. It was like paralysis.Indeed, today had been a tough one. It was actually an arterial graft surgery I handled.And in the few times I have done it, I have always managed to pull through, yet something about it always gnawed at me.I sometimes hate these surgeries, to be honest.Not because of the technical complexity, but because of what they represented as human fragility.And the bluntness of physical rigor.Nevertheless, the successes always made it worth it.I stared vacantly into space, my mind replaying the delicate moments of the procedure all over again.Then, with a heavy sigh, I leaned back further, st
JAMES POVI readjusted as I waited with bated breath, each ring feeling much longer than it ordinarily was.The last echo faded before Dr. Langston’s familiar voice finally broke through.“James.”The older man’s tone was light, almost mocking, as though he knew I was going to call back sooner than expected after dragging my feet the last time. I inhaled deeply, the action more ceremonial than needed; I was already decided... My mind was so made up.“I’m ready,”I said, my voice unwavering, mirroring the resolve I felt within.A small pause followed, just long enough for me to wonder if he was still there.But Dr. Langston’s voice came soon enough, still sounding slightly amused but also slightly skeptical.“Are you sure about this?”My jaw tightened, but I stayed firm. “Lets just go on, sir.” I blurted, the impatience in my voice umistakable, so great that it triggered laughter from the doctor. His chuckle from the other end was faint and fleeting, then it stopped to give way to
ISABELLA'S POVI was in my sitting room, legs stretched out comfortably, head resting against the cushion.The armrest held my phone, and everything felt calm, at least for the moment. But then I heard the soft vibration of my phone. My gaze dropped casually, my head barely moving, expecting another notification or a meaningless message.But the tiny icon that caught my eye wasn’t a call or text; instead, it was a barrage of notifications from my social media app.The casualness in my posture disappeared, and I sat up sharply, my hand darting for the phone.I unlocked it quickly, as I wondered what could be behind such a sudden surge of activity.My fingers moved almost automatically, logging me into the app.And then, with an automatic quickness, my face tightened with confusion as I saw the unbelievable number... over a thousand mentions of my username on the app.I clicked on one of the notifications, my heart rate quickening.It didn’t take long before the cold, paralyzing shock
GENERAL POVThe room was suffocating in its silence. Owen's expression shifted as his gaze remained locked on Isabella, who sat hunched, her fingers twisted together on her lap, barely holding back the tears pooling in her eyes.The longer he stared, the harder his face became—a rage in his eyes.His eyes moved to Claire, who stood several paces away, rigid and uneasy, her arms tightly folded as if to protect herself from something.Owen’s voice cut through the oppressive quiet like a blade. "Did you say let it die down?" His words were sharp, almost incredulous, as he spoke, his eyebrows drawing together in disbelief.Isabella flinched at the sound of his voice, her shoulders tensing. like a child being scolded."What do you mean, let it die down?" His voice escalated, each word sharper than the last, and the sudden rise in volume made Isabella shrink further into herself. She couldn’t face him, not like this.Owem, sensing the crack in the moment, now spoke a little bit gently, a
GENERAL POVOwen threw his legs forcefully as he marched through the hospital’s corridor, his face red with fury, his footsteps echoing.Claire's description repeated in his mind, and with each step, his anger intensified. The moment he got to the third floor, he stopped to look around the area; his fists tightened at his sides like a gladiator. Then he turned sharply to the right, barreling down the rear, too focused on his destination to notice much else... until, without notice, he suddenly collided with a large, robust figure in suit.The man staggered back, a middle-aged doctor with streaks of white in his dark hair. A sthethoscope around his neck.The man’s face twisted in a wince as he grabbed his shoulder where Owen had knocked into him. He looked at Owen expectantly, clearly waiting for an apology.But Owen's red eyes had no patience for such and looked past him, up to the office door where the man had just come out from.His eyes narrowed on the name tag on top of it, Dr
Isabella’s POVAs I stepped out of my car and walked toward the hospital complex, I instantly felt that familiar switch in the air again.It was that same switch I observed in the air just yesterday.And I only had to take just about three steps forward before my suspicions were confirmed.My heart stopped and my eyes widened in surprise as I saw yet another crowd gathered in front of the hospital entrance, just like the day before. But this time, they weren’t newsmen. These were protestors—angry-looking people, loud, and determined. I slowed my pace slightly, scanning their faces. Most of them were dressed in casual clothes, jeans, t-shirts, and hoodies, some even holding cups of coffee as if this was just another morning ritual.But their loud chanting voices were not casual.Another thing that wasn’t casual were the signs and placards; a bunch of them were waving from side to side.“No Nepotism at Our Hospital!”“Unfit to Lead!”“Harrington has to go!”“No more privileged leader
ISABELLA’S POVThe atmosphere in the boardroom grew tense the moment Robert stood up to make that statement.His cynical, rebellious voice was cutting through the air like a sharp blade.As soon as he suggested a vote to challenge my position as chairlady, I could feel that slight jump in my heart rate.I had not prepared for this, and seeing how Robert had taken advantage of the entire situation, I could not help but feel cornered.Refusing to yield to what he was asking for might end up proving him and the protesters outside the hospital right—that I was indeed a tyrant—and forcing myself on the board.But it could also lead to me losing my position as chairlady just like that and without any prior arrangement.Worse still, without the knowledge of my parents, who had appointed me in the first place.For a moment, the room fell into an unsettling silence, broken only by the faint shuffling of papers and a few muffled coughs.My gaze instinctively locked onto Robert, who stood at the
ISABELLA’S POVThe friction in the room jumped to greater heights from the moment my parents entered and from the moment those words escaped Robert’s mouth, betraying the fear in his voice.The question hung in the air, unanswered.And that made him shift even more uncomfortably on his seat, his eyes darting between myself and my parents.As they made their way in, their footsteps echoed, their unexpected appearance making every board member take on various masks of puzzled expressions.Nevertheless, they all rise in unison to receive them as a sign of respect.Robert was a little bit slower than the rest, but he finally stood, his fear and his bewilderment still etched on his face.Even James, who had been unnervingly calm since the meeting began, started to show the first signs of cracking.The impassive face he wore earlier started to twitch as he glanced at Robert, clearly unsettled by the turn of events. Meanwhile, Robert's focus remained fixed on my parents, his anxiety evident