Lucas and I walked into the private hospital room, where a young man in his mid-20s was lying on the bed, looking slightly drowsy but alert. His chart indicated that he had suffered a mild concussion after slipping in the bathroom.
"Good morning, Mr. Rivera," Lucas greeted in his usual professional tone. "How are you feeling?"
The patient blinked a few times before responding. "I have a slight headache, but it’s much better than before. The dizziness isn’t as bad either."
I took a step closer, checking his IV line before glancing at the monitor beside him. His vitals were stable.
"That’s good to hear," I said with a reassuring smile. "Any nausea or vision problems?"
"Not really. Just a bit sensitive to bright lights."
Lucas nodded as he flipped through the patient’s chart. "That’s expected. You had a mild concussion, but your CT scan showed no signs of internal bleeding. We’ll continue to monitor you, but if your symptoms improve by this evening, you may be discharged tomorrow."
The patient let out a relieved sigh. "That’s great news. I really can’t afford to stay too long."
I noted his concern. "Are you having any trouble concentrating? Any memory issues?"
He hesitated for a second before shaking his head. "No, I remember everything clearly. I just feel a bit slower than usual."
"That’s normal," Lucas assured him. "Avoid any strenuous activities for at least a week, and limit screen time. Your brain needs time to recover."
I handed him a pamphlet from the station’s file. "This has a list of things to watch out for once you’re home—like sudden dizziness, vomiting, or any unusual symptoms. If anything like that happens, come back immediately."
The patient took it and nodded. "Understood. Thanks, doc."
Lucas glanced at me briefly before turning back to the patient. "We’ll check on you again later. Get some rest."
As we stepped out of the room, I exhaled softly. The interaction was routine, but I still felt a sense of fulfillment every time we reassured a patient.
Lucas walked ahead, already reviewing the next case. "You were thorough in your questions," he commented without looking at me.
I smirked slightly. "Are you surprised?"
He shot me a brief glance. "No. Just noting the improvement."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smile forming on my lips—not because he complimented me, but because he acknowledged my progress.
Coming from a well-respected neurosurgeon, that meant something.
It was past midnight when Lucas and I returned to the nurse’s station. A few nurses were quietly chatting, but the moment they noticed us, their conversation came to an abrupt halt—like students caught whispering in the middle of class.
I wasn’t sure if the sudden shift in atmosphere was real or if I was just overthinking it.
"Good evening, doc. We just finished—" one of the nurses started, only to stop mid-sentence.
Wait, was she new?
Oh. Right. I remembered now. She was one of the recently transferred nurses. Elise had mentioned her before when I ran into her here.
From what I recalled, she was two years older than me, slightly tall, and on the chubby side. She was also the same nurse who reported back last night after Lucas and I had left early.
"What do you want to eat?" Lucas suddenly cut her off.
I glanced at the nurse, who now looked a little embarrassed, before turning to Lucas with a glare. He simply raised an eyebrow in response.
"I'm not hungry," I muttered.
"Alright. I'll get you carbonara from the cafeteria," he said casually before walking off without waiting for my response.
In my peripheral vision, I caught Bernadeth—the name on her ID—staring after Lucas with an incredulous expression, her mouth slightly open as if she couldn’t believe what she had just witnessed.
I hesitated for a moment before stepping inside the nurse’s station. Judith and the others were used to Lucas’s behavior toward me, but Bernadeth clearly wasn’t.
I pulled out a swivel chair, settling into my usual spot. I grabbed my flashcards, intending to review, but before I could even start, I heard something from behind me.
"That’s so unprofessional. Isn’t it against hospital policy for doctors and nurses to date?"
I wasn’t even the one she was speaking to, but it was obvious she wanted me to hear it. My grip on the flashcards tightened. I tried to ignore her, but damn, it wasn’t easy.
"It’s not against the rules here," Judith responded in a hushed tone. "Plenty of doctors are married to their colleagues."
I felt a bit relieved hearing that—until I sensed Bernadeth rolling her eyes behind me.
"That’s different," she scoffed. "Those are actual professionals. Some people just latch onto doctors so they can take it easy at work."
My ears burned at her words, and my whole body tensed.
I wanted to turn around, grab the paging microphone, and shove it in her face just to shut her up.
"Hey, don’t say things like that," someone muttered, but I barely registered who it was. My hands were already shaking with anger.
"I’m just saying the truth. There’s someone here who, even as an intern, already takes advantage of certain privileges—like leaving in the middle of a shift."
Damn it.
I wanted to argue. But I couldn’t.
I wasn’t angry because she was wrong—I was angry because she wasn’t.
I had been using OR tools to study. Lucas let me rest when I was exhausted. And, just last night, we had left in the middle of our duty.
A lump formed in my throat.
Were Judith and the others thinking the same thing? Had they just been too polite to say it?
I couldn’t even defend myself.
Because what she said was true. And that pissed me off even more.
With trembling hands, I began packing up my things. I didn’t want to stay here any longer.
Just because I had Lucas, I think had privileges they didn’t. And I think that wasn’t fair to them.
And more than anything—I was ashamed.
Because of me, his reputation in this hospital might be at risk.
I heard Judith call my name, but I didn’t look back. I hurriedly left the nurse station, afraid that Lucas might catch up to me.
My chest tightened with a mix of emotions.
I was terrified at the thought that because of me, his reputation—something he had worked so hard to build for years—might be ruined. Tears suddenly fell as I walked aimlessly, not knowing where my feet would take me. When I opened the door, I was greeted by the cold wind and darkness. The display lights on the rooftop weren’t turned on. The only light illuminating my path was the round, glowing moon as I walked toward the bench, where I could finally release all the turmoil inside me.
I didn’t know if I could return to the nurse station looking like this. I felt like I had no face left to show them—or Lucas.
I felt distant from everyone. This wasn’t what I wanted. This wasn’t the goal I had when I came to this hospital. I was here to fulfill my dream—to become a renowned neurosurgeon. I never expected whatever it is that Lucas and I have now.
But if I were given the chance to go back and change the past, would I stop myself from feeling this way about him?
I already knew the answer.
I hugged my knees tightly and buried my face in them.
I prayed that this was all just a dream.
I couldn’t afford not to return to the nurse station. Aside from the fact that Lucas would look for me, staying away would only prove to everyone that I was unprofessional and let my personal emotions interfere with my work.
Even though I was nervous and unsettled, I forced myself to pull myself together. I went to the restroom to wash my face and fix my appearance. When I returned to the nurse station, I didn’t see any of the nurses, but Lucas was there. He sat in my chair, his legs crossed, lost in deep thought. On my desk was the carbonara he had bought for me.
I cleared my throat to get his attention. He didn’t look surprised by my presence—he had probably been waiting for me. He looked at me, serious, but I avoided his gaze, afraid that he would notice I had been crying.
"Come on, let’s check on Sophie. She’s being discharged in the morning," he said under his breath before walking ahead.
He didn’t ask me anything—not where I had been, not what happened. I simply nodded and followed him.
We walked in silence toward Sophie’s room. When we arrived, she was asleep, but the moment she sensed someone entering, she slowly opened her eyes.
A smile spread across her lips when she saw me, and I matched it with my own. "How are you?" I asked.
"I’m okay, Nurse Vivienne. I’m happy because I’ll be going home tomorrow."
I pulled a chair beside her bed and sat down while Lucas busied himself checking the monitor and IV fluids.
It had been over a month since her successful surgery. The scar on her head was still visible, hidden beneath her pink bonnet. Compared to before, there was now color in her lips and cheeks. She still looked weak, but not like before—when she seemed as if she had already lost all hope. Her smiles were real now, no longer forced.
"I’m so happy for you. You were strong," I praised her. I was supposed to help Lucas monitor her, but I took this chance to talk to Sophie instead. Lucas didn’t mind—he just let me be.
"You know, if it weren’t for you encouraging me, I might have given up," she said, and my heart softened at her words. I reached for her hand—it was warmer now. A clear sign that her body was recovering.
"It’s nothing. Just make sure to take care of yourself, hmm? The moment you feel even the slightest headache, call Dr. Tuarez right away," I reminded her. She nodded gently.
"You should rest," Lucas said beside me before turning his gaze toward me. His expression remained the same. "We’ll discuss the rest once her parents arrive."
We decided to leave Sophie so she could rest. We walked toward the door in silence. He let me go ahead, but just as I was about to return to the nurse station, he blocked my path. I looked up at him. His serious expression suddenly softened.
"Are we… good?" he asked, his voice gentle.
I let out a forced laugh. "Of course," I said.
He lightly brushed his fingers against my hand, as if he were also trying to soothe the fear gripping my heart.
But when I saw a nurse passing behind him, I quickly withdrew my hand. A flicker of pain and surprise crossed his eyes before he masked it.
I felt like I was falling apart, and as much as possible, I didn’t want to drag him down with me.