"Hey! You didn't get this job to flirt around, did you? Get your asses up here now!" A voice yelled from behind the guy, prompting both of them to turn. They immediately straightened up when they saw who it was.
It was Dr. Miss, the cardiologist in charge of training all the new recruits. She would be overseeing their progress until they were ready to work independently. Patricia found it odd that despite the number of new recruits, the entire hospital only had three cardiologists. Something definitely felt off, but now wasn't the time to investigate.
They both rushed up to meet her and began walking closely behind.
"You were the one who saved the patient in ward 305, right?" Dr. Miss asked, pointing back at Patricia. The question made Patricia shrink a little as she wasn't used to receiving praise.
"I… Yes," she stammered.
"Good. You will be with me today," she said, then came to an abrupt stop. The sudden halt nearly caused them both to bump into her, but they quickly regained their balance.
Turning to the young man, she added, "You, go clean my office." Without waiting for a reply, she turned and continued walking, Patricia hurrying to follow.
"But ma'am, I…Ma'am!" He called after her, but her strides were quicker than his words, and in no time, she was gone, with Patricia in tow.
Their destination turned out to be the same ward: patient 305. Patricia felt a twinge of reluctance as they approached. Now that she no longer needed the patient to secure a divorce paper from Roman, she was seriously considering requesting a transfer to the surgery department, anything to avoid crossing paths with him. If she was going to enjoy her time at the hospital, she needed him out of her way.
As she stepped into the room, her gaze immediately landed on Roman, and her heart skipped a beat. There he stood in his white coat, glasses perfectly in place, as he checked on the patient, who looked radiant, all smiles. Looking at her properly now, Patricia realized just how beautiful the patient was. Could she be…?
"What's her current status?" Roman asked, eyes still on the patient. The question, however, was directed at Dr. Miss. A few nurses stood by his side, along with a young woman in casual clothes who looked like a relative, possibly the patient's older sister.
"The CPR surprisingly boosted her condition. She will be stable enough to wait another two days. We should have a heart ready by then, and she will immediately undergo the transplant," Dr. Miss replied, stepping forward.
"Any signs of complications?" He asked again.
"None, not in her scans or her behavior. She's perfectly fit for surgery. But if you are still concerned, I can assign one of our new recruits to monitor her closely," Dr. Miss suggested.
For some reason, Patricia had the distinct feeling that she was the recruit Dr. Miss had in mind.
"Put her on a strict diet for the next two days and limit access to her ward," Roman instructed, fully in doctor mode, a side of him that intrigued Patricia. She dropped her gaze to him, quietly observing a different man at work. He was ordinary at home, cold to strangers, yet here he was, focused, composed, and entirely professional with his patient. It was as if he wore a different mask for everyone, and Patricia couldn't help but wonder what kind of man he was around his family.
"Who are you assigning?" Roman asked, finally tearing his gaze from the patient. His eyes met Patricia's, and hers widened before she quickly looked away.
"I heard you have already met Miss Patricia, currently our best recruit," Dr. Miss responded, stepping aside as though presenting Patricia for evaluation. "She already knows the patient's status and is best suited for the role."
Of course, she was the recruit. But how could Dr. Miss quickly conclude she was the best just from CPR? This looked more like a death trap rather than an opportunity. Patricia braced herself, expecting him to decline. His silence dragged on, making her even more certain he would refuse. But what came next caught her completely off guard.
"Okay," he said simply, then averted his gaze.
She blinked, almost questioning if she heard right. Wasn't he the one who insisted on avoiding public association with her? What happened to all that, or was his memory failing him?
"Have her report to my office tomorrow morning for a final checkup," he added before leaving the room.
The rest of Patricia's day went smoothly. She spent most of it attending to patients with heart conditions, happy to finally feel like a real doctor again. The sense of purpose was refreshing.
While she worked, her phone rang. "Give me a moment," she said, stepping out of the ward to answer the call.
'Hey, where are you? The security says you are not home,' Zara's voice came through on the other end.
'Oh no, I am sorry, I forgot to tell you. I wasn't fired after all, so I am back at work,' Patricia replied, realizing she had completely forgotten to update her friend. Between preparing for the day and everything happening at the hospital, Zara had slipped her mind.
'What are you not telling me?' Zara teased, laughing from the other end.
'Don't overthink it. I am getting off early today, so come pick me up and I will explain everything,' Patricia said.
'Yes! And we are going to the bar to celebrate, don't you dare say no!' Zara shouted.
'Okay, just a little bit. Oh, don't bring your car, I have got mine now,' Patricia added, just before Zara let out an excited scream over the phone.
'Okay, princess. I will be there,' Zara said playfully.
'Alright, bye,' Patricia said, hanging up quickly before Dr. Miss caught her slacking. She tucked her phone away and returned to the ward.
Later, after work, the two friends met up and headed to the bar as planned. Over drinks, Patricia told Zara everything.
"Oh girl, I am so proud of you! I can't believe my baby's all grown up," Zara said dramatically, patting Patricia on the forehead and pouting her lips.
Patricia rolled her eyes, trying not to smile.