When I walked into the staff lounge, the hum of conversations filled the room. My face lit up when I spotted Sasha across the room with a half-eaten sandwich in one hand while flipping through the pages of the book in front of her.
"How was orientation?" I asked, taking a seat beside her.
Sasha looked up. "Oh my god, it was long and boring." Then she lowered her voice. "You weren't joking about Chief Wang. That man is intense."
I nodded.
I took a sip of my water. "So… how is Samuel doing? I haven't heard from him in a while."
Sasha closed her book and shoved it to the side. "He's doing good. He misses you a lot."
"I miss him too," I said before taking another sip. "Is he still working at St. Victoria University Hospital?"
She nodded.
"Hi Dr. Huo, can I join you guys?"
We looked up and saw Nurse Beatrice with her lunch in her hand, smiling brightly.
"Sure," I said.
Beatrice sat down in the empty chair between us and opened her lunch bowl, revealing a neatly organized homemade meal.
Our eyes widened.
"Did you make that yourself?" I asked as the smell lingered in the air.
She nodded.
"I think we should be calling you Chef Beatrice," Sasha added.
We laughed.
Beatrice grabbed her chopsticks, picked up a piece of food with ease, and popped it into her mouth.
"How is Mr. Huang doing?" she asked.
I took another sip of my water. "He's tolerable."
"Tolerable?"
I nodded. "When he's not at work snapping at his board members, he's on the phone berating them."
Beatrice chuckled. "Well, he is a businessman. They have to have a certain air about them."
"Is she talking about Harley?" Sasha asked.
Beatrice nodded before I could answer. "He's well known and super good-looking. Recently, he hosted a gala for this hospital."
Sasha turned her attention to me. "When do I get the privilege of meeting him?"
"You can meet him tonight," I said. "I'm meeting him at Lumen after work."
"Can I come too?" Beatrice asked.
"I don't see why not."
After we finished our lunch, Beatrice and I headed back to the internal medicine wing while Sasha went to the second half of her orientation.
The internal medicine floor had grown busier since lunch.
Phones rang at the nurses' station while nurses moved quickly between rooms, pushing carts and updating patient charts.
I walked up to the counter and picked up the results waiting for me.
Mr. Kim's ECG printout rested on top of the stack.
I studied the lines carefully.
Normal sinus rhythm.
No ST elevation.
Good.
I flipped to the bloodwork results next.
Cardiac enzymes — normal.
A quiet wave of relief washed over me.
Looks like we avoided something serious.
I tucked the chart under my arm and made my way toward room twelve.
The hallway smelled faintly of antiseptic as I knocked lightly before opening the door.
"Mr. Kim?"
He was sitting upright in bed watching television. When he saw me enter, he immediately reached for the remote and muted it.
"Doctor."
I walked over to the bed and offered him a reassuring smile.
"How are you feeling now?"
"Much better," he said. "The tightness went away."
"That's good to hear."
I held up the chart slightly.
"We received your ECG and blood test results."
Mr. Kim's expression tightened with worry.
"And?"
"Everything looks normal."
The relief on his face was immediate.
"So it wasn't a heart attack?"
"No," I said gently. "Your heart rhythm is normal, and your cardiac enzymes are within a healthy range."
He let out a long breath.
"Thank goodness."
I flipped through his chart again before looking back at him.
"Chest discomfort can sometimes be caused by stress or muscle strain," I explained. "Have you been under a lot of pressure lately?"
Mr. Kim gave a tired chuckle.
"My daughter just started university… and my business hasn't been doing very well."
I nodded knowingly.
"That would explain a lot."
I closed the chart.
"We'll keep monitoring you for the rest of the day just to be safe. If everything stays stable overnight, you should be able to go home tomorrow."
His shoulders relaxed.
"Thank you, Doctor."
"You're welcome."
I turned toward the door before pausing.
"And Mr. Kim?"
"Yes?"
"Try to get some rest. Your heart could probably use a break from worrying."
He smiled.
"I'll try."
I stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind me.
The sounds of the busy hospital floor rushed back immediately—phones ringing, nurses calling across the station, carts rolling down the hall.
Another chart waited for me at the nurses' desk.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of patient charts, rounds, and paperwork.
By the time I finished my shift, my feet ached and my brain felt fried.
I grabbed my purse from the locker room and headed toward the hospital entrance.
Harley had told me to meet him at Lumen after work.
Beatrice and Sasha were already outside waiting. We walked across the parking lot to where Mr. Lu was parked.
"Where to, Miss Huo?" he asked as we climbed into the backseat.
It was a tight squeeze, but we made it work, with me in the middle and them on each side.
"Lumen," I replied.
The ride to Lumen was filled with laughter and chatting. Mr. Lu came to a stop at the entrance, and we thanked him before exiting the vehicle.
Before entering the building, we could hear soft music playing in the background along with the hum of conversations.
"This way?" I said as I entered the building and headed toward the private elevator.
Beatrice and Sasha gushed to each other while taking in the interior. I couldn't help but chuckle softly.
The elevator dinged and opened on the second floor. To the right were floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bar and lounge, and to the left were VIP rooms.
"Wow," Sasha said. "This place is breathtaking."
Beatrice nodded.
We walked down the hallway toward the VIP room in front of us. It was the biggest room on the floor.
I opened the door, and before I could take my first step, a loud gasp escaped my mouth.