Just as Tobias was about to figure out something, Mandy’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it and then answered quickly.
After hearing for a while, she said firmly, “I’m heading back now.” She hung up and was out the door in a flash, moving faster than when she’d arrived. In seconds, she was gone.
Tobias lit another cigarette, the smoke swirling around him. His face grew even more unreadable as he stared into the distance.
The cigarette was almost done when his phone rang. It was Richard. “Where are you? Richard asked, sounding anxious.
“Serentara Villa,” Tobias replied, keeping his voice neutral.
“Head home,” Richard said, his disappointment clear. “Penny to make it home tonight.”
stuck at the office working on some designs. She won’t be able
Tobias wasn’t in the mood to console him. Instead, he asked, “What’s her name again?”
Three years ago, Mandy had married Tobias under Penny’s identity. That was why Richard had always thought her name was Penny. Richard sighed, “Penny. I told you before. You really don’t remember your own wife’s name?”
Mandy or Penny? Tobias ran the two names through his mind, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu. After a moment, he looked up and asked, “Is she a designer?”
“Yes, a vintage designer,” Richard said, his voice brightening a bit. “She designs traditional clothing. Remember that suit? She made it for my 70th birthday. Every stitch is her work.”
Tobias raised an eyebrow. He’d never been particularly interested in this woman, but now he was annoyed and thought, “The Jones family has clearly gone to great lengths to impress. Presenting her as the perfect wife is a smart move, exactly what Dad would approve of
“Send me the address of her workplace. I’ll drop by sometime,” Tobias said, his tone final.
“Sure,” Richard replied, sounding relieved. “Penny mentioned she works at some kind of studio, but I don’t know the exact location. I’ll ask her later.”
“Alright,” Tobias said, about to hang up when Richard added, “After your check–up at the hospital tomorrow, call me as soon as you can.”
“Will do,” Tobias replied, ending the call.
Just then, a news alert popped up on his phone: [Near North Road, a tour bus collided with a tanker, injuring several people.]
North Road was right near Westbay Hospital, where Mandy worked. The accident victims had been rushed to the emergency department, causing chaos and a shortage of staff. That was why Mandy had been called back to work.
*****
Mandy stumbled into her dorm just as the first light of dawn was breaking after the long, grueling night. She barely had the energy to strip down and hop into the shower before collapsing onto her bed, dead to the world.
Her peace was shattered by the relentless buzzing of her phone. She squinted at the screen and saw Beau’s name. Her heart skipped a beat, and she sat up, suddenly wide awake.
She’d meant to call him last night after seeing Tobias, but the chaos of the night had completely wiped her mind.
“Professor Hansen,” she answered respectfully.
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23 Sat, 8 Mar
Chapter 4
“Mandy, how’s everything going?” Beau’s voice was calm, but she could hear the worry beneath it.
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She took a deep breath and launched into an explanation. “He has been paralyzed for three years, but he’s in surprisingly good shape. I think the regular exercise and massages are helping, but I suspect there’s more to it.
“His nerves might not be completely dead–they could be blocked. Acupuncture could help, but his family and I had a disagreement. They shut it down before I could even try.
“It had been three years… I’m worried that if we wait any longer, his condition could worsen, and it might be too late to reverse it. We need to act fast.”
Mandy couldn’t shake the irritation that came with dealing with Barry. But Mandy knew better than to let her personal feelings get in the way. She had an important job to do.
If they didn’t want her help, that was their choice—but she had to make sure they understood the stakes. It wasn’t just about following protocol; it was about doing what was right for the patient.
Beau was silent for a moment, processing everything. “I hear you, Mandy. I’ll talk to them and see what we can do. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
“Got it, Professor,” she said softly, feeling a wave of relief. “I really appreciate it.”
Mandy’s heart skipped a beat when she saw the unread message from Richard after ending her call with Beau: [Penny, send me your work address.]
Her mind raced. ‘Why does he need that now? And… And he told me not to come over earlier… Did he find something out?‘
She took a deep breath and called him, trying to sound casual. “Richard, I was so into my designs last night that I didn’t even see my phone. Just saw your message. What’s up?”
Richard’s voice was cheerful. “A friend of mine loves the suit you made for me. He wants one for himself. I called you back yesterday to talk about it and also wanted to check out you and Tobias’s home. I miss seeing it,” he explained.
Mandy’s tension eased. The house was something Richard had poured his heart into for his son. She figured he just wanted to see it again. “Alright, I’ll send you the location,” she said.
“That would be great,” Richard smiled.
Besides her day job, Mandy had a hidden passion for designing vintage–style clothing. She and two friends had opened a vintage fashion studio, where she worked under the name Penny–something she’d kept from Richard.
After hanging up, she quickly sent Richard the studio’s location and added, [Richard, I’m usually not around during the day. If your friend is coming, let me know in advance so I can be there.]
Richard’s reply came almost instantly: [I’ve set it up for tonight at 8 PM.]
Mandy simply replied: [Okay.]
Mandy tossed her phone onto the bed, her mind now wide awake. She glanced at the clock–lunchtime. Perfect timing to grab something from the cafeteria.
She had barely finished getting ready and was heading toward the hospital cafeteria when a man carrying a woman rushed past her. The sharp, unmistakable smell of glycol hit Mandy like a wave, and she immediately sensed something was terribly
wrong.
“Hey, stop!” Mandy shouted, her voice cutting through the air. She sprinted after them and caught up just in time to see the woman’s mouth filled with vomit. Her skin was blotchy, covered in rashes and blisters.
Mandy’s heart pounded. “Did she drink antifreeze?” she asked the man, her voice urgent.
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Sat, 8 Mar
Chapter 4
The man nodded, tears streaming down his face. “Yeah.”
“She needs her stomach pumped right away. Where are you going? Let’s go to the ER,” Mandy said urgently.
The man cried, “The ER said they’re too busy to help. We need to go somewhere else.”
x
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Mandy’s anger flared. She clenched her fists, her mind already racing. “Follow me,” she said firmly, leading them back to the ER.
From a short distance away, a pair of piercing, cold eyes watched the scene unfold–it was Tobias, “Go check it out,” he commanded.
Then Yaxley wheeled Tobias closer, following Mandy into the Emergency Department.
As soon as they entered, Mandy rushed to a doctor. “Lindsay, get her into the operating room and prep for gastric lavage,” she said, her voice filled with urgency.
Lindsay glanced at the woman and then pulled Mandy aside. “The chances of saving her are next to nothing. That’s why Spencer refused to admit her. Why did you bring them back?”
Mandy’s eyes blazed with determination. “Just because the odds are low doesn’t mean we give up. If Spencer won’t do it, I will. I’m going to pump her stomach.” She made to head into the operating room, but Lindsay stopped her.
“Mandy, Spencer is our director. Without his approval, do you really think you can pull this off?”
Mandy’s face hardened. Without Spencer’s say–so, she was dead in the water. No one would lift a finger to help, and she’d never get the meds she needed, let alone get her patient into surgery. “I’ll go find Spencer right now,” she muttered, already on the move.
She stormed down the hall to Spencer Lewis’s office. Spencer was in his late thirties, and he was already seeing red when he heard Mandy had dragged back the patient he’d dismissed.
He pointed at her, his face twisted with anger. “Mandy, ever since you joined this department, you’ve been nothing but trouble. Now you’re defying me to my face? You’ve got some nerve!”
“Spencer, I’m not trying to cause trouble. I just want to save a life,” she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside.
“Save a life? You think I don’t want that? We’ve already lost 13 patients this month. Who’s going to take the blame if we lose another one? You? No, it’s all on me,” he snapped, his anger dripping from every word.
Mandy’s eyes flashed with determination. “If doctors only worry about avoiding blame, who’s going to step up and save lives? Lives are sacred. As a doctor, our duty is to protect them above all else,” she said, her voice cold but unwavering.
Her words seemed to only fuel Spencer’s rage. He grabbed a cup from his desk and hurled it at her.
Mandy didn’t see it coming. The cup hit her with a thud, and she felt a sharp sting on her face. Water and tea leaves splashed over her, and she winced, feeling a warm trickle of blood.
Before she could react, Spencer was already shouting at her. “Stop with the excuses! You have two choices: you leave, or you make them leave.”
Mandy’s hands clenched into fists as she stared at Spencer’s furious face. She felt helpless, her passion burning bright but her position weak. She hated feeling so powerless.
Then, a cold, commanding voice cut through the tension. “There’s a third option: you leave.”
Mandy’s heart skipped a beat as she turned around. Her eyes met the piercing gaze of Tobias, whose presence intense, almost intimidating authority.
exuded an
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