Chapter 2Second Chance: Surgeon’s Revenge

The other patients in the room heard her hoarse, strained voice and saw me standing there, silent and still. They jumped to her defense.

“She’s just a young girl who just landed a job! You need to take extra care of her during her probation period. It’s so hard to find a job these days. You can’t be the reason she loses it.”

Oh, right. Of course. Saint Mia. Her life is so hard, her situation so fragile. And all of you, with your unsolicited advice, you think you’re so noble. You care more about her than my own boyfriend—no, ex-boyfriend—does.

I quietly took out my phone and hit the record button. Then, I launched into my full, by-the-book, award-winning nursing protocol.

“Excuse me, are you patient Mia Sullivan?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“As per pre-operative procedure, you must abstain from all food and drink. Failure to do so will result in the postponement of your surgery. Patient Mia Sullivan, do you understand?”

“I understand,” Mia rasped, a flicker of annoyance in her eyes.

A patient nearby snickered. “What’s with all the theatrics? Such pointless formality.”

Mia nodded slightly, a smug look crossing her face. “I know, right? All this red tape… I wonder if it actually helps them take care of patients.”

I smiled, a tight, professional mask. “Patient Sullivan expressed some anxiety about her procedure. To reassure her and demonstrate my professional competence, I am utilizing this highly structured protocol.”

This was the exact procedure that had won me a national nursing skills competition. Damn right it was structured.

Looking at Mia’s phony, self-satisfied act, I had to resist the urge to slap her back to reality. The audacity of someone who plays the victim while setting a trap.

Let’s see how you play the victim tomorrow.