Chapter 278: Chapter 279 Doing Well
SOPHIA’S POV
The next morning arrived far too quickly.
I barely felt like I’d slept at all.
I spent most of the night staring at the ceiling of my bedroom, replaying everything that had happened over the past few weeks. I thought about the miscarriage, Ashley, Damien, Zade, the article. Every memory seemed determined to take turns haunting me.
My wolf was restless inside me.
She paced endlessly through my mind.
You need rest, she murmured.
"I know," I whispered into the darkness.
But rest felt impossible.
When my alarm finally rang, I dragged myself out of bed and prepared for another day at the hospital.
The bruises on my face had faded a whole lot. The wound in my abdomen hurt less than before.
The wounds inside my heart, however, felt as fresh as ever.
-
The moment I stepped through the hospital, I felt it. The atmosphere was tense.
Everyone was staring at me. I heard people whispering as I passed.
People stopped talking when I walked by. Others pretended not to notice me at all. Some looked sympathetic. Some looked curious. A few looked judgmental.
My wolf growled softly “Ignore them”
I straightened my shoulders.
I’d done nothing wrong. I refused to walk through the hospital with my head lowered.
Still, hearing my name whispered behind my back hurt more than I wanted to admit.
The gossip article had spread everywhere. Everyone knew.
As I walked toward the elevators, two nurses standing near the reception desk suddenly fell silent. Their conversation stopped immediately when they saw me.
I pretended not to notice.
The elevator doors opened and I stepped inside. Only when the doors closed did I allow myself to release a slow breath.
For a brief moment, I leaned against the wall.
My wolf rubbed against me gently “Keep going”
I nodded. I could do this. I had survived worse.
When I arrived on my floor, I received a message from my department head.
Please come to my office.
My stomach dropped.
I froze.
A thousand possibilities instantly raced through my head. I thought about the article.
Was I being suspended?
My palms became damp.
No matter how much I tried to remain calm, fear settled deep inside me.
With shaking hands, I made my way to her office. When I finally reached the door, I knocked softly.
"Come in." she said.
I entered.
My superior sat behind her desk. She gestured toward the chair.
"Sit down, Sophia." She said.
I obeyed. I tried my best to be composed but my whole body was shaking.
My heart pounded.
She sighed. "Sophia. You look terrified."
I blinked "What?"
She actually smiled.
"I called you here because I wanted to speak privately."
I swallowed "I understand."
"No. I don’t think you do." She folded her hands together. "We’ve all read the famous article. The board reviewed everything."
My heart nearly stopped.
She continued. "I just want to assure you that your position here is secure."
I stared at her. For several seconds, I couldn’t speak.
"What?" I muttered.
"It’s not your fault, Sophia. We understand. Also, the board received a personal recommendation from Professor Archer. I just want to let you know that. He made it very clear that your academic standing remains exceptional."
My eyes burned with tears of relief. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest.
"I..." My voice cracked. "I don’t know what to say."
She nodded "You don’t need to say anything. The article was ugly. Still, your professional record speaks for itself. To hell with them"
I felt so much emotions inside my chest. For the first time in days, I felt like I could breathe.
"Thank you." I said.
When I left her office, some of the weight crushing my chest had disappeared.
The rest of the morning passed quickly. A while later, I received my next assignment. It was a new patient.
I checked the chart for her details - Female. Early forties. Cardiology ward. Stress-induced cardiac episodes.
My eyes moved across the page, then I froze.
Leah Sullivan - Zade’s mother.
I stared at the file in shock. My heart skipped a beat.
She had been discharged from the trauma ward only three days ago. Why was she back?
I felt concerned. Something was wrong, very wrong.
Without hesitation, I headed toward her room.
The cardiology ward was quieter than the emergency department.
When I entered, I found her lying motionless in bed. Her face looked pale....far paler than it should have. The bruises from the accident remained visible.
For a moment, my chest tightened. Seeing her like this hurt. Leah had always treated me kindly.
Slowly, I approached the bed.
I reviewed her chart. Her blood pressure was elevated and her heart rhythm was unstable. She was under severe emotional stress.
I felt even more concerned.
I checked her pulse personally. At that moment, her eyelids fluttered. Slowly, she opened her eyes.
The moment she saw me, something changed in her expression. She looked relieved.
"Sophia." She whispered. Her voice sounded weak.
I leaned closer "Mrs. Sullivan."
A small smile appeared on her face, then she lifted her hand.
I took it. Her fingers wrapped around mine surprisingly tightly.
"You came." She whispered.
The words were simple yet something about them touched me deeply.
"Of course I came."
Her eyes softened "You always come."
I sat beside her and stayed. I personally made sure she was stabilized. Hours passed. Still, I remained involved in Leah’s care.
I reviewed every result personally and adjusted her medications. I refused to hand the case to anyone else.
As evening arrived, her condition finally stabilized. The dangerous fluctuations stopped. The monitors became more consistent.
Color slowly returned to her face.
Only then did I allow myself to relax slightly.
My shift ended, then another hour passed. Still, I remained beside her.
The room was dark now. Leah slept peacefully.
When I finally left the hospital, it was well after midnight. I was exhausted.
My legs felt like lead. My eyes burned.
I stepped outside into the night air, then stopped. Someone was standing near the parking lot, holding two cups of coffee.
Lance.
For a moment, I simply stared.
He looked tired but he smiled the moment he saw me.
"You finally escaped." He teased.
I laughed "What are you doing here?"
He lifted one cup "Bribery."
I smiled.
He handed me the coffee. The cup felt warm against my cold fingers.
"Thank you." I said.
"You looked like you needed it."
I took a sip and breathed in. The warmth spread through my body.
Quietly, we walked toward his car and he took me home.
The drive home was quiet. Soft music played in the background. Neither of us felt the need to fill the silence.
And somehow, that made everything feel even more meaningful.
When we reached Sky Manor, Lance parked near the front gate.
I turned toward him and said "Thank you."
His eyes met mine. For several seconds, he simply looked at me.
Then he smiled "You did well today."
My throat tightened.
Those four words affected me more than they should have. Maybe because I had needed someone to say them.
"Thanks” I said “Goodnight, Lance."
"Goodnight, Sophia."
I stepped out of the car.
He waited until I reached the front door before driving away.
I watched his taillights disappear into the darkness, then I entered the house.
Everything was quiet. Everyone was asleep.
I climbed the stairs slowly, entered my room, then sat on the edge of my bed.
For a long time, I didn’t move. My wolf lay quietly beside me.
I just sat there....and wondered how much longer my heart could survive being pulled in so many different directions.
