After a long day at work, Kage returned home, the familiar weight of exhaustion settling into his bones. The surgery was a success but the patient was still in a critical condition. Just as every other doctor would hope, Kage hoped his patient would be fine. He quickly ate a meal prepared by Roseanne, the rhythmic chopping of vegetables and the sizzle of the pan grounding him in the present. She had this smile on her face, like she as happy to be there or just happy to cook.Not knowing what her happiness was, Kage couldn't help but be happy for her.After a hot shower, he checked his phone, and a message from Johanna flashed on the screen. Oh, he forgot about her.“Hey Kage! Just wanted to let you know my sister had a baby girl! 🎉 I have some runway shows and Fashion Champaign for my cosmetics brand coming up, but I’ll let you know when we can catch up for dinner!”Kage’s fingers hovered over the keyboard. What could he say? Back in high school, he barely talks to her. Although she

"Chest pain! He's military personnel, yah? You don't want to see him," John muttered, trailing behind Kage like an anxious shadow.Kage paused, turning to give John a level look. His expression was a mask of boredom. The patient wasn't even his. He had post-op checks to perform, real medical work to do, but all John could fixate on was a chest pain case that had checked in that morning.That was not very John-like.Reaching the door of the next patient's room, Kage stopped, John halting abruptly behind him, a nervous smile plastered on his face, his eyes bright with a strange, eager anticipation."You know this person?" Kage asked, his voice flat.John frowned, averting his gaze, his eyes betraying a hidden something."You know you're always far from me, John. But today, everyone knows you're with me," Kage said dryly, attempting a gentle dismissal.John shrugged. Everyone knew Kage traveled to work with him and Gina. With Jackson always lurking nearby, it wasn't hard to connect the do

In the car, Gina worked from home, her iPad displaying updates on the Bridge new estate. Progress was smooth; flooring was slated for this week, and wiring and painting were due next week.From the back seat, Kage stole glances at John.He recalled their discussion on the way home. John had recounted everything about Miguel, his voice flat, devoid of tears. He simply looked lost, the usual spark gone from his face, as if he were already grieving the loss of his still-living friend.They arrived at the hospital, the backup security car close behind. As John had suggested, they parked directly in front of several cameras, with someone standing guard.Kage headed straight to his office, John trailing silently behind, still withdrawn from yesterday.Entering his office, Kage sat and opened his drawer. A candy pack caught his eye, alongside the protein bar he usually ate when busy. Without hesitation, he pulled out two of the candies, handing one to John before opening the other.John mere

Beep.BeepBeepWhen Clara's eyes fluttered open, the room was shrouded in darkness, the only light filtering in from outside the room blinds. She cautiously sat up, a dull ache throbbing at the base of her skull. After a moment, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and shuffled towards the bathroom.This place felt somewhat familiar. She was certain it wasn't Matt's place or hers. It didn't take time to realize that she was in the hospital.As she made her way back to the bed, a figure in the corner of the room caught her eye. Moving closer, she realized it was Matt, slumped in a chair, fast asleep."Son of a bitch," she hissed as she slapped him hard across the face.Matt startled awake, his eyes wide with confusion. As he stirred, Clara caught a glimpse of his left arm, wrapped in a thick bandage. She knew exactly what had happened, she remembered the fight clearly. After all, it was her handiwork.She was defending herself from a raging lunatic!"You hit me," he mumbled, a

The next day, Kage descended the stairs, carefully buttoning his crisp white shirt, the Cotton fabric cool against his skin. He spotted Gina in the kitchen, seated at the island, a large, rectangular package resting beside her. Curiosity tugged at him.As soon as she saw him, she jumped to her feet, her voice a little too eager. "The art piece, Sir. The one you from Julius." She gestured towards the package.Kage nodded, remembering his instructions for her to retrieve it. He hadn't asked if she'd gone alone. He made a mental note to check later.Although he had seen a digital image, he was eager to see the real thing. He walked towards the kitchen island and gestured to Roseanne for the knife she was using to slice vegetables.Roseanne looked at him thoughtfully, her gaze lingering for a moment before she relinquished the knife. She moved closer, watching with quiet interest as he began to carefully open the package. It seemed everyone was curious, including Jackson, John, and even a