2025-01-03 17:40:28Joaquin’s breath caught in his chest as the woman leaned forward, her robe shifting just enough to make him glance away.
Her confidence radiated like a challenge, and for a fleeting second, he felt the urge to match her energy. But no—he reminded himself—this was his job.
“I’m here to check the wound,” he said, his voice steady despite the tension in the room. “Nothing else.”
Her eyes narrowed, skepticism clear in her gaze. “Sure you are,” she said, leaning back with a smirk. “Go on then, but keep your hands professional, Joaquin.”
Ignoring her sarcasm, he approached the bed, kneeling to inspect the injury on her leg.
The stitches were tight, the wound deep. Even though it was healing, it was clear the damage had been severe.
“What happened?” he asked, keeping his tone neutral.
“Car accident,” she replied flatly. “Driver wasn’t paying attention. Surgery’s scheduled to minimize the scarring, but...” Her voice trailed off, her expression unreadable.
Joaquin hesitated, unsure how to respond. He felt an odd mix of admiration and pity.
The wound didn’t detract from her beauty, but he could see how it weighed on her. Someone so striking shouldn’t have to bear such a mark of pain.
Before he could say more, the door swung open, and a tall, no-nonsense figure strode in—Carlo, the attending doctor.
His gaze swept over the room, landing on the woman with a brusque authority.
“Ms. Andrea,” Carlo said, not bothering with pleasantries. “Let’s cut to the chase. The scar’s not going anywhere. Surgery might help reduce it, but there’s no way to erase it. You’ll need to accept that.”
The words landed like a slap. Andrea’s composed expression faltered, her lips pressing into a thin line.
“No medical solution?” she repeated, her voice sharp with disbelief.
“None,” Carlo replied, unfazed. “We can only do so much. This isn’t a beauty clinic.”
Joaquin watched the exchange, feeling a pang of frustration on her behalf. While Carlo’s words were technically true, his blunt delivery felt unnecessarily cruel.
As the tension in the room thickened, Joaquin spoke up, his voice measured.
“There are natural healing methods that could help. They might not erase the scar completely, but they can improve the appearance over time.”
Both Carlo and Andrea turned to him, their reactions starkly different. Andrea looked intrigued, her brows lifting slightly, while Carlo scoffed audibly.
“Natural healing?” Carlo sneered. “What are you, a shaman? Don’t fill her head with nonsense.”
“It’s not nonsense,” Joaquin said. “I’ve studied these methods. They focus on improving circulation and supporting the skin’s regeneration process.”
Carlo waved him off. “Enough. You’re here as a caregiver, not a consultant. Leave the medical advice to professionals.”
“Why? Are you afraid that I’m right?”
Joaquin smirked.
“You know nothing about being a doctor! Don’t meddle to things that you’re not sure about!”
“I’m not. I’m just giving my suggestion.”
“And you’re not here to give your opinions. Remember your place, Joaquin!”
Joaquin opened his mouth to argue but stopped himself.
Getting into a debate with Carlo wouldn’t help anyone, least of all Andrea.
Bowing his head slightly, he turned to leave.
“Wait,” Andrea said suddenly, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
Joaquin paused, glancing back over his shoulder. She was looking directly at him now, her sharp gaze softer, almost thoughtful.
“What kind of natural methods are you talking about?” she asked again.
“It’s nothing, Ms. Andrea! Don’t listen to him!”
Andrea glared at Carlo and he immediately looked away.
Joaquin hesitated, aware that Carlo was still in the room and he doesn’t want a new trouble again.
But seeing Andrea’s desperation, he decided to help.
“They’re based on traditional medicine,” he said carefully. “Topical treatments, massages to promote healing.”
Andrea tilted her head, considering his words. “And you know how to do this?”
“I do,” Joaquin said confidently.
“Andrea, don’t listen—”
Andrea nodded. “Then I want to try it.”
“That’s absurd!” Carlo snapped. “You’re wasting time on unproven methods! Stick to the treatment plan we’ve already discussed!”
“Your treatment plan doesn’t seem very promising,” Andrea shot back, her tone icy. “If Joaquin has an alternative, I’ll hear it.”
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“What?”“You heard me,” she said. “Get out! I don’t need a doctor who can’t see past his own arrogance!”Carlo clenched his fists but ultimately stormed out, slamming the door behind him.The interns hesitated, glancing nervously between Joaquin and Andrea before hurrying after their superior.Outside the room, the interns huddled around Carlo, their voices low and filled with doubt.“Do you think he’s legit?” one of them asked.“Impossible!” another replied. “No one heals that quickly.”“He’s a fraud!”Carlo, still fuming, clenched his fists. “He’s hiding something,” he said. “I’ll find out what it is.” With that, he headed toward the caregiver station, determined to dig into Joaquin’s past.Back in the room, Andrea’s demeanor shifted. Her stern expression softened as she turned her attention to Joaquin.“That was… impressive,” she said, her voice teasing. “What do I owe you for such a miracle? My gratitude? Or something more… personal?”Joaquin blinked, caught off guard by the sud
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Andrew’s face turned an angry crimson, the sting of Joaquin’s slap fresh and humiliating. “Y-You… How dare you?!”He clenched his jaw, his fists trembling as he glared at Joaquin.“You’ll regret this!” Andrew hissed, his voice venomous. He raised his hand, but Andrea’s cold, cutting voice stopped him mid-motion.“If you lay a finger on him,” she said, her tone laced with steel, “you won’t leave this room unscathed! You should know better than to challenge me, Andrew.”Andrew froze, his pride battling his fear of Andrea’s influence. After a long, tense pause, he lowered his fist and spat out, “This isn’t over!” With one last glare at Joaquin, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by Andrea’s amused chuckle.“Well,” she said, leaning back in her chair, “that was dramatic. Tell me, Joaquin, how did it feel to slap Andrew?”Joaquin blinked at her, caught off guard by the sudden levity. Slowly, a small smirk crept on
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Tears welled up in Joaquin’s eyes as he stood there, helpless and heartbroken.He watched Serena, who looked at him with both confusion and wariness.He couldn't blame her.After all, the people around her must have filled her head with lies while she was vulnerable.With a heavy heart, Joaquin turned away, clenching his fists tightly at his sides.He took one last look at her, memorizing her face — the face he loved more than anything else — and silently made a vow to himself."I’ll bring you back to me," he whispered under his breath, so softly that even Serena couldn’t hear him.When he stepped out of the room, Mikyla was waiting for him in the hallway, arms crossed and an unreadable expression on her face."How did it go?" she asked quietly.Joaquin shook his head, struggling to steady his voice."She doesn't remember me," he said hoarsely. "They already brainwashed her. She thinks she's engaged to James."Mikyla pressed her lips into a thin line, guilt flickering across her featu
