At the same time, he took her hand and said, "I'm not looking. Just do what you need to do."
He turned his head away.
Scarlett had been holding it for too long to worry about pride anymore. She took care of business right there with Damian in the bathroom.
When she was finished, she couldn't get up on her own, so she tugged lightly at his hand.
He understood. He helped her to her feet.
Once she was standing, he reached over and flushed, then grabbed the IV bag with one hand and moved to lift her again.
Scarlett thought about his injuries and shook her head. "I'm okay. I can hop back."
Damian didn't listen. He just scooped her up like before.
Back at the bed, he hung the IV bag back on the pole and carefully helped her lie down.
He pulled the blanket over her, then sat in the chair next to the bed.
The effort had left a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.
But once he sat down, he didn't look at her. Didn't say a word.
Scarlett turned her head toward him, confused. "Damian. Why are you here?"
He lifted his eyes to hers but stayed quiet.
She pressed. "Why won't you talk to me?"
Something in him seemed to crack. He leaned forward and pulled her into a tight hug.
He held her like he was trying to press her into his bones.
Scarlett went stiff. Then she heard it—muffled, broken sobs against her ear.
Her heart clenched.
Finally, his voice came, thick and raw. "Why didn't you tell me?"
She forced a small smile. "It's not a big deal. I'm fine."
His voice rose, frustration breaking through. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
"I'm not being stubborn."
He pulled back just enough to grip her shoulders, his eyes sharp. "I just saw you struggling to get to the bathroom alone. And you're telling me you're fine?"
She didn't know what to say. She looked down.
In the hallway, he nearly ran into someone.
Melinda. She was wearing a white coat and a mask, but those eyes—bright, familiar—gave her away.
He recognized her immediately. She was watching him with open curiosity.
He started to walk past, but she pulled down her mask and smiled. "Mr. Langley."
He stopped. Gave her a polite nod. "Ms. Olsen. What brings you here?"
His tone was distant. Like they were strangers who'd met once and forgotten each other's names.
Melinda didn't seem bothered. She answered smoothly, "The hospital sent me for a year-long rotation. There's a complicated case in OB, so I came up to orthopedics to consult with one of the attendings."
Damian nodded. "I see. Well, don't let me keep you."
The message was clear. He wasn't interested in small talk.
But Melinda wasn't ready to let it go.
She glanced past him into the room and spotted Scarlett propped against the bed railing. Curiosity flickered in her eyes. "What happened to Scarlett?"
Damian paused, then said flatly, "She's fine. You should get back to work."

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