The sudden ring of Stella’s phone broke the silence.
She froze for a split second before realizing it was her own.
“Sorry, I need to take this,” she said, peeling off her gloves and answering. “Gina? What’s wrong—Ms. Hudson fainted?!”
On the operating table, Briony’s eyes snapped open. She stared at Stella, her voice urgent: “What happened to my mom?”
“Ms. Hudson collapsed,” Stella explained quickly. “Gina tried to call you several times but couldn’t get through, so she called me. Don’t worry—Gina’s already called an ambulance. They’re on their way to the hospital now.”
Briony sat up, swinging her legs off the table. “We have to pause the procedure. I need to make sure my mom is okay.”
…
By the time Julia was brought into the hospital, she was unconscious.
A flu outbreak had left the ER understaffed, so Dr. Cedric Clarke—usually found in oncology—was helping out that day.
When Julia was rushed into the resuscitation room, Cedric took over her care.
Thankfully, she’d arrived in time. Although Julia hadn’t woken up yet, her life was no longer in danger.
Still unconscious, she was moved to a hospital room, with Gina trailing close behind.
Cedric spotted Briony in a hospital gown nearby and then turned to Stella, choosing his words carefully. “There’s something concerning in Ms. Hudson’s bloodwork. I’d recommend she stay for a full evaluation.”
Stella’s heart skipped a beat.
Cedric Clarke was a leading cancer specialist—his instincts were rarely wrong.
Briony, who’d just started to relax, tensed up all over again. She fixed Cedric with a worried stare, her brow furrowed.
“Dr. Clarke, are you saying—my mom might be really sick?”
“This is just a preliminary finding,” Cedric said gently. “We’ll need to wait for more detailed test results.”
Briony’s breath caught, a wave of anxiety threatening to knock her over.
She wobbled, and Stella hurried to steady her.
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