CHAPTER 19: The Test
A week later, the hospital called—an emergency mass-casualty incident on the highway. I grabbed my bag and headed straight in, no hesitation. For eight hours, I worked alongside doctors and nurses, triaging, comforting, stitching, holding hands when there was nothing else to do.
When it was over, one of the senior surgeons pulled me aside. “You have a gift, Mia. You don’t panic. You see people, not cases.”
That evening, Victor met me at home with a small box. Inside was a silver stethoscope, engraved with my name and the words Strength in kindness.
“My father gave me a gun when I turned twenty-one,” he said softly. “Said it was the only thing that would keep me alive. I wanted to give you something that saves lives instead.”
I hugged him tight, and for the first time in months, I didn’t feel like I was living in the shadow of his name. I felt like we were building something new together.
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