Without hesitation, she grabbed her phone and stepped outside while answering. The caller was a young nurse from Heartland Hospital. The moment the call connected, the nurse’s voice, heavy with emotion, came through.
“Doctor Hades, where are you? Can you please come to the hospital right away? The patient in room 2235 is critically ill, experiencing multiple complications.”
Room 2235. That was Jamison’s room. Katelyn’s voice was firm as she responded, “Tell me exactly what’s happening. I’m on my way now.”
“I’m not sure exactly what went wrong, but the patient suddenly went into respiratory distress, started foaming at the mouth, and his heartbeat dropped.”
Katelyn’s thoughts flew to the specialized drug Langston had administered to Jamison. Her grip tightened on her phone, her eyes chilling momentarily.
“Understood. I’m on my way.” Katelyn ended the call and re-entered her office. Vincent immediately picked up on the tension and urgency in Katelyn’s demeanor. Katelyn usually took calls by his side unless they were particularly serious, prompting her to step away.
Katelyn offered Vincent an apologetic glance. “I’m sorry, Mr. Adams, but there’s a critical situation at the hospital I must attend to immediately. The design draft I promised might have to wait until tonight.”
Vincent’s expression grew concerned. “Is this about Carol?”
Katelyn quickly composed a plausible excuse and said, “Yes, there’s been a slight complication. I need to leave right now.”
Vincent set aside the documents he was reviewing and pulled out his car keys. “I’ll drive you there.”
Katelyn instinctively declined, saying, “No, that’s okay. I’ll grab a taxi.”
“It’s peak traffic time; a taxi will be impractical. I’m driving you,” Vincent urged. He walked out, leaving Katelyn no opportunity to say another word.
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Katelyn stood frozen for a moment, a flicker of inner conflict in her eyes. But after a brief pause, she clenched her teeth and hurried to catch up with Vincent. She had mentioned Carol merely as an excuse and now had to think on her feet to maintain her story.
Vincent and Katelyn descended in the private elevator, and at that moment, Zoey caught sight of them leaving in a rush. She tucked herself behind a corner, curious and confused by their urgent exit. Did something important come up?
Vincent drove the car swiftly, his dazzling Bugatti Veyron parting the traffic with ease. Anxiety clouded Katelyn’s features as she sat in the passenger seat. Her mind raced, not only with concern for Jamison but also with creating explanations for her earlier deception.
She kept her phone close, suddenly struck by an idea. Katelyn discreetly set her phone alarm for one minute later, mimicking a message notification. When it went off, Katelyn pretended to be surprised, effectively hiding her earlier fabrication.
Katelyn leaned back in her seat, letting out a deliberate sigh of relief. “Mr. Adams, I just got a message from the hospital. Carol’s condition is stable now—it was just a little scare,” she said.
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