Karina didn’t resist.
The scent was too familiar—so familiar that she didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
Of course, there was another reason she didn’t want to look back. She wasn’t in a good mood.
She tugged at the jacket draped over her shoulders. “I was just thinking about something I once heard,” she said softly.
Wilfred stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.
“They say hospitals hear more prayers than churches. I never understood it before, but now, as someone on the inside, I do.” Karina’s voice carried a quiet sadness, tinged with melancholy.
Wilfred’s chest tightened at her words. Without thinking, he pulled her into a gentle embrace.
Both of them froze for a moment, caught off guard by his action.
But neither moved to pull away. Instead, they relaxed, a shared silence settling between them. In that moment, it felt as though the invisible barrier that had always been there had quietly dissolved.
Karina finally let her thoughts spill out. “Honestly, I’ve felt this way for a long time, but today really drove it home.
“Sometimes I wonder if I’m just a hypocrite. I feel sympathy for those who suffer, but there’s so little I can actually do for them. It’s like my compassion is just… empty.”
“No, it’s not,” Wilfred said firmly. “You’re kindhearted. Don’t doubt yourself. You’ve already done everything you can.”
The hospital corridor was quiet, the faint hum of the overhead lights filling the stillness. Karina lowered her head, leaning into him for warmth and solace, taking a moment to simply rest.
*
The next day, Karina was back to her usual self.
“All we asked was for you to help your brother, but fine, you refused. Now you’ve turned yourself into a scandal! Do you even realize how humiliating your suicide attempt is for your father? It’s nothing but juicy gossip for everyone, especially his colleagues!
“Thanks to you, the company board is calling for his suspension! This is all your fault! You’re useless! Why didn’t you just die and save us all the trouble?”
The sheer audacity of her words made Karina’s blood boil.
“Bang!” The door slammed open.
Karina stormed into the room, the fury in her eyes unmistakable.
“Ma’am, this is a hospital, not your personal stage to throw tantrums. And let me make one thing clear—you don’t get to berate my patient. Whatever grievances you have, take them somewhere else.” Her voice was as cold as ice.
It was the same woman from before. Wendy’s mother flinched at Karina’s sudden entrance, but quickly regained her composure, her tone turning venomous. “Who do you think you are? I’m her mother. I have every right to discipline her. You’re the one meddling where you don’t belong.”
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