Chapter 18

Christy snapped the medical record book shut, her carefully applied makeup unable to hide her growing irritation.

Towering over the petite Holley, she radiated an air of authority, her posture stiff with confrontation.

Holley, unruffled, casually dabbed at her lipstick, her confidence unshaken. As a Curtis, she was used to being the center of attention, her defiant streak a product of constant adoration.

To her, Christy's probing felt like an annoying hum,barely worth acknowledging.

Christy, hailing from a well-off family, could muster a facade of warmth around Maxton but had no patience for coddling a patient's family.

"Dr. Wallace treated Mrs. Curtis, yet you questioned his competence, didn't you? Now, as the attending physician, I'm entitled to know her condition. If you're clueless, find another family member who isn't,"Christy snapped, her tone sharp with thinly veiled accusations of neglect.

"You're really annoying," Holley shot back, brushing off Christy's lecture. Glancing at Marissa, who lingered in the doorway watching the scene unfold, she waved her in. "Hey, you're a doctor, right? Come in and check on my family. I want to know if this hospital has any trustworthy doctors!"

Marissa, her expression cool and detached, gave the room a lazy once-over. "From what I can see, your family's fine-she is just worked up emotionally. If you want her awake sooner, I've got a method that could help."

Marissa had zero interest in the odd feud brewing between Holley and Christy.

Her detached tone and lack of enthusiasm made her seem even more distant than Maxton.

Christy frowned. Even the most esteemed doctors meticulously assessed patients before treatment.Was this doctor merely an intern wandering through the hospital without purpose?

She made a mental note to address the growing carelessness of the interns at the Friday meeting.

"No thorough workup, but you have a treatment?Who's your supervising physician? The fifth floor isn't

a place for casual strolls, no matter your reasons,"Christy snapped, her eyes narrowing with distrust as

she scrutinized Marissa, her voice growing sharper."Are you here for Dr. Wallace?"

Christy's possessiveness surged-though her relationship with Maxton remained stagnant, she already claimed him in her mind, determined to keep other women at bay.

Marissa roll her eyes. Stepping forward, she raised an eyebrow at Holley. "Should I proceed?"

Holley, fully aware of the incident that landed Rita in the hospital, was curious about this doctor's expertise.She wanted to make another trip to Corrine's place but felt uneasy going without Rita accompanying her.

The thought of Marissa, who had effortlessly stolen her spotlight, sent a sharp pang of resentment through Holley. A glint of malice flickered in her eyes before she masked it with a tight smile and gave a brisk nod. "Go ahead. I hope you won't let me down," she said coldly.

Marissa couldn't quite decipher Holley's motives, but treating Rita was a minor matter.

Marissa turned to the nurse. "Can you grab the medical kit,please?"

The nurse pointed at herself. "Me? You want me to get it?"

Noticing the nurse's alarm, Marissa didn't press

further.

"Dr. Griffin," the nurse said, seeking Christy's guidance.

At Harmony Hospital, once a family member signed the surgical consent form, the doctors were free to proceed without hesitation. Even if the patient didn't survive, the hospital was legally in the clear-the signature meant the family had accepted the risks.

Still, Rita's condition hadn't worsened to the point of needing immediate surgery, and the female doctor preparing to treat her might be an intern.

The family's decision was nothing short of reckless.

"Should I call Dr. Wallace to come over?" the nurse asked carefully. "He has been overseeing Mrs. Curtis'case from the start and knows her situation best."

If any available doctor could handle the case, why did hospitals even have specialized departments?

The fifth floor, while staffed with competent doctors-many of whom were from the emergency unit-couldn't guarantee that any intern was up to the task.

"If you insist on doing things your way, can you take responsibility for the outcome?" Christy asked sharply,her suspicion rising.

Her distrust of Marissa's presence on the fifth floor

had already taken root. She was convinced Marissa had come with hidden motives. When Marissa didn't object to the nurse's idea of calling Maxton, Christy's suspicions deepened-she was certain Marissa's interest lay with him.

As Maxton's father's student, Christy felt a personal duty to shield him from romantic entanglements.

"Let us do it her way. I would like to see whether she is truly capable." Christy deliberately avoided mentioning Maxton by name, hoping the nurse would infer her meaning.

While the nurse went to retrieve the medical kit,Marissa quietly stepped closer to the bed.

Having taken medicine, Rita's color had returned, her breathing even and calm. She seemed peacefully asleep-a rare state for someone her age.

Waking her now might leave her restless and wide awake all night.

"Mrs. Curtis is resting soundly. Unless her condition changes unexpectedly, she will likely stay asleep for another forty minutes. Are you sure you want to wake her?" Marissa asked softly, glancing at Holley, who had drawn near.

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