ALEXANDER'S POV
TWO DAYS AFTER THE CALL WITH GRANDMA
I strode into the Federal Hospital in Wan State, my steps long and deliberate. I had arrived early that morning, but I'd stopped by my penthouse first to freshen up, eat, and rest. Grandma would worry if she saw me looking worn out. So would the old man.
The moment I stepped into the main hall, the noise hit me — chatter, footsteps, and the sharp ring of a metal trolley being wheeled down the corridor. The air smelled faintly of antiseptic and exhaustion. Everywhere I looked, nurses hurried past, their faces tense with fatigue.
A robotic voice crackled from a speaker nearby.
"Number ninety-seven, please proceed to Room B."
Ninety-seven? That was… too many.
The nurse-to-patient ratio was alarmingly low. Still, federal hospitals had one advantage — they were cheaper, and for lllll who could endure the waiting, their care wasn't bad.
Was this what Grandma endured before she met her so-called genius consultant?
I needed to see for myself.
Sebastian stopped beside me as I paused to observe the crowd.
"Master," he said softly, "should I go to the front desk to make inquiries?"
A quiet chuckle escaped my lips. "Oh, Sebastian. You amuse me sometimes. That's one of the reasons you still have the privilege of speaking."
From the corner of my eye, I caught the brief flicker of confusion on his face, the the same expression mirrored by the two men flanking us, Redmond and Stone.
"Tell me," I asked, my tone measured, "what facilities do you think they're lacking?"
"A lot, Master," they replied almost in unison.
"And how much profit do you think this hospital makes in a day?"
"Less than half a million farqus, Master," Sebastian said.
"Less than half a million…" I repeated under my breath. "Don't you think they should be earning more?"
I didn't wait for an answer. Pulling out a card from my pocket, I handed it to Sebastian.
"Go to the front desk," I instructed. "Inform them that Master Alexander Blackwood wishes to donate five hundred million farqus to the hospital in appreciation for saving his grandmother's life."
Sebastian blinked. Redmond frowned.
"Master," Redmond began hesitantly, "isn't that too much? You're spending a lot on a public facility."
Stone said nothing, but the unease in his eyes was unmistakable. I could almost hear their thoughts. Has the Master finally lost his mind?
I turned to Redmond, my voice cool and precise. "Are you suggesting my grandmother's life isn't worth five hundred million and far more?"
His face fell instantly, color draining.
"Forgive us, Master. We spoke out of turn. Your wisdom is beyond question."
I gave a faint nod. "Good."
Sebastian bowed and walked away to deliver the message.
*
THIRTY MINUTES LATER
"Master Alexander, we cannot thank you enough for this extraordinary donation," the medical director said, his voice trembling with gratitude for what must have been the tenth time.
I chuckled lightly. "Doctor, as I said, the pleasure is mine. You saved my grandmother's life."
He smiled, humility softening his tired eyes. I leaned forward slightly, encouraging him to continue talking.
I needed him to mention that genius consultant.
"If anyone had told me," I said conversationally, "that my grandmother would recover in a public hospital with limited staff and equipment, I'd have called them a liar. You've proven me wrong. For that, I'm grateful."
The man gave a soft laugh. "Ah, Master Alex. We may not have the best resources, but we do have dedication. Five teams of doctors and surgeons, about a hundred and fifty nurses- not counting the nursing assistants and other staff. We manage, though the workload is… overwhelming."
I nodded thoughtfully. "And yet, you still save lives. That's commendable."
"I'll be writing to the Medical Board soon," he said, eyes bright with purpose. "Now that we have funding, we can request permission to hire more interns and trainees. But I fear, Master Alex, that fewer people are choosing this field. Many young ones prefer technology or entertainment. I worry for the future of medicine."
I studied him for a moment. the weary passion in his voice, the deep lines of sleepless nights etched on his face. He must have been in his early sixties, but there was still a spark in him, the kind only healers carried.
He sighed and added, "We just have to hope for the best. Would you like to meet the nurse who saved your grandmother? The genius herself?"
Finally.
My lips curved in a polite smile. "Yes, please. I'd very much like that."
Inside, my mind sharpened like a blade. I'll see what kind of genius she is and how she intends to pay for touching my family's fate.
*
A SHORT WHILE LATER
I was ushered into a modest office. Papers were neatly stacked across the desk, and the faint smell of coffee lingered in the air. Behind the desk sat a young woman, head bent as she scribbled notes.
Something about her posture- calm, precise- stirred a strange familiarity in me. I couldn't look away.
She finally glanced up, meeting my gaze head-on. Her eyes were steady, unflinching. For a moment, we simply stared at each other five seconds that felt oddly suspended in time. Then she looked back down.
"A minute, please," she said softly.
That voice.
It struck somewhere deep inside me- a tone I'd heard once before, fleeting but unforgettable.
When she stood, my chest tightened. She stepped forward, extending a hand with professional grace.
"Good day, sir," she said. "I'm Nurse Elena Prescott. You can just call me Nurse Prescott."
For a heartbeat, the world seemed to tilt.
Elena Prescott.
Her name echoed in my head like a whisper I wasn't ready to hear. My breathing grew uneven.
"Have…" My voice faltered before I steadied it. "Have we met before?"