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As Irina arrived at the hospital, the scent of disinfectant and sterile equipment filled her nostrils, a familiar smell that brought her a sense of comfort and focus. The soft beeping of machines and the gentle hum of fluorescent lights overhead created a soothing background noise.
She was immediately taken to the surgery ward , where she was given detailed information on her job.
"Doctor Luo, would my son be saved." A pale looking woman clutched to Irina's clothing when she arrived. The desperation in the woman's eyes made her heartache, recalling Wendy's dying face three years ago.
Her code name, Dr. Luo, was whispered in hushed tones by her colleagues, a name that commanded respect and awe. The sound of pages rustling and clipboards clicking added to the symphony of sounds in the ward.
"Be rest assured ma'am I would do my best."
At the mention of this words, the woman seemed to calm a bit, hearing a bit of Dr. Luo steady reputation. If she couldn't no one could.
After two hours, Irina emerged from the ward room, exhausted and weak from lack of energy. The cool air-conditioned air enveloped her, a welcome respite from the warmth of the ward.
Fortunately the surgery went great, and the patient was transferred to another room where observation would take place.
While everyone were on breaks, Irina was summoned from her fellow colleague.
Her director, Mr. Li, had called for her, and she knew what that meant - she was going to receive a heavier and more restricted operation, one that would push her skills to the limit.
Everyone in the hospital knew if the Zhang's resentment towards Dr. Luo after she started gaining fame over shadowing the descendants of doctors from the Zhang who were once known.
But that didn't keep her from overlooking her duties, no matter how challenging her problem was, she managed to overcome it with her head raised high.
When she arrived at the director's office, the director's chief assistant greeted her warmly, offering her a steaming cup of cappuccino that filled the air with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The warmth of the cup seeped into her hands, a comforting sensation that helped to ease her tense muscles. He had known ahead of their intense operation two hours earlier, and was considerate enough to provide her with something she could digest.
"Congratulations on your successful surgery once again, Dr. Luo," the director said, his voice laced with a mixture of admiration and annoyance. The sound of his chair creaking as he shifted in his seat added to the tension in the room. Irina's eyes met his, her gaze steady and calm behind her nose mask.
"Thank you, Mr. Zhang," she replied, her voice low and stern. The sound of her own voice was a welcome respite from the silence that had filled her mind during the surgery.
"I called you here to discuss business," the director continued, his tone turning serious. "Apparently, there is a tackling case I want you to handle, and as my star doctor, I hope you wouldn't let me down." The director's words seemed nice, but Irina knew it was his way of forcing her to agree each time, and like always, she agreed.
"Here is the file, you can look into it at home," the director said, handing her a thick folder. "Call me if you are ready to meet the patient and her family." Irina nodded, took the file, and walked out.
As she left the office, Irina's fingers closed around the file the director had handed her, the weight of it reassuring in her hands. The soft rustle of the papers and the creak of the file folder were familiar sounds that brought her a sense of focus. She hailed a taxi and headed home, the hum of the engine and the rush of wind outside a soothing accompaniment to her thoughts.
When she arrived home, the silence was oppressive, the only sound the soft hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen. The evening food was left untouched on the table, a reminder that Clyde hadn't been home since his outburst. The scent of congealed food wafted up, a pungent smell that made her wrinkle her nose. Irina's heart tightened at the thought, but she pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand. She gathered the good food, stored it in the fridge, and threw the rest away, the clatter of pots and pans echoing through the empty apartment.
She decided to head to her room to take a shower after her exhausting morning in the hospital.she smelled of detergent and blood, a sickening smell clinging to her like a bad omen.
As Irina stepped into her bathe, the warm water enveloped her, a soothing balm for her weary body. The scent of lavender wafted up from the bath salts she had added, calming her frazzled nerves. The water was a gentle temperature, not too hot, not too cold, but just right to relax her muscles. She sank deeper into the tub, feeling the warmth seep into her bones.
After her bath, Irina emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a plush towel that absorbed the water droplets on her skin. She slipped into a comfortable pair of lounge pants, soft and loose-fitting, and a matching tank top that clung to her curves. The fabric was a gentle cotton blend, breathable and cozy. Her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, and her face was scrubbed clean, free of any makeup. She felt relaxed and rejuvenated, ready to tackle the challenges ahead.
As she settled into her routine, Irina's thoughts turned to the phone call she had received from her mother.
"Hello Irina," her mother's voice had said, honey on bitter pill.The familiar voice had brought back a flood of memories, some painful, some cherished. The sound of her mother's voice still lingered in her mind, a haunting melody that she couldn't shake off. Her thought runned back to three years ago, when her mother had slapped her and called her an unfilial child for murdering her sister, although she was proven innocent by the police.
She remembered the voices of her family ,cursing at her and saying they wished it was her who died instead of Wendy the price possession of the Lu family.
She was stuck, perplexed at how to respond to her mother. She didn't know if she should address her as Mrs. lu or mom anymore.
So she simply hummed." Yes.."
"We are having a family dinner this evening, and you are invited." Her mother contained, her voice becoming overly sweet and sugar coated .
Irina didn't know why her mother reached out to her after three years and that too, to invite her for a family dinner. She found it suspicious and concerning.
She wanted to know what her family wanted to get from her, so she had agreed before the call ended, her mind racing with possible answers to her wild questions.
A notification popped up on her phone momentarily after the call ended.
The content interested her immediately, there message were bunch of provocative photos of Clyde with another woman who was blurred.
She couldn't help feeling pained yet deceived at the same time. It couldn't be such a coincidence that after her mother's call, nude pictures of her husband and his mistress was sent to her phone.
She smirked sardonically ,before picking up her phone and doing the unexpected. She wanted to see what the Lu family were up too.
She ordered the most expensive dress in the market, before closing her phone and looking at the content in the documents.
She was engulfed deeply in her work, oblivious to the world around her.The scratch of her pen on the file was a soothing sound, a familiar sensation that brought her a sense of control.
Her peaceful environment was cut off, when Clyde burst into the room with an unhealthy expression on his face.
Being a doting wife, she smiled and cheerfully asked." I prepared your bathe, and clothings dear.. if you want I can.."
"Just leave."