His Final Flatline
But on this Halloween night, I shut it off. Powered it down completely and slept until the sun sliced through my blinds.
I did it because, in another life, I didn't. In that life, my fiancs little resident, Chloe, thought it would be a brilliant idea to dress up as a ghost for Halloween and "cheer up" a post-op patient. The patient, an elderly woman fresh off my table, was so terrified she went into cardiac arrest, her sutures blowing out in a massive hemorrhage.
I had been on a rare, much-needed vacation. I rushed back, scrubbing in for a brutal eighteen-hour battle under the OR lights to drag that woman back from the brink. Chloe was fired on the spot for gross negligence, a clear violation of hospital policy that nearly caused a catastrophic incident. My fianc, Dr. Ethan Cole, tried to plead her case with the director, but I stopped him.
The patient you were responsible for almost died because of your intern, Ethan. Youre lucky I was here to clean up the mess, otherwise, this malpractice suit would have ended your career.
After losing her job, a despondent Chloe jumped from her apartment building.
Ethan never said a word about it. Years went by, and he climbed the ladder, becoming a nationally celebrated surgeon. Then my own heart, overworked and worn out, finally gave out. I needed surgery. I trusted him.
But on the operating table, he swapped the anesthetic for an amphetamine. As my heart hammered against my ribs, he played a horror movie on the monitor in the OR.
His last words to me were hissed over the frantic beeping of the machines. It was just an accident with Chloe. You had to be the hero, didn't you? You couldn't just let it go. You had to destroy her. This is your penance.
Trapped between the drug-fueled terror and the flickering screen, my heart simply gave up.
I woke up, gasping. I was back. Back on the morning of the day Chloe played ghost.
What she never knew, what none of them knew, was that the patient she terrorized was the mother of Nico Costello.
And in this city, everyone knew Nico Costello was a man who loved his mother.
1
The next morning, I took my time. A long shower, a slow coffee. By the time I walked into the cardiac wing, the air was thick with panic. Ethan grabbed my arm, his eyes shot with blood.
Audrey, thank God! Where have you been? Its a disaster.
He practically dragged me toward the ICU. Chloe was just joking around with a patient yesterday for Halloween, and the old woman just she coded. Massive bleeding. Ive been calling you all night! Why didnt you answer? Where the hell were you?
I feigned a look of innocent confusion. I have no idea what youre talking about. Im on vacation. This sounds like a problem caused by someone ignoring hospital regulations. It has nothing to do with me.
Chloe was huddled on a bench nearby, her face chalk-white. The rest of the staff was buzzing with fear and anger.
This is all your fault, Chloe! Art therapy, you called it? one of the senior nurses hissed.
This is a hospital, not a frat party! Dont you know who that patients son is? Hes not someone you mess with!
Shes circling the drain now. This whole department could go down with you.
The criticism sent another wave of panic across Chloes face. When she saw me, she leaped to her feet, her finger pointed accusingly. Its her fault! Its all her fault!
She turned to Ethan, desperate. I called her the second it happened! She had to have seen it. She ignored my calls on purpose! She wants us to fail!
Ethans head snapped toward me, his confusion hardening into accusation. Shes right. Youre the best we have, Audrey. Its your duty to help. You just vanished.
He stepped closer, his voice low and furious. I called you over a hundred times. Why didnt you pick up? You did this deliberately.
He wasnt wrong. I could have fixed this. I could have been the hero again.
Instead, I just laughed, a dry, bitter sound. I walked over to the duty roster on the wall and tapped a name under the patients file. First of all, Ethan, you fought to take this case. And Chloe is your resident. By any measure, youre the primary physician responsible. I met his glare without flinching. And second, I was at a spa five hundred miles away. What did you expect me to do, fly back?
2
Chloe stared at the duty roster, then looked to Ethan for help, her expression pleading. He was at a loss, finally just spitting out a venomous retort.
Shes just some old woman. If she dies, its her own bad luck. You cant blame Chloe for that.
One of our older colleagues couldn't stand it anymore. He bypassed Ethan completely and grabbed my hand, his grip tight with urgency.
Dr. Ross, we all know Chloe caused this mess, he said, his voice low. But the patient is critical. Youre the only one who can save her. Please, dont let your anger at these two these two degenerates get in the way.
I gave him a reassuring nod.
The truth was, I felt safe turning off my phone because I trusted my team. I knew they were skilled enough to keep the patient stable. Even showing up ten hours later than I did in my last life, I knew she still had a fighting chance.
I had waited. I let the crisis deepen, let the panic fester. I needed everyone, especially Ethan and Chloe, to be reminded of exactly who held the real power here.
After a quick, thorough scrub-in, I changed into my surgical gear and got to work. The operating room became my world. For eight straight hours, I fought. Finally, the patient's vitals stabilized. She was out of immediate danger, but she wasnt out of the woods. Shed need another major surgery in three days to have any hope of a real recovery.
I gave post-op instructions to the exhausted team and headed out to get some rest. The moment I pushed through the OR doors, I saw him. Director Thompson, waiting for me.
In his office, my mind was still racing, planning the next procedure. I was about to ask for his full support for the upcoming surgery when he cut me off.
Dr. Ross, this incident with Ms. Jensen was a serious breach. Thanks to you, the hospitals reputation remains intact.
I nodded, ready to give my recommendation for Chloes permanent dismissal. But his next words felt like a slap in the face.
While she is technically at fault, the board has made a decision. We cannot let the public know that an intern scared a patient half to death while dressed as a ghost. He folded his hands on his desk, his expression unreadable. Therefore we need you to step up. We need you to take responsibility for the incident. Well tell everyone you were the one in the costume.
I stared at him, my jaw slack. What did you just say?
He waved a dismissive hand. Audrey, youre a veteran here. You know Dr. Cole is our candidate for the National Outstanding Youth Physician award. The patient was his, and the intern who caused this is his protge. Are you really going to stand by and watch his entire future go up in flames?
Ethan was the directors golden boy, the one hed mentored and promoted for years. And now, instead of punishing the guilty, he wanted me to be the scapegoat. It suddenly made perfect sense how Chloe felt so comfortable pulling a stunt like that. The whole system was rotten from the top down.
Rage, cold and sharp, flooded my veins. I stood up and pointed a trembling finger at him. You want me to take the fall? In your dreams. My voice was low and shaking. I see exactly what this is. Youre a den of vipers. After I perform the final surgery in three days, you can consider this my resignation.
I turned to leave, but the door flew open and Ethan rushed in, grabbing my arm.
Audrey, please. Im begging you. Just this once, help me and Chloe. His voice was a desperate whisper. Shes only twenty-three, Audrey! Her life is just starting! That old woman is shes old! Even if you save her, how much time does she have left? He squeezed my arm tighter. This would destroy Chloe. What if the family sues? She could go to jail!
I looked down at his hand on my sleeve, a bitter laugh caught in my throat. If the family gets involved, jail will be the least of her worries. Theyll be sweeping up her ashes.
His plea was pathetic. In my last life, I was only thirty when he murdered me on that operating table. He didn't seem to care that I was "still young" then. And since when did being sixty-something mean your life was forfeit?
My voice was flat, devoid of emotion. Have you two thought this through? I am the only surgeon in this hospital who can save that patient. And you want me to confess to a crime I didn't commit? What if I just walk away right now?
The director tried to switch tactics, his voice becoming smooth, paternal. Audrey, come on. You and Ethan have been together for so long. As his fiance, you should be willing to make sacrifices. This is no time to be selfish.
Sacrifice? Id sacrificed my life for him. The memory was a hot brand on my soul.
I ripped my arm from Ethans grasp. Were done, I said, the words tasting like freedom. The engagement is off.
I looked from his stunned face to the directors. From now on, you go your way, and Ill go mine.
I stormed out of his office, slamming the door so hard the glass rattled in its frame. I didnt look back.
3
For the next few days, I stayed home, resting, mentally preparing for the second, more complex surgery. But before the scheduled day, I got a call. The patient was destabilizing. I didnt hesitate this time, throwing on my clothes and heading for the door.
The moment I stepped outside, a beer bottle flew through the air, shattering against my temple. A sharp, searing pain, and then the warm stickiness of blood.
My front lawn was swarming with people. A mob.
There she is! The monster doctor! Look at her, pretending like she didnt almost kill someone!
Audrey Ross, right? They call you a top surgeon? Youre a sick bitch!
Get her! Show her what happens to doctors who torture their patients!
I realized my name was everywhere. A video had gone viral, the headline blaring: Heartless Surgeon Dresses as Ghost, Terrifies Elderly Patient Near Death for Halloween Prank. It was the grainy security footage from that night. The figure in the costume was clearly Chloe, but the narrativefueled by an anonymous source and an official-sounding statement from Director Thompson himselfhad already convicted me in the court of public opinion.
Ethan stepped out from the crowd, his face a mask of righteous fury. He pointed at me. Audrey, I am so disappointed in you! Chloe is just an intern! How could you try to frame her like this?
I wiped the blood from my brow, the metallic tang of it on my fingers. I gave him a cold smile. You really think leaking some blurry footage to the press is going to change the facts?
Still denying it! he roared for the crowd. He strode forward and slapped me, hard, across the face. Then he leaned in, his voice a venomous whisper in my ear. Youre going to the hospital right now and youre going to issue a public apology. You will take the blame for Chloe. If you dont, when that patients family comes for you, I wont lift a finger to help.
Chloe emerged from behind him, clinging to his arm, her eyes wide with fake innocence. Dr. Ross how could you? You were the one who said we should do something fun for Halloween, to liven things up. You dressed up and scared her how can you blame me for your idea?
Listening to their perfectly rehearsed lies, I couldnt help but laugh. It was insane.
Are you two serious right now? You created this catastrophe, and Im the only person on the planet who can fix it. And this is how you treat me? Arent you worried about how this might affect the patients outcome?
Ethan leaned in again, his lips brushing my ear, his voice a chilling sneer. Let it be affected. Shes just some old crone. Her life isnt as important as Chloes future. Or mine.
It finally dawned on me. They still had no idea. They had no idea who this old crone was. Her son was a man who could erase every single one of us from this city.
Ethan turned back to the crowd, his voice booming. You all see this? This black-hearted doctor still has the gall to say shes going to operate! he shouted. The patient was recovering perfectly fine until she pulled her sick prank! She should be in jail, not an operating room!
His words riled the crowd into a fresh frenzy.
What kind of person does that? She shouldn't be allowed near patients!
My own mother has the same heart condition. Id never let someone like her operate!
Forget operating, just beat her!
The mob surged forward, a wave of hands and fists ready to tear me apart. I curled into myself, instinctively shielding my hands, my most precious tools. I screamed at Ethan over the roar of the crowd.
Are you insane? If they hurt me, that patient dies! For real this time! I was desperate, trying to make him see reason. Im telling you, her son is Nico Costello! When she dies, hell come for all of us!
But my warning didn't register as a threat to him. It was an incitement. His eyes widened with a crazed, opportunistic light. He grabbed a loose brick from the edge of my garden path.
Did you all hear that? he yelled, his face contorted with rage. Shes involved with the mob! Shes threatening us! This woman is a menace to the medical community! Well be doing a public service by getting rid of her!
He shoved his way through the crowd, the brick held high. He brought it down, hard, on the back of my left hand.
A scream tore from my throat, raw and agonizing. Pain, white-hot and absolute, exploded from my knuckles. Cold sweat and tears streamed down my face.
Ethan smiled, a look of pure, triumphant satisfaction.
Hmph. You think youre so high and mighty because of what these hands can do, he sneered. Always holding it over Chloes head. He grabbed my right wrist. Today, Im going to cripple you. Im going to make sure you never hold a scalpel again. Youll be finished in the medical world, and you will never be a threat to Chloe again!
I struggled, kicking, trying to pull my right hand free, but the crush of bodies held me fast. He was going to break my other hand. The brick was rising again.
Just as it was about to fall, the screech of tires cut through the chaos. A sleek, black sedan slammed to a halt at the curb.
A man with a jagged scar down his cheek jumped out of the drivers side. He looked like a storm cloud in human form, but his eyes were wide with panic.
Isnt Dr. Ross at the hospital yet? he yelled, his voice a gravelly roar. My mother shes crashing!
I held up my left hand. It was already a swollen, mangled ruin.
Im right here I gasped, the world starting to spin. But I dont think I can save your mother now.
First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "283884" to read the entire book.
MotoNovel
Novellia
Bookworm« Previous Post
You Chose Them So I Chose Me
Next Post »
The CEO Fires His Wife