12. It wouldve been nice if you could come see her.
The city sprawled beneath my office windows, glass and steel stretching as far as the eye could see.
I should have been focused, but I was no longer the same man I was before the conference.
Instead, my thoughts drifted somewhere they didn't belong.
Brown eyes. An innocent face. Quiet resilience. Pink roses.
I exhaled sharply and turned back to the file on my desk.
A knock sounded.
"Come in."
Ms. Miller stepped inside, tablet in hand. "Sir, there's a Mr. Vincent Brown here to see you. Says he has a proposal he believes you'll find... mutually beneficial."
I didn't recognise the name.
My eyebrows drew together. "Do I have him scheduled?"
"No," she admitted. "But he's persistent. Claims his connections align with the direction Anderson Technologies is heading."
I considered it for a moment. My schedule was tight, but instinct told me to hear him out.
"Five minutes," I asserted. "No more."
She nodded and stepped aside.
A moment later, Vincent Brown walked in.
Mid-fifties. Immaculate suit. Silver threaded through dark hair. His smile was practiced—too smooth, too easy—like it had been perfected over decades.
"Mr. Anderson," he said warmly, extending his hand. "An honor."
I stood and shook it. His grip was firm, but something about it lingered a second too long.
"Have a seat." I said, gesturing to the chair across from my desk.
He did, settling in with the ease of someone who believed he belonged there.
"I'll get straight to the point," he said. "I represent a private consortium with interests in emerging tech—data security, healthcare digitization, predictive analytics."
My brow lifted slightly. "That's a broad umbrella."
He smiled. "It is. But we specialize in... acceleration. Fast-tracking innovation that might otherwise get slowed down by regulations, ethics committees, red tape."
There it was.
I leaned back slightly. "And what exactly are you proposing?"
"A collaboration," he said smoothly. "Your technology. Our... influence. Quiet backing. Strategic immunity."
My jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
"And the benefit to you?" I asked calmly.
His eyes glinted. "Access. To certain proprietary frameworks your company is developing. Nothing illegal. Just... advantageous."
An unsettling feeling crept up my spine.
I'd dealt with men like him before. Men who dressed greed in charm and called it vision.
"I don't compromise patient safety or data integrity," I said flatly. "Especially not in healthcare."
Vincent chuckled softly. "Of course not. That's what makes you admirable, Mr. Anderson. But ideals can coexist with ambition."
Something about his tone made my skin crawl.
For a fleeting second, an image surfaced unbidden—rain against glass. A road at night. A feeling of being watched.
I dismissed it immediately.
"Send me a formal proposal," I said coolly. "My legal team will review it."
Vincent rose to his feet, unbothered. "I was hoping for something more... direct. But I admire caution."
He paused at the door, glancing back.
"You remind me of your father," he added casually. "A principled man."
My gaze snapped up, body stiffening. "You knew my father?"
His smile didn't waver. "Yes. He was a great man. A shame he passed away so tragically."
Before I could question him further, he inclined his head politely and left.
The door closed behind him with a soft click.
I sat there for a long moment, staring at nothing. The unease lingered, heavy and inexplicable.
I shook it off, returning my attention to the work in front of me.
———
"You're doing really well, and so is your baby. We'll have you discharged tomorrow, okay?" I smiled, jotting down the patient's vitals.
"Thank you, doctor. You've been very kind."
My smile grew. "You don't have to thank me. It's my job... I'll see you tomorrow. Take care, okay?"
She nodded, a grateful smile on her face.
I left her file by her bed, before walking out of the private room.
My call was finally over.
Heading to the locker room, I changed out of my scrubs into casual attire before slinging my bag over my shoulder and heading for the exit.
As I stepped out, a man approached me. Old. Strange. Unknown.
"Dr. Ayra."
My steps faltered, and I took an instinctive step back. "Yes?"
"I have a daughter," he said. His voice was steady. Too steady. "She's sick. I'd appreciate it if you could take a look."
My eyebrows knitted together. Something about him felt strange.
"Where is she?" I asked, already scanning the area. "Why hasn't she been admitted?"
"She's in the car," he replied, nodding vaguely toward the parking area. "If you could just come take a look, I'd really appreciate it."
The word car made my stomach sink.
Parents panicked when their children were sick. They rushed. They pleaded. They didn't stand this calmly, hands folded, eyes unreadable, talking to a random doctor when they were a few steps away from the biggest hospital in the city.
"The hospital is right there," I said carefully, gesturing behind me. "Bring her inside. The on-call team will take care of her immediately."
His gaze lingered on my face. Unblinking.
"It would've been nice if you could come see her." He repeated, as though I hadn't spoken at all.
A chill slid down my spine.
"I'll call for a stretcher," I said, already stepping back. "We'll have her inside within minutes."
Before he could respond, I practically ran back inside the hospital, my heart pounding in my chest.
I alerted the paramedical staff, my voice clipped and professional despite the tremor beneath it. "There's a patient outside who needs immediate assessment. Possible emergency."
A stretcher was rolled out within moments. I followed, my pulse roaring in my ears.
But when we stepped out, the man was nowhere to be seen.
I saw red, my heartbeat quickening again.
Who was he? What did he want?
I looked around again, slower this time. Searching. Hoping I was wrong.
Nothing.
My heartbeat spiked, panic crawling up my throat.
Why did it feel like he hadn't been there to ask for help at all, but for some sinister purpose instead?
"Where's the patient, Doctor?"
My mouth was parted as I stood stunned. "I— I guess they left..."
The paramedics retreated back inside, leaving me glued to the ground.
Afraid to walk home.
Then, a voice spoke from behind me. "Dr. Ayra?"
I turned around swiftly, my jaw dropping at the sight.