Novels by serendipity

Chapter 12 – “Cleared… or Cornered?”Adrian's POVThere’s something about fluorescent lighting that makes everything feel worse. Like it highlights every mistake you’ve ever made and every bad decision you wish you could Ctrl + Z. And today? The whole ER smelled like sterilized dread and pending doom.The final hearing was set.And I was walking straight into it.Liana didn’t say a word when we met outside the boardroom. She stood stiff in her scrubs, arms crossed, lips pursed—like a soldier before a war she never wanted to fight.“Ready?” I asked.She didn’t look at me. “Does it matter?”Fair enough.Inside the conference room, the panel looked like judges from a medical-themed America’s Got Talent—HR, Hospital Director, a rep from the Philippine Transparency Authority, and of course, Dr. Navarro, the clinical dean with a permanent RBF and a moral compass sharp enough to pierce armor.They played the audio clip again—me and Liana were silent as Miguel and Marco’s voices laughed throu

Chapter 11 – Ghosted By A Ghost HunterMiguel’s POVAng hirap pala kapag ikaw ‘yung kontrabida sa sarili mong love story.I used to be the guy. As in the guy. Liana’s guy. May date nights kami na may cheesy milk tea orders, mga weekend na sabay mag-aalaga ng aso sa shelter, at ‘yung mga tawanan na alam mong hindi scripted—kasi walang punchline, pero tawang-tawa pa rin siya.Tapos ngayon?She laughs like that… pero kay Ramirez.Nakakatawa ‘di ba?Well, hindi ako natatawa.---Nung araw na lumabas ‘yung unedited CCTV clip, akala ko guguho ang mundo ni Liana. But no. May eksenang You’re mine si Ramirez sa lounge, may pa-kape moments sila sa ER, tapos may trauma case pa silang pang-Korean drama.Kulang na lang soundtrack ng Aegis at slow motion rain.Ako? Naiwan sa labas, hawak ang phone, may kuha ng PDA moment nila.Tapos pinagalitan pa ako ni Marco.“Bro,” he said, habang naka-sando at may potato chips crumbs pa sa dibdib. “Medyo… grabe ‘yung ginawa mo.”“Gusto ko lang naman maprotektah

Chapter 10 – Leaked Lines and Loaded LooksAdrian’s POVKung may seminar para sa "How to Explode a Hospital in Five Seconds Without Using a Bomb", si Red Bolas ang honorary speaker. Kasi 'yun ang nangyari matapos niyang i-play ang audio clip sa mismong lobby, sa harap ng interns, nurses, doctors, patients, at 'yung janitor na palaging may chips sa bulsa.The moment narinig ang boses ni Miguel na nagsabing, "Ayusin mo ‘yung pag-edit, Marco. Dapat hindi kita madidiin ha, pero ‘wag mo ring pagandahin masyado si Liana. Gusto ko lang… yung enough para mukhang totoo," napahawak ako sa leeg ko.Not because I couldn’t breathe. But because I felt it—'yung moment na may bubulusok na gulo.“BOOM!” sigaw ni Red, proud na proud sa sarili.The hallway erupted.Literally. Parang may piñata ng tsismis na pinukpok nang sabay-sabay. Gasps, whispers, may ilang napamura. Si Nurse Paula, natawa tapos napaiyak. Si Chief, napahawak sa batok na parang biglang inatake ng high blood.And me?I stood still.Sa

Chapter 9 – This is WarLiana’s POVAng bilis ng balita sa ospital. Minsan mas mabilis pa kaysa sa IV push ng epinephrine.Kagabi lang, nagbibiruan pa kami ni Adrian. Coffee. Feelings. Chismis. Then boom—parang may nag-Fast Track ng scandal naming dalawa. The CCTV footage, raw, unedited, walang subtitles—kumalat online.At hindi ito basta kuha lang sa lounge, ha. HINDI. S’yempre, ang nakuhanan? ‘Yung eksena naming dalawa sa trauma room—yung sinabihan niya ako ng, “You’re the reward.”At si Marco, ang demonyong may tripod sa bulsa, ang nag-leak.Kaya eto ako ngayon. Nakaupo sa admin office, kaharap si Ma’am HR, habang pinapabasa sa’kin ang formal inquiry letter na may subject line na parang teleserye:"Investigation on the Breach of Professional Conduct: Ramirez and Cruz"Hawig ng title ng chapter, diba?“Ms. Cruz,” panimula ni Ma’am HR, habang nagpapalit ng salamin gaya ng plot twist na padating. “We are not saying you’re guilty. But the fact that there is video footage circulating—”

Chapter 8 – Hearts and HeadlinesLiana’s POVAkala ko tapos na ang issue. Na parang sugat lang na kapag tinapalan mo, huhupa rin. Pero hindi pala—may mga sugat na binabalikan ng mga kuko. At ang kuko ng chismis? Manicure na gel polish ang kapit.Pagkagising ko kinabukasan, hindi pa ako nakakakain, hindi pa ako nakakapag-toothbrush—may 46 na notifications na ako sa phone. Group chats. Emails. May tumawag pang intern sa Messenger video call kahit 7:00 AM pa lang.“Uy, may link! Tignan mo ‘to!”Akala ko prank lang. Pero hindi. Isang anonymous na blog post ang trending ngayon sa staff circles. Title?“Love in the Time of CPR: The Forbidden Affair of Dr. Ramirez and Intern Cruz”Sino ‘yung nagsusulat ng ganito? Bakit parang Wattpad kung magsulat, pero may kasamang death wish for my career?Bawat paragraph ay punong-puno ng juicy details—CCTV leak, coffee delivery, trauma room touchy moments, at may bonus pa na may kasamang alleged audio clip daw of Adrian saying “You’re mine.” HUY. PRIVATE

Chapter 7 – Coffee, Chismis, at Complaint FormLiana’s POVMay isang bagay akong natutunan ngayong araw.Ang isang cup ng kape ay may three effects depende sa kung saan ka iinom: Sa lounge – pampagising.Sa labas ng ER – pampakalma.Sa HR office – pampakaba.Unfortunately, ‘yung pangatlo ang nangyari sa’kin ngayon. Nasa harap ko ang HR officer, may clipboard sa kamay at expression na para bang kakasabon lang niya ng intern na sumira ng ECG machine.“Miss Cruz,” sabi niya habang si Adrian ay tahimik lang sa tabi ko. “As you’re aware, this is a preliminary inquiry. You are not yet under disciplinary action, but we have to evaluate the complaint.”Complaint.Aka, ang multo ng CCTV incident—na ngayon ay may bagong ebidensya, salamat sa Marco-is-the-worst-possible-human-being moment kagabi.Nag-blush pa ako habang iniisip ‘yung hawakan-kamay with Adrian, then naalala ko ‘yung flash ng camera, and boom! Realidad.“Someone filed an anonymous report,” dagdag ng HR. “The accusation is that th