Chapter four: A man undone by curiousity

Seraphina spent the next seven days right inside the laboratory.

She had Amelia bring his medicine because she couldn’t pause anytime, she was having important research work.

She only stepped out to take her bath, have short prayers, eat small meals then return to continue for the seven days.

Damien was much better now because she had changed his medicine after some discovery at the lab and even upgraded his meal into some healthy medicinal ones.

She took a full course on food medicine when she expanded her research of totally making a heart regenerate itself, and it was a part of her treatment plan.

In fact, the pains he felt were much faint now and his paleness was lost within days of treatment.

Damien hadn’t stopped asking after her since she didn’t show up at his side.

Today, when he was done using taking his medications,

Damien set the glass down slowly.

“Dr. St. Claire still hasn’t left the laboratory?”

Damien asked.

“Dr. St. Claire has barely left the laboratory all week.” Amelia hesitated briefly. “She’s rebuilding your treatment plan from scratch.

She had been working closely by his side in the past eighteen months but he never really cared about her like this.

Damien closed the file in his hands.

“Prepare the car.” Damien said. “I’ll go there myself.”

Damien said.

“Alright sir” Amelia said and walked out.

Since learning the full weight of what she had walked into, Damien had quietly resolved to make things easier for her — in whatever small ways he could.

As soon as she left, he went back to reviewing documents he had by his bed side.

A ton of document he still had to go through.

Seraphina had just found out three possible poisons that have the kind of effect on Cardiac tissue degeneration.

After documentation, she stepped into the change room and changed from the protective gear before stepping out.

Her phone buzzed,

It was her college friend, Harrison,

A faint smile finally appeared on Seraphina’s face.

“Harry.”

“You’re finally answering your phone.” Harrison said laughing softly. “I was starting to think California swallowed you whole.”

“I got buried in work.” She said rubbing her forehead tiredly.

“Dinner tonight, No excuses this time.” Harrison said.

“Sure” Seraphina said.

She walked to the streets to catch a taxi as soon as she received the location.

Minutes after she left, four black cars pulled up outside the research facility.

The security men having recognized Cassian opened the gate to them.

The moment the cars were parked, Damien alighted walking towards the door and as he reached the main door, it was locked.

“There seems to be no one here Sir Laurent!” Cassian said.

“Call me the guards” Damien said.

Cassian brought one of the guards with him,

“Where is the doctor who had been here for days?” Damien asked.

“Dr. St. Claire left a few minutes ago, Sir.” The guard replied. “She said she wouldn’t be returning to the lab tonight.”

“Call her now, Cassian!” Damien said.

As soon as Cassian dialed the number, she answered almost immediately,

“Mr. Cross?” Seraphina said first.

“Dr. St. Claire, Mr. Laurent came to see you.” Cassian glanced carefully toward Damien.

“But you’d already left.” Cassian said.

“I stepped out for dinner with an old friend, I’ll return to the estate later tonight.”

“Alright!” Cassian ended the call to face his boss’s grim face.

Damien stared out the tinted window silently as the car moved. An unfamiliar irritation settled heavily inside him. She had ignored everyone for seven days yet somehow, she made time for someone else.

Damien released the partition at the backseat of the car. Damien adjusted his cuff slowly.

“Find out where she is.” He said.

Cassian looked back briefly.

“Sir?”

“And who she’s with.” He added. “She’s unfamiliar with Los Angeles.”

Damien’s tone remained indifferent.

“Make sure she’s safe.”

Cocina Deliciosa,9pm

Seraphina arrived at the luxurious restaurant.

As she entered, her presence made people turned their heads.

Her elegance and beauty were considered unmatched.

A handsome man in a blue shirt waved at her smiling, she walked over to him quickly, he helped her pull out the chair, before she sat, they embraced,

Harrison stood immediately when he saw her.

“There you are.”

His eyes softened.

“You look exhausted, Sera.” Harrison said.

“How are Lily and Emma?” Seraphina asked “Still drowning in your schedule?”

“They are fine, my wife was surprised I was suddenly meeting with you after a long time” Harrison said.

“How have you been too, Sera?’ Harrison asked.

Seraphina stirred her coffee quietly.

“I suppose you heard about the engagement scandal.”

Harrison sighed softly.

“I warned you about Adrian years ago, I just hated being right.”

She smiled bitterly.

“I kept convincing myself loyalty was enough.” Seraphina said.

“He called me last night.”

Harrison watched her carefully.

“He sounded like a man losing his mind.”

“I don’t want to talk about Adrian anymore.” Her voice remained calm. “He no longer matters.”

“I think you know all about me, I’m married, I have a kid, I’m part of the best trauma surgeons in California in the state hospital and I’m still your friend, it’s better if you can talk to me about your pain, Sera…” Harrison said gently.

Seraphina’s grip on the glass increased.

Though her face was calm, her eyes showed flashes of pain.

“What do you intend on doing now that you’re in California?” He asked.

“I don’t intend to go back to New York, For the first time in my life, I want to choose my own future.” Seraphina said as she looked toward the city lights quietly.

“And medicine? you’re not planning to disappear from the medical world completely, are you?”

Harrison said.

“I’ll continue operating selectively, but my research comes first now.” Seraphina said.

“Where do you stay currently?” Harrison said.

“I’m currently staying at my patients’ place; I’m currently treating one” Seraphina said.

Harrison raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Mysterious patient?” Harrison said.

“Yeah, let’s have dinner, I’m quite hungry!” Seraphina said.

“Sure, Let’s hang out together often, you spent years carrying everyone else’s expectations and you don’t have to carry this alone too” Harry said gently.

They finished dinner mostly in the comfortable silence of old friends. Harrison offered to drop her off; she thanked him and called a private cab instead.

As the cab carried her back toward the ridge, the evening’s quiet pressed in around her thoughts.

Something had to change.

As the car drove through the glittering streets of Bel Air, Seraphina rested her head lightly against the window.

For years, her life had been shaped by expectations from her family, Adrian and obligations.

But somewhere between betrayal and leaving New York behind something inside her had quietly changed.