CHAPTER 4

Sirens filled my ears, but sadness had covered every one of my senses.

I could barely recognise my voice.

“Diana, it's mom. We have you.” I could recognise the faint sound of my mother's voice.

Ahhh—

It hurts.

Everywhere burned.

“Mom, they killed her.”

“They took my child.” I sobbed. I wanted to go too.

I wasn't strong enough for this pain as it ate through my every being.

“Mom, please tell them to kill me too.”

***********

It had been three years. I walked through the hallway, my lab coat firmly placed on my body.

“Doctor Amsterdam. The patient on bed five needs your attention.”

“Doctor Amsterdam. The patient has paid fifteen million dollars for the surgery. You are the only one permitted to perform it.”

“Doctor Amsterdam…”

I donned my gloves.

It was amazing how much difference three years could make in the life of a person.

“Administer the local anaesthetic on the patient on bed five. It wouldn't be hard to perform an appendectomy.”

My voice rang out, and the procedure began.

Thirty minutes was enough.

I loved my job.

And I loved helping others even more.

On the main surgery, the quick sense of familiarity hit me.

The patient who had paid fifteen million dollars for a neurological surgery.

“The tumor has gone too far, but it's not too late.” I spoke to my team as we cut open the surgery site.

Yet, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that this person was familiar.

“What's her name?” I asked. One thing my team knew me for was my inability to recall names.

Although my brain was good for other things, it couldn't register the name of people.

“Mrs Rebecca Fitzgerald.”

The scalpel slipped from my hand, and the operating team paused.

“Doctor Amsterdam? Is there a problem?” Someone asked ,breaking the silence.

This was the first time I had done such a thing.

“It's nothing.” I lied, and turned to the nurse, “Please I need another sterilised scalpel. Although the tumor is deep within the brain folds, we should be able to find them.”

I said, hoping to distract them from what had just happened.

“Can I have her history?” I asked again, cutting deeper into the site.

I could already see the tumor, I just had to bring it out.

“She's the mother of Leon Fitzgerald. She has been receiving treatment—”

“It's enough.” I stopped her, and gripped the scalpel tighter.

I had gotten what I needed.

That monster was in this hospital.

I bit down on my lips.

I could stop the surgery, refusing to get involved in his business.

But that would put the life of an innocent person in danger.

“Let's get this over with.” I muttered to no one in particular.

Although my hands shook, I knew I had to be steady.

It was like every part of my body was against me doing such a thing, now that I knew the relationship of this person to Leon Fitzgerald.

A name I had swore to forget.

“Doctor Amsterdam, that's the wrong fold.” Someone's voice jolted me back to reality.

I was going to make a mistake if I kept doing it this way.

From the way my team kept their eyes on me, there was no time to dilly dally.

“I'm sorry about that.” I said under my breath and began to focus.

The faster I finished this surgery, the quicker I could leave.

We stood for ten hours, slowly cutting away and taking out pieces of the brain tumors.

My legs were shaking but those times in the gym were starting to pay off.

“We did it, Doctor Amsterdam. Normally, this surgery would have taken twenty four hours but because of your expertise—”

The words blurred, and I couldn't hear it clearly.

I needed to leave, “Yeah, take care of the rest. I need to take a breather.” With haste, I removed my bloody gloves and rushed out of the room.

I could remember the pain from that night.

The smile on Miranda's face.

Leon's rejection and now he was here— Right in front of me.

And I could only hide away like a coward.

“I hate him so much.” I sighed, staring at my image in the mirror.

“I can't handle this and I don't really want to think anymore.”

I stepped out of the door.

And right in front of the door, was the man I wanted to avoid.

“Diana. Is it you?” Leon stared at me, and disgust filled my entire being.

No! I was not going to do this.

Not right now.

“You have the wrong person.” I said, faking a smile.

I had changed a lot over three years.

After Miranda has broken my skull, I had to undergo surgery, changing my looks, and even dying my hair.

At first, the excuse of a surgery was what I used.

Now, I realised that I just didn't want anything that reminded me of how gullible I was in the past.

A new face, a new life, and a new goal.

And nothing was going to ruin that.

Tearing my face from his gaze, I pointed to another room.

“You should check the waiting room for the person you are looking for.” I said flatly, and turned around.

I could feel his lingering gaze peering into my back.

“Diana! I know it's you.” His voice came again, but I was far gone to care.