Chapter 0037
Aria’s POV
+25 BONUS
Aria knew enough about Caleb, the war hero, to know that this group were his children and their spouses. I’d never interacted with them. They’d always kept a wide berth from me, but we’d seen each other at parties. Granted, it was from across the room, but we still recognized each other.
Caleb, I’d only met once, when Lucian visited him in his own home three years ago. Even then, the man had been too frail to rise from his own bed.
“I’ve lived a good life,” he had told Lucian then. “But I’m ready for the next one.”
“Hopefully we have many more years with you, my friend, Lucian had said kindly.
“My friends are waiting.” Caleb had said, lightly shaking his head. “My mate… she’s already there.”
I’d been expecting this inevitability for some time now. No one cheated death, not even a war hero. Especially one who was ready to leave this life for the next.
Yet, with the dour looks on the faces of Caleb’s children, I was convinced they weren’t here to ask Dr. A to help ease their father’s transition.
“She has the power to save him,” the oldest son – Montgomery–said. “She has the medicine that extends life. If she gave it to him, he could live.”
When I had met Caleb the first time, I had considered it then, but I’d stepped away from being Dr. A at that time, largely in part because of that medicine and how much trouble it brought me.
Besides, Caleb had seemed so sure, so determined to step into the next life and be with his wife again. I had thought, at that time, if I had asked him if he wanted the medicine, he would have turned me down.
Three years was a long time though, and death was never easy to face. Perhaps he had changed his mind.
“Has he been brought here?” I asked. “I’m sure the doctor would like to inspect him. If he desires the medicine, surely he can advocate for himself.”
“He can’t,” Cathy said. “He’s been in the coma ward for three months.”
Ah. That did make things more difficult, then.
“The Healers stabilized him for a time, but his health has taken a turn as of late,” said one of the daughters, Christie. Dangling diamond earrings hung from her ears, sparkling in the fluorescent hospital lights overhead. She seemed exceedingly out of place here. Those earrings alone could have paid for most of the treatments the commoners on the first floor were being denied right at this moment.
“His Healers say, without this treatment, he doesn’t have long for this world,” Montgomery added.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“There need not be any sympathy if Dr. A does her job and administers the medicine that extends life,” Christie continued, casting a glare at Piper disguised as Dr. A in the back of the room.
The poor girl hadn’t signed up for this.
Somedays I wished I had never discovered the medicine that could extend life. It might have been a medical marvel, but the personal costs had been startling. People were willing to kill for this medicine. No price was too high
Chapter 0037
+25 BONUS
Everyo
wanted to play at being a god, extending lives here and there. But there wasn’t enough for everyone. The ingredients were so rare, that a vial took months to concoct. No one had the patience to wait, not when they were on the edge of death’s door.
This led to resentment and even hate to Dr. A. In those last years before my disappearance, I’d received many death threats in the form of letters and phone calls. Some even threatened Cathy, as my friend, since they did not know my identity.
Those had been dark days, and the reason I had given up on my dreams of being a Healer, even an anonymous one. Because of that break, however, I was able to meet and fall in love with Lucian.
