Chapter 151



Third grade.

Belinda had barely turned ten years old at that time.

A child that young, trapped in a dark, confined space with dozens of rats for an entire night.

“What happened after that?” Lucas asked, his voice low and full of raw emotion.

Belinda’s voice trembled slightly as she replied, “Afterward, my mother marched into the school and caused a huge scene. She even threatened to take it to the media. The school was scared of that and expelled those students who locked me there.”

She paused, her eyes distant as the memory resurfaced.

She still remembered how Holley had held her, crying, and even grabbed a knife, ready to confront those people.

Thankfully, her grandmother had stopped Holley before things could get worse.

Belinda exhaled slowly, lifting the blanket and sliding out of bed. “You should try to get some rest,” she said to Lucas in a low voice.

After saying that, she made her way to the balcony and settled into the swing chair there.

Lucas closed his eyes and lay back down, but sleep seemed far away, his thoughts lingering on Belinda’s words earlier.

Half an hour later, Belinda returned to bed, her movements light.

Eventually, Lucas drifted off, but Belinda remained wide awake, the weight of that memory pressing on her mind.

The next day, at work, Belinda couldn’t stop yawning, feeling very sleepy.

“Didn’t sleep well last night?” Darlene asked Belinda after they finished their rounds.

Belinda blinked a few times, startled by the question, and then nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah,” she admitted.

“Make sure to adjust your schedule and get some rest,” Darlene advised, her voice soft but firm. “After a brief pause, she added, “I’ve gathered some case studies on type B aortic dissection surgeries. Come with me later to pick them up.”

Belinda blinked in surprise. She had always thought Darlene didn’t like her, but here Darlene was, going out of her way to help her.

“Thank you, Ms. Mitchell,” Belinda said with a genuine smile.

Darlene’s response was calm, almost measured. “Practice well. You’re part of my team now. Don’t embarrass me when the time comes.”

“Got it,” Belinda replied readily, feeling a surge of gratitude.

After she received the case studies, Belinda skimmed through a few pages, feeling even more appreciative of Darlene’s unexpected support.

Just then, her phone rang. The caller ID made her pause for a moment. With a flicker of hesitation, she answered the call.

It was Holley on the other end of the line, inviting her to lunch at noon. Without asking too many questions, Belinda agreed.

At noon, she drove to the restaurant. When she entered the private room, Holley was already there.

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