Chapter 45

• The morning unfolded like any other in the hospital—busy, brisk, and buzzing with quiet urgency. Dr. Charlotte adjusted her mask as she trailed behind Dr. Robert through the echoing hallway. Both of them usually worked with adult cardiac cases, managing complex surgeries and recovery plans that required precision and nerves of steel. But today was different.
• The resident pediatrician was out on emergency leave, and the children’s cardiac ward still needed routine morning rounds. The head nurse, clearly overwhelmed, had asked the two adult specialists for temporary assistance.
• “It’s just a basic check-up, nothing critical,” Dr. Robert had said before they entered the ward. “Vitals, wound dressing, oxygen monitoring—routine stuff until Dr. Singh returns.”