Chapter 112: Health vs. Heart

The continuous beep of the heart rate monitor filled the sterile examination room. Olivia perched at the end of the paper-covered examination table, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her shirt. She'd been here before, but there was something about today that didn't feel quite the same. Dr. Patel walked into the room, her version of warmth etched at the corners of her eyes as she smiled reassuringly at Olivia. "Hello, Olivia. How are you feeling today?" Olivia smiled feebly in return. "I'm ok, I guess. Just literally super exhausted." Dr. Patel glanced down at the chart in her hands, her brow furrowing slightly. "I see your blood pressure's up again. CORT levels are not where I would want them. Have you been feeling more stressed lately?" Olivia gave a laugh without humor. "You could say that." He pulled up a stool, sat down, and turned to face Olivia squarely. "Talk to me. What's going on?" For a second, Olivia almost thought to brush it off and spit out some generic repl