Chapter 39

Damien's voice rang out clearly across the hallway—loud enough that no one could miss it. But even as he spoke, Celeste caught the flicker of resentment buried in his eyes. The doctor had no choice but to relent at this point. "In that case, I'll wait another ten minutes." His earlier protest had dissolved into silent submission. Celeste's lips curled into a faint, cold smile. Moments like these reminded her of a bitter truth—everything was meaningless when it came to power and status. She stepped aside, lowering her gaze to check her phone. Eight minutes left. Almost there. Across the hallway, Adrian had walked off to take a call. Her eyes followed him for a moment. These past few weeks, they'd crossed paths more and more. And lately… she'd begun noticing things. She didn't realize Damien had been watching her all along, seated at the edge of the corridor, quietly observing. And he had noticed where her attention lingered. His hands clenched into tight fists just as he made