CHAPTER THIRTY THREE – OVERCONFIDENCE

As he left, Mia raised an eyebrow at Laura. "Paperwork, huh? Is that what they're calling it these days?" Laura felt her cheeks flush. "It's not like that. We were just talking." Mia didn't look convinced. "Uh-huh. Well, whatever it is, be careful. Office gossip spreads fast around here." Laura nodded, grateful for her friend's concern but also feeling a twinge of frustration. Why did everything have to be so complicated? As her shift wound down, Laura found herself lost in thought. The events of the past few days swirled in her mind – her deepening relationship with Dr. Carter, Logan's ominous warnings, the intensity of her work at the hospital. It was a lot to process. She was so distracted that she nearly collided with Dr. Lopez as she rounded a corner. "Watch where you're going, Jay," he snapped, then paused. "Actually, I'm glad I ran into you. I wanted to commend you on your work during the traumas today. You showed excellent skill and composure." Laura blinked in surprise