Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

Fiona strolled towards the hospital with a relaxed, almost lazy gait. As she waited silently for the elevator, it seemed stuck on the seventeenth floor, taking its sweet time. Just as the doors finally slid open and she was about to step in, a commotion erupted behind her. "Clear the way! Everyone, move aside!"noveldrama

A flurry of doctors and nurses charged in, wheeling a stretcher at breakneck speed. The man on it was in a dire state, his face a deep shade of purple as if he couldn't breathe at all-a severe case of respiratory failure. With the emergency elevator jammed on the ninth floor, the medical team had no choice but to use the regular elevator.

Fiona instinctively stepped aside, casting a quick glance at the man on the stretcher, her brow furrowing. The lead doctor, a woman, barked out orders urgently, "Get the Anesthesiology and Emergency Department ready, we need to intubate ASAP!" Intubate? Fiona's frown deepened. Just as the elevator doors were about to close, she hesitated, then boldly stepped inside. The space was already cramped with the stretcher and medical staff, and her sudden appearance caught everyone off guard. "Miss, can't you see we're trying to save a life here?" the female doctor snapped. "What's so hard about waiting for the next elevator?!"

Working in a hospital, they were used to all sorts of people, but those who seemed indifferent or obstructive were the ones they loathed the most. The nurses shot Fiona looks of disdain, silently wishing that if she ever needed help, others would treat her the same way- unhelpful and obstructive.

Fiona didn't let their reactions faze her. She focused on the man on the stretcher, intent on checking his pulse. The female doctor, however, shoved her aside, exasperated. "Can you just stop interfering?! The patient is critical and could suffocate at any moment!"

With the elevator inching upwards,

the female doctor clenched her jaw. Time was running out. "I'll do the intubation myself!" she declared, pulling out her tools. Though not an anesthesiologist, she knew enough to proceed.

"You can't intubate him; it'll make things worse," Fiona interjected, having assessed the man's condition. "His lungs are bleeding heavily. Intubating will only make him worse and might even kill him."

The female doctor paused, giving

Fiona a once-over. Seeing her youthful appearance, she dismissed Fiona's warning with a hint of scorn. Fiona's earlier intrusion into the elevator hadn't exactly endeared her to anyone either.

"What do you know?" the doctor shot back, not bothering to meet Fiona's eyes. "Who's the doctor here, you or me? If he doesn't make it, it's on me, not you!"

Convinced she was dealing with an overly confident amateur, she proceeded to instruct the nurses to restrain the man's limbs and began the intubation. They all ignored Fiona, treating her like she was invisible and a nuisance.

The doctor inserted the tube into the man's mouth, believing the procedure complete. Fiona crossed her arms, a resigned sigh escaping her lips. What could've been resolved swiftly was now a complicated mess.

The doctor watched the man

closely. His complexion seemed to improve, no longer ashen. Relieved she relaxed, a smile tugging at her lips as the young nurses praised her deftness. Her gaze flicked to Fiona, tinged with derision. What did this gid think she knew about saving lives?

But before she could revel in her success, the man suddenly coughed up a massive mouthful of blood, his body convulsing violently.