His Destructive, Toxic Love

The doctor didn't get into specifics over the phone. His voice was laced with anxiety and helplessness, even tinged with regret. This left her mind racing with all sorts of possibilities. "Take me to Hope Hospital, please," she urged to the driver, her voice tight with worry.

As soon as the taxi pulled up to the hospital entrance, she didn't wait for it to come to a complete stop. She grabbed her purse and the tin of cookies she had baked for Casper and jumped out.

Hope Hospital was bustling with activity today, more so than usual. Staff members were rushing in and out. She had no time to ponder why and made a beeline for Dr. Sanders' office, the doctor overseeing her mother's treatment.

"Dr. Sanders," she called out, her forehead dotted with sweat, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

Dr. Sanders looked up, got to his feet, and led her to the adjacent room. He pursed his lips, looking troubled and apologetic. "Ms. Eliza, your mother's program..."

"What about it? Dr. Sanders, please, just tell me," she pleaded, her voice trembling as she locked eyes with him. Her heart pounded erratically, and her legs felt like jelly.

Dr. Sanders sighed. "You must've seen the commotion when you arrived. The hospital has been acquired, and as a result, the program is temporarily suspended."

Her mother's treatment was at a critical juncture. An interruption now could worsen her condition, maybe even be fatal. Eliza struggled to comprehend the suddenness of it all. Hadn't there been any warnings about this acquisition?

"Dr. Sanders, does the acquisition automatically mean my mom's program has to stop? Isn't there another way? You know how serious her condition is. If the treatment is paused, she might not make it," she said, desperation in her voice.

The doctor knew the stakes better than anyone, but some decisions were out of his hands. "Ms. Eliza, you might want to call Dr. Martin. He's leading this project. Maybe he can find a way to resume it." Aaron. How could she have forgotten Aaron?

Eliza hurried out of the office and called him. He had just heard the news and was already looking for solutions. "Don't worry, I'm heading to the hospital right now. We had no prior warning about this acquisition; it's all so sudden."

"I'll be waiting, Aaron."

"Alright."

Eliza paced nervously between the doctor's office and her mother's lab, clutching her phone. When Aaron finally arrived, looking exhausted but determined, she rushed to meet him.

"Aaron," she called out, relief flooding her voice.

"This acquisition blindsided us, but don't worry, we'll find a solution," he reassured her, his words calming her a little.

Her immediate concern was her mother's condition. "What about my mom's illness?"

"She's still on her medication. Even if

the program is suspended, there's a process we must follow. I'll talk to the team to see if we can delay suspending the research for The most pressing issue is to discuss the situation with the company that bought the hospital," Aaron explained.

Eliza nodded, feeling a flicker of hope. Aaron seemed to be the only one who could navigate this mess. "Thank you, Aaron."

"No need to thank me. Come on, let's go to my office and figure out which company is behind this."

"Okay," she replied, following him into his office.