Chapter 26

Vien frowned as her hand reached out to something warm beside her. She instinctively moved closer, snuggling into it, her breathing steady even as confusion flickered in her mind. Slowly opening her eyes, her hand continued to explore, and she froze when she realized what—or rather, who—she was touching. Her fingers were resting on Gabriela's abdomen.

Her breath hitched as she sat up abruptly, her cheeks heating. Blair was now curled up on Gabriela's other side, hugging her arm tightly. "Did she move in her sleep?" Vien muttered under her breath, watching her daughter cling to Gabriela like it was the most natural thing in the world.

She glanced at Gabriela, her face growing even warmer at the sight of her sleeping peacefully. Clutching her chest, she tried to steady her heartbeat, which had suddenly decided to race uncontrollably. With a quiet huff, she reached out to move Gabriela's arm from her side, attempting to lay down again. But before she could settle, a sudden tug sent her tumbling forward, her forehead bumping against Gabriela's chest.

"What the—" Vien hissed softly, glancing up with a glare. "You're awake?"

Gabriela chuckled, her eyes still closed as she pulled Vien closer. "It's so early, and yet here you are, grumpy," she teased, her voice laced with drowsy amusement.

Vien swatted at her shoulder, her movements careful not to disturb Blair. "Let me go," she whispered, her tone low and measured.

"Don't want to," Gabriela murmured, tightening her hold, a playful smirk tugging at her lips.

Vien groaned, pulling the blanket over her face in frustration. "You're impossible," she mumbled, her voice muffled but tinged with embarrassment. Gabriela's soft chuckle reached her ears as a hand began tracing gentle circles on her shoulder, the soothing touch gradually easing her nerves.

Letting out a resigned sigh, Vien lowered the blanket and shifted closer, reluctantly resting her head against Gabriela's shoulder. "Don't tease me after this," she warned, her voice soft yet firm.

Gabriela clicked her tongue in mock defiance, though her expression softened as she felt Vien's arm slip around her back. She bit her lip, failing miserably to suppress a grin. Can I wake up like this every day? she wondered, her heart swelling at the sight of Vien nestled against her and Blair clutching her arm as if refusing to let go.

This feels perfect, Gabriela thought, stroking Vien's shoulder in calming circles.

A soft knock echoed before the door to the familiar office of the BioSynthix Medical Group creaked open. Vien nodded politely as she entered, making her way to the desk where her physician, William Pierce, was waiting.

"Good morning, Doctor Pierce," Vien greeted, her breath catching slightly as she caught sight of the Pierce siblings' father—William Pierce, a renowned physician and the president of the medical group.

"Doctor Briar," William greeted her warmly with a gentle smile. He gestured for her to sit in the chair in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat," he said, his tone reassuring.

"I'm sorry for reaching out to you, Doctor Pierce. I know you're the president, but—"

"There's no need to apologize, Vien," William interrupted, shaking his head with a smile. "Above all, I'm glad you came to me. After all, you're not just my colleague—you're family. My daughter-in-law's twin sister. You're no stranger."

Vien nodded, feeling a little relieved but still anxious. "So, doctor, about the results?" she asked, her grip tightening on her shoulder bag.

William opened a folder and flipped it open. "You mentioned you've been taking painkillers for the discomfort you've been experiencing. The pain's been ongoing for a few months, though it's not constant, right?" he asked, scanning the document in front of him. He looked up at her and then leaned forward, his gaze examining her carefully.

"From the looks of it, you've lost some weight, Vien," he noted with a faint smile, his concern palpable. "The test results are back." He paused, gauging her reaction.

"Your white blood cell count is elevated compared to the normal range for women your age," he continued. "The same goes for your C-reactive protein."

Vien sucked in a breath, her nervousness intensifying. "Your urine test came back clean—you don't have a UTI," William explained. "The results overall are clear, but..." He paused, his expression serious as he clicked his tongue, pulling out another document.

"This is where the issue lies," he said, pointing to an imaging scan. "The pain you've been experiencing doesn't appear to be severe based on your description, but we still need to monitor if it worsens."

Vien felt her heart race. "What if the pain doesn't subside?" she asked, leaning forward. "Do I need surgery or something?"

William exhaled slowly. "If the antibiotics don't help, we'll have to consider either surgery or a non-invasive option—though the latter would only be viable if the situation doesn't worsen." He shuffled the papers in front of him. "I'll refer you for additional testing to make sure there are no underlying issues beyond what we've already identified. For now, focus on reducing your stress, and keep track of any other symptoms you might notice."

Vien pressed her lips together, shutting her eyes briefly. "I can still operate, right? I mean, I can still accept surgery patients? This doesn't make me... disabled, does it?"

William raised a calming hand, guiding her into a deep breath. "Vien, breathe," he said softly. "Of course, you can continue your normal life. You're a vital part of the hospital. That's why I need you to take care of your health. You've been dealing with this pain for months and only just got checked. Right now, we need to monitor your condition with more tests. But you can still work as a surgeon," he reassured her gently.

Vien nodded, still clutching her hands together. "Thank you, Doc," she whispered, finding comfort in his words.

William smiled. "If the infection and inflammation in your organ stabilize with the medication, you won't need surgery. Just make sure to manage your stress—it could trigger the symptoms if you don't keep it in check," he advised.

Later, Vien found herself sitting on a bench in the hospital, rubbing her temple and leaning her head back, trying to process the information. She let out a small chuckle, half from relief, half from disbelief.

"Vien," a familiar voice called out, drawing her attention. She opened her eyes to see Harriet standing there, watching her.

"If it isn't the ever-occupied Director Harriet Pierce," Vien teased, rolling her eyes.

Harriet clicked her tongue as she took a seat beside her. "It's your day off, and yet here you are. Did you miss the hospital or something?" she asked, chuckling.

"How about you?" Vien shot back. "Aren't you supposed to be with Zoey right now? You two are basically glued together every lunch hour."

Harriet laughed softly. "Zoey's on leave. You know she's pregnant, right? I asked her to take some time off from the Pharmaceutical department."

"Figures," Vien said, crossing her arms with a sigh.

Harriet eyed her with a knowing look. "So, what are you doing here? Annual physical exam?" she asked.

Vien chuckled, showing Harriet the results. "Just picking up my test results."

Harriet leaned in, her eyes widening with concern as she scanned the results. "Don't you dare tell Vera about this," Vien warned in a low voice. "I swear, I'll kill you with my scalpel if this gets out."

Harriet scoffed playfully. "Why do you keep everything from your twin? You still haven't told her why you got your divorce," she pointed out.

"Because that's my business, not hers," Vien replied firmly. "Besides, I've already hurt Vera enough. I don't need to add more conflict."

"Do you think this is some sort of karma?" Vien laughed bitterly. "Maybe karma's getting back at me for everything I've done."

Harriet patted her head sympathetically. "Stop saying that. If the medication works, you'll be fine. You don't need to lose hope. We have some of the best experts here at the hospital, so you're in good hands."

Vien clicked her tongue, tucking the results back into her bag. "But I have a daughter, Harriet. She depends on me. If this gets worse, no one will be there for her."

"That's all the more reason you need to take care of yourself," Harriet reminded her. "Stop sulking. You're strong, and I know you can get through this."

Vien exhaled deeply as she stood up. "Whatever. Just don't tell anyone about this, Harriet," she warned. "I swear, I don't care if you're a Pierce, I'll kill you if you spill this."

Harriet laughed and shook her head. "Fine, do what you want," she teased. "But seriously, Vien, look at all the progress you've made this past year. You'll get through this, too."

Vien waved her hand dismissively, chuckling softly. "Yeah, yeah. I'll take care of it. Anyway, I have to go. Mother duties, you know?" she said, a small smile tugging at her lips.