The room, once a battleground of authority, now stood silent as the weight of my revelation settled in. Dr. Patrick’s confidence dissolved, leaving him vulnerable and exposed. The nurses, caught between obedience to their superior and the unfolding drama, looked on with wide eyes. My mother, despite the exhaustion etched into her features, managed to muster a faint, yet triumphant, smile.
The Ministry badge felt heavy in my hand, a tangible reminder of the responsibility I carried. It wasn’t just about my mother anymore; it was about every patient who had been overlooked, every family who had been brushed aside in favor of power and politics. I felt the burden of their stories pressing down on my shoulders, emboldening my resolve.
Dr. Patrick swallowed hard, the arrogance that had cloaked him moments ago now replaced by a stammering unease. “I… I didn’t realize. Eliza, I—”
