Episode 3: Healing Wounds and New Threats

Trisha’s office. She’s reading a patient’s file when Matthias enters. This time, he looks more serious than usual.

Matthias: "Dr. Trisha, I need a moment."

Trisha: (without looking up) "If it’s another one of your grand business strategies—"

Matthias: "It’s about your mother."

Trisha immediately stiffens, her eyes darting up to meet his.

Trisha: (sharply) "What about her?"

Matthias: "I heard she was admitted last night. I just wanted to check if there’s anything you need."

Trisha: (narrowing her eyes) "And why would you care?"

Matthias: (firmly) "Because whether you believe it or not, I care about you. And I know what it’s like to feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world alone."

Trisha falters at his words, momentarily speechless. She looks away, pretending to refocus on the file in front of her.

Trisha: (softly) "She’s stable. For now."

Matthias: "And you? Are you stable?"

Trisha: (scoffs, but there’s a hint of a smile) "Don’t play therapist, Mr. Williams. You’re better at spreadsheets than emotions."

Matthias: (grinning) "You’d be surprised. Let me know if you need anything."

He turns to leave but pauses at the door.

Matthias: "And, Trisha? You don’t always have to do this alone."

Later that day, in the hospital boardroom, Matthias is in a heated discussion with a man in his mid-40s—Dr. Raymond Harris, the hospital’s chief of surgery. Dr. Harris is a manipulative and egotistical figure who resents Trisha’s rising prominence.

Dr. Harris: (pacing) "With all due respect, Mr. Williams, this hospital needs stability, not chaos. Dr. Trisha’s reckless behavior might make her a hero in the ER, but it’s jeopardizing the hospital’s reputation."

Matthias: (leaning back, unimpressed) "Reckless? From what I’ve seen, she’s one of the most competent doctors here."

Dr. Harris: (smirking) "Competence doesn’t excuse insubordination. She refuses to follow protocols and undermines authority at every turn. This hospital isn’t a stage for personal drama."

Matthias: (coldly) "What you call ‘drama,’ I call saving lives. If Trisha challenges you, maybe it’s because your ‘protocols’ need re-evaluating."

Dr. Harris: (gritting his teeth) "Mark my words, Mr. Williams. If you let her continue unchecked, it’ll cost us—financially and professionally."

Dr. Harris storms out, leaving Matthias deep in thought.

That evening, Trisha’s mother’s condition worsens. She’s rushed into emergency surgery. Trisha is pacing in the waiting area when Matthias arrives, his expression calm but concerned.

Matthias: "How is she?"

Trisha: (not looking at him) "They’re operating. I don’t know if she’s strong enough."

Her voice cracks, and Matthias steps closer, his presence grounding her.

Matthias: "She’ll pull through. She has you fighting for her."

Trisha: (bitterly) "I’ve been fighting my whole life. For her. For myself. For patients who deserve better than this broken system. I’m tired, Matthias."

Matthias reaches out, his hand brushing her shoulder.

Matthias: "You don’t have to do this alone anymore, Trisha."

Before she can respond, Dr. Harris enters, his tone smug.

Dr. Harris: "Quite the touching scene. But maybe if Dr. Trisha spent more time following proper procedures and less time playing hero, we wouldn’t be in this mess."

Trisha: (whirling around) "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Dr. Harris: (mocking) "I mean that your insistence on handling things your way is what’s causing chaos in this hospital. Perhaps if you listened for once, your patients—and your mother—wouldn’t suffer."

Matthias steps between them, his voice icy.

Matthias: "Enough, Dr. Harris. You’re out of line."

Dr. Harris: (sneering) "Am I? Because last I checked, Mr. Williams, you’re a businessman, not a doctor. Maybe stay in your lane."

Matthias: (smirking) "My lane is ensuring this hospital succeeds. And that starts with supporting people who actually care about patients—unlike you."

Dr. Harris storms out, but his lingering glare promises trouble.

Trisha’s mother’s surgery is successful, but Trisha is emotionally drained. She sits in the hospital garden, staring at the stars. Matthias finds her there.

Matthias: "How’s your mom?"

Trisha: (smiling faintly) "Stable. For now. The surgery went well."

Matthias: (sitting beside her) "And you? How are you holding up?"

Trisha: (exhales deeply) "I don’t know. Everything feels like a battle—at work, at home. I’m tired of fighting."

Matthias: "Then stop trying to fight alone."

Trisha: (looks at him, her voice soft) "Why do you keep showing up for me? What do you want, Matthias?"

Matthias: (meets her gaze) "I don’t want anything. I just… care. More than I probably should."

Trisha looks away, her walls cracking but not fully down.

Trisha: "You’re relentless, you know that?"

Matthias: (smiling) "And you’re stubborn. Guess that makes us even."

They share a quiet laugh. But as they sit together, unseen in the shadows, Dr. Harris watches from a distance, his expression dark and calculating.

The next morning, Trisha is called into a disciplinary meeting. Dr. Harris is leading the charge, presenting fabricated evidence of negligence in one of her recent cases. Matthias arrives mid-meeting, catching the tail end of Dr. Harris’s accusations.

Dr. Harris: "Dr. Trisha’s insubordination and refusal to follow protocol have jeopardized patient safety. I recommend immediate suspension."

Trisha: (furious) "This is absurd! You’re twisting facts to cover your own incompetence."

Matthias: (calm but deadly) "Enough. This meeting is over. Dr. Trisha isn’t going anywhere."

Dr. Harris: (mocking) "Protecting your favorite again, Mr. Williams? How noble."

Matthias: (smirking) "Call it what you want, Harris. But if I find out you’ve falsified even a shred of evidence, you’ll be the one looking for a new job."

Dr. Harris glares but doesn’t argue. He leaves, seething with resentment.

Later that night, Trisha finds Matthias in his office.

Trisha: (quietly) "Thank you… for standing up for me."

Matthias: (looks up, smiling) "Always."

Trisha: (after a pause) "I don’t know if I can trust anyone fully… but maybe I can start trying. With you."

Matthias: (softly) "That’s all I ask."

Their eyes meet, a silent promise passing between them. But as the camera pans out, Dr. Harris is seen meeting with an unknown figure, plotting his next move against them.

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