Chapter 3: Marcus Lyle
601 Words
The morning sun streamed through the tall hospital windows as Yna walked briskly into the surgical wing. Her white coat was crisp, her stethoscope draped around her neck. She carried the same calm focus she always had, but in the back of her mind, the mystery of her parents’ accident lingered like a shadow.
“Good morning, Dr. Blake,” Marcus Lyle said, appearing from around the corner with a folder in hand. His brown eyes sparkled with a mix of admiration and nervousness.
“Morning, Marcus,” Yna replied, giving him a polite nod.
“You’re looking sharp today,” he said, flashing a quick smile.
“Coffee later? Maybe we can… discuss that case from yesterday?”
Yna shook her head gently. “I’m heading straight to rounds. Maybe another time.”
Marcus sighed but didn’t give up. He had been trying for years—through pre-med, med school, and now in the hospital. He admired her brilliance, her dedication, and her unwavering sense of responsibility. But Yna’s heart had always belonged to her work—and to the memory of her parents.
As Yna made her way to the first patient's room, her mind wandered to a memory from university days. She and Marcus had stayed late one night in the lab, studying medical journals and discussing rare diseases. Marcus had been persistent, asking her questions and sharing his own insights.
“You’re incredible, Yna,” he had said back then. “One day, everyone will know it.”
“I just want to make a difference,” she had replied softly. “That’s all.”
Back in the present, she checked the monitors and charts of a young boy recovering from surgery. She spoke gently to the parents, explaining each procedure and what to expect. Her empathy and intelligence shone through, earning nods of gratitude from the anxious family.
After rounds, she retreated to her office to catch up on patient charts. Nina popped her head in.
“Still buried at work, superhero?” Nina teased, holding a sandwich.
“Busy day,” Yna said with a small smile. “But I like it. It keeps my mind sharp.”
“Yeah, but your mind doesn’t need to be sharp just for your job. You need to live a little too,” Nina said, rolling her eyes.
Yna laughed softly. “I’ll try.”
Later that afternoon, Marcus returned, holding a stack of journals he had borrowed from the hospital archives.
“Look what I found,” he said proudly. “Some old medical journals—you might like them.”
Yna raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“I know you’re curious,” Marcus said, grinning. “Maybe they’ll help you with… personal research.”
Yna hesitated for a moment, then took the journals. Something about the leather-bound pages and the delicate handwriting called to her. Among the medical notes and sketches, she spotted a name: Alexander “Xander” Harrington, a wealthy man who had suffered from a chronic illness a hundred years ago.
Her heartbeat quickened. Could this journal hold answers about her parents’ accident? Or maybe something even bigger?
As Yna flipped through the pages, she felt a strange pull, a whisper of destiny she could not yet understand. She glanced at Marcus.
“Thank you,” she said softly, tucking the journal under her arm.
Marcus smiled, oblivious to the weight of what she had just discovered. “Anytime,” he said.
Little did Yna know, this journal would soon change everything she thought she knew about life, love, and time itself.
- Writer
