The Secretary's Revenge

chapter 2

I stood frozen outside the OR area, my legs feeling like they might give out any second. The words from Dr. Leonardo Hart kept repeating in my head like a nightmare on loop. Marcus was gone. My little brother was really gone.

“What do you mean the surgery failed?” I demanded, my voice cracking as I stared at Victor, my hands clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms. “You told us the heart was a perfect match. You said this was going to save him. What the f**k happened in there?”

Victor looked at me with that calm doctor face, but I caught the flicker in his eyes. Something was off. “I’m truly sorry, Elena. These things can happen even when everything looks right on paper. We did everything possible.”

Everything possible. The words tasted like poison. I wanted to scream, to grab him and shake the truth out. Marcus had been smiling just minutes ago, talking about the beach and our future. Now he was gone, and this man was standing here like it was just another day at work.

Before I could lose it completely, another doctor rushed up to Leonardo, speaking fast. “Dr. Leonardo, Alexander Voss is stable. The team did an amazing job. It’s a miracle he pulled through that accident.”

Victor’s face changed in an instant. The serious mask dropped, replaced by something almost proud. “Excellent news. Tell the team they performed remarkably. Alexander Voss surviving this is truly a miracle.”

My blood turned to ice. Alexander Voss. The billionaire who got rushed in the same night my brother died. The man who apparently got his miracle while Marcus got a body bag. Rage exploded through the grief like gasoline on fire.

“You’ve got to be f*****g kidding me,” I spat, stepping closer to Victor, my voice shaking. “My brother is dead and you’re congratulating some rich asshole for surviving? Did he get Marcus’s heart? Is that the miracle you’re talking about?”

Victor’s eyes narrowed, but he kept his voice smooth and professional. “Miss Ramirez, I understand you’re upset. This is an incredibly difficult time. Alexander Voss was critically injured. We worked hard to save him.”

“Upset?” I laughed, the sound bitter and ugly. “My brother is dead. He was right there ready for his heart, and now he’s gone. And you’re smiling about some billionaire? Tell me the damn truth!”

The hallway felt like it was closing in. Nurses stared. Security glanced our way. Another doctor tried to pull me back gently, but I yanked my arm free. All I could see was Leonardo’s face and the way he had praised the team like they won a prize. My chest felt like it was being crushed.

Victor sighed, glancing around like he didn’t want an audience for this. “I’m sorry for your loss. Truly. But I have other patients who need me right now.”

He started to walk away, but I grabbed his arm hard. “Don’t you dare walk away from me. I want real answers. What really happened to my brother’s heart?”

He pulled free, his expression hardening. “The surgery failed. That’s all I can tell you. Please let the staff do their jobs.”

I watched him walk away, my whole body shaking with grief and pure fury. Something was very wrong here. I could feel it deep in my gut. Marcus was supposed to live today, and instead some billionaire got a miracle while my brother got nothing.

I sank onto a waiting room chair, tears streaming down my face as the reality hit me full force. Marcus was gone. The brother who used to tease me about my terrible cooking. The one who always believed things would get better no matter how bad it got.

Sophia found me there a few minutes later. She pulled me into a tight hug without a word at first, her familiar presence the only thing keeping me from falling apart completely.

“Elena, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears. “I heard what happened. I tried to get into the OR but they locked everything down after the accident.”

I clung to her, sobbing into her shoulder. “He was smiling, Soph. Talking about the beach and how we’d finally be normal again. And now he’s gone. What the hell am I supposed to do without him?”

Sophia rubbed my back, her own eyes wet. “I don’t know. But we’ll get through this together. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

We sat there for what felt like forever as the hospital buzzed around us like nothing had happened. I kept replaying Leonardo’s words about Alexander Voss. The miracle. The survival. It didn’t add up.

Later that night, Sophia drove me away from the hospital. The cool air hit my face through the open window as I tried to breathe through the pain.

“You shouldn’t be alone tonight,” Sophia said quietly. “Stay at my place. We can talk or just sit in silence. Whatever you need.”

I nodded, but my mind was already racing ahead. “Soph, I need to know what really happened in that OR. Something feels wrong about the way Leonardo talked about that billionaire. Like he was happy about it.”

I clung to her, sobbing into her shoulder. “He was smiling, Soph. Talking about the beach and how we’d finally be normal again. And now he’s gone. What the hell am I supposed to do without him?”

Sophia rubbed my back, her own eyes wet. “I don’t know. But we’ll get through this together. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

We sat there for what felt like forever as the hospital buzzed around us like nothing had happened. I kept replaying Victor’s words about Alexander Voss. The miracle. The survival. It didn’t add up.

Later that night, Sophia drove me away from the hospital. The cool air hit my face through the open window as I tried to breathe through the pain.

“You shouldn’t be alone tonight,” Sophia said quietly. “Stay at my place. We can talk or just sit in silence. Whatever you need.”

I nodded, but my mind was already racing ahead. “Soph, I need to know what really happened in that OR. Something feels wrong about the way Victor talked about that billionaire. Like he was happy about it.”

She squeezed my hand. “I’ll help you look into it. Quietly. But tonight you need to grieve. Promise me you’ll try to rest.”

I agreed, but the rage was already building like a storm inside me. Alexander Voss. I was going to find out everything about him and his connection to this hospital. And if he had anything to do with taking my brother’s chance at life, I was going to make sure he paid for it.

The car ride was quiet except for the sound of rain starting to fall. I stared out the window, my reflection looking like a stranger. The girl who had hope this morning was gone. In her place was someone ready to burn everything down to get answers.

**********

Five days had passed since we buried Marcus, and the pain still felt like someone was ripping my chest open every single morning. I stood in front of the mirror in my small apartment, adjusting the simple black blouse with shaking hands, lost in the heavy fog of grief.

My phone buzzed loudly in my bag. I pulled it out and froze, my heart slamming against my ribs as I read the notification.

Voss Global HR: Executive Secretary Position for Alexander Voss – Immediate Start Available. Apply Now.