Chapter 77

Vivienne sat at her desk, her fingers drumming against the wooden surface. She was staring at her wedding ring, her gaze fixed on the small diamond that sparkled in the dim light. It had been a week since she got engaged to Magnus, and the thought of becoming his wife filled her with a strange mixture of excitement and anxiety. The ring was a constant reminder of the commitment she was about to make. In just a week, she would be his, forever. The reality of it was both thrilling and overwhelming at the same time.

She let out a soft sigh, her mind wandering as she thought about their upcoming wedding. Everything had been arranged. The dress was picked out, the venue was set, and the guest list was finalized. Vivienne felt a sense of calm as she realized that everything was falling into place. But then, her thoughts shifted to her life as a neurosurgeon. It was a career that consumed much of her time and energy, but she loved it. She loved helping people, making a difference in their lives, and doing something meaningful with her skills.

Her phone rang, pulling her out of her daydream. It was a call from the hospital. She quickly picked up, her voice professional as she answered.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Marlowe. The pediatric patient is awake now," the nurse on the other end of the line said.

Vivienne smiled at the news. "Thank you. I’ll be there in a moment," she replied before hanging up the phone.

She pushed her chair back from the desk and stood up. There was no time to linger. As much as she would have liked to continue daydreaming about her wedding, duty called. She grabbed her white coat and headed out of her office, walking briskly down the hallway to the pediatric ward.

The hospital was bustling as usual. Nurses rushed past her, pushing patients in wheelchairs or delivering medications to different departments. Vivienne nodded at a few colleagues as she passed, offering quick smiles of acknowledgment. She reached the pediatric ward and walked inside, where the nurse was waiting by the door.

"She’s in Room 203, Dr. Marlowe," the nurse said, guiding Vivienne to the patient.

Inside the room, Vivienne saw the young girl lying in bed, her small face scrunched in discomfort. She had a bandaged head, and there was a slight bruise on her cheek from where she had fallen earlier. The little girl looked up at Vivienne with wide eyes, her lips quivering slightly. She was scared, but there was also a hint of curiosity in her gaze.

"How are you feeling?" Vivienne asked, her voice soft and soothing.

"My head hurts," the girl whispered, her voice weak. "And I’m hungry. Where’s my mom?"

Vivienne pulled up a chair beside the bed and sat down, her eyes scanning the girl's chart. "Your mom is outside. She’ll be in soon, okay?" she said, offering a reassuring smile. "But right now, we need to make sure you’re comfortable."

The little girl nodded, still looking a little scared but comforted by Vivienne’s calm demeanor. Vivienne gently checked the bandage on her head, making sure it was secure and that no additional swelling had occurred.

"You’re going to be just fine," Vivienne said, her tone filled with warmth. "But you can’t eat any solid food just yet. You need to stick to liquids for now, okay? We don’t want to make that headache worse."

The girl sighed but nodded obediently. "Okay," she mumbled. "But I’m still hungry."

"I know, sweetie. But it won’t be long. Once your head feels better, you can have something to eat," Vivienne promised.

The little girl seemed to accept this, her face lighting up a little at the mention of food. "When will I get a gift?" she asked eagerly.

Vivienne smiled warmly. "When you feel better, I’ll give you a special gift in my office."

The girl’s eyes widened with excitement. "A gift?" she asked, her voice full of hope.

"Yes, a gift for being brave," Vivienne said with a wink, knowing that the promise of a gift would help cheer the little one up. It was a simple gesture, but it always worked.

The girl smiled, her fear starting to fade. "Thank you, pretty doctor!" she said, her voice full of gratitude.

Vivienne laughed softly. "You’re very welcome," she said, brushing a lock of hair from the girl's forehead. "Now, try to rest. Your mom will be in soon."

As Vivienne stood up to leave, she noticed the clock on the wall. It was already 11:03 AM. She had to hurry. Her next appointment was in less than 30 minutes, and she couldn’t afford to be late.

"Alright, I’ll check on you later," Vivienne said, giving the girl one last smile before stepping out of the room. She glanced at the nurse. "Make sure she gets some fluids and stays comfortable."

"Will do, Dr. Marlowe," the nurse said, nodding.

Vivienne walked quickly down the hall and out of the hospital’s main entrance. The day had been moving fast, and she had a lot more ahead of her. As she stepped outside, she took a deep breath, the fresh air helping to clear her mind. She glanced at her watch. She had just enough time to make it to her next engagement.

She made her way to her car, a sleek gray Porsche Panamera. It was a gift from Magnus, and she couldn’t help but feel a rush of gratitude every time she got behind the wheel. The car was luxurious and powerful, just like the man who had given it to her. As she pulled out of the parking lot, her mind wandered back to Magnus. She couldn’t help but think about the wedding, and how everything was finally falling into place. But the closer the day came, the more nervous she became. Was she truly ready for all of this? Was she ready to commit to a life with Magnus? She loved him, of course. But the reality of marriage was daunting.

Vivienne shook her head, trying to push the thoughts aside. She had a job to do. She was a doctor, and that was her focus for now. The wedding would come later.

She arrived at the seminar venue just in time, parking her car and rushing inside. The event was a gathering of top neurosurgeons, and Vivienne had been invited to speak about pediatric neurological disorders. She had been looking forward to this event for months, but now that she was here, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. The crowd was large, and they were all highly accomplished doctors.

Vivienne stepped onto the stage, adjusting the microphone and clearing her throat. She smiled at the audience, trying to calm her nerves. "Good afternoon, everyone," she began. "I’m Dr. Vivienne Marlowe, and today I’ll be discussing some of the latest advancements in pediatric neurosurgery."

As she spoke, she felt the familiar surge of confidence that always came when she was doing what she loved. The words flowed easily, and the audience seemed engaged, nodding along and taking notes. Vivienne had always been good at her job, and this was no different. She was in her element.

When she finished, there was an eruption of applause. She smiled and nodded, grateful for the positive response. It was always nice to receive validation for her hard work. But as the applause died down, a voice from behind her made her freeze in place.

"Dr. Marlowe," the voice said, and Vivienne turned around. She recognized the man immediately.

Dr. Shelton, one of the top neurosurgeons in the country, was standing there with a serious expression on his face. "I just wanted to say that your presentation was exceptional. You’re clearly one of the top professionals in this field."

Vivienne blinked, a little taken aback by the compliment. "Thank you, Dr. Shelton," she said, smiling in appreciation.

He nodded, his expression softening. "It was a pleasure to listen to someone as talented as you. I look forward to seeing your work in the future."

"Thank you again," Vivienne replied, her nerves starting to settle.

As Dr. Shelton walked away, Vivienne couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. She had worked hard to get to this point, and it felt good to be recognized.

But just as she was about to leave, she heard someone call her name. She turned around to find Xavier Harper, one of her childhood friends from the orphanage.

"Vivienne, it’s been so long!" Xavier said, grinning widely. He looked just the same as she remembered, except now he had the confidence of someone who had truly grown into themselves.

Vivienne’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t seen Xavier in years. The last time they had spoken, they were both children, just trying to survive in the world. Now, here he was, standing in front of her as an accomplished adult.

"I can’t believe it’s you!" Vivienne said, her voice filled with surprise.

"I know, right?" Xavier laughed, pulling her into a hug. "I’ve been trying to find you for so long."

Vivienne was still stunned as she pulled away from the hug. "I can’t believe this. How did you find me?"

"I just knew I had to," Xavier said, his eyes full of emotion. "You were always someone special to me, Vivienne."

Vivienne smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest. It had been so long, but seeing him again felt like no time had passed.

"Can we catch up later?" Xavier asked, his tone hopeful. "I’ve missed you."

"I’d love that," Vivienne said, her heart full of emotion.