Chapter 21: Be naked
"Self-medicating? He might be a doctor, but he still needs to take proper care of himself," Patricia said, her voice slightly raised, irritated for reasons she couldn’t quite explain.
Maria stood frozen, unsure how to respond, though she knew Patricia was right.
"Mr. Roman has always done things his own way. Only he can answer that," she finally said, lowering her gaze. It was then that Patricia sighed, calming down enough to dismiss her.
Patricia turned to head back to her room but hesitated at the hallway, glancing toward the stairs, clearly torn. He had already turned her down twice when she kindly offered to help, what if he did it again? She took a step forward, then paused, groaning in frustration. If only she wasn’t so passionate about her work, she wouldn’t care if he was sick or not. He was ungrateful and disrespectful, treating him felt like belittling herself.
But he was still a patient. And she had taken an oath to care for anyone in need of medical attention, regardless of who they were.
Resolving to treat him, whether he wanted it or not, she returned to the kitchen and placed her noodles on the counter. Then, without a second thought, she made her way to his room.
At his door, she knocked.
"Come in," came a low, strained voice from inside. She drew in a deep breath and stepped in.
The room was dimly lit, with only one bulb casting a faint glow. The curtains were wide open, and the cold wind rushed in through the window, brushing against her skin and sending goosebumps across her arms. For someone running a fever, why was he allowing cold air to blow on him?