Two months later.
The sun had barely risen when Hudson entered the hospital lobby. The place smelled faintly of antiseptic, coffee and linen—a familiar scent that usually soothed him. Today, it made his chest tighten. Rumors had already spread like wildfire: a new owner, generous, influential, and—according to every hushed whisper—devastatingly handsome.
The hospital had been bought overnight by an influential benefactor. Generous beyond reason, the new owner had increased salaries, added more staff, extended hours, and donated funds for a new building and more beds. The hospital’s operations had suddenly become smoother, more humane, more alive. Efficiency, care and mercy—all enhanced under one hand. This man certainly piqued Hudson’s interest.
The director, flustered and polite, had a
