The clock struck almost 8 p.m. when Alexander left the hospital. The city was quiet, with only the occasional sound of a distant car breaking the silence. He adjusted his backpack, feeling the weight of the day on his shoulders, and began walking towards his apartment. It was a route he enjoyed taking on foot, a way to unwind and reflect.
Alexander was a young surgeon, only 28 years old, but he had already achieved much in his career. Since childhood, he had dreamed of becoming a doctor. His mother, Jenny, had always encouraged him despite the difficulties they faced. Jenny had passed away ten years ago, a victim of kidney disease that could not be treated in time. Losing his mother was a heavy blow, but it also motivated him to study hard to become a competent surgeon capable of saving lives like his mother’s.
As he walked, Alexander fondly recalled Jenny and the dream she helped cultivate in him. This memory made him notice a small figure sitting on the sidewalk of a park. He approached and saw a girl of about nine years old, crying and holding her arm with a pained expression. His medical instincts kicked in.
“Hi, my name is Alexander. Are you hurt?” he asked, kneeling next to the girl.
“My arm hurts a lot,” replied the girl between sobs. “I’m Alice.”
Alexander quickly examined Alice’s arm and realized it was broken. He knew he needed to act fast. “I’m going to take you to the hospital, Alice. Is that okay?”
Alice nodded, and Alexander carefully carried her to his car. The hospital was only a few blocks away, but the trip seemed like an eternity for Alice, who held her arm tightly.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Alexander took Alice to the emergency room and requested an X-ray. While they waited, he tried to calm the girl by telling stories of when he was young. The X-ray confirmed his suspicions: the arm was broken and needed surgery.
The chief surgeon, Mr. Maurice, was not present, putting Alexander in a delicate position. He knew the surgery was relatively simple, but without Maurice’s permission, there could be consequences. However, seeing Alice’s pain and remembering his promise to help those in need, Alexander decided to proceed. “We will do this together, Alice. I promise you will be okay,” he said, trying to comfort the girl.
The surgery was quick and smooth. Alexander opted for local anesthesia to minimize the risks, and the operation was successful. With her arm immobilized and in a cast, Alice was finally able to relax. However, Alexander knew Alice’s situation was complicated; she had not paid for the surgery and had not completed all the necessary exams.
“Alice, I need to take you home now. You can’t stay in the hospital,” he explained.
“But I need to go back to my house. My mom must be worried,” said Alice with tears in her eyes.
“We’ll sort this out together, okay?” replied Alexander.
Back at the apartment, Alexander tried to find out more about where Alice lived, but the pain and trauma of the accident made it difficult for her to remember any useful details. “Don’t worry, Alice. Let’s rest now. We’ll sort everything out tomorrow,” he said, covering her with a blanket on the sofa.
As Alice fell asleep, Alexander sat in his armchair, exhausted. His thoughts were confused, mixed between concern for Alice and the possible repercussions of his actions at the hospital.
The sun had barely risen when Alexander got up. He made a quick coffee and checked on Alice, who was still sleeping. He wrote a simple note explaining that he had to go to work and would be back soon, leaving the TV and some snacks within her reach.
Upon arriving at the hospital, a nurse approached him quickly. “Dr. Alexander, Mr. Maurice wants to see you immediately in his office.”
With a tight chest, Alexander went to the chief surgeon’s office. “Sit down, Alexander,” ordered Maurice without preamble. “I’ve heard some disturbing rumors. They say you performed unauthorized surgery on a child last night.”
Alexander took a deep breath. “Yes, sir. The situation was urgent. The girl, Alice, had a broken arm and needed immediate intervention. You were unavailable, and I decided to operate.”
Maurice sighed, rubbing his temples. “I understand your intentions, Alexander, but there are protocols to follow. Your action put the hospital at risk. I cannot ignore that.”
“I understand, sir. I did what I thought was right. I am willing to accept the consequences.”
Maurice observed him for a long moment. “Alexander, you are one of our best surgeons, but we need to maintain order. You are fired.”
Those words fell like a heavy blow. Alexander stood up slowly, feeling desolation take over. Without saying anything else, he left Maurice’s office.
Back at the apartment, Alexander found Alice still sleeping. He let out a heavy sigh, trying to process the day’s events. He decided to turn on the TV to distract himself. As he changed channels, a news report caught his attention. A report about a missing child was being broadcast, and Alice’s photo appeared on the screen. Alexander’s heart raced.
“Alice… it can only be her on TV!” he murmured to himself, increasing the volume. The reporter described Alice’s disappearance and showed images of her mother, Victoria, desperate for information. A phone number for contact was on the screen. Without hesitation, Alexander dialed the number.
“Hello?” answered a female voice, laden with anxiety.
“Hello, my name is Alexander. I am with Alice, the girl you are looking for. She is safe and well.”
The voice on the other end was silent for a moment before Victoria spoke again. “Where is she? Can I see her?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“Yes, of course. I will give you the address. But please, come calmly. Alice is a bit scared.”
After hanging up, Alexander looked at Alice still sleeping. He took his cell phone and, carefully not to wake her, took a picture of her sleeping. He sent the photo to Victoria along with a brief message: “Here is Alice. She is safe and well. I will wait for you at the address I provided.”
Minutes passed, but for Alexander, they seemed like hours. Then the silence was broken by the insistent sound of the doorbell. Alexander went to the door and opened it cautiously, expecting to see Victoria. However, besides Victoria, two police officers were present with serious expressions.
“Are you Alexander?” asked one of the officers.
“Yes, that’s me,” Alexander replied, feeling a chill down his spine.
“We need to talk. Can you come with us, please?” said the other officer, already pulling out handcuffs.
Victoria, with tear-filled eyes, looked directly at Alexander. “Where is my daughter?”
Before Alexander could respond, the officers handcuffed him. “Wait! Alice is here. She’s fine. I just helped her.”
The officers kept their serious expressions as they entered the apartment. “Ma’am, can you show us where the girl is?” one asked Victoria.
Victoria nodded and led the officers to the guest room. Alice was lying on the bed with her arm in a cast. “She’s okay,” murmured Victoria, looking at the officers.
The officers checked on Alice, who was waking up. “Sir,” one officer said to Alexander, “it seems there has been a misunderstanding. Let’s clarify this.”
With a sigh of relief, Alexander began to explain how he found Alice, took her to the hospital, and performed the surgery. Victoria listened attentively, and as he recounted the events, her expression softened.
Alice, now fully awake, ran to her mother. “Mom, Uncle Alexander helped me. I hurt my arm, and he took me to the hospital. He performed surgery and took care of me,” she explained.
“Ma’am,” one of the officers said to Victoria, “it seems there really was a misunderstanding.” With that, they released Alexander.
“I’m sorry for all this, Alexander. I was desperate and thought the worst,” said Victoria, with tears in her eyes.
“I understand, Victoria. The important thing is that Alice is safe.”
Victoria looked at Alexander with concern. “But what about you? What happened at the hospital after you helped Alice?”
Alexander sighed. “I was fired for performing the surgery without authorization. Maurice thought I disrespected the protocols. But I would do it all over again if it meant helping Alice.”
Victoria was silent for a moment, then a determined expression appeared on her face. “Don’t worry, Alexander. Tomorrow morning, we will go to the hospital to resolve this.”
The following morning, they went straight to Maurice’s office. “Alexander, what are you doing here?” Maurice asked, visibly irritated. “I already fired you.”
Before Alexander could respond, Victoria intervened. “Mr. Maurice, we need to talk. This man saved my daughter’s life.”
Maurice looked at Victoria, confused. “And you are?”
“I am Victoria Guzman, daughter of Oscar Guzman, the owner of this hospital,” she replied firmly.
Maurice was visibly surprised. Alexander, for his part, was in shock.
“Alexander does not deserve to be fired for doing the right thing,” Victoria continued. “I will speak to my father about this. Alexander should not only be reinstated but also recognized for his quick and decisive action.”
Maurice remained silent, knowing he had little to argue.
While waiting in the corridor, the presence of Oscar Guzman was immediately noticed. He arrived with an air of authority. “Victoria, what is happening here?”
“Father, this is Dr. Alexander. He saved Alice’s life. Maurice fired him for acting quickly in an emergency. We need to correct this injustice,” Victoria explained.
Oscar looked at Alexander. “Dr. Alexander, tell me exactly what happened.”
Alexander repeated the story. Oscar listened attentively. “Maurice, is this true?” Oscar asked, turning to the chief surgeon.
Maurice nodded, visibly uncomfortable. “Yes, Mr. Guzman. But I was following the hospital’s protocols.”
Oscar pondered for a moment. “Maurice, I appreciate your commitment to the protocols, but in emergency cases, we need to be flexible. Dr. Alexander acted correctly. You are fired for not recognizing this. Dr. Alexander, from now on, you will be the new chief of surgery.”
Alexander was stunned. “Sir, I… I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”
Victoria smiled, satisfied. As they left the office, she looked at him with a gentle smile. “You deserved this, Alexander. And I am here to help with whatever is needed.”
The days following were marked by significant changes. The news of his appointment spread quickly. However, it was the constant presence of Victoria and Alice that marked the greatest transformation. Alexander and Victoria began spending more time together, their work meetings soon turning into moments of camaraderie and friendship.
Victoria was an intelligent and determined woman. She admired Alexander not only for his skill but also for his compassion. He, in turn, found in Victoria a formidable ally. The friendship between them began to deepen. Alice, for her part, was delighted with Alexander’s constant presence. He became a paternal figure in her life.
One day, during a walk in the park, Alice held Alexander’s hand. Victoria watched, a comforting warmth in her heart. The dynamic between them was becoming increasingly familiar, almost like a real family.
The feelings between Alexander and Victoria were becoming increasingly deep. There was a special connection that went beyond friendship. One night, while they were having dinner, Alexander decided it was the right moment. After dinner, while Alice was busy with her drawings, Alexander and Victoria sat on the porch.
“Victoria, I want to talk about something that has been very important to me,” Alexander began, holding her hand. “Since I came into your lives, I have felt something I had never felt before. You have become my family. Victoria, I love you. I love Alice. And I want us to be a real family.”
Victoria looked at him, her eyes shining with emotion. She smiled broadly. “Alexander, I love you too. And there’s nothing I want more than to be with you.” They kissed, sealing the beginning of a new stage in their lives. Alice, who had been watching from a distance, ran to them with a huge smile. “Uncle Alexander, are you going to be ours for real now?”
“Yes, Alice. Now we are a real family,” Alexander replied, lifting her in his arms.
From that moment on, their relationship blossomed even more. They shared not only personal life but also a solid partnership at the hospital. Alexander was increasingly respected and admired by his colleagues. Meanwhile, Alice was delighted with the idea of Alexander becoming a permanent part of her life.
Months after their engagement, Alexander and Victoria’s wedding day arrived, bringing with it a mix of emotion, nervousness, and joy. The ceremony was held outdoors in an enchanting garden. Victoria, in her stunning wedding dress, looked like a dream. Alexander’s eyes filled with tears as he saw her walking down the aisle. The officiant spoke about love, strength, and resilience, reflecting their journey.
The months after the wedding were filled with happiness. Then one day, Victoria began to notice some changes in her body. She took a pregnancy test. With a racing heart, she waited. When the result appeared, her eyes filled with tears of joy.
She ran to find Alexander. “Alexander, I have incredible news! I’m pregnant!”
He hugged her tightly, a wave of happiness and gratitude washing over him. When they shared the news with Alice, her reaction was pure euphoria. “I’m going to be a big sister!” she shouted, jumping with joy.
Finally, the day arrived. After a few hours of tense and emotional waiting, the baby was born. A beautiful, healthy boy. When Alexander and Victoria held their son for the first time, they felt an indescribable joy. “Welcome to the world, Arthur,” Alexander said, tears of happiness in his eyes.
Alice entered the room and looked with admiration at her brother. “He is perfect,” she whispered.
The new family, now with an additional member, was complete. The joy and gratitude they felt were immense. Alexander, Victoria, Alice, and Arthur had a bright future ahead, full of love, adventures, and unforgettable moments.