Andrew didn't tell Mia about the note right away.
It was folded neatly and slipped into his locker, placed so carefully it felt intentional.
Be careful where you look.
Not everything is meant to be found.
No signature.
No explanation.
Just enough to be understood.
He stared at it for a long moment before folding it again and sliding it into his pocket. Reacting would be a mistake. Panicking even more so.
The hospital corridor was unusually quiet that afternoon.
Too quiet.
Andrew was checking vitals in Room 118 when a voice spoke behind him.
"You're new here, right?"
He turned to find a man standing in the doorway—mid-forties, well-dressed, not in scrubs. His ID badge read Administrative Affairs.
"Yes," Andrew replied carefully.
The man smiled. "You're adjusting well. That's good to see."
Andrew nodded, waiting.
"We value staff who focus on their responsibilities," the man continued, his tone warm. "Hospitals can be… overwhelming. Especially for those who ask too many questions."
There it was.
Not a threat.
A suggestion.
"I do my job," Andrew said evenly.
"And we appreciate that," the man replied. "Let's keep it that way."
He left as quietly as he'd arrived.
Andrew's hands clenched around the chart.
By the time he found Mia, she was in the break room, staring at her phone without really looking at it.
"You look like you're about to scream," she said when she saw his face.
"Close," he replied.
They stepped into the empty hallway beside the supply room.
"They spoke to you, didn't they?" Mia asked.
Andrew hesitated—then nodded. "Not officially. Not threatening. Just… reminding me to stay in line."
Her chest tightened. "Because of the erased file?"
"Because we noticed," he said. "That's enough."
Mia looked around instinctively, lowering her voice. "Then we stop, right?"
Andrew searched her face. He could see the fear there—real, justified fear.
But beneath it was something stronger.
Resolve.
"We slow down," he said finally. "We don't stop. And we don't do this alone."
She let out a shaky breath. "I don't want you getting hurt because of me."
He softened. "You're not the reason. You're just the one who didn't look away."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Mia said quietly, "If something happens… we document everything. Outside the system."
Andrew nodded. "I already started."
That made her look at him differently—like she was seeing a deeper layer she hadn't noticed before.
That evening, as Andrew left the hospital, he felt it again.
The eyes.
A car idled across the street. Engine running. Lights off.
It didn't follow him.
It didn't need to.
Inside the hospital, Mia stood at the window, watching him walk away safely.
She didn't know why her chest felt tight.
Only that whatever they had stepped into was no longer just curiosity.
It was personal.
And somewhere behind locked doors and polite smiles, the hospital was paying attention.
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Hey guys I m back.... The whole month had been a hectic with practicals and exams over the head.... I m really sorry but I had already told in the last chapter that I might disappear for a while.