One morning, Mr. Thorne asked his assistant—not Leo, but one of his secretaries—to bring him a bouquet of flowers. With the bouquet in hand, and with the help of a couple of orderlies, he made his way to Dr. Wallace’s office. He found Zoe there, writing something in a logbook. Under the astonished gazes of Dr. Wallace and Zoe, Mr. Thorne stood at the door, leaning on his cane, and said, — These are for you. He held the bouquet out to Zoe.

  • For saving my life! I will, of course, thank you financially as well, but first, I wanted to express my personal gratitude. Zoe turned red. — Oh, I… thank you, but you don’t have to.
  • Yes, I do, Mr. Thorne smiled. — Thanks to you, I’m alive. Flowers are nothing, but they’re from the heart. Dr. Wallace, realizing anything could happen now, stood up and lightly patted Mr. Thorne on the shoulder. — We all did our best. But yes, Zoe made a crucial contribution, we can’t deny that. I hope that after your recovery, you won’t forget our hospital.
  • Of course not, Mr. Thorne assured him. — I have big plans. I want to help the department purchase new equipment. And… He turned to Zoe.
  • I hear you don’t have your degree. Maybe we can fix that? Zoe was stunned. Dr. Wallace smiled slightly; he had suspected that once Mr. Thorne learned of Zoe’s role, he might want to help with her education. This aligned with his own plans. But just then, the door swung open, and Anna appeared on the threshold. She saw her husband handing flowers to the tech, and a blaze of jealousy ignited within her.
  • What is this circus? she exclaimed, her voice filled with despair. — Geoffrey, you can’t even say a proper thank you to me for sitting here for almost a month, but you’re giving her bouquets? Mr. Thorne turned around. — Anna, calm down. She really did save me. If it weren’t for her, I would have died. As for you… I’m grateful you were here, but this isn’t about you right now.
  • Oh, is that so? Anna clenched her fists. — So the tech is more important than the wife? Don’t make me laugh.
  • She’s not just a tech; she’s an intelligent person who effectively saved my life. Yes, I owe her more than anyone. Mr. Thorne was feeling strong enough now to engage in such conflicts. Anna snorted and took a step forward. — You could at least ask how this makes me feel! I… She wanted to continue, but then, to everyone’s extreme embarrassment, Maria appeared in the hallway. She had heard Mr. Thorne’s voice and came over to say hello, thinking everything was calm. And she came face-to-face with Anna.

A situation unfolded where three women, all connected to Mr. Thorne, were suddenly in the same small office. Anna looked at Maria and saw the fear in her eyes. Anna’s heart clenched. She intuitively knew this must be her. Suspicion flared into certainty. So that’s why Geoffrey’s been acting this way. He has another woman. And this other woman, it seemed, was pregnant. Anna, as a woman, immediately noticed the change in Maria’s figure, the soft, slightly rounded belly she couldn’t completely hide. It’s all clear, she thought with horror.

  • Geoffrey, Anna addressed her husband, trying to maintain her composure, — who is this woman? Maria turned pale. Zoe realized everything was about to come out. Dr. Wallace bit his lip. Here comes the soap opera. Mr. Thorne gripped his cane as if it were a lifeline. He sighed.
  • Anna, I’ll explain everything later.
  • Explain it now, she demanded. — Who is she? And why… Anna’s gaze fell to Maria’s stomach, and her eyes widened. — Don’t tell me… Maria decided there was no point in hiding it. — Yes. I’m pregnant. With your husband’s child. A dead silence fell. Anna staggered back as if she had been struck. The temperature in the office seemed to drop. Mr. Thorne wanted to say something but couldn’t. He knew this was ugly, but there was no other way. Maria decided it was for the best.
  • You… you bastard! Anna lunged at Mr. Thorne as if to hit him. But she stopped at the last moment, seeing how weakly he stood. — I’ve been going out of my mind here, trying to save you, and you… you were cheating, and you got someone pregnant! Mr. Thorne sighed heavily. — Anna, you and I haven’t really been together for a long time. Let’s not make a scene at the hospital.
  • I almost died, and for what? she cried, tears streaming down her face. — You would have been better off dead than embarrassing me like this! What will people say now? Maria remained silent, her head bowed. Zoe felt the situation spiraling out of control and wanted to intervene. But Dr. Wallace quietly placed a hand on her shoulder, signaling her to stay out of it. However, Anna’s gaze shifted to Zoe, and she hissed with hatred, — And you probably knew all about it, sticking your nose in everywhere. You were probably covering for his mistress.
  • Please, Zoe began.
  • Shut up! You were all in on it! Anna screamed, her voice echoing down the hallway. Feeling the conflict escalate, Mr. Thorne tried to sit down on a chair, his legs trembling. Dr. Wallace stepped forward.
  • Ladies and gentlemen, please. This is a hospital. Calm down. We have patients here. Let’s resolve this outside the hospital walls. Anna was breathing heavily, looking at Maria with contempt. — Pregnant, are you? Well, we’ll see how that turns out. I’ll be hiring a lawyer. Geoffrey, don’t even think I’m just going to give you a divorce.
  • I’m not thinking about divorces right now, he said in a hollow voice. — I’m just learning to walk again.
  • You know, Anna hissed, — it would have been better if you had died. It would have been simpler. With those words, she stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind her. Mr. Thorne turned pale, a sharp pain shooting through his chest. Maria rushed to his side.
  • Oh my God, are you okay?
  • I’m fine, he was barely breathing. — It’s okay. Let her scream. Dr. Wallace gestured to the on-duty nurse. — Escort the patient back to his room. Don’t let him get agitated. Then, turning to Maria, he said, — And you, please leave as well. We need to restore order here. Maria obediently helped get Mr. Thorne to the door and left with the nurse. Only Dr. Wallace and Zoe remained. The young woman clutched the bouquet she was still holding and looked at the doctor in bewilderment.
  • What a nightmare.
  • You can say that again, he muttered. — A real soap opera. Well, I hope the patient doesn’t have a relapse from all this drama. And for you, Zoe, some advice: stay far away from their family disputes. Don’t get involved. Otherwise, things will get very bad for you.
  • I’m not getting involved, she sighed. — It just seems to find me.
  • I understand, Wallace softened his tone. — Well, go on. Get some rest. Tomorrow is another day.

Anna’s scandalous outburst became the talk of the hospital. Many pitied Mr. Thorne, who had just recovered from a deadly illness only to face a family crisis. Many sympathized with Anna, who had just learned of her husband’s pregnant mistress. There were also those who supported Maria. But Zoe, once again, found herself at the center of the gossip. She knew and kept it a secret. The young woman found it hard to bear, but Dr. Wallace gave her a couple of days off so she wouldn’t have to cross paths with the patient’s angry wife.

During those two days, Mr. Thorne recovered a bit, and Maria managed to run into Anna in the hallway. Anna gave her a cold, withering look and said, — Congratulations. You can have my husband. Just know that I have rights, property, and lawyers. I won’t stop until I have you both crawling on your knees. Maria wanted to retort but held her tongue, knowing that arguments would solve nothing now. Her baby was growing, and all this stress was bad for her. It was better to gather her strength and wait until Mr. Thorne was able to talk, move, and make his own decisions.

When Zoe returned from her days off, hospital life was getting back to normal, but Mr. Thorne was still there, preparing for discharge. He felt much better, walked confidently with a cane, and discussed his future therapy with the doctors. When he saw Zoe, he smiled apologetically.

  • I’m sorry for all the noise I’ve caused. How are you?
  • I’m fine, she shrugged. — I just want things to calm down.
  • I understand. Listen, he said quietly, — remember I promised to help you with your education? I still intend to do that. I spoke with the Dean at NYU. He said if you can pass a few placement exams to bridge the gap, you can re-enroll as a fourth-year student. I’m prepared to cover the tuition. Zoe’s breath caught in her throat. — Really? I…
  • Don’t refuse. You’ve earned it. Consider it my way of saying thank you. She felt her heart fill with joy and excitement. Her dream was coming true. But a fear lingered—what if something went wrong? What if, after the scandal, Anna blocked his help? Mr. Thorne, seeing her doubt, said, — This is my personal decision. Anna has no right to contest it. It’s my money. I want to help you become a doctor. You deserve it. Zoe’s eyes glistened with tears. — Thank you so much. I promise, I’ll study hard.
  • I know you will, he nodded and smiled. — And in the future, maybe you’ll become one of our best specialists. One who remembers that a simple, human look at the symptoms can sometimes save a life. She nodded, and in that moment, their conversation was filled with genuine warmth. Not a hint of impropriety or intrigue, just a deep respect for one another. A little later, Zoe learned that Dr. Wallace, on his end, was also negotiating with hospital administration to officially transfer her to a position that would allow her to combine work with her studies. It seemed that fate was truly giving her a chance.

The day of Mr. Thorne’s discharge arrived. Waiting for him at the exit were Anna, Leo, and Maria, each with different feelings in their hearts. Anna was still furious over her husband’s betrayal but hoped for at least a civilized end to their relationship. Leo was worried about business and eager to get back to work with his recovered partner. Maria wanted to be by his side but feared a scene and didn’t know if Mr. Thorne would publicly acknowledge her.

Mr. Thorne emerged from the department looking thinner and weaker, but alive, with a fire in his eyes. He slowly walked past the on-duty doctors, shaking Dr. Wallace’s hand with the words, — Thank you to everyone who saved my life. Especially you, Doctor, and your… He hesitated, searching for the right word. — …and Zoe. Dr. Wallace nodded, trying to remain impassive. — All the best. Get well. For tactical reasons, Zoe stood off to the side, not wanting to provoke Anna. But Mr. Thorne noticed her and raised a hand in greeting. She smiled and nodded, mentally wishing him well.

  • Alright, Geoffrey, I’ve got the car. Let’s go, Leo intervened. Anna appeared behind him, glaring at Maria. Mr. Thorne said, — I’ll go to our apartment. Maria, we’ll talk later. I don’t want to make a scene right here. Maria just nodded, understanding that now was not the time to assert herself. But her eyes made it clear she wasn’t going out of his life. Anna remained silent, her face a stone mask. And so they left. One more scandal, one less. Zoe knew that all their family drama would now play out beyond the hospital walls. And though she despised the dishonesty, she was glad that the story of the banker, his money, and his pregnant mistress was finally leaving the hospital. Peace would return to the hallways, and she could sit down with her textbooks, prepare for her exams, and move toward her dream.

Some time passed. Mr. Thorne did, in fact, pay for her tuition. Zoe officially re-enrolled and was once again a student at NYU. She continued to work at the hospital, but now with a new status: a student, a future doctor, with promising prospects. Dr. Wallace supported her, sometimes lending her books and advising her on what to focus on in her studies. Even Dr. Silver would occasionally offer a respectful comment, though he pretended it was all no big deal.

Mr. Thorne’s family matters also resolved themselves somehow. According to rumors, he divorced Anna, paying her a hefty settlement, and she moved abroad. Maria gave birth to a child, and Mr. Thorne acknowledged the baby, buying Maria a house in the suburbs. Maybe they even started living together—that’s not so important to our story. What is important is that he didn’t forget the people who saved him. He donated a significant sum to the hospital for new equipment. A state-of-the-art liver imaging machine now stood proudly in the gastroenterology department, with a small plaque that read: «A gift from G. G. Thorne in gratitude.»

Sometimes, Zoe would walk past that machine and smile, remembering the incredible drama that had unfolded because of one patient. It felt like a lifetime had passed since the moment she burst into the doctors’ lounge and declared her diagnosis. And now she understood that it was at that very moment that her life had taken a new turn. A tech was called to a meeting to be mocked. But when she delivered the correct diagnosis for a dying banker, everyone was stunned.

And it changed the destinies of several people, leading to the end of one marriage and the beginning of a new happiness, to the growth of one young woman’s professional self-worth, and to a re-evaluation of values for several arrogant doctors. And most importantly, it saved a man’s life. If there is justice in this world, it lies in the fact that every compassionate heart, even one wearing a humble tech’s uniform, can perform miracles.