Page 5 of Fixation

“We won’t have to worry about a thing after that…” Su Min exclaimed.

Reina held her hands out. “Can you not see how immoral and wrong this is? He brought us here at gunpoint and is threatening us to work for him.”

“And is making us richer in the process,” Su Min said.

“I agree,” Laila concurred. “I can finally travel the world.” She looked at Reina. “Hey, you’re from Dubai, right?”

“Yes,” Reina replied, wondering how that was relevant in this situation.

“I’ve been wanting to visit someday,” Laila said. “Perhaps after this is over, I can.”

“Don’t you need the money?” Stefan asked Reina.

“Everyone needs money,” Laila scoffed. “Anyone who disagrees is only pretending otherwise.”

She let out an agitated breath. Of the three of them in front of her, Su Min was the only one she called a friend. The others werework acquaintances, and they only spoke a bit during the shifts they had together. Hence, she didn’t know Laila and Stefan all that well. However, since Reina went to Dubai on several of her vacation days, everyone in the hospital knew her family lived there. What they didn’t know was who they were and how rich she was.

Reina stared at them as they revelled in this new stroke of luck and how it would change their lives for good. Thanks to her family background, she didn’t need the money, and hence, she was the only one seeing this situation for what it was—dangerous and unpredictable. The rest of them were only thinking about the money.

Her colleagues only knew her as Dr. Reina Singh. No one, not even Su Min, knew that she was the adopted sister of the billionaire tycoon Rajiv Mehra, owner of the Poseidon Shipping Corp.

Having faced a lot of judgement in college due to her wealth and status, Reina had changed her last name from Mehra to Singh before joining the hospital. She’d taken on her biological father’s surname after a whole lot of deliberation and angst, but it had been the right way forward. She’d worked too damn hard to become a surgeon. She was well-known and well-respected in her fraternity. And she didn’t want her last name to take away all the credit for her success.

In her profession, prejudices and biases could make or break careers. Everyone around her would look at her differently once they knew she was a Mehra heiress. No one would think she was serious about her profession. Everyone would assume that she’d succeeded only because of her family’s wealth and influence. The word ‘nepotism’ would be linked to every success of hers. Thus, she had become invisible. She had become Dr. Reina Singh.

“I don’t like this one bit,” Reina said, finally. “We have to find a way to get out of here, and not simply agree to his demands.”

“Look, Reina,” Laila said. “He’s dangerous, and I don’t want trouble, either. But if he is paying us what he is and giving us the luxuries that he mentioned, then I’m all for it. We all have been overworked, underpaid, and sleep-deprived for years. On most days, we barely have time to eat. I don’t mind having some time for myself. Besides, we are in this position because ofyou. The least you can do is help us get rich.”

“I dislike being put in this position,” Reina said.

“Then you shouldn’t have chosen to operate on him,” Laila shot back. “Stop making a fuss. Everyone needs money. So, get off your high horse, Reina.”

Oh, this woman was beginning to annoy her now.

“Look, ladies, let’s put our differences aside,” Stefan placated everyone. “Reina, if not for yourself, then do this for us. As it is, we have no choice. I’m going inside to tell him that we agree to his terms.”

Without waiting for her reply, Laila and he returned inside the room.

Reina looked at Su Min. “This is wrong, and you know it.”

“Reina, what will you achieve even if you convince Mihir to let us go?” Su Min asked. “Dr. Williams had banned you from the operating theatre, and yet you went against him and operated on that man inside.”

“Did he expect me to let a patient die?”

“No, he expected you to wait for him to arrive.”

Reina clucked her tongue. “You and I both know that Dr. Williams wasn’t available last night. He wasn’t answering anyone’s calls.”

“Then you should have let another surgeon operate.”

“Who?” Reina shook her head. “There was no time to even think in that moment. He was dying in front of me. Dr. Williams ought to appreciate that I saved that man.”

“Like that makes a damn difference to him,” Su Min scoffed. “He was waiting for an opportunity to fire you, and he will do exactly that now.”

It was true. In saving Vedant Oshnov, Reina had signed the death warrant of her career. Disappointment and hurt washed over her. She was a good doctor and a brilliant surgeon. Unfortunately, she was on Dr. Williams’ shit list. Just last week, he had banned her from the operation theatre and shifted her to ER duty because she hadn’t agreed with his diagnosis on her patient. Instead of disagreeing with him, Reina should have kept her mouth shut. Unfortunately, sitting quietly when the life of a patient was at stake wasn’t in her nature. Things had only spiralled thence.

He’d threatened her with dire consequences if she disobeyed him again. And yet, she had gone against his orders to save Vedant.

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