Page 5 of The Arrogant's Surrender

Nothing moves me, but I do have a certain fondness for small humans. Unlike most adults, children can still be saved if guided correctly.

"I’m going to wake you up, Brooklyn. I’ll bring you back to your children. Try to do better next time, when you get a second chance."

Athanasios

CHAPTER THREE

Two Days Later

"Areyou telling me my sister isn’t in a coma because she hit her head?" the woman introduced to me as Madison Foster asks.

We had to cancel our first meeting because the priority was determining the severity of Brooklyn’s tumor. Conversations can wait; life cannot.

I stare at Zeus’s girlfriend. There’s a mix of anger and fear on her face, which is rather intriguing. I know she’s the younger of the two sisters, yet she seems ready to take on the whole world to protect Brooklyn.

"How is it possible they didn’t detect the tumor at the other hospital?" Zeus interjects.

The same day I left the meeting with Brooklyn’s former medical team, I spoke with Madison on the phone and requested authorization to transfer her sister.

Once Brooklyn was settled in my hospital, I spent the next day meticulously examining every part of her. As I suspectedfrom observing the images, the presence of a tumor was confirmed.

There’s only one possible answer to Zeus’s question: the incompetence of the neurologist in charge, coupled with a fatal flaw many colleagues have—a tendency to assume something is true simply because it "appears" to be true—led to the misdiagnosis.

I glance from one to the other and notice the moment they grasp what I’m not saying.

"My God! Could she die because of this tumor?" Madison asks.

"I completed all the necessary tests yesterday, and my conclusion is that it’s benign."

"Then why hasn’t she woken up?"

"Even though it’s benign, the tumor is located precisely in the area of the brain she injured during the fall on the day of the attack—specifically, it’s pressing against the reticular activating system, which controls consciousness. I’ll need to operate."

Madison’s expression shifts from indignation to joy. Her face is as expressive as a television screen, emotions playing out with no filter. "And then she’ll wake up?"

"That’s not what I said. There’s a chance she might wake up sooner but not immediately. In any case, I’ll need your authorization to proceed with my plans."

She looks at Zeus. "I’m terrified. What if she doesn’t come back?"

"Do you need a moment of privacy?" I ask.

"No," Hades’s brother replies, bringing Madison’s hand to his lips. "He’s the leading authority in neurology in the country. We should try."

"I’m the leading authority in neurology in theworld," I correct him.

She nods in agreement. "When do you plan to operate, doctor?"

"I want to run a few more tests before scheduling the surgery, but no later than a week from now."

"And after that? What’s the next step?"

If I had a dollar for every time I heard that question, I could easily triple my fortune.

"The next step will be to wait, Miss Foster. The brain hides many secrets. Science has uncovered a great deal, but there’s still an ocean of the unknown."

A Month and a Half Later

"Come on, Brooklyn, we both know there’s no reason to keep sleeping. The tumor is gone; it’s time to wake up, girl. Don’t ignore me. I don’t handle being disregarded by those whose attention I demand well."

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