Besek didn’t hesitate to update me. “She’s on her way home, boss.”
“Why? What happened?” Her shift wasn’t due to end for anotherthree hours and my woman wasn’t the type to cut her day short for the hell of it.
I could hear Besek’s harsh inhale over the line. “She’s… upset. I’m not sure what happened, but the director of the hospital sent her away.”
That couldn’t be right. I just donated millions to fund new hospital equipment. Maybe they sent her home as a thank-you. But then she wouldn’t be upset.
“I’m taking the chopper now and will be back at the villa in ten minutes.” I was already heading for the helipad. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”
Once inside the cabin, I put my headphones on and nodded to the pilot to get going while I connected my phone to the Bluetooth. Then I called Hoti, the head of Vlorë Hospital.
His secretary answered. “I need to speak to Hoti.”
“May I take your name and number, sir, and?—”
“Get him on the phone. Now!”
“I’m sorry, sir. He asked me to hold all calls. He’s preparing for a meeting.”
“Yes, with Kian Cortes. Me.” I heard her sharp inhale. “Get him on the phone.”
Two seconds later, Hoti was on the line. “Mr. Cortes, what can I do for you?”
“You can start by telling me what happened.”
Silence followed, and I let it linger.
“Dr. Baldwin and I agreed,” he started slowly, a cautious tone in his voice, “that her language skills were somewhat lacking and it was best for our patients if she didn’t return to work.”
Red filled my vision. “You. Did. What?”
“You have to understand, we both agreed.”
“And you understand that if you made Sophie cry, you’re a dead man, yes?”
I didn’t wait for his answer, just hung up and turned to the pilot before barking, “Hurry home.”
Sophie
Late afternoon light slanted through the tall windows, laying golden bars across the living room floor. Dust hung in the air, slow and drifting, and somewhere outside cicadas screamed like nothing in the world was wrong.
Just another day. Except that it wasn’t.
I couldn’t believe the words I was hearing over the phone and it had me pacing back and forth in front of the window like a caged animal.
“Come back,” the head of the hospital pleaded. “We can hire a full-time translator for you.”
I stopped and stared out at the horizon, watching the helicopter approach, my body shaking with fury and disbelief.
“No.”
“Dr. Baldwin, I beg you. I have a family.”
He was terrified he’d be punished. Kian had somehow found out that I’d been sacked—for lack of a better word—and he’d threatened the head of the hospitaland his family.
I pressed my palm to my chest, trying to calm the violent thud of my heart. It felt lodged in my throat, every beat sharp.
“Everything will be all right,” I finally said. “But I’m not coming back. Not until I can communicate effectively in Albanian.”
