Discovered by Chance

Entering the hospital was like stepping through a door into an entirely different world. The bustling lobby, the sound of shoe soles tapping against polished marble, and the constant murmur of voices and ringing phones created an atmosphere that was both intimidating and exciting. We approached the reception desk, where two young women in impeccable uniforms greeted us with professional smiles.

"Good morning," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "We're undergraduate students interested in familiarizing ourselves with the medical environment. We were told to report here for instructions."

The nearest receptionist, a woman with dark hair pulled back into a perfect bun, nodded courteously.

"Of course. Could you give me your names, please? I'll need to register you."

I exchanged a quick glance with Sack and Olivia before responding.

"I'm Lindsay Grove," I said, hoping my tone sounded casual.

Olivia, always dramatic, couldn't resist adding a touch of theatrics.

"And I'm Olivia Hart," she announced, as if presenting herself at an international conference.

Sack, on the other hand, maintained his usual composure.

"And I'm Sack Steele," he added, with a slight nod of his head.

For a moment, there was an uncomfortable silence. The two receptionists stared at us, their eyes widening slightly as they processed our last names. I could feel my heart starting to race faster. I knew exactly what they were thinking.

"Grove?" the receptionist repeated, looking at me with renewed curiosity. "Are you related to…?"

"It's just a coincidence," I interrupted quickly, forcing a carefree smile. "My last name is pretty common, you know? It has nothing to do with the hospital."

Olivia leaned toward me and whispered low enough for only me to hear:

"We forgot about that little detail. Your parents literally named the hospital after your family. This doesn't exactly scream 'normal.'"

I shot her a warning look, but she simply winked at me, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

The receptionists exchanged a glance between them, clearly unconvinced. The second receptionist, a younger woman with modern glasses, cleared her throat before speaking.

"I see," she said, though her tone suggested otherwise. "And you're… undergraduate students, correct?"

We all nodded in unison.

"Correct," I confirmed, trying to divert attention. "We're here to learn and help in any way we can. We were told to go to the CSSD (Central Sterile Supply Department) to get started."

The first receptionist typed something into her computer, still stealing glances at us. Finally, she nodded.

"Alright. They're expecting you there. A specialist will explain your tasks. Take the main elevator to the second floor and follow the signs to the sterilization area."

She handed us temporary ID cards and wished us luck with a polite smile. Though she didn't say anything more, it was clear that our identities had caught her attention. As we walked away from the desk, I could feel her eyes still fixed on us, especially on me.

As we walked toward the elevators, we continued discussing what had just happened.

"Do you think anyone else will notice our last names?" I asked, worried. "I mean, Steele and Hart are also pretty well-known. Not just mine."

"Probably," Sack responded calmly. "But there's nothing we can do about it now. We just have to be careful and make sure no one jumps to the wrong conclusions."

"Or we could use it to our advantage," Olivia suggested, always looking for the silver lining. "Imagine this: 'Hi, I'm Olivia Hart, future revolutionary doctor and heiress to an international hotel chain. I hope my presence here inspires everyone to work harder.'"

Sack rolled his eyes, but Olivia didn't stop there.

"And then there's Sack Steele, the humble heir to countless properties across the country, plus investments in practically every imaginable industry. Although he hates to admit it because he prefers to stay under the radar. Kind of like a secret superhero of the business world."

"Thanks for that, Olivia," Sack said, pretending to be annoyed, though he couldn't hide a small smile.

"Sounds arrogant," I replied, though I couldn't help laughing at her comment.

"Arrogant but effective," she insisted, winking at me. "Besides, if anyone asks, we can always say we're here to 'humbly learn from the best.'"

"Sure, because that sounds so much less suspicious," I added sarcastically.

"Exactly," Olivia responded, as if it were a perfect plan.

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We arrived at the CSSD, a place very different from the main lobby: more functional, with bright white walls and a sterile atmosphere that seemed to absorb any trace of humor or lightness. We were greeted by a middle-aged woman in a white coat with a serious expression. She held a clipboard in one hand and looked at us curiously.

"You must be the students," she said, checking a list on her clipboard. "Welcome to the CSSD. I'm Specialist Anderson, and I'll be supervising your work here."

We introduced ourselves quickly, omitting any unnecessary mention of our last names. However, I noticed how Specialist Anderson raised an eyebrow when I mentioned my name.

"Grove, huh?" she commented, briefly looking at me. "Interesting."

I tensed up but kept my smile.

"Yes, it's a pretty common last name," I replied, repeating my earlier excuse.

The specialist didn't press further, though her expression suggested she wasn't entirely convinced. She led us to a room where she explained our tasks: organizing medical instruments, ensuring they were properly sterilized, and labeling them for distribution to different departments.

"This is meticulous work," she warned us. "But it's essential for the hospital's operation. So I expect you to be ready to focus."

Olivia raised her hand as if we were in class.

"What if I accidentally organize something wrong? Will the hospital collapse?"

Specialist Anderson looked at her with a mix of disbelief and amusement.

"No, but it could cause significant delays. So try not to make mistakes."

"Understood," Olivia responded, pretending solemnity. "No catastrophic errors. I promise to make everything look fabulous while I organize it."

After a few hours of observing and taking notes on the process, Olivia decided to drop a bombshell that would change the dynamic of the day.

"By the way," she said casually, as if it were an irrelevant detail, "all three of us are Stanford students. Literally the best in our class. If you're looking for talent, here it is."

Specialist Anderson, who had remained stoic all morning, looked up from her papers and regarded us with renewed interest.

"Stanford?" she asked, her tone now warmer. "I studied there too."

Olivia instantly went into overdrive.

"No way!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "Then you'll understand why we're so impressive. For example, our joint project on an advanced mathematical model designed to predict disease spread in a specific population was published in an international journal. We used differential equations to analyze demographic patterns and factors like population density, social contact habits, and urban mobility. It was so innovative that we even received congratulations from the Secretary of Health and Human Services himself."

Specialist Anderson nodded slowly, visibly impressed.

"That's interesting," she said, looking at us with respect. "People like you are exactly what this hospital needs."

Olivia continued, unable to contain her enthusiasm.

"And then there's Sack," she went on, gesturing dramatically toward him. "He led a study on the impact of population density on real estate prices. It was a simple analysis, but he managed to predict trends in emerging markets with surprising accuracy! And he did it even before entering Stanford!"

Sack looked at her incredulously, but Olivia simply smiled at him.

"And me," Olivia continued, pointing proudly at herself, "I developed a model to optimize cleaning schedules in luxury hotels. It was a fun project that reduced operational costs by 15%. Of course, it was nothing compared to what I'm planning to do here at the hospital."

Specialist Anderson nodded at Olivia as if seeing a future leader in medicine.

"People like you are exactly what we need at Sapphire Grove Hospital," she said with a genuine smile. "Innovative, ambitious, and committed."

Lindsay and Sack still looked at each other incredulously but didn't say anything. They knew that when Olivia was in "superstar mode," it was best to let her work her magic.