You also wanted it, right?

"Give her nitroglycerin if she feels the pain again," Diana instructed a nurse as she handed over a file.

After tending to her patient, Diana walked out of the cabin, a tired expression etched on her face. Her neck ached, and the idea of a massage lingered as a tempting solution.

Moving wearily, she opened her cabin door, intending to retreat to her room for some much-needed rest. However, her plans were interrupted as she spotted Ben standing there with a cake.

"Ben," she said, a mixture of surprise and curiosity in her voice.

"Ah, Diana…" he responded, rising to his feet.

"What are you doing here, and what does this mean?" Diana inquired, eyeing the cake with genuine surprise.

"I thought you needed it, so I brought it," Ben explained, a sincere gesture evident in his words.

Hearing Ben's explanation, Diana's exhaustion momentarily lifted, replaced by a light smile. She took a seat in her chair, a silent acknowledgment of the unexpected sweetness that Ben had brought into her day.

Ben cut the cake and, with a smile, took a piece to feed Diana. Her response was a slight smile as she accepted the offering.

"I thought it was your birthday," she remarked, curious about the unexpected celebration.

"If it were my birthday, I would not celebrate it here in this way with you," Ben responded playfully as he fed Diana the cake. Their exchange held a certain lightheartedness, a shared moment of camaraderie amid the demands of their professional lives.

Diana bit into the cake, her gaze focused on Ben.

Suddenly, their bubble of camaraderie burst as they heard a knock on the door. Ben turned to see Max leaning against the wall, observing them with a smirk.

"Wow, did I disturb you guys?" Max teased, his tone laden with sarcasm.

Diana, caught off guard, quickly wiped the whipped cream from her lips, her gaze avoiding Max's. The atmosphere shifted as Max stepped toward them, his sarcastic tone cutting through the lightness that had filled the room.

"I think I really disturb two lovebirds."

Diana, maintaining her composure, exchanged a glance with Ben.

"I think you did," Ben replied, meeting Max's gaze with a firm look.

Max tightened his jaw and faced Ben.

 "Oh, then I am not sorry to ruin your and your girlfriend's romantic mood," he quipped, a phony smile playing on his lips.

Diana, ever the mediator, intervened, attempting to calm the situation.

"What do you want?" she asked, fully aware that Max was intentionally stirring the pot.

"Ah… I have come here for my hand doctor," Max explained, raising his palm as a visual reminder of his purpose.

Diana exhaled loudly, recognizing the intentional disruption Max had caused.

"Please, have a seat. I will treat your wound," she offered, attempting to steer the situation toward professionalism.

"Diana, I can dress his wound. You have just come; you need rest," Ben interjected, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Max redirected his gaze, tightening his jaw in response to Ben's assertive look.

"Ms. Diana, I can file a complaint about it — that you did not treat me when you were free and enjoying cake with your boyfriend," Max declared, a thinly veiled threat in his words.

"He is not my boyfriend, Max. Mind your language," Diana retorted, her voice raised as she locked eyes with him.

The exchange between them crackled with tension, both giving each other angry looks.

Feeling the escalating conflict, Diana quickly averted her gaze and addressed Ben, "Ben, will you please wait for me? I need to treat his wound."

Ben nodded, his expression unreadable. Before leaving the chamber, he and Max exchanged cold glares, a silent clash of unspoken resentment.

Max, frustrated, angrily pulled a chair and plopped down onto it. Diana let out a sigh, sitting beside him as she began to dress his palm. The atmosphere in the room was thick with hostility, Max's heavy breaths echoing loudly.

After a minute of tending to Max's wound, Diana broke the tense silence, her tone calm yet firm, "You should calm down. Taking stress and having a high temper is not good for your health."

Max remained silent, choosing to disregard Diana's advice. As she continued her work, Diana retrieved a syringe.

Seeing the syringe, Max narrowed his brows, a hint of skepticism in his expression.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his tone guarded.

Diana raised her eyebrows, preparing to address Max's concerns.

"I need your blood sample," she explained.

"Wait, what?" Max reacted, surprise evident in his voice.

"Because your wound is not drying. So I need to see if you have diabetes or not," Diana clarified, her professionalism shining through.

Max, caught off guard, attempted to get up, protesting, "Are you crazy?"

However, Diana wasn't about to let him escape. She held his hand firmly, tilting her head as she asserted, "Don't tell me you are afraid of the syringe."

"What are you blabbering, Diana?"

Max retorted, trying to pull his hand away.

Diana rolled her eyes at his resistance.

"I am telling the truth," she insisted.

Max tightened his grip, frustration evident in his expression. "You are not a good doctor. Who can't even say anything about her patient and harass them without any reason."

"Oh really, Max?" Diana challenged, a flicker of irritation in her eyes.

"Who harassed whom? You are the one who always harasses me."

"Me? Do I do it purposely? It's you who always forced me to do it," Max countered, his defensive tone.

"Because you don't listen to me. You don't do anything to keep me by your side," Diana responded, her voice softening as she looked at him.

Max pressed his lips together, a subtle acknowledgment of her words. Before he could formulate a response, Diana interjected, "I have done my work," revealing the syringe with his blood.

Max, momentarily distracted by her tactics, moved his gaze.

Every time she tricks me, he thought.

But then Max, breaking the pattern of their usual banter, revealed a piece of unexpected news.

"Diana, Francisco is sending me out of the city. I don't know how much it takes."

"What?" Diana exclaimed, stunned by the revelation.

"Yes," Max confirmed, meeting her gaze with a weighty expression.

As he continued, Diana felt a sense of unease settling in.

"I think it is our last meeting. The mission will be dangerous, so I don't know... If we..."

"Stop it, Max," Diana interjected, halting his words mid-sentence.

"What are you saying? Where is he sending you?"

 Diana questioned, her voice laced with tension.

"Diana, you know we don't share our spot with anyone when we go to our secret deals. Then how come you are asking?" Max replied, attempting to deflect her inquiry. He made a move to get up, but Diana firmly held onto him.

As the tension escalated, Diana's nervousness became more apparent. She pleaded, "Max, you can tell me, right?"

Their eyes locked in a passionate exchange of glares, each trying to read the unspoken emotions in the other's eyes. Max, sensing Diana's desperation, softened his gaze as he slowly caressed her cheek.

"I just came here to meet you, Diana, nothing else," Max reassured her.

"You also wanted it, right?"

"Now, I am really going away from you," Max stated, a note of resignation in his tone.

Diana shook her head, signaling that Max had misunderstood her intentions. The room was charged with unspoken emotions.

Max, with a slight smile, spoke words of parting.

 "Take care of yourself, Diana."

His words stirred a sense of urgency in her, and Diana, unwilling to let him leave without expressing her feelings, implored, "Max, wait. You trust me, right? You can tell me everything."

But Max, evading a deeper conversation, gently pulled away, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Bye, Diana," he said, his farewell laden with unspoken emotions.

"Max, listen," Diana persisted, stepping out of her chamber to follow him.

"Listen to me," she pleaded, but Max continued walking, seemingly resolved.

"Please," he added, his tone carrying the weight of decisions made.

The corridor, witness to their emotional exchange, drew the attention of passing staff members. Surprised by the uncharacteristic scene involving their usually composed doctor, they exchanged glances.

Diana, unable to accept the silence and the impending separation, tried to stop Max physically.

"Listen to me," she urged, her voice tinged with desperation.

Max, however, held her arms firmly, his expression reflecting the pain of parting.

 "Diana, please," he implored.

Max delivered a final blow, "I won't tell you."

With a deep breath, Max walked away, leaving Diana standing in the corridor, her eyes following his path with a heart weighed down by the sorrow of yet another departure.

Why do you always leave me alone, Max?

**