Catalina, at 22 years old, has just commenced her seventh semester at university, pursuing a degree in nursing. Currently, she's undertaking practical training at one of the city's most prestigious hospitals and is known for her diligence in her studies. Sadly, she's orphaned, having lost both her parents; her father passed away when she was 10, and her mother two years prior to the current time. Left in her care is her 8-year-old sister. Their parents left them a small house, ensuring they were not homeless. Catalina’s impressive academic performance earned her a scholarship, just like it did for her sister. Their mother had set aside some savings in a bank account, intended for their education; although not substantial, Catalina has relied on those savings to get by for the past two years. With the funds depleting and with a year of internship and another year of service still ahead, she was contemplating the taxing prospect of seeking a night job. In her spare moments, Catalina crafted desserts to sell at the university and the hospital where she interned, securing some additional income. Her little sister, thrust into a role of heightened responsibility by their circumstance, helped as much as possible and never opened the door to strangers or wandered outside, keeping herself safe. Outside of her sister, Catalina’s only other support was her best friend, Stephanie, given that she had severed ties with love after discovering infidelity twice before. She witnessed both her boyfriends cheating firsthand, finding them in bed with other women, which led her to shut her heart off from romantic distractions and focus on the essentials.

On the other side of the story is Bruno, the quintessential handsome and irresistible male protagonist, a 27-year-old with a degree in business administration. He has always lived a wild life, characterized by luxury, excess, and a slew of relationships, yet he has never been earnestly attached to anyone. He runs a small company his father helped him build and resides alone in his mansion, preferring not to have his family meddling in his affairs. Bruno always gets what he desires and has never met a woman who could resist his charm, yet deep connections have eluded him.

The weekend arrived, marking Bruno's mother's birthday, and as per tradition, his father planned an elaborate celebration. However, Bruno found such family gatherings tedious. His sister Gris would attend with her boyfriend, presenting a picture of domestic bliss that Bruno deemed dull. His younger brother, still a teenager, would brush off the meal and gift exchange to leave early. Despite his mother's request for him to stay, Bruno followed his usual impulsive ways, offered a quick kiss goodbye, wished everyone well, and quickly departed. At his usual bar spot, his friend Pablo and a couple of girls were already waiting. Bruno would typically drink to excess, celebrating in his own preferred style. Usually, his nights ended with taking a girl to a motel, but this time, things took a different turn. After leaving the bar, he hopped into his sports car, in no state to drive. Pablo tried to chase after him, yet in vain, as Bruno sped away beyond the reach of Pablo's taxi. Suddenly, the evening took a horrific turn; Bruno ran a red light and was struck by a cargo truck. Pablo, who arrived only in time to witness the accident, was in shock. He immediately called for an ambulance, but the sight was dire; the car was in ruins and Bruno lay unconscious, trapped within the twisted metal.

Catalina was in the hospital, her schedule was Monday through Friday from 3 PM to 8 PM and every other Saturday night from 8 PM to 3 AM. It was a quiet Saturday night around midnight, unlike the bustling weekdays, so much so that drowsiness was setting in. She was seated at her desk in the emergency area, leaning on it, just about to succumb to sleep when the ambulance sirens jolted her awake. She hurriedly rose and swiftly opened the emergency room doors as the paramedics wheeled in a gurney with a patient right past her. Catalina caught sight of a man in very poor condition, his body covered in blood, which startled her. She closed the emergency doors upon hearing the doctor urgently command the on-call surgeon to proceed immediately to the operating room. Catalina was about to go call the operating room nurses, but the doctor stopped her.

Doctor: Nurse Catalina, go immediately and prepare the operating room.

Catalina: But that's not my area and I'm a student, I'm in training.

Doctor: It's an emergency, a matter of life and death, please go now. I’ll reprimand the nurses later for their absence.

Catalina mustered a great deal of courage and nodded. She had to be brave and face this challenge, she had chosen this noble profession for a reason. As the anesthesiologist readied the patient, she assisted the surgeon in donning sterile surgical attire to prevent any contamination, the doctor prepared the instrument tray, and they started their procedures. The patient had very low vital signs; the doctor stabilized him while the surgeon performed surgeries on both the left arm and leg.

Anesthesiologist: Nurse, please take some gauze and alcohol and clean the patient's wounds.

Catalina nodded and began immediately. She started by cleaning the patient's bloody face and searched for injuries. She braced for a grotesquely disfigured face, but instead, the blood originated from a nasty head wound and a cut on the eyebrow. Quickly, the doctor stabilized the patient and completed treating the injuries. They spent about five hours in the operating room, even surpassing the end of her shift by now, and her little sister would be very worried...

Doctor: Nurse, please fill out the patient's chart. Once done, inform the family who are anxiously awaiting news, and after that, you may go home. Take your next shift off, you've done great work today.

Catalina: Of course, Doctor.

PATIENT CHART NUMBER 36

ADMISSION DATE: OCTOBER 20TH OF "X YEAR"

PATIENT'S NAME: Bruno Salvatore Lombardi

DATE OF BIRTH: JUNE 2ND OF "X YEAR" AGE: 27 YEARS

GENDER: MALE

Having completed the patient record, Catalina assisted the doctors in transferring the patient to the observation ward, and after that, the doctor gave her the information and she headed to the emergency room waiting area.

Catalina stepped into the waiting room.

Catalina: Relatives of patient Bruno Salvatore...

An elderly couple rose to their feet quickly, alongside a young woman and a teenager. Another man, who appeared somewhat inebriated, also stood up.

Man: I am his father. Tell me, doctor, how is my son?

Catalina: I’m actually the nurse that assisted the doctors. The doctor is with your son right now; he's under observation. They didn't want to leave him alone because he's in the middle of stabilization, and the medical team is helping him. He underwent surgery on his arm and leg, and they stitched up some minor wounds. Your son is stable and did well through the surgeries, but he is sedated right now. The doctor asked me to pass on this information to give you some peace of mind, and he will come out to give you a more complete update once he's done with the observation.

Woman: Miss, please tell me the truth. Is my son alive, or are you hiding something?

Catalina felt compassion for the woman who was pleading for a glimmer of hope for her son.

Catalina stepped closer and took her hands.

Catalina: Ma'am, what I'm telling you is true. He's under observation, and soon you'll be able to see him.

Woman: Forgive my forwardness, but the news reports say that my son won’t survive that accident.

Catalina: Your son is with the best doctors. They are doing everything possible to ensure everything goes well. Keep faith, ma'am.

Woman: Thank you for your words; they bring me some relief.

Catalina: Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go.

Bruno’s mother smiled at Catalina, who quickly grabbed her belongings, checked her phone, and saw 10 missed calls from her sister. She immediately called back.

Sofia: Sister, are you alright?

Catalina: Yes, sister, I’m just leaving work. An emergency came in, and I couldn’t leave on time.

Sofia: I haven’t been able to sleep, thinking something bad had happened to you.

Catalina: Oh, little sister, I'm sorry. I'm on my way home in a cab now. I’ll be there in a few minutes.

Sofia: I'll wait for you. Thank God, it was just a scare.

Catalina hung up on her sister. After their mother’s death, the two clung to each other, their only remaining family, always staying close. Still, Catalina couldn't shake thoughts of the patient from her mind. The emergency unfolded rapidly, and she had to step in because her colleagues had left the area. It was a novel experience, yet she harbored concern for the young man's head injury. Deep in thought, she didn’t realize she had arrived until the taxi driver snapped her back to reality.

Taxi Driver: Miss, are you alright?

Catalina: Yes, sorry, how much do I owe you?

Taxi Driver: It’s $20.

Catalina: Here you go.

She paid, exited the cab, hurried inside her home, and was quickly embraced by her sister.

Catalina: I apologize for making you worry, sister. I didn’t have time to inform you.

Sofia: It's okay, don’t worry about it. What matters is you're here now.

Catalina: You’re too young to worry like this; I regret that it's this way.

Sofia: I miss mom a lot, and I couldn’t bear losing you too. You're all I have.

Catalina: You'll never lose me. I will always be here for you, and I couldn't bear losing you either.

They embraced, shedding a few tears for their mother.

Sofia: Let's go to sleep. Can I sleep with you tonight?

Catalina: Of course, my dear.

They retired to the bedroom, where Catalina donned her pajamas and nestled into the covers. Winter was approaching, and she enjoyed her sister's company. Sofia quickly fell asleep, while Catalina still felt a mix of anxiety and apprehension, eventually drifting off as well. The following Sunday morning granted them the day together. The first thing Catalina did was prepare a hearty breakfast. After eating and cleaning together, she checked her sister's schoolwork, always ensuring it was in order. They went grocery shopping and grabbed lunch from a small stand, before returning home and organizing the pantry. At day's end, they made popcorn and watched movies all afternoon. When night fell, they slept, knowing school awaited them the next day. Come morning, they awoke early. Catalina started an hour after Sofia, so they showered, and while Sofia dressed, Catalina made breakfast and packed lunches for both. After eating, Catalina walked Sofia the two blocks to her school. Once Sofia was inside, Catalina hurried back to get ready for her own day at university...