Episode 7

Dereck went to his shift and saw a few patients, noticing George's absence. During one of his breaks, he felt a strange vibe around him. His colleagues seemed to be looking at him differently. Trying to ignore the situation, he thought he might be overthinking it and returned to his work.

When lunchtime arrived, the atmosphere remained the same. People whispered and laughed when he passed by, while some nurses watched him with suspicious expressions. Faced with this scenario, Dereck couldn't help but suspect that something was going on. However, at no point did it cross his mind that it might be related to what had happened between him and George.

Upon his return, he saw George talking and laughing with another nurse in one of the corridors. He thought about calling him over to find out what was going on; maybe George had heard something. Although this idea crossed his mind, Dereck ended up not doing so, deciding he would address the issue later.

Dereck went to his office and started reviewing some medical records and exams of hospitalized patients when he heard a knock on the door. Upon allowing entry, a nurse entered the room, visibly embarrassed.

"Is there a problem?" Dereck asked, noticing the man's disconcerted expression.

"I'm sorry to come here like this, but I think you need to know what's happening."

Dereck leaned back in his chair, concerned about the seriousness he perceived in the situation.

"What's happening? You can speak openly. I've noticed some looks and whispers, but I have no idea what's going on. Is that what you want to talk about?"

"Here." The nurse handed his cell phone to Dereck. "I think it's better for you to see for yourself."

Dereck took the phone and started the video, seeing his own image appear on the screen. The video showed him kneeling while kissing George, and he was shocked by what he was watching. As he watched the video, the nurse began to explain.

"This video is circulating in some groups here at the hospital. From what I understand, the person who made the video bet that he could prove you were gay. He blurred his face in the video, but some people at the hospital know who it is. I didn't know about this bet; if I did, I would have warned you."

The doctor turned pale and felt a knot in his stomach. He returned the cell phone to the man who had alerted him and, for a few moments, he didn't know how to react to that situation. Perceiving Dereck's paleness, the man brought him a glass of water.

At that moment, Dereck felt exposed and vulnerable. He had always maintained his privacy and professionalism, but now he was facing a violation of his privacy in a way he never imagined possible. Even with his world crumbling around him, he thanked the man who had warned him.

"Thank you for letting me know what happened. I need to think about how I'm going to act from now on."

"I'm so sorry this happened. My brother is gay, and I wouldn't want something like this to happen to him. Sometimes, I don't know how to act around him. I wish I could protect him because I know things like this can hurt him."

"Your brother is very lucky to have you as a brother. You won't be able to protect him from everything, but what you can do is be there for him. When he needs it, show him your love and companionship. That's what will help in difficult times."

"I'll do that. As for what happened, I believe you can even sue him for sharing this video, as I imagine the recording was made without your consent."

"I really didn't know. But I'll look for my lawyer and see what I can do. Thank you again."

Dereck expressed his gratitude, and the man left the office. As he did, he encountered some employees who saw him leaving, and he still had to hear jokes.

"What were you doing in there? Did you go ask for a blowjob?"

The man made the joke, and everyone laughed, but the man who had warned Dereck stepped forward.

"I saw you guys talking about being disgusted by him, but you know what, I'm disgusted by you. I hope he sues all of you. He's always been kind and friendly to everyone here. You're the ones who should be ashamed of what you're doing," he scolded them all and walked away.

In his office, Dereck still had that knot in his stomach, but also a lump in his throat, and he still couldn't believe what was happening to him.

Meanwhile, at the station, when Calvin arrived that morning, he was happy and in good spirits, but he had no idea that his happiness would be short-lived. He went to get changed, and when he got close to his colleagues, he saw that they were chatting animatedly, and Frank was with them.

Their eyes met, but Calvin realized something was wrong when Frank couldn't maintain eye contact. Feeling that something was going on, Calvin needed to find out what it was. However, at that moment, he chose to greet everyone.

As he finished, one of his colleagues said excitedly, "Frank, aren't you going to tell Calvin the news? I'm sure he'll be excited too. Just don't follow his lead, or you'll end up drunk in some bar celebrating."

Calvin playfully kicked the man who had spoken, still smiling, but noticed Frank's serious expression.

"What news are you talking about? You're already making me curious."

Frank looked at Calvin, showing reluctance to say what had happened, creating an awkward atmosphere between them. Until one of his colleagues, unable to hold back the information, intervened.

"Our friend here is getting married. He got engaged last night."

The smile on Calvin's face vanished as soon as he heard the news. He didn't know what to think at that moment. Calvin had imagined that what had happened between them had meant something to Frank, just as it had meant something to him. However, it seemed that the intimate moments they had shared were nothing more than a fling for his colleague.

"Congratulations! Actually, I didn't even know you were dating. I'm happy you've decided to marry the person you love."

Calvin congratulated Frank, trying to hide how he was really feeling. He instructed everyone to warm up and left, heading to his office. Calvin couldn't stay in the same room as Frank at that moment, afraid of acting on impulse and doing something he would later regret.

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