Sue Stone had been at Crestview Medical for only a week when she first heard about Dr. Lucian Vale. The nurses called him “the scalpel” — precise, sharp, and dangerous to underestimate. She dismissed it as hospital gossip until she saw him in the conference room, sleeves rolled up, presenting a diagnosis so confidently that no one in the room dared interrupt. His voice was calm, his posture unshakable, but his eyes… they had a way of locking onto someone and holding them there.

Their paths crossed unexpectedly when a cardiac patient began showing signs of severe post-surgery depression. Lucian found her in the staff lounge, holding the patient’s psychological evaluation. “You’re Stone,” he said, as though confirming something he already knew. “I need you on my floor. Today.” There was no introduction, no time for pleasantries — just the faint scent of his cologne and the intensity of someone used to being obeyed.