Taking the Fall for a Fool

My head was throbbing. I couldn't figure out what was going on, no matter how hard I tried.

Nick and I were childhood friends. He'd always protected me and looked after me like a knight in shining armor. So, why did he help Mia frame me?

I buried myself in work and ignored Mia the entire night. She was pacing around the nurses' station and seemed incredibly anxious.

It was almost 5:00 am by now, and she was still sitting on her chair while holding a medical tray. It didn't seem like she was planning to administer Max's next IV drip at all.

Eventually, all of our colleagues left to tend to their own matters. Then, when Mia and I were the only ones left at the nurses' station, she shot me a glance before quietly heading to room 302.

When it was almost time for Max's family to cause a scene, I got up from my seat and found a place to hide. Not a moment later, I heard familiar, gut-wrenching cries coming from room 302.

"Wake up, my dear grandson! You're scaring your grandma."

"Son? What happened to you, my boy? Please wake up."

"Max, my baby. The doctor told us you'd be able to return home soon. How could this happen? How are we supposed to live without you?"

After some commotion, the trio angrily made their way to the nurses' station.

Furious, Max's father demanded to meet the nurse on duty and the one responsible for administering the IV medication.

Mia, who was fearfully hiding in a corner, scanned her surroundings and tried to locate my whereabouts.

The other nurses pointed at her with a terrified expression and said, "Mia is the one who's been tending to Max all this time."

Before Mia could say anything, Max's father marched up to her and punched her in the eye. Then, just as Mia regained her footing, Max's mother kicked her in the stomach.

After being simultaneously attacked by Max's parents, Mia was now lying on the floor, wailing in agony.

Subsequently, Max's grandmother pinned her to the ground and began violently yanking on her hair.

"You're the one who killed my beloved grandson!" Max's grandmother exclaimed in anger. "I've disliked you for quite some time now. You're nothing but a troublemaker."

She continued, "You'll pay for what you did. I'm going to kill you!"

When I walked over to the nurses' station, Mia, who was covered in blood, caught sight of me.

"I was on duty, but Natalie was the one who gave him the drugs. She must've messed up!" She pointed a finger at me and yelled.

In my previous life, I was just about to get off work after a long shift when Max's family confronted me at the nurses' station.

When they demanded answers, Mia immediately pinned the blame on me.

"Natalie was on duty that night. She was the one who administered the fluids. I had nothing to do with it," she'd told them.

Before I could explain myself, I was violently beaten up by Max's family members.

Max Campbell was seven, and he was an only child. His father looked like a powerful man, and his mother was a lawyer. His grandmother, on the other hand, was known for being an unreasonable woman.

As a young woman who just turned 25, I had no way of defending myself against them. I was powerless and helpless.

In my current life, I refused to let Mia use the same tricks to twist the truth again.