Outside Professor Brown's hospital room, Christopher stood in silence holding Zoe's medical records.

He had just received the news that some critical test results for Zoe had arrived, delivered directly to Professor Brown's room with a vague warning from the nurse: "The situation is not optimistic." Immediately, Christopher dropped everything else to come and inquire as a treating physician.

During this period, Christopher had been treating Zoe, and he had a preliminary idea of how dire her condition was and how quickly it could deteriorate. However, anticipating something and witnessing it firsthand through the partially open door of Professor Brown's room as he handed the palliative care notification to Penelope...