Mark of the destiny

3"Guys, check all of their social media accounts. Our answer lies in it." Suyin pushed open the door and shocked everyone by her words. "Sarah's a fashion blogger. An influencer who had received a PR package from a company about their new highly absorbent tampons."      4

"Her last post was four days back, where she was holding a packet of tampons, giving a thumbs-up for the product. Though she gave a positive review, and hide her appearance with the layers of makeup, her eyes were a complete giveaway that the poison had started acting in her body."     

…..     

None of the interns moved but looked at Suyin with utter silence.     

"They want to know about Sarah." Wang Shi tugged a hand in his pocket as he stood next to Suyin. The way they had rushed earlier scared them.     

"You are the doctor. Go ahead."     

"I won't lie, Sarah's condition is still serious. She's in a coma, fighting. We need to fight too so that no other woman reaches the state where Sarah is."     

"Dr. Wang is right. Let's get back to work….. for Assistant Long." Suyin knew this army was close to Assistant Long. He was like a friend who used to keep them informed of her schedule so they don't miss any opportunity to learn from her.     

None of the interns say a word and opened their phones and laptops to check the social media accounts and the hashtag associated with the product.     

The missing link they were looking for was right in front. The company targeted women from different fields, be it food, health, fashion, mom bloggers, and even home decoration. Anyone who had a good fan following and was a woman was sent a PR package.     

Whether or not it was paid was only known to the company.     

Wang Shi took the seat next to Xiu Mei, "Where's Junjie?"     

"Gone to check on Fei Hong. Worrywart!" Xiu Mei didn't take her eyes off of the laptop screen.     

"I'll never understand their relationship. It seems like a friendship from the surface, but deep down it has become something else."     

"Then talk to him. What are big brothers for?"     

Wang Shi frowned, 'Having a serious talk with Junjie? Never done that before! He was always a baby brother in their eyes."     

Shaking the thought off of his mind, he returned to the reality, "Btw, can you hack the company's site and get the complete list of women they had sent the PR packages too?"     

Suyin looked away from her interns, "And the details of the company and product launch date. There's no way I'm letting this poison release into the market and turn the country into a graveyard."     

"Already on it. Just a few minutes more." Xiu Mei started typing and within minutes the printer spat out papers.     

"Interns, before calling it a day, take the list from president XM and call the remaining ones, warn them to not use the tampons. The first thing you will do tomorrow is to get the PR packages back, including the ones who had used already. Whatever remaining of it." It worried her what if someone else used it? She has to get everything back!     

The interns nodded in unison.     

"I'll ask Assistant Long to get the packet now. We need to get it tested to file a legal case against the company."     

Wang Shi nodded and grabbed his coat, but Suyin stopped him, "I'll talk to Assistant Long. The family will get panicked seeing you, especially after the recent episode."     

"Okay. I'll handle everything here then. Call me if you need anything."     

*******     

"You mean to say everything happened because she had used something as basic as tampons?" Sarah's mother broke down. It shocked her, her daughter was swinging between life and death because of a tampon!?!     

A tampon!?     

"If it's risky, why do companies manufacture it? Who gives them permission? Why is it not informed that it can cause death, it's poisonous to body? Look what this damn tampon had done to my daughter."     

Suyin looked at Sarah, hooked to the machines. Even breathing with their help. "If tampons are used properly and changed every 4-6 hours, it's not poisonous. They are actually convenient when it comes to stopping the menstrual flow. However, the problem lies in the transparency and awareness between the consumers. Like cigarettes, companies should market it with clear warnings about the risks associated. One of which is TSS."     

Her words settled in Mrs. Long's gut. She clutched her shoulder tight, "So it was my daughter's fault? This damn tampon is going to seal her fate?"     

"Dear, leave her," Long Tao pulled his wife away.     

Suyin stood rooted, and spoke softly, "No. I was talking in general. But in your daughter's case, the concerned company is equally responsible. We suspect the poisoning is caused by the use of bleaching agents like dioxin, chemical fragrances, and a few other chemical components. Probably the fiber used comprised synthetic material that promotes bacterial growth. To confirm, I'm asking you to please give me the packet so I can send it for testing now."     

"I-I'll get it. It should be in Sarah's room."     

"I'll come with you. You won't be able to find it. We women keep these things hidden. Because we are ashamed of this. Can you believe it? Of course, you will. It's a taboo topic at everyone's home!" the elder sister let out her inner frustration at her brother before storming out in tears.     

Suyin silently watched the husband and wife duo as they cried in each other's arms. She had no words to console them….     

*****     

With a dejected heart, she returned to the conference room but saw it empty, with only Wang Shi waiting for her. He had sent everyone home to take a rest after they had finished the work.     

Even Xiu Mei had left, leaving a stack of information for Suyin.     

Her gaze subconsciously drifted to the whiteboard where it was written, [Mission accomplished. Another fiercer battle to begin tomorrow.]     

"Hey, tired?" In the split second, the warmth in Wang Shi's eyes doubled. He glided his hands around her when she dropped her body weight on him. "I know…. I know…. You don't have to say a word."     

Meeting an emotionally dejected family had always been a challenging task. Even doctors dread it most.     

He brought her to his main office. Thankfully, the bob cut receptionist Linda was not there at this time, otherwise, Suyin would have complained again.     

"I'll get the contact solution, remove your contacts first." taking a walk around desk, he opened the first drawer but couldn't find it and moved on to the second. "Where did I kept it last time? Not here…. Here…..Ah, got it! Suyi— Suyin??"     

"Suyin? Are you in the bathroom?"     

Getting no reply, he turned the knob to check if it was locked. Nope!     

Upon not finding her in the bathroom, he checked the lounge and as expected….     

She was sleeping on the bed with Honey squeezed in her arms. A serenity spread across her face as she slept hugging his son. It was hard to imagine she's the same woman who was fighting throughout the day, holding herself strong, yet here she's sleeping in a child's arm.     

"How can you sleep with contacts on? Were you that sure I'll take them off for you?" mumbling to self, he sat down at the edge of the bed to take off her contacts.     

Suyin moaned, tried to close her eyes back when he pried it open. She smiled, blissfully aware of what he was doing. But the squishy soft fairy in her arms and the mattress underneath demotivated her to do it herself.     

"Hottie Bum…."     

She mumbled, before drifting to the fairyland with her own fairy, faintly registering something soft touched her forehead.     

********