Episode 5 of "Breathless" kicks off with a haunting stillness gripping the hospital as Patricia surveys the eerie emptiness, only to discover that most of the staff has deserted their posts, protesting vociferously outside. Moa's unexpected visit to her bedside is met with a storm of emotions, her trust shattered into pieces by his actions. He vehemently argues that the surgery was a misstep, while she counters, her voice laced with anger, that an MRI would've averted this disaster, sparing countless lives. She vows to bring his career crashing down, convinced that he poses a dire threat to the wellbeing of his patients.
Enter Ventura, the Secretary of Health Services, his intentions clear—to coerce Patricia into resignation. But she stands firm, refusing to buckle under pressure. Instead, she marches outside, embracing the protestors, pledging to be their voice, to hear and address their grievances. However, their negotiations are abruptly interrupted by Leo's announcement that the Health Department has conceded to a meeting.
Inside the hospital's hallowed halls, a skeleton crew of doctors—Pilar, Biel, and May—are stretched to their limits, grappling with a deluge of patients in the overcrowded ER. Outside, the protests escalate into chaos, patients' desperate pleas mingling with cries for help as they implore the doctors for a lifeline. Amidst the turmoil, a tragic accident unfolds, a patient's family inadvertently harming Rocio in the fray.
May, her heart heavy with concern, rushes to Rocio's side, only to find her overwhelmed with guilt, begging May to return to their shared home. But May's anger is a raging inferno, refusing to be extinguished by Rocio's pleas. Secluded in the on-call room, May seeks solace, only to be confronted once again by Rocio, who, in a desperate bid to mend their broken bond, offers to take sole responsibility for their child, arguing that the desire for parenthood stemmed solely from her own heart. May's fury boils over, and she dismisses Rocio with a fierce finality.
Quique, torn between loyalty and confusion, seeks Biel's counsel on the Oscar debacle, their conversation hijacked by a poignant exchange with a patient who whispers words of wisdom—that love, in all its forms, has the power to terrify. Quique, touched, prepares to reach out to Oscar, fingers hovering over his phone, when Pilar's wrathful presence shatters the moment, her fury palpable as she confronts him head-on.
As fate would have it, one of the paramedics who had transported Oscar inadvertently encountered her and inadvertently revealed that Quique was the one who had brought him to the hospital's doors. Enraged by his deception, she vowed to hold him accountable for turning her son into a drug addict.
Meanwhile, the hospital's corridors were choked with an influx of patients, as the entire Valencia's public healthcare system had succumbed to the strike's grip. Amidst this chaos, Lluis struggled valiantly to maintain order, only to face a heartbreaking blow when Jesica chose to end their relationship. He profusely apologized for abandoning her and, in a bid to salvage their bond, confessed the weight of his son's plight that had been weighing heavily on him. The truth seemed to have softened her heart, and they reunited.
But calamity struck anew when Rosa arrived, her neck stitches ruptured, and blood streamed profusely from the wound. With no surgeons available, Biel and May were thrust into a desperate situation, resorting to tying off her artery as a makeshift measure. This drastic step, however, unleashed a cascade of complications, leaving Rosa in a near-vegetative state.
Her husband's rage knew no bounds, but Pilar stood by Biel, insisting that their efforts were the best anyone could have managed under such dire circumstances. Yet, the truth gnawed at Biel's conscience, and when Moa, filled with remorse, tried to offer solace, Biel's anger erupted. He blamed Moa, declaring that Rosa could have been saved if not for the strike that had consumed them all.
Meanwhile, the union's encounter with the Health Department unfolds with a surprising smoothness, as both parties converge on the necessity of higher minimum wages to compensate for the extended working hours. Moa's thoughts wander, wondering if Patricia is privy to these negotiations, and Ventura confidently asserts that she holds the ultimate authority to seal the deal. Her assistant, Emilio, who is present at the meeting, discreetly informs her of the proceedings.
Patricia's realization dawns like a chilly breeze—the department is maneuvering to force her resignation while simultaneously casting the blame for any flawed agreements onto her shoulders. It transpires that she had harbored ambitions to revolutionize the public healthcare system, yet her visions were met with deafening silence from the department.
Back at the hospital's hushed corridors, May's body betrays her with a telltale trickle of blood, a testament to the stress that ravages her. Biel's voice implores Leo to attend to her, his eyes brimming with concern. May's mind races with self-reproach, haunted by the thought of having jeopardized her career, her unborn child, and herself by conceiving Rocio's child. Leo's reassuring words, however, bring a glimmer of hope as he assures her that the child remains unharmed, easing her frayed nerves.
Patricia, steeling herself for resignation on her own terms, finds herself confronted by Moa's earnest attempts to justify the apparently favorable deal. He dismisses her skepticism as mere smokescreens, insisting the agreement holds little solace for the patients. But Patricia's resolve remains unwavering, and as she steps forward to announce her departure, Ventura's smug expression catches her eye, fueling her indignation.
In a dramatic turn of events at the conclusion of Breathless's Episode 5, Patricia's narrative shifts gears abruptly. She declares, with steely determination, that she will not relinquish her post until the strike is resolved, her voice ringing with righteous indignation. She lays the blame squarely at the feet of the Health Department and the union, accusing them of stealing her agency, allowing her cancer to fester unchecked, and promising to reclaim the welfare of the public from their grasp.
