Chapter 5

Eighteen years had passed since I left London.

Right now I was stepping on my car's gas pedal.

I was driving along the main city road, my fingers tapping the steering wheel casually. Outside the window, giant screens on tall buildings were displaying my own face.

On every corner of the city, my photo was plastered, wearing a white doctor's coat, my black hair flowing, and my face showing no signs of aging after 18 years. Beneath my photo, written in large letters: Dr. Alissa Mariana - Best Plastic Surgeon 2026.

Cosmetic surgery was indeed trending. In the last 3 years, my name had soared. My clients came from all walks of life, celebrities, officials, even international stars came to me just to be handled by me.

I had built a reputation as a plastic surgeon with a magical touch, capable of transforming appearances without leaving scars.

I took a deep breath and smiled slightly. Louis, my son, had successfully gotten into his favorite university last week. He competed with thousands of applicants and was accepted into the medical faculty.

I never forced him to become a doctor, but Louis always said he wanted to follow in his mother's footsteps.

My car turned into the parking area of the hospital where I worked. This hospital had become my second home for the last 3 years. I parked in my designated spot, stepped out in my neat white coat, and walked through the automatic glass doors. The nurses and staff greeted me respectfully.

"Dr. Alissa, good morning!"

"Good morning," I replied.

I walked toward my practice room on the third floor. When I opened the door, I saw Dr. Nicholas already sitting in the guest chair, holding two cups of coffee.

"You know I like black coffee with no sugar," I said while smiling.

"I know," he replied, his eyes sparkling behind his round glasses. "You look tired. What surgery do you have today?"

"A rhinoplasty for a conglomerate's daughter. She wants her nose higher. I told her her nose was already beautiful, but she insisted."

"And you did it?"

"I'm a doctor, I give patients what they want, as long as it's safe and ethical." I sighed. "Louis got in, he made it into the medical faculty."

"I know. He texted me this morning," Nicholas said.

"I can't imagine how we got through all of this without you. You've always been there for us," I said.

"I did it because I love you both and I'll keep doing it until you're ready to accept me completely," Nicholas said.

I looked down, unable to answer. After eighteen years, Nicholas was still faithfully waiting for me. He still proposed every year, and every year I turned him down with the same reason.

"I'm not ready."

But really, I knew the real reason: I was afraid of getting hurt again like Damian did to me.

Nicholas seemed to understand. He didn't push, just smiled and stood up from his chair.

"I need to get back to my office. There's a patient waiting for me. See you at lunch?"

"Sure," I said.

**

When lunch break came, I walked to the hospital cafeteria to grab a snack. There, I heard two nurses gossiping in the corner of the room.

"Did you hear the gossip? This hospital is going to be acquired," said a nurse with short hair.

"Yeah, I heard it from the administration department. A European businessman, they said. They've even built a new building across the street. Look, it's huge."

I turned to the large glass window in the cafeteria. Across the street, a new building towered high, still half-finished but already looking magnificent. I had heard about this acquisition, but I never really thought much about it. For me, what mattered was that I could keep working and taking care of my patients.

"Who said that?" asked another nurse with curiosity.

"The director himself. He said the businessman is coming today for an inspection, they've even prepared a tour of the new building."

"Wow, who is this businessman? Must be a super rich European."

"His name is Damian Kingsley, from a big company in London. He's famous as a property and hospital conglomerate. His family already has a hospital network all over Europe."

I felt the cup in my hand drop and shatter on the floor. All the nurses turned to me with shocked expressions. But I didn't care. I only heard one name that stopped my heartbeat.

Damian Kingsley.

He's here? In my country? At the hospital where I work?

I couldn't breathe. I left the broken cup and walked out of the cafeteria, not caring about the strange looks from the nurses around me. I walked to the main corridor, trying to calm myself down.

Maybe it's just a coincidence, I thought. There are plenty of Damian Kingsleys in the world, but that name was so rare, so specific, and the European businessman with a hospital network fit Damian's family profile perfectly.

I walked down the hospital corridor, trying to steady my breathing. I had to stay calm and professional. This might just be a coincidence.

But when I turned the corner of the hallway, I saw them.

A group of men in neat black suits were walking at the end of the corridor, accompanied by the hospital director. They seemed to be having a serious conversation, occasionally pointing toward the new building across the street.

My eyes squinted, trying to see more clearly. In the middle of that group, there was a man with a tall, sturdy build and a very familiar posture. He turned slightly to speak with the director, and I saw his blue eyes.

I knew who he was. I recognized those blue eyes from the nightmares that had haunted me for eighteen years. I recognized his strong jawline and the way he walked with confidence.

Damian Kingsley.

I felt my entire body freeze. My feet were glued to the floor, unable to move forward or backward. They were getting closer, their footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway.

"Ah, Dr. Alissa!" The hospital director saw me and immediately smiled. He waved his hand at me. "I was looking for you! Come here, I want to introduce you to our hospital's new potential owner."

I couldn't move and couldn't speak. I could only stare at Damian who was now only a few meters away from me. I saw the shock on his face.

"Dr. Alissa! Come here. Mr. Kingsley, this is one of the best plastic surgeons we have. Dr. Alissa Mariana, she's the one who made this hospital's name so famous."

Damian stared at me, his eyes unblinking. His mouth opened slightly, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Beside him, two other men in black suits stared at me with curiosity.

"Alissa," Damian whispered. His voice was soft, almost inaudible.