Chapter 2

I'd worked out the angle. The bullet missed my vital organs, though it grazed my waist.

"Ah!"

Pain tore a scream out of me, and my whole body tensed.

A second later, I hit the ground among the bodies and pools of blood.

The impact sent another jolt of pain through me.

I shook all over, sweat pouring down my face. But relief washed through me too.

The bullet hadn't hit an organ. I was going to live.

And I'd saved the Don. No one could question why I hadn't gone to the OR.

My phone slipped from my pocket when I fell. On its flashing screen was the department director's name.

They couldn't wait for their scapegoat to arrive.

I squeezed my eyes shut and pretended the pain had knocked me out. I let the phone ring.

The Don and his guards spun toward me.

"Save her! Now!"

The Don raised his gun, aimed at the ambusher's head, and fired. One shot. The man dropped.

Before long, the riot was suppressed.

The people who'd helped put down the riot gathered around as I was carried, bloodied, to the family hospital.

The Don's guards told them I'd taken a bullet for him and passed out. Soon everyone knew.

I'd won my bet.

Now I wanted to see how Emma planned to blame me for her mistake.

The doctor assigned to me was Sophia Taylor, Emma's loyal little lackey.

When she saw my face, she froze.

Her eyes widened. "Amelia? Aren't you supposed to be operating on Elder Gotti? What are you doing here?"

The guard from the Don's detail spoke up.

"Dr. Garcia risked her life to save the Don," the guard said. "She's his savior. Give her the best care you can."

Sophia went still. Her gaze dropped to my pale face.

She opened her mouth, then closed it. She couldn't find a word to say.

That told me everything. She knew I was meant to take the fall.

In my last life, the entire hospital had spoken against me as if they'd rehearsed it. Luke and Emma must have bought them all.

With the Don's guard watching, Sophia didn't dare warn anyone. She cleaned and bandaged my wound quickly and carefully.

Two hours later, I opened my eyes and pretended I didn't know what had happened.

"Where am I? What happened to me?"

The guard leaned in with a smile.

"Dr. Amelia, you're finally awake. Thank you for saving the Don!"

I shook my head, still playing dazed.

Then I jolted upright, slapped the bed, and cried out.

"Oh no! Elder Gotti is waiting for me to operate. What am I doing in bed?"

I threw off the blanket and tried to get out of bed, ignoring my injury.

The guard hurried to stop me. "Please, your recovery comes first. Other doctors are operating on Elder Gotti."

I fought his hold, clutched my wounded waist, and swayed on my feet. "No. I have to make sure he's safe."

I pushed toward the door, putting all the panic I could into my face. Then I let my legs give out.

Thankfully, the guard caught me.

I opened my eyes and pleaded weakly.

"Please. Just take me there. I need to check the OR."

He hesitated. "But you..."

I cut him off. "I'll crawl if I have to. I need to see for myself that he's okay!"

He gave in, settled me into a wheelchair, and pushed me there.

The hallway outside the OR was packed with Gambino family members. The air felt heavy with dread.

Emma stood by the doors, wearing a mask of grief.

"I'm so sorry. I did everything I could. But the elder... he didn't make it."

Then her voice shifted. She turned the blame toward me.

"He could have survived. But Dr. Garcia ignored our advice, and her mistake in surgery led to..."

That was all the crowd needed.

"Where is Amelia? Get her out here!"

"She dared to murder an elder! We want her life!"

"She did it on purpose! She wanted to destroy our family!"

"Kill her! Avenge Elder Gotti!"

I sat in my wheelchair, watching Emma lie to their faces.

Then someone spotted me and shouted.

"She's here! Amelia, the elder's murderer, is right here!"

Every head turned toward me.