Chapter 3

I looked up at him with a faint, mischievous smile.

Lionel's face drained of color, but he straightened immediately. "I'm a doctor. I can't just stand by while a patient dies. Dr. Scarver has been my mentor and a true friend for years, and I owe it to her to try everything I can to save her."

Lionel's sincere words didn't just stir the staff—they even made Michelle's eyes well up.

Soft whispers of praise echoed through the room, all for Lionel, not me.

"Look at him, then look at yourself. As a hospital director, you can't even compare to a regular doctor. Do you have any shame? If it were me, I'd hide myself away in embarrassment," a head nurse mocked.

Since I showed no reaction, Michelle finally lost her composure. "What exactly do you want? Set any condition you want. Just promise me you will save Erica. I know you've always dreamed of becoming a professor. If you save her, I'll call the former dean myself and make sure you get promoted immediately."

I raised an eyebrow. "Mom, with hundreds of thousands watching online, openly bribing me like that is a little embarrassing, don't you think? I don't need the professor position, and I'm not interested anyway.

"Since you are asking me to name a condition, then transfer the private hospital under your name to me, and I will go in and save her."

I maintained a righteous facade, but my eyes betrayed a hint of greed. I was already estimating the value of the upscale private hospital. At the very least, it was worth over a hundred million dollars.

"You want money? Fine. I'll give it to you, as long as you can save Erica."

Michelle tried to stand up in excitement, but she had been kneeling too long, and her legs went numb. She stumbled and nearly fell, but Lionel caught her just in time.

"Promises don't mean much. We need a contract. What if I save her and you refuse to keep your word? Draft a transfer agreement, and I'll go in immediately. I've lost both my job and my marriage, so I have to plan for myself," I said.

Michelle hesitated at my shameless demand but finally nodded. "Fine. Sign it now. You must go save her immediately afterward. The contract includes one rule—once Erica survives, you two must divorce."

"Deal. Let's get this signed," I said without a second thought.

My resolve left Michelle staring at me in despair. The tiny flicker of hope she had just felt collapsed completely.

"Erica, this is the man you married. Money matters more to him than anything else."

The murmurs among the staff grew louder.

"This man is a disgrace to doctors. After becoming director, he forgot everything. Now that he has a private hospital, he will probably sell it and chase some models. He's shameless to the core."

"The mother is truly remarkable. She's willing to give up everything she's worked for just to save her daughter."

"Let's hope Dr. Scarver makes it through and finally sees the true face of this ungrateful man so she can start a new life."

"He is completely heartless. How could he demand money from his ex-wife just to save her? This isn't how a doctor should act."

I observed everything coldly, paying no mind to the insults. It didn't matter. The money was already secure. I glanced at the live stream, pleased to see viewers had topped two million.

Even if every comment was against me, it meant nothing. Views and money were all that mattered.

As Michelle and I worked through the transfer details, Lionel suddenly shouted in alarm, "Dr. Scarver's heart has stopped!"