Chapter 2

I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white.

This wouldn't work. I couldn't waste any more time. I had to find an opportunity.

I stared at Zachary, who was a short distance away, and said, "My phone is in my pocket. You can use it to call the director of Central City Hospital right now."

This situation would be resolved as soon as my hospital director, Lawrence Johnson, stepped in. I had to perform that surgery as soon as possible.

But Zachary didn't respond. At that moment, a doctor hurried out of the banquet hall.

"It's not looking very promising. We need to perform a thoracotomy right away, but this surgery is far too complex for me to complete," explained the doctor.

"I can do it," I cut in hastily. "Release me. I can perform the surgery."

A flicker of hesitation crossed Zachary's face.

"If this doctor can't handle it, we can always call someone else," Lydia said as she leaned toward Zachary. "There are plenty of doctors in the area. We're bound to find someone who can perform a thoracotomy."

"You might not know this, but her conflict with the mayor started because of a surgery," she added.

After a brief pause, she continued, "She tends to take a more aggressive approach, while Mr. Davis prefers conservative treatments. They had a huge argument, and he made it clear that he'd never let her operate again. If you let her into the banquet hall, will you be able to handle the consequences?"

All of a sudden, Zachary wasn't hesitating anymore. After pulling out his phone, he made a call and said, "I want every available doctor in the area here as soon as possible."

Subsequently, he shot me a glance and spat, "Stay put. You're not going anywhere."

With that, he immediately turned around and left.

I couldn't keep my emotions in check any longer. Glaring at Lydia, I barked, "Why are you doing this? Are you aware that the patient is a living human being?"

She scoffed in response. "This is what you get for what you did to me. You berated me in public and forced me out of your department. Now, everyone looks down on me and calls me incompetent.

"You're the one who's too strict. So what if I made a mistake? You didn't have to make the issue public. I'm going to make you pay for making a fool of me."

I couldn't believe that she was willing to trade a human life in order to get her petty revenge. I found her logic laughable.

"The patient in there is the mayor's son. If anything happens to him, do you really think you'll be able to walk away from this?"

Lydia tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm just an intern. I'm only stating facts. The final decision has nothing to do with me."

She continued, "Besides, you're a doctor. If you stand by and let the patient die, you're the one who'll have to explain everything to the mayor. He could easily assume that you're holding a grudge against him and didn't do everything you could to save the patient."

"As for me…" she added lightly. "Don't worry. I have a close relationship with the mayor's assistant, so he'll put in a good word for me."

I sat on the ground and watched as multiple people rushed in and out of the banquet hall. I had to operate in 15 minutes, or it would be too late.

I struggled with all my might, but I was no match for the guards who were pinning me down. I couldn't get to my feet at all.

Moments later, the door to the banquet hall was pushed open, and the doctor walked out once again. His clothes were covered in blood, and he looked absolutely terrified.

"Nothing's working. The patient is hemorrhaging, and we can't stop the bleeding at all. There's still no signs of cardiac activity," he declared.

Zachary rushed over. "You need to save him no matter what. The mayor's son can't die in my hotel!"

My body felt limp and worn-out, but my head shot up the instant I heard their conversation.

"Let me in!" I said urgently. "Right now, I'm the only one who can do this!"

As a doctor, there was no way I could do nothing and watch a patient die in front of me.

"Even if you don't trust me, I'm still a cardiothoracic surgeon! I don't have to operate. Please just let me stand next to the doctor and guide him through the procedure!" I begged desperately.

Zachary's expression soured, but he nodded his head anyway.

"Fine. You can go in—"

"Are you sure, Zach?" Lydia cut him off. "Don't let her fool you."

"What can she do if she's not the one operating on the patient?" she spat. "She simply wants to get close enough to poison the mayor's son. You need to be careful!"

Something inside of me snapped. "Lydia Sharpe, you bitch! Shut up!"

Lydia immediately teared up. "Look, Zach. I exposed her, and now she's lashing out at me."

All of a sudden, a frantic voice rang out from inside the banquet hall, "It's no good—the patient no longer has any brain activity! We have to operate now!"