Chapter 3

The moment I reached the operating suite, the air felt thick enough to choke on.

Dozens of mafia bodyguards in sharp suits had locked down the entire surgical hallway.

The silence was terrifying.

Every eye was fixed on the closed operating room doors.

Marco Rinaldi, the Don's son, stood in the middle of the hallway.

His eyes were bloodshot as he gripped Anna's wrist and spoke urgently.

"Dr. Hale, my father's life is in your hands!

"Everyone knows you're the youngest surgical prodigy in the city.

"Bring my father back from the brink, and ten million dollars is yours!"

Anna winced in his grip, but her eyes lit up when she heard how much money he was offering.

Then Marco's expression turned vicious. Clenching his teeth, he glared at every doctor and nurse in the hall.

"And if he dies?

"Every executive in this hospital gets buried with him!"

My father stood off to one side, his face ashen with fear.

He kept wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, and his legs trembled.

But Anna was used to stealing my credit and basking in praise from patients' families. Her ego and all that money had completely blinded her.

She had no idea what she was about to walk into.

She straightened and smiled with confidence.

Then she solemnly promised Marco.

"Don't worry, Mr. Rinaldi.

"I have extensive experience with this kind of surgery. Nothing is going to go wrong.

"I promise your father will walk out of that operating room safe and sound!"

A muscle near my father's eye twitched when he heard that.

Then he turned and saw me finally walking down the hallway.

He quietly let out a long sigh of relief, as if someone had just thrown him a lifeline.

He shot Anna a look, silently telling her to get me into the OR fast and let me do the cutting.

Anna got the message.

To protect her image as a brilliant surgeon in front of Marco, Anna's whole demeanor changed.

She marched up to me, jabbed a finger in my face, and tore into me.

"Emma! Do you know what time it is?!

"You're my first assistant, and you're a full ten minutes late!

"You walked off the job and made us miss the critical window to save him. You're completely unethical!"

As soon as she finished, Anna put on her haughtiest expression.

She turned to Marco and raised her voice.

"Mr. Rinaldi, the whole team is here.

"We're starting right away. I'll do everything I can to save your father."

I stayed where I was, my expression cold.

Normally, I would have lowered my head and apologized meekly, just as I always did. But not this time. In front of everyone, I calmly showed them my right arm, secured tightly in a sling against my chest.

I looked Anna right in the eye and cut her off.

"Sorry, Dr. Hale.

"On my way back to the hospital, I was in a serious car accident out front. My right wrist is badly injured.

"I can't take part in this surgery."

The moment I said it, the whole hallway froze.

Anna's confident smile froze, and the color drained from her face.

She was sure I was only trying to get out of the surgery.

Humiliated and furious, she lunged at me, grabbed my left arm, and yanked it hard.

"Quit faking!

"Don't think I don't know what you're up to!

"Get the hell into that OR right now!"

She tried to drag me through the doors.

I glared at her, gripped the metal handrail on the wall with my left hand, and refused to take a single step.

The floating words had already told me the truth.

Marco had poisoned the old Don before the man was even brought to the hospital.

The moment I stepped through that door, no matter what happened, I'd never be able to clear my name.

Anna pulled again and again, but she couldn't budge me.

All her boasting was about to blow up in her face.

So she turned to Marco, put on a wounded expression, and tearfully pleaded for help.

"Mr. Rinaldi! Look at her!

"Emma has always been jealous of my talent. Now she's throwing a tantrum and refusing to save him on purpose.

"If we waste any more time, your father really won't make it!"