Chapter 2

Before I arrived, Lauren had just finished a video call with Gina, just to make sure her mother would keep me around a little longer and not bother her while she was out with Isaac.

Watching Gina pace around like a cat on a hot tin roof, I deliberately jogged back, panting for breath.

"Mom, Lauren's coworkers say she's not working late today, and she won't pick up my calls either!"

A flash of guilt crossed Gina's face, but she still covered for Lauren. "She probably got called out somewhere. If you can't reach her, just try again in a bit."

Just then, Lauren's uncle, Patrick Martinez, along with Hannah's in-laws, arrived at the hospital.

When Patrick saw me, his expression instantly hardened. "Where's Lauren? Isn't she an obstetrician? What are you doing here, just standing around? Why haven't you called her over yet?"

Patrick was my late father-in-law's older brother. After his death, Patrick had taken charge of all Martinez family matters, big and small.

In my last life, when the doctor announced Hannah's death, I was still in shock when Patrick slapped me twice across the face. "You're Hannah's brother-in-law! You're supposed to look after her as if she were family! How could you just let her die?!"

This time, I was not going to give him the chance.

I gave a bitter smile and said, "Patrick, I can't reach Lauren. She told me this morning she would be working late, but when I went looking for her, her coworkers said she never came to the hospital today. She won't even answer my calls."

Gina opened her mouth slightly but ultimately said nothing.

"Are you stupid? If she's not picking up, keep calling! You're pathetic!" snapped Patrick.

I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed one call after another. Finally, on the tenth attempt, the call connected.

I immediately put it on speakerphone. "Honey..."

"Are you out of your mind?! Why do you keep calling me? I told you I'm working late! I'm very busy, so don't bother me!"

"Honey, Hannah just fell, and she's bleeding badly. She's still in the operating room right now... You're not even at the hospital. Where are you?"

There was a pause on the other end. Then, a man's sarcastic voice came through.

"Wow! Charles doesn't trust you, huh? He went all the way to the hospital to check on you? Lauren, your coworkers won't get the wrong idea, will they?

"Charles, come on, man... If you've got something to say, talk to your wife straight up. Don't go around cursing her sister just because you're jealous. That's twisted."

"No, that's not true... Lauren, I'm serious! Hannah's really in surgery, you can even..."

"Enough! If you're going to lie, at least make it believable. How could Hannah fall at her in-laws' place? Stop being so dramatic. You're jealous again, huh? You just had to show up at my workplace to make a scene? If this mess costs me my year-end evaluation, I swear I won't forgive you!"

Before I could say anything else, she hung up.

The area outside the operating room, which had been filled with whispered conversations, fell silent.

I gave a bitter smile and feigned hurt.

Gina avoided my gaze, and Patrick's face twitched with guilt, though he said nothing. Meanwhile, Hannah's in-laws looked at me with disgust, exchanging heavy sighs.

Just then, the operating room doors burst open.

A nurse rushed out with an anxious look on her face and said, "The patient has an amniotic fluid embolism! You're Dr. Martinez's family... Can someone contact her right away?"

My eyes flickered slightly. Everything was unfolding just as it had in my past life.

Gina's legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the floor. Patrick could no longer pretend to be calm and quickly called Lauren.

He muttered, under his breath, "It's fine... Everything is going to be fine... Lauren is the best obstetrician, and she's saved several patients with amniotic fluid embolisms before. She'll definitely save Hannah!"