She Rose from the Ashes

Late that night, Silas finally came to the hospital. He reeked of alcohol, and his white coat still carried a trace of a woman's perfume."Chloe, how are you feeling?"I looked at him and asked softly, "Silas, when can I start the treatment?"He frowned. "Wynter said your current survival rate is only 30%. It's too risky.""What about Mr. Zerin's daughter last month?" I asked quietly. "What was her survival rate?"Silas hesitated. "She was only in stage three. You're terminal. It's different.""They donated 30 million to your research fund," I said, fixing my eyes on him. "Is that what makes it different?"His face darkened. "Chloe, how can you think of me like that? I developed this drug for you."Seeing the righteous look on his face, I suddenly laughed. "Silas, do you even remember how I got this illness in the first place?"…Ten years ago, there was an explosion in his lab, and I inhaled the toxic chemical fumes from running into the fire and dragging him out.The diagn

The violent surge of emotion sent me into another crisis that very night. My breathing grew shallow, my oxygen levels plummeted, and I was on the verge of needing a ventilator.Angela Reign, the head nurse who had cared for me since the beginning, stood by my side with reddened eyes as she administered the medication, gently patting my back to soothe me. "Chloe, hang in there. You have to hold on! Prof. Stenson has already succeeded, hasn't he? I saw the news yesterday—his new drug has made a miracle happen..."Her voice broke as she spoke. "I still remember when you first fell ill. Prof. Stenson cared for you so much—he'd stay by your bedside through the night, holding your hand and saying, 'Don't be afraid, Chloe, I'll save you.' And now he's finally done it. Your suffering's almost over."Listening to her, I could only force a faint, bitter smile.Once my condition finally stabilized, Angela went to fetch some water, leaving me alone in the room. Just then, Wynter appeared in th

Angela wiped her tears beside me. "Chloe… will you ever come back?""No, Angela." I held her hand gently. "There are too many bad memories here. I want to start over.""What about me? Can I come with you?" she suddenly asked, stumping me for a moment."Chloe, I watched you grow up and saw all the pain you endured in the past decade," Angela said through her tears. "Besides, I'm done working here, and my kids are all overseas. I've got no one left in this city. Every time I see Prof. Stenson, I can't help but think of everything you've suffered… Please, let me come with you. Let me take care of you."My nose stung, and before I knew it, tears were sliding down my cheeks again. "Okay, Angela. We'll leave together."…Three days later, Silas flew to Helvetia for an academic conference. The very next day, I signed my discharge papers. Wayne arranged for an ambulance to take me directly to Kingspoint Hospital.The first time I met Richard Charrick was in the ICU consultation room. He

The news spread through the medical community like wildfire."Have you heard? Silas Stenson is being sued.""You mean that award-winning prodigy?""Prodigy? He fed his fiancee placebos for a decade just to collect control-group data!""That's sick!"The Medical Association quickly launched an investigation."Prof. Stenson," one of the investigators said, "can you explain this?"Silas sat slumped in the chair, his face pale and drawn. "I… I only wanted to gather a full set of control data first. Once the new drug was complete, I planned to use it on her—""So you gave her placebos for a decade?" The expert's voice was cold. "Do you realize what that means? It means a treatable illness became a chronic one because of you. Ten years of pain that never had to happen! Prof. Stenson, as a doctor, you treated a patient like a lab specimen. Does that not violate every principle of medical ethics?"Silas couldn't answer. He didn't even dare imagine how Chloe had endured those ten years

A month later, the court convened. Chloe did not appear in person; she entrusted Wayne to handle everything on her behalf. Inside the courtroom, every piece of evidence was laid bare for all to see. Silas had no defense left to offer."Defendant Silas Stenson," the judge announced, "you are found guilty of misappropriating your ward's medical funds in a substantial amount, resulting in delayed treatment and severe consequences."The court sentences you to three years in prison, suspended for five years, and orders compensation to the plaintiff totaling 15 million dollars for both economic and emotional damages."Defendant Wynter Keller, for unlawfully altering the patient's medication and causing serious harm, is sentenced to seven years in prison. Her medical license is revoked, and she is permanently barred from practicing medicine."Wynter broke down, sobbing hysterically. "Objection! It was Silas! He made me do it!"Silas looked at her with an icy calm. This was the woman he h