Chapter 3

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly outside the operating room.

Violet paced the corridor restlessly, glancing again and again at the operating room's doors, which were shut tight. At long last, they opened.

A nurse pushed Celia out. She'd already fallen into unconsciousness, but a trace of dried tears still streaked her cheeks, and faint bite marks showed on her pale lips.

"Lia!" Violet hurried forward.

The doctor pulled off her mask, looking grave. "The surgery went well, but the patient's body is very weak. Given her condition, she must rest and recuperate properly. Otherwise… it may be tough for her to conceive in the future."

Violet felt her heart sink. She looked at the unconscious Celia, and her tears spilled over again. Why did a wonderful woman like Celia just have to end up with a scumbag like Basil?

Celia woke up in the afternoon.

Violet's mother, Elaine White, arrived with a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup.

"Lia, you're up? Come on, have the food while it's hot. You need it to build your strength."

She looked at Celia's pale face with heartache.

"Thanks, Elaine." Celia smiled weakly and struggled to sit up.

"Wait, don't move. Just lie there—I'll feed you."

Elaine hurried to support her. She speared a forkful of noodles and gently blew on them, bringing them to Celia's lips.

Her heart was breaking. Celia had finally managed to conceive, and now the baby was suddenly gone!

Years ago, when Celia had nowhere to go, she'd stumbled upon Violet being bullied on the walk home from school. She'd stepped in to help, and Violet had brought her back home. The Slaters had later supported Celia through her studies. Elaine even treated her like a second daughter.

Celia ate slowly. Her stomach felt a bit warmer, but her eyes reddened.

Violet stood to the side as she made a phone call. She kept her voice low, but the aggravation in her tone was clear. "Listen up, Shane Griffin! If you keep hanging around that jerk Basil Fulton, we're done. I'll cancel the engagement, and we won't see each other ever again!"

She hung up after that, her chest heaving with fury.

Celia looked at her. "Violet, don't do this because of me—"

"This isn't about you!" Violet cut her off. "I just can't stand Shane being so wishy-washy. He's still so chummy with Basil after what that jerk did to you! Does that sound right to you? Whose side is he even on?"

Violet's engagement to Shane was part of a marriage alliance between the Slater and Griffin families. The two had gotten engaged at 18. However, Violet remained as spoiled as always, and Shane found it a constant headache.

…

Meanwhile, inside a private room at Hutton's most exclusive private club, lush music flowed, and the air was thick with the scent of expensive liquor and perfume.

Shane held his phone, looking baffled. He shot Basil a look. "What kind of tantrum is she throwing now? She says she'll break up with me if I keep mixing with you."

Basil cradled a glass and gently swirled the amber liquid. He only arched a brow at Shane's words, his face remaining impassive.

Beside him, Tim Hart chuckled. "My, my. Trouble on the home front, Shane? Looks like your lady has a serious grudge against Basil. This is the moment of truth—you've gotta pick either one of them."

Shane raked a hand through his hair, feeling irritated. "Who knows what the hell is wrong with her this time? Whatever. Come on, let's drink."

Just then, the door swung open. A woman in a slinky red slip dress glided in, her hips sashaying as she walked. It was Stella.

She was the Colson family's heiress and a top-tier A-list star. The high-profile birthday celebration Basil had thrown her the day before had shot her fan count up to 20 million. She was a bona fide star and the center of attention.

If she could marry into the Fulton family, she would become the most exalted woman in Hutton. She'd be the wife of the city's richest man!

Just thinking about it made her giddy.

She strutted straight to Basil's side, ignoring the stunned or jealous looks around her. She plopped down beside him and naturally wrapped her arm around his, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Basil, can I be your date for Fulton Group's anniversary this weekend?" she asked.

She didn't want to hide behind him anymore. She'd waited three years. That was long enough!

Basil's gaze softened. "I'll have someone order a gown for you tomorrow."

Stella giggled in excitement. "I knew it. You're the best."

Tim lifted his glass. "Congratulations, Stella. You two are almost official now."

Shane joined in the teasing. "Looks like the three-year contract is about over. Your hardship's about to end, Stella."

It was clear that Basil's two close friends favored Stella. After all, they'd never once seen him bring Celia out in public. Besides, their marriage was a secret one. Almost no one from the outside world knew about it. It was as good as nonexistent.

Stella gracefully picked up her glass and clinked it with theirs. "Thank you, guys."

Of the four most prestigious families in Hutton, three of the heirs were on her side. Once Basil and Celia's marriage ended, she could marry into the Fulton family with her head held high.

Just then, Tim's phone pinged. He checked the notification that popped up and nearly leaped off the couch in excitement.

"Holy crap! L-God is coming back!" he exclaimed.

He held up his phone, showing a bold headline. "Bluebird Tech's founder, L-God, Confirms Attendance at Next Month's Global Medical Summit!"

His voice shook with incredulous joy, and his eyes reddened slightly. "My grandma's got hope! This is great!"

Tim's grandmother, Elizabeth Watson, had lung cancer and little time left. This news was a lifeline.

The young heirs around them erupted into even louder chatter.

"L-God? You mean the one who dropped that cancer treatment formula three years ago, got deified overnight, and then vanished into thin air?"

"My god! Are they finally showing their face?"

"Bluebird Tech will forever be a legend in the medical field. That formula three years back dragged so many terminal patients back from the brink!"

"Yes, that's them! They appeared out of nowhere three years ago, dropped that formula, and disappeared. No one could find them. If they're making a comeback, it's gonna be a nuclear event. Next month's summit will be explosive."

Basil, who sat nearby, couldn't stop his eyes from lighting up at their words. Fulton Group's medical arm was already the nation's top.

He had pioneered a nationwide leading smart healthcare system, and in just four years, he'd risen to become Hutton's richest man.

Under his leadership, Fulton Group's business had extended across more than 80 countries. He was the very definition of a golden boy.

Still, L-God wasn't just a legend in medicine. They were a force of leadership. To him, they felt like a mysterious island radiating an allure that he couldn't resist. He just wanted to get closer to them…

If they partnered with Fulton Group, its status in global healthcare would reach the pinnacle!

Basil's fingers tightened slightly around his glass, the corner of his mouth lifting in a determined smile.

Shane chimed in, "I heard L-God's gene therapy uses bio-integration with gene editing to precisely target cancer cells. It's sick!"

Everyone tossed in their two cents and buzzed with excitement as they imagined the disruptive changes L-God's return could bring. The atmosphere reached an almost feverish high.

L-God was the world's most outstanding biologist, and their value was beyond measure.

Just then, the room's door eased open. A young server came in with a tray and moved carefully to refill drinks.

When she saw the three heirs of Hutton's most prestigious families inside, her nerves overwhelmed her, and she stumbled forward. The glasses on the tray crashed to the floor, and the crisp shattering of glass cut through the noise.

Stella, who was closest to the spill, had no time to react. She let out a short, sharp scream.

Basil moved fast—almost as the glass shattered, he pulled the startled Stella into his arms. He shielded her face from the flying shards, but a couple of them still slashed two thin lines across the flawless skin of her hand.

His brows knotted. An ugly look crept onto his face when he saw the obvious wound and the fresh blood welling up.

"Damn it!"

He swept a cutting gaze at the server, who stood frozen, looking ashen. He snarled icily, "What are you standing there for? Get out!"

The server jolted in fright and fled, practically scrambling as she ran out of the room.

"Basil, my hand hurts…" Stella leaned into Basil's chest, her voice quivering with a sob as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Don't be scared. I'll take you to the hospital to get it treated." Basil's tone softened.

He carefully avoided her injured hand, scooped her into his arms, and strode out of the room.

…

At the hospital, the smell of disinfectant hung in the air. The corridor was so quiet that one could only hear footsteps.

Basil settled Stella in and had the doctor treat her wound carefully, making sure it was bandaged well.

When he saw how pale and pitiful she looked, he forced himself to be patient as he soothed her for a bit. Then, he told her to rest well.

He stepped out of the room. As he reached the end of the corridor and was about to turn the corner, the edge of his vision snagged on an ajar door of the ward he was passing.

A familiar silhouette came into view, and he skidded to a stop.

His gaze locked onto the hospital bed, where stark white sheets cradled an equally pale face. The woman lay motionless with her eyes shut, her long lashes casting faint shadows beneath her lids. A thin hand bore the intrusion of an IV needle, and the clear liquid trickled into her veins, one slow drop at a time.

It was Celia!

What was she doing there? Why had she been hospitalized?

A tangle of indescribable emotions seized Basil's heart in an instant. He felt like an invisible hand had clamped tightly around it.

He pushed the door open and walked straight in.