Chapter 5

When the call finally connected, Bianca surprisingly didn't lose her temper. She answered every single question from the doctor with genuine care.

Hanging up, she said, "They’ll land tomorrow night at eight."

The tight knot in my chest finally loosened.

"Thank you."

She looked a bit unnatural, rubbing her nose awkwardly.

"If you really want to thank me, sign the divorce papers and let Connor and I be together."

I looked at her. "I'll say it again. When the real Bianca comes back, if she wants a divorce, I'll sign."

As I walked toward the door, I heard Connor lower his voice.

"Why didn't you set terms just now? He’s desperate. If you forced him to sign first, he would've done it."

"A life is on the line! You expect me to blackmail him with that?" Bianca’s tone turned ice-cold instantly. "Do you really think I’m that heartless?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I was just worried you’d get taken advantage of."

"Even so, you don't kick someone when they’re down."

I didn't turn back.

At the very least, eighteen-year-old Bianca wasn't entirely rotten.

Around noon the next day, right as I was about to call Bianca to ask her to visit Grandma before the surgery, Connor arrived at the hospital first.

He handed me the divorce papers.

Once again, it demanded I walk away with nothing.

“Bianca said the visiting surgical team will only arrive on schedule if you sign this."

I looked up at him. "That's impossible."

He let out a quiet chuckle. "Feel free to call and ask her. But right now, she listens to everything I say.

"Elliot, I don't need her to threaten you in person. All I need is a way to make sure that team never shows up, and that's enough."

He glanced toward the emergency room. "Are you willing to gamble your grandmother's life on this?"

The warmth drained from my fingers, inch by inch.

Bianca hadn't had this attitude last night. Yet Connor clearly knew how to pull her strings.

I couldn't afford to gamble.

"I’ll sign."

I took the pen.

"On one condition. Tell Bianca to come to the hospital today and see my grandmother before surgery."

Connor agreed without hesitation.

I glanced at the date. Past midnight tonight, the real Bianca would be back.

The surgery was scheduled for eight tomorrow morning. There was still time.

I put my name on the page.

I waited all the way until nine at night, but Bianca never showed up.

There was no word from the surgical team scheduled to arrive at eight, either.

I dialed her number repeatedly, but nobody picked up.

The text feed flashed into view:

[The teen version and the main guy are popping champagne at the villa right now to celebrate the divorce!]

[Are they finally sealing the deal tonight? OMG!]

Over by the operating room, a doctor ran out with hurried steps.

"Where’s Dr. Carter? The patient's condition is deteriorating rapidly! We can't wait any longer!"

I called Bianca one more time.

Still no answer.

Left with no choice, I scrambled to contact hospitals and transferred departments myself to locate Dr. Carter.

Finally, the voice on the line said, "Dr. Carter's team canceled their trip earlier today around one in the afternoon."

One in the afternoon.

Shortly after I had signed the papers.

My hand shook so violently the phone nearly slipped from my grip.

The doctor looked at me. "Mr. Morgan, we can't wait."

My voice trembled uncontrollably. "Then please perform the surgery yourselves."

When the consent form was handed over, my signature was a crooked, jagged mess.

After Grandma was wheeled inside, my legs buckled, and I slid down the wall onto the cold floor.

This time, the floating text went silent for a very long time.

Only a single line slowly drifted past:

[I suddenly feel kind of sorry for the side character.]

The electronic clock on the hallway wall ticked past midnight.

The operating room door swung open. The surgeon pulled off his mask and gave me a slow shake of his head.

In that fraction of a second, the world went completely silent.

I tried to stand up, but my legs had no strength left.

The text feed in front of my eyes suddenly went wild:

[Holy crap! The real female lead?!]

[How did she come back inside her eighteen-year-old body?!]

[It really is her!]

I turned my head stiffly.

At the far end of the hallway, a young girl was running frantically toward me.

It was Bianca’s eighteen-year-old body.

Yet the look in her eyes as she stared at me was terrifyingly familiar.

Bianca threw herself in front of me, her eyes bloodshot, her breath ragged.

"Hubby!"