Smack!
A sharp slap rang from outside the door.
James' cold voice came in from outside the door.
“Your young lady has waited eight years for this surgery. Can’t she spare just a few more minutes? Last month, the hospital admitted a girl suffering from menstrual cramps so severe that she tried to jump off a building! This is a matter of life and death! Wanda can't wait any longer!"
The young nurse burst into tears. “But the young lady can't wait either! The donated heart will become inactivated after a while and there will be no way to transplant it again. Besides, the transplant doctors can't treat menstrual cramps. What's wrong with keeping them here for the young lady's surgery...?”
Suddenly, James grabbed the nurse by the hair and slammed her against the operating room door. Gritting his teeth, he roared fiercely, “Who the hell do you think you are, meddling like this? Stop calling her ‘Young Lady’ in front of me. This hospital will bear the Hawthorn name sooner or later!”
James's words sent a chill down my spine. So, it seemed he had been thinking about this for a while now …
Back then, when he was just an average resident, it was my parents who propelled him to where he is today.
The bone-chilling chill spread from my back to my whole body and then my legs went weak and I fell straight to the floor.
The loud thud drew the attention of the people outside. The operating room door was yanked open from the outside and James rushed inside anxiously.
His gaze immediately landed on my phone, which was still lit up from the message I'd just sent to my parents. The screen was still on their reply page.
He glanced at the brief “Okay” and flashed a wary, anxious smile. "Mabel, what did you tell your parents? Didn't we agree, we won't tell your parents about today's surgery so that they wouldn't be worried?"
My hand stiffened as I snatched the phone back as quickly as possible.
“I didn't tell them. I just messaged to say I had a meeting. I was worried they'd call during my surgery and no one would answer.”
James exhaled in relief, scooped me up in his arms and whispered in my ear, “Look at you. If you need your phone, just call me. You're about to have surgery. If you hurt yourself, I'd be heartbroken.”
In my previous life, my desperate resistance only earned his cold indifference. This time, I wouldn't be so foolish.
Fighting back my nausea, I replied to James, "James, when will my surgery start? My anesthesiologist left in a hurry after administering half the injection. Did something happen?"
James held my hand and explained gently with tender eyes, "There was a major car accident in the city center just now and a lot of critically ill patients were brought to the emergency center, but don't worry, it won't delay our operation. I'll arrange for the doctor to come over.’
I grabbed James's sleeve. “Alright, James, I trust you. I've made up my mind. If my surgery is successful, I'll have Mom and Dad hand this hospital over to you.”
A flicker of excitement and complex emotion shone in James's eyes. He paused for a few seconds, kissed my forehead and left with a smile.
A few minutes later, a doctor in a white coat came in.
I looked at him and immediately a sense of relief came over me. Perhaps my words had made a difference, or maybe he was worried about the message I’d sent to my parents, but either way, in this life, he finally sent an expert.
I looked at the heart beside me—the one I’d waited eight years for—and breathed a sigh of relief. I had finally passed the first hurdle of my rebirth.
But I never imagined that trouble would still find its way...
