Not Your Doormat Anymore

The only way out of this mess that Casey could see was to get back together with me. With the influence and power my family held, she believed those rumors would be wiped clean in no time.

Andrew had suggested they go abroad, leaving Dynora behind, but Casey refused. She had lived in Dynora for years. How could she just walk away? Besides, she had tried again and again these past few days, only to find me getting colder with each encounter.

And now, she had even seen me living with another woman. Her heart was filled with bitterness and resentment.

Why? In her mind, I was supposed to have eyes for her and her alone. How could I move on so quickly? How could I already have someone new? Even if she no longer wanted me, I shouldn't be with anyone else.

She stared at me sadly. When I remained unmoved, she suddenly let out a dramatic "ouch" and looked like she was about to fall.

I didn't react. It was Andrew who stepped in and caught her. Casey clutched his arm, tears falling and soaking through his sleeves. Andrew's face was filled with concern.

Eventually, Casey left. Not long after, once she had sent Andrew away, she pulled out her phone and made a call. "Dr. Huxley, I need to talk to you about something."

Samuel was surprised and flattered to receive her call. "Ms. Newton, of course. What is it?"

"The rumors going around aren't true. That day, I was drugged. I don't know who did it... But just days after he broke up with me, Jace moved in with another woman."

"Are you saying he's the one who cheated first and that he laid hands on you?"

Casey sniffled quietly. "I don't have proof... I only know that the woman is one of his patients. They've known each other for a long time."

"This is outrageous! He's the one who's wrong, yet he's making you the villain, and you even apologized to him! You're too kind, Casey. He doesn't deserve it."

"His family is too powerful. If my family's business is to survive, I have to ask for his forgiveness. You know what's been happening to our company lately-he's behind it all. I... I don't have any other options left."

"He's gotten way too full of himself. There's no way I'm letting this slide. I'll help you!"

Samuel came from a respectable family himself—he wouldn't have been invited back from overseas otherwise.

Hearing his beloved cry over the phone, he couldn't help but be stirred.

"Really? Sam... Can I call you that?"

Hearing how thrilled she was on the other end, Samuel softened. "Of course you can, Ms. Newton."

"Call me Cass," she whispered sweetly.

Meanwhile, I had no time to deal with Casey's theatrics. My surgical break k was almost over, and I was about to return to the operating room. noveldrama

There were numerous case files Nora had prepared in advance-all patients waiting on surgery. I was estimating the schedule. If everything went smoothly, I Could start operating by next Monday.

Five surgeries a day. If all went to plan, I would finish all of these within two weeks.

But when I passed the plan to Nora and asked her to start prepping the patients,

her expression turned uneasy.

"What's wrong?" I asked, puzzled.

She looked between me and the files

in my

finalands, let out a sigh, and

"Dr. Ranford... maybe it's

better not to prep these cases after all."

"Why not? Their surgeries can't be delayed much longer, and all need to be done within the next month."

These were my patients. I had been monitoring their conditions since they were admitted. Every single one of them needed surgery.

What would we do if the files were not ready and something went wrong during the surgery?