Chapter 116
“Vera may not be a good person, but she’s still Phoebe’s birth mother. How could Austin incite me to take away her daughter from her? It was horrifying!” Courtney thought,
“Austin, didn’t Vera help you? Is this how you treat her?” Courtney sneered,
“Courtney, I only feel grateful to her, but you are the one I love,” Austin explained anxiously
“Dr. Gilbert, shouldn’t you be heading to work? Even as the youngest attending physician, you can’t keep being late, Courtney said, glancing at the time. She cut off Austin’s nauseating explanation, opened her door, and swiftly shut it behind her, leaving him outside
Austin lingered for a moment, shook his head, and left.
He refused to believe that Courtney had no feelings for him anymore. He was convinced she was just angry, and once her temper cooled and everything settled, she’d realize how good he was to her.
The verdict for Vera had been finalized, and it was certain she would be going to prison.
Courtney also faced the punishment she deserved. These events elevated her reputation in the hospital. Aside from James deliberately causing trouble, no one dared to provoke her anymore.
Meanwhile, Hayden’s condition had stabilized. After undergoing three major surgeries, he’d barely escaped death’s door. However, it was uncertain when he would regain consciousness.
“Courtney, could you help me check the stock of these medications in the pharmacy?” The nurse on duty in the inpatient department suddenly had bad cramps from her period and had no choice but to ask Courtney for help.
Courtney nodded and took the list to the pharmacy.
A new batch of medications had arrived, but a significant amount had been reported as damaged, allegedly due to issues during transit.
Courtney glanced over the inventory. Most of the medications were central nervous system stimulants–the kind that could alleviate patients‘ pain but were also known to be addictive.
“Weren’t they supposed to be damaged? These boxes look perfectly intact. Are they being sent for destruction?” Courtney asked while checking the inventory, noticing that several boxes showed no signs of damage.
“That’s none of your concern. Just check what your department needs, and then head back, someone replied dismissively.
Courtney said nothing and quietly noted it down.
She was certain there was an under–the–table connection between James and Lucas, and there had to be a shared interest at play. The medical field offers many shady opportunities for profit, such as the distribution of controlled substances, illegal organ transplants, and more.
Courtney discreetly passed her findings to Tyson, leaving the investigation to his team. The rest wasn’t her concern.
ཚད་པ་ ོ་
Tyson replied with “Okay” and mentioned that Hayden had woken up for a bit before falling asleep again.
Courtney breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to the hospital
al after finishing her work.
“In the hospital, no matter what you’re doing, be extra careful. James wants you dead. Right now, he’s holding back only because Zaid’s been arrested.
1/3
Sat,
Chapter 116
“Don’t let him suspect that you’re onto something, or you’ll be in danger again,” Tyson reminded Courtney repeatedly, worried for her safety.
If anything happened to Courtney again, Tyson knew he wouldn’t be able to face Hayden or explain it to him.
“Alright, I’ll be careful, Courtney said with a nod
“Go in and check on him,” Tyson said with a sigh.
Courtney entered the ward and saw Hayden hooked up to numerous machines, still not completely out of danger.
His once neatly trimmed buzz cut had grown out,
t, now prickly to the touch. The stubble on his face seemed freshly shaved, but the bruises and the swelling around his eyes made him look almost unrecognizable.
Courtney stood by the bed, looking at Hayden’s face. “He had such a handsome face. How could those scumbags harm him like this? Were they jealous of his good looks? she wondered.
Midway through, Hayden briefly opened his eyes. He saw Courtney and seemed like he wanted to say something, but he was too weak to speak and soon closed his eyes again.
“The doctor said he suffered a brain injury. While his skull wasn’t fractured, there was intracranial bleeding. Such severe injuries often lead to memory loss, but we’ll need to wait until he wakes up to be sure,” Tyson explained.
Courtney nodded and sat by the bed. ‘Memory loss? If he forgets me, that may be a good thing, she thought.
“Hayden, does it still hurt?” Courtney asked softly.
Hayden’s eyelashes fluttered slightly but remained closed.
“Forget me… Stay away from me, and maybe you won’t keep getting hurt, Courtney murmured, her voice hoarse and choked with emotion
It truly was a miracle that Hayden survived this time.
After sitting by Hayden’s bedside for an hour, Courtney got up to leave, only to find that Hayden’s heavily bandaged fingers had somehow gripped the hem of her clothes tightly.
it was as if he was asking her to stay or telling her not to be afraid, that he was still alive. At that moment, Courtney couldn’t hold back any longer. She turned her gaze aside as tears began to fall.
Hayden finally opened his eyes again. The urgent beeping of the ventilator seemed to convey his desperate desire to speak.
“Just rest. This isn’t the time to talk, Courtney said, shaking her head and gesturing for Hayden to rest.
He closed his eyes again, but his fingers refused to let go of Courtney’s shirt. With no other choice, Courtney stayed by his side in the hospital room throughout the night.
The next morning, when the doctor came for rounds, they were surprised to find Hayden fully conscious.
“You’re recovering fast, young man!” a doctor remarked reassuringly. They were about to wake Courtney, who had fallen asleep by the bed, but Hayden raised his hand with difficulty to stop him.
“No memory loss, huh?” Tyson asked.
But the next moment, Hayden looked at Tyson with a completely unfamiliar gaze, as if silently asking, “Who are you?”
