Chapter 2Selflessly Saving My Romantic Rival

News of Monica Reed’s accident had already exploded online. Someone had filmed the ambulance arriving at Metropolitan Grace Hospital and the video was going viral.

The entire internet was watching this surgery. The hospital’s reputation was on the line.

The Vice President of the hospital, Mr. Davies, hurried over. Hearing Monica’s demand, his eyes darted to me. “Evelyn! Since Miss Reed has such faith in you, I think it’s best you handle this personally.”

In my past life, I was on the cusp of being promoted to Chief Resident. If it hadn’t been for Monica’s slander, that title would have been mine. And Mr. Davies had played his part in my downfall. He’d wanted the promotion to go to my department rival, Dr. Nina Torres, so he’d deliberately “lost” the security footage from the operating room that day, leaving me with no way to prove my innocence.

He was pushing the surgery on me now for the same reason. He knew how dangerous it was. If I refused, and Monica didn't agree to a transfer, the procedure would fall to Nina. But Nina was clumsy, prone to small but dangerous mistakes under pressure. Davies was afraid she’d botch a high-profile case like this and create a PR disaster. So, he wanted to toss this hot potato to me.

Too bad for him, I wasn't playing his game this time.

I gestured to the adjacent OR. “I have a surgery scheduled for 10:30. The patient is being prepped right now for an emergency ectopic pregnancy. She’s in critical condition. I can’t be in two places at once. You’ll have to find someone else. I recommend an immediate transfer.”

In my previous life, I was forced to take Monica’s case. The woman with the ectopic pregnancy had collapsed in the lobby and was discovered too late. Nina had to take her surgery, and the patient bled out on the table. She was only twenty-five, a beautiful young woman with her whole life ahead of her. Her husband, I heard, was in the military. By the time he arrived, her body was already in the morgue.

The memory was a scar on my soul. This time, the first thing I did after being reborn was find that woman in the lobby an hour ago and arrange for her immediate admission and surgery.

I knew I could save her. And I wanted to. Saving an innocent life was infinitely better than saving a viper like Monica Reed.

Monica, hearing my refusal, writhed on the gurney, clutching her stomach. “No!” she shrieked at me. “Find another doctor for her. I want you. You’re doing my surgery, right now!”

She knew my skills were her best chance at a full recovery. She coveted my husband, but she also coveted my talent. She was banking on the fact that I would never risk my entire career by intentionally harming her on the operating table. All those years of hard work—I wouldn't just throw them away.

A cold smirk touched my lips. “And why should I? Your life is a life, but hers isn’t? The ectopic pregnancy patient is showing signs of massive internal bleeding. If your tantrum delays her surgery and something happens to her, are you prepared to take responsibility for her death?”