Chapter 3Selflessly Saving My Romantic Rival

If Monica had an ounce of sense, she’d know what to do. Transfer immediately. Or have Ted use his money to fly in a team of specialists. That was always an option.

But she was arrogant, banking on her youth and fame, and determined to break me. “What do I care about her surgery? You just don’t want to operate on me. You’re just jealous because your husband loves me!”

And just like that, she’d detonated the affair in the middle of the hospital corridor. Gasps rippled through the onlookers. The audacity of this woman was breathtaking.

Monica didn’t care. This was her chance to dethrone me, to become the one and only Mrs. Vance. Ignoring the looks of disgust and shock, she pressed her attack. “Aren’t doctors supposed to be professional? To separate their personal feelings from their duties? Right now, I am a patient. You can’t refuse me. If you do, you’re no better than a murderer.”

A murderer? Was she serious? She wanted to use my own ethics against me?

I almost laughed. I pulled on my surgical mask and turned to leave. “I have to prep. I don’t have time for this melodrama. Get her transferred. If you hurry, you might still make it.”

Seeing that her tactics weren’t working on me, Monica’s face crumpled. She looked at Ted, her eyes brimming with tears. “Honey, it hurts so much… I’m dying. Please, just ask her. I only want her to do the surgery.”

When Ted met my gaze, he looked away, shame and guilt warring on his face. He never expected this—to be caught not just with his mistress, but with his mistress demanding his wife perform her life-or-death surgery.

But then his thoughts turned to our five years of marriage. Five years, and no children. He’d always blamed me. Monica had promised him a family, promised him an heir. He couldn’t let her lose her womb, not when it meant the end of the Vance family line.

Steeling himself, he looked at me, his voice sharp with impatience. “This has gone far enough, Evelyn. I know you’re angry about the affair, but Monica is hurt. Your first duty as a doctor is to save lives. If you let her die, I swear to God, I will divorce you.”

A bitter laugh caught in my throat. This was the man I had loved for five years? In this critical moment, he stood with her, letting her humiliate me.

But I wasn't afraid anymore. Our home, our marriage… I could let it all burn. I had died once already. Did he really think I would let a man who betrayed me dictate my choices now?

Without turning back, I tossed over my shoulder, “Then divorce it is. I hope you and your whore are very happy together.”

Ted was stunned. He was used to the gentle, accommodating wife who catered to his every need. He never imagined I had this fire in me. He, Ted Vance, scion of the Vance family, was being publicly shamed.

My back was already to him as I walked away. He knew he couldn’t drag me out of the hospital to confront me during work hours. All he could do was hiss in impotent fury, “Fine! You’ll regret this, Evelyn!”

I ignored him, pushing through the doors into the sterile prep room, immersing myself in my work. As the heavy steel door swung shut behind me, it sealed off the chaos. In that moment, nothing else mattered. I was a surgeon. My only focus was my patient and getting her off my operating table alive.

Outside that door, in the hospital corridor, the drama continued.

Monica was still hysterical. “I don’t care! I want her! If she doesn’t do my surgery, I’ll die right here, in your hospital!”

Ted tried to reason with her. “Monica, she’s already in another operation. It could be hours before she’s out. Your body can’t wait that long. Let me get you transferred. St. Catherine’s is only three miles away; they’re one of the best public hospitals in the city. They’ll take care of you.”

If Monica hadn't insisted the ambulance bring her here, she would have been taken to a top-tier trauma center much closer to the crash site, not this high-end private facility.

Mr. Davies was also panicking, terrified that Monica’s stubbornness would lead to her death on his watch, creating a media firestorm. He chimed in, “He’s right, Miss Reed. Dr. Albright is retired, and our other senior surgeon is on vacation. Besides Dr. Hayes, the only other person available is Dr. Torres, and she’s… less experienced. For your own safety, I strongly advise a transfer.”

But Monica wasn’t listening. All she could see was the title of Mrs. Vance, glimmering just within her reach.

“How long will her surgery take?” she demanded. “I’ll wait.”

Seeing her resolve, Davies had no choice. He had a nurse move her to an inpatient room to run a full diagnostic panel, while another was sent to ask the scrub nurse in my OR for an estimated time.

The answer came back quickly: “Best case, an hour or two. Worst case, could be seven or eight.”

If Monica had listened then, she could have saved her uterus.

But she was resolute. “I’m waiting. Schedule me as her next surgery. Get me prepped.”

With a face as white as the hospital sheets, Monica allowed the nurses to start the pre-operative procedures. Davies and Ted were ushered out of the room.

Terrified, Ted called his assistant. “Get me the best surgeons from every hospital nearby. I don’t care what it costs, get them over here now!”

Monica overheard him from inside the room and shrieked, “No! I want Evelyn! Don’t you dare call anyone else, or we are through!”

Ted had no choice but to cancel the call.

And so, Monica waited. Pale, breathing from an oxygen mask, she even found the energy to record a short video for her fans, playing the victim.

Half an hour later, a pool of dark red blood suddenly blossomed on the white sheets beneath her.