From Betrayal to Brilliance Her Rise to a New Life novel Chapter 313

**TITLE: Her Rise 313**
**CONTENT: 313 The Chosen Patient**

Athena made a conscious choice to keep certain details from Zaden. She could sense the tension in the air and felt it was best to tread lightly.

With a casual tone, she responded, “Hmm, well, he used to be my assistant, so yeah, we got along pretty well. What he just said was a joke. Don’t take it seriously.”

Zaden absorbed her words, but the weight pressing down on his heart remained unrelenting.

Kit was a Rice, after all. With his lineage and social standing, it seemed utterly implausible that he would ever take on the role of an assistant.

Unless, of course, there was something more to it—something hidden beneath the surface.

Zaden couldn’t shake the feeling that Kit’s motives were obscured, and that uncertainty gnawed at him. When he had entered the room earlier, Kit’s tone had not conveyed humor; it had been laced with an earnestness that made Zaden uneasy. Perhaps Kit was indeed sincere, and that meant Zaden had to remain vigilant.

Across the room, Kit had returned to Preston’s side, scanning for any sign of Maya, who was conspicuously absent.

Preston squinted at Kit, his expression unreadable. “So, you and Athena seem quite chummy? You know her pretty well?”

Kit noticed the intensity in Preston’s gaze, a silent acknowledgment that he was scrutinizing Athena for reasons unknown to him.

But Kit had no intention of betraying Athena or turning her into an enemy. If Preston chose to side with Maya, Kit knew he wouldn’t stand a chance against his brother’s determination.

“Uh… we’re okay, I guess,” Kit replied, his voice lacking conviction.

Preston, perceptive as ever, could see through Kit’s facade. His eyes narrowed, sharp with suspicion, but he chose not to press further.

What truly occupied his mind was whether Athena possessed the skills to perform a complete surgery.

If she was still as competent as she had been in the past, he intended to enlist her to operate on Desmond. Maya’s personal vendettas? They were inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

Meanwhile, Maya found herself seated in Barbara’s office, recounting the day’s events with a mix of anxiety and determination.

“Professor Gordon, Athena found a patient who actually agreed to let her perform the surgery,” Maya explained, her voice tinged with urgency. “I pushed her to do it tomorrow, but I can’t shake the feeling that she might have some sort of secret weapon.”

Though she attempted to project confidence, a gnawing unease simmered just beneath the surface.

They were still at the hospital when she located them.

Herbert Pearce was a gray-haired man in his late fifties, grappling with the weight of a brain tumor that required surgical intervention.

Earlier that afternoon, Herbert had been admitted, and his wife, Trina Pearce, had remained steadfastly by his side. Both were anxious about the surgery looming ahead the next morning.

“Sweetheart,” Herbert said, wiping away the corners of his eyes with a trembling hand, “if tomorrow’s surgery doesn’t go well, you’ll have to look after yourself. I won’t be around anymore.”

Trina frowned, her voice laced with gentle reproach. “Don’t talk nonsense! You’re going to be just fine. Professor Warner assured us that one of the best surgeons will handle your case. There’s a 90 percent success rate! You just need to relax and rest tonight.”

The couple hailed from a small, remote town, and the complexities of urban hospitals were lost on them.

Financial constraints loomed large. When Herbert’s condition was diagnosed, they had initially opted against surgery due to the exorbitant costs—tens of thousands of dollars that were simply beyond their means.

By a stroke of luck, Kate had caught wind of their plight. Coincidentally, Athena was on the lookout for a patient for her upcoming surgery challenge. Kate reached out to them, explaining Athena’s capabilities and offering her assistance.

The Pearces were unaware of the full extent of the arrangement. All they knew was that Kate had spoken highly of Athena, portraying her as confident and experienced in dealing with Herbert’s condition. When they researched Kate’s credentials online, they discovered she was a renowned specialist—someone they had desperately tried to book appointments with for months, only to be met with disappointment.