The group exchanged glances, wordlessly coming to a silent agreement. They turned and took the service elevator used for medical waste disposal. Seraphina, lacking biometric clearance, couldn’t access it. She stood near the doors, watching as the elevator stopped at the 23rd floor. A faint shadow crossed her moonlit eyes. She turned, followed the signs into the inpatient ward, and took a different elevator straight to the 23rd floor. In the cardiovascular surgery wing, a young nurse had summoned a middle-aged woman who stood nervously before Theodore, her eyes filled with desperate hope. Theodore cleared his throat and spoke sternly, “The patient’s condition doesn’t support a fourth surgery. You should begin the discharge process.” Boom. It was like a wrecking ball had torn through the woman’s chest. Her heart plummeted into a cold, endless abyss. She stood frozen, eyes empty. Then, suddenly snapping back to reality, she grabbed Theodore’s hand, pleading, “Doctor Kael, please! Please! He’s only ten years old… you can’t let him die…” The boy had already endured three heart surgeries. None had cured him. His condition had worsened, leaving him in critical condition. The family had borrowed and spent over a hundred thousand dollars. The child hadn’t regained consciousness since. “We’ll find the money—I’ll borrow more. Just don’t give up on him!” she begged, broken and exhausted. Theodore yanked his hand free. His voice was cold. “We’ve done all we can. Start the discharge paperwork.” Seraphina, watching nearby with a blank expression, finally spoke, “Discharging him is a death sentence.” Heads turned toward the voice. A girl in her early twenties stood a short distance away. Delicate features, obsidian eyes that shimmered with a glacial edge—every part of her presence exuded quiet, piercing clarity. Right when the situation was about to be swept under the rug, a wrench had been thrown into their plan. “What do you know, kid?” the nurse snapped. “Keeping him hooked up to machines costs a fortune. Sometimes, it’s better to go home.” “You mean, go home and wait to die?” Seraphina frowned. They had already spent over a hundred grand. Now they wanted to discharge the boy under the excuse of “no viable treatment”—all in the name of compassion for the family? Where was that concern before? “You—” the nurse turned red with anger. Theodore tried to soften the tension, “The patient’s condition isn’t promising. If we had a guaranteed path forward, we’d take it. But forcing another operation now could do more harm than good.” Either way, the boy wouldn’t survive. So why waste more resources? Besides, if the kid died in surgery, and anyone started asking questions… things could get messy. “Can’t own up to your incompetence?” Seraphina said lazily, her voice cool. “This should’ve been resolved in two surgeries. You dragged it out to four. What a joke.” Gasps filled the room. Everyone stared at the young woman in disbelief. Theodore had planned to ignore her—just another outsider stirring up trouble. But her words struck like lightning. His eyes flickered with panic, a detail Seraphina didn’t miss. The boy’s first surgery had gone incredibly well. Alaric had been the lead surgeon. He performed a temporary closure, planning to do the final sutures after observing the recovery. For the second operation, Alaric had assigned Theodore. It was a routine procedure—basic debridement and stitching. But Theodore had been jealous. Sick of being ordered around by him, he decided to do things his way. He had unilaterally altered the boy’s heart—fusing the atria into a single chamber. And it had gone horribly wrong. “You know medicine?” the male doctor asked, stunned. “Is the fourth surgery really necessary?” another nurse asked, confused. Leaning casually against the wall, Seraphina straightened and looked at the woman with quiet intensity. “If no corrective procedure is done, he won’t survive.” The woman bowed, begging with all she had. “Please… please… you’re doctors… please save my son…” Her voice cracked, echoing down the hallway. People started gathering. Theodore, growing agitated, snapped, “What’s going on? Don’t listen to a kid babbling nonsense.” He barked at the mother, “Get the discharge forms signed. Don’t interfere with hospital operations.” Celina Hargrove motioned to the nurses to pull the woman away. Security staff began crowd control. “This is criminal neglect,” Seraphina said coldly. Power, unchallenged, crushes the weak. People in positions of influence, with a few years of clinical training, deceived their superiors and dismissed the lives of ordinary citizens. Where was their conscience? Murmurs rippled through the staff. “Miss, if you don’t leave right now, I’m calling the police!” Celina snapped. “Spreading dangerous rumors—what are you trying to pull?” They were so close to pushing the family into discharge. And now this girl had shown up and ruined everything. “You idiot,” Seraphina shot back without hesitation. She stepped toward the mother and whispered, “Who helped you get your son into this hospital? Call them.” Draycroft Hospital wasn’t open to just anyone. It served the elite, with the best equipment and surgeons in Valedawn. If this woman had been able to admit her son here, someone powerful had made it happen. That person could help them now. The woman hesitated, then shoved away the nurses and ran to make a call. Back in the ward, Celina’s face twisted with rage. “Who do you think you’re calling an idiot?” Seraphina gave her a withering look. “Take a wild guess.” “How dare you!” “Not as bold as you, ignoring complications, covering up mistakes, letting patients die.” Seeing things spiral out of control, Theodore pulled Celina aside and hissed, “Celina. Stop arguing with her. Get back to work.” Getting the family to sign the discharge papers was priority number one. As long as the kid didn’t die here, and the family didn’t push back, he’d stay out of trouble. Celina protested, “She called me an idiot!” She was one of his top students. People in the hospital walked on eggshells around her. Now this random girl had insulted her in front of everyone? Theodore frowned and coughed, “Let it go, Celina. Don’t act like a child, okay?” Celina refused to back down. Her pride was wounded. “Apologize!” “You’re not worth it.” “You—” Seraphina raised a brow, her tone still lazy. “You’re a senior cardiothoracic attending, and you can’t handle a basic cardiac closure? Calling you an idiot might actually be generous.” Celina let out a frustrated shriek, heels clicking furiously. “You think you’re better than me? I admit I can’t do it—what about you? Can you?” Theodore, who’d been trying to keep the peace, froze. That line sparked something dark in him. His eyes narrowed with calculation. He adjusted his tie, put on a warm smile, and stepped forward. “Miss, you clearly have insight into this case. Tell us—what would you do next?” Seraphina could smell the trap forming. She smiled slightly. “Another surgery. There’s no other option.” Celina tried to interrupt, outraged. “You’re really going to listen to her? She’s bluffing—” Theodore pulled her aside and muttered, “She’s volunteering to take the fall. Why not let her?” “…You mean, let her operate, and take the blame?” Theodore nodded. Celina hesitated. “But what if she doesn’t agree to operate?” “Push her.” Celina strutted back toward Seraphina and sneered. “Surgery? Do you have any idea how complex this procedure is? You talk big, but can you back it up?” Seraphina didn’t react. She already knew where this was going. Sure enough, Celina pressed on, “I’ll admit I’m incompetent. So what about you? Dare to step up?” Such a poor excuse for manipulation. Even Lyanna could’ve done better. Still, Seraphina said nothing. Celina grew agitated. “What, nothing to say? Getting scared now?” The crowd began murmuring. Most assumed the girl would back off. She was smart enough not to get dragged into this. Theodore clenched his fists, watching closely. Then Seraphina said coolly, “Who says I’m scared?” Theodore’s eyes lit up. Celina beamed, too, and kept digging. “Alright. If the surgery goes well, I’ll do whatever you say. But if you fail, don’t cry when you’re arrested!” Theodore quickly stepped in, worried the mention of jail might spook her. “Celina, there’s no way she’s getting arrested!” Then he wore a dignified smile and looked at Seraphina. “Sorry for my rudeness earlier. You’re a doctor too, right? You seem really confident. You must be good at the surgery like that. So let’s not waste any time and get start right now!” He kept up a polite face, but inside he was smirking, thinking, “Let’s see how you get out of this one, brat. Prison’s waiting!” Seraphina just let out a cold laugh and said…