“I need an assistant.” The medical staff around the room all instinctively took a step back. None of them wanted to touch this mess. Theodore chuckled, trying to sound genial. “With your level of skill, I’m sure you understand just how risky this surgery is. Nobody here is unwilling to help, it’s just… they’d rather not get in your way. Right?” The moment Seraphina stepped into the OR, Theodore planned to call security. He’d accuse her of disrupting hospital operations, illegally performing surgery, and—if the patient died—manslaughter. Let her rot in jail. Seraphina looked around, then said calmly, “Where’s your dean? Get him here.” After all, she’d only gotten dragged into this because of Alaric. He’d better show up and pull his weight. “Ha!” Celina let out a scornful laugh. “Are you mentally okay? Maybe you should go get checked in yourself. You think the dean of this hospital just appears when someone like you asks? I’ve worked here over ten years and barely seen him. Who the hell do you think you are? Some kind of miracle worker? What a joke.” “Celina,” Theodore cut in with a warning glance. He didn’t want her ruining their setup. He turned to Seraphina with a forced smile. “The dean’s actually… out of the country.” “Oh?” Seraphina’s lips curled into a faint smile. Her eyes gleamed, as if they could see straight through everything. That effortless presence—unshakable, indifferent—cut deep into Celina’s ego. Her lifetime of pride crumbled under the weight of this girl’s calm superiority. She sneered. “What’s with that smug face? You think you’re the queen of this place? God, you’re insufferable. Fine. If you can get the dean here, I’ll bark like a dog.” She threw in an exaggerated eye roll, waving her hand like she was swatting a fly. “Enough with the posturing. Are you gonna do the surgery or not?” “I just need to make one call.” Celina scoffed. One call? Make ten. You still won‘t summon the dean. Seraphina pulled out her phone. She put the call on speaker. A familiar, slightly raspy voice came through the speaker almost instantly. “Seraphina, miss me already?” The whole room froze. The voice rang out like thunder. No. Way. Was that… the dean? The girl actually had the dean’s personal number? And from the sound of it, they weren’t just acquaintances. They were close. “Building A, 23rd floor inpatient wing,” Seraphina said casually. “You coming? I’ll let you assist.” Alaric nearly shouted in delight, “Am I dreaming right now?!” Smack! A loud slap echoed through the phone. The entire room flinched. “Holy shit! That hurt—I’m not dreaming! I’m on my way!” The line went dead. Everyone stared at Seraphina like they were seeing a ghost. Then—collectively—they turned to stare at Celina. So… about that barking? Celina was speechless. Seraphina yawned, voice lazy as ever. “Go ahead.” Celina crossed her arms, pretending nothing happened. “I never promised anything.” Barking like a dog in front of the entire hospital? Hell no. This girl was seriously insufferable. Why couldn’t she just back off? Seraphina shrugged. “Fine. Then you do the surgery.” Celina’s mouth opened. No words came out. She looked helplessly at Theodore, silently begging for help. But by now, Theodore had realized things were spiraling. How could this brat know Alaric? If the dean really came, and the surgery went forward… the truth would come out. And if it did, he’d be finished. He needed time to run. With a major surgery like this, ten-plus hours was more than enough for him to disappear. He gave Celina a hard glare, silently ordering her to go through with it. Celina bit her lip until she almost bled, eyes filled with hatred as she stared at Seraphina like she wanted to tear her apart. Theodore’s pressure didn’t stop. In the end, she gave in. Her voice shook with humiliation. “Woof. Woof. Woof.” The room erupted. Laughter, applause—even the junior nurses who’d been terrorized by her for years couldn’t help but giggle, whispering behind their hands. Judgmental eyes from every corner burned into her skin. Celina stood there, completely humiliated. All her pride shattered. She stared daggers at Seraphina. There’s no way that girl could pull this surgery off. And when she failed—Celina would make sure the payback was brutal. Moments later, Alaric rushed into the ward. He scanned the chaotic scene, confused. “What’s going on here?” The mother ran up to him like she’d just found a lifeline. Sobbing, she recounted everything that had happened. “We’re out of time,” Seraphina said calmly. “Prep for surgery.” Alaric instantly understood. This wasn’t the moment for blame or punishment. He immediately gave orders, and the room snapped into motion. Celina, desperate to redeem herself, stepped forward. “Dean, I request to assist in the procedure.” Alaric stopped in his tracks. His sharp, weathered eyes turned frosty. “Out.” “Dean—” He ignored her, turning instead to Seraphina with a respectful gesture. “After you.” Then he walked into the OR. Everyone froze. The dean—Alaric Sable—was treating this young girl like an equal? Like a partner? Oh. My. God. Seraphina smiled faintly. “Get ready to bow.” “You—” Celina watched her walk into the OR, then exploded, stomping her heel on the floor with a shriek. “You arrogant b*tch! You think you’re hot shit? If you actually save that kid, I’ll bow and call you a d*mn genius!” She turned to Theodore. “Professor, the surgery’s impossible, right?” But Theodore was nowhere to be found. She looked left, right—nothing. Brows furrowed. Where did he go? Bathroom? Forget it. She wasn’t going to miss the show. Celina stayed behind, determined to watch that brat embarrass herself. Meanwhile, Alaric was already making plans. He wanted this surgery documented. If it succeeded, it would be a once-in-a-generation case study for the hospital’s archives. He ordered real-time broadcasting to begin immediately. Soon, every screen in Draycroft Hospital—from the surgical theaters to the cafeteria—lit up with the live feed. Even the kitchen staff had heard about it. The dean was performing an insanely complex heart operation… With a girl in her twenties. Doctors around the hospital looked at each other in disbelief. “Who the hell is that girl?” “She must be talented. The dean wouldn’t just operate with some random.” “Get real. It’s obviously a family connection. Some rich relative trying to sneak her into a position. You know how it goes.” “Total nepotism.” “I kinda believe in her though.” “Believe? My *ss. She won’t even touch the scalpel. The dean’s gonna handle everything. She’s just there for show.” Just another shady power deal. If you take it seriously, you’re the fool.