Before anyone realized it, the surgery had entered its eighth hour. It was already six in the evening. No one moved. Every single person stood locked in place, eyes glued to the live monitor, witnessing a once in a lifetime, ultra high risk operation. Cassian’s phone suddenly rang. “Cassian, this is bad. Your sister is missing,” Celestine said, panic flooding her voice. His brows drew together slightly, but his gaze still refused to leave the slender figure inside the OR. “You mean Viola?” “Not Viola. I mean my daughter with Gregory. Jack drove to the Vale estate to pick her up. On the way back he stopped by Draycroft Medical Academy to see a friend. She disappeared there. She’s not answering her phone. What are we supposed to do?” Cassian did not sound concerned. A young girl who loved having fun, probably ran into her best friend and lost track of time. It was still early. He softened his tone and reassured Celestine. By all logic, he should have gone himself. But something held him back. He wanted to watch this surgery through to the end. He wanted to see the lead surgeon take off her mask. He called Victor over. “Send a few people to find Jack. Search around Draycroft Medical Academy.” It seemed the sister they had just brought back was still playful and immature. Meanwhile, the surgery was entering its final stage. Seraphina had already placed more than one thousand stitches in the child’s heart. To fight for every second, she had pushed herself to the limit. The number of sutures was staggering. A routine procedure might require a few dozen stitches. A more complex one might reach two or three hundred. Four or five hundred was already considered the ceiling. One thousand. It was beyond belief. Eight straight hours of intense focus had pushed everyone in the OR to exhaustion. Even after completing all structural repairs to the heart, Seraphina did not allow herself the slightest distraction. The child’s heart had stopped for more than six hours. Every doctor and nurse inside held their breath. Seraphina watched the monitor calmly, eyes steady. When the line representing life slowly began to move again, rising and falling with fragile rhythm, the tension in the room finally eased. Outside, two senior professors were visibly thrilled. “Over a thousand stitches. How did she even manage that? And that cardiac correction. It was flawless. Fast and dead accurate.” “Exactly. No one in the world could pull that off.” This was an extraordinarily complex, high difficulty operation. Yet under Seraphina’s control, it looked almost routine. Her movements were clean and decisive. Above her mask, her eyes were bright and clear. When the surgical light brushed across her brows, it looked like scattered starlight drifting across her face. One glance was enough to make her impossible to forget. “Isn’t that Alaric?” one professor finally noticed the assisting surgeon. Regret filled his voice. “That guy hit the lottery. Getting to operate alongside someone like her. I’m seriously jealous.” “Who is she?” “Doesn’t matter. Her medical skills are above ours. No, above all of us combined.” Even Alaric, a veteran at the top of the field, faded in comparison. Cassian stood watching the monitor, his deep eyes thoughtful, something unreadable flickering behind them. Celina could not hold back. “So what if she stitched it up,” she said coldly. “That heart was practically shredded. Post op bleeding and healing are going to be major problems. This isn’t some contest for who can stitch the most. What’s there to brag about?” Several people frowned at her words, clearly uncomfortable, but no one argued. Technically, she was not wrong. The child’s survival was still uncertain. “Something’s wrong,” someone shouted from the crowd. “The patient’s in ventricular fibrillation.” Everyone tensed instantly. Celina gave a small snort, watching with open schadenfreude as she imagined chaos inside the OR. There was no way such a complicated surgery could go smoothly to the end. That would be pure fantasy. Inside the operating room, tension snapped tight again. “Cardiac arrest. “Seepage at the site. “Blood pressure dropping. “What do we do?” Seraphina swept her gaze across the room, voice turning colder. “Why are you panicking, defibrillate. “Prepare ECMO. “ECMO ready. “Gauze. “Hemostats.” Under Seraphina’s steady command, everything moved in precise order. The rising panic in the room gradually settled. When they looked at her now, it was with absolute trust. By the time it was over, everyone was shaken. The child had been successfully rescued. The surgery was an extraordinary success. “My God, is she even human?” one professor could not contain himself. He grabbed a nearby doctor. “Is she newly hired at your hospital? If she is, I’ll resign tomorrow and transfer here.” Another professor stepped forward. “I’ll resign too. I still have questions I need to ask her.” If I ever get the chance to be in the OR with her, my life’s basically complete. The young doctor being questioned looked overwhelmed. Who knew where she came from. It was like a miracle had dropped into their world and left them stunned. Alaric was just as emotional. After assisting in this surgery, he felt it again with painful clarity. Her medical skills were terrifying. All of them, with their decades of experience, were insignificant in front of her. If he failed to bring her into Draycroft Hospital, it would be the regret of his life. “Wheel the patient out,” Alaric instructed. When they stepped out of the OR, cheers exploded. Applause filled the hallway as everyone praised the girl’s medical skills. The two professors who had been waiting rushed forward like wolves spotting prey. Alaric immediately sensed trouble. He grabbed both of them and dragged them away by force. You’ve got to be kidding me. There’s no way I’m letting anyone steal someone that valuable. Celina watched the scene, teeth clenched, eyes drilling into Seraphina’s back. If Alaric valued this girl that much, she absolutely could not let Seraphina join Draycroft Hospital. Otherwise, there would be no place left for her. Seraphina removed her mask and let out a slow breath. A pale, breathtaking face was revealed. No makeup, yet striking. Calm, slightly detached, but undeniably captivating. “Where’s the family?” she asked, lifting her eyes. The space in front of her was packed with people. At some point, a tall man over six feet had stepped in front of her. He wore a tailored suit, presence refined and imposing. His dark eyes were fixed on her. Who is that? The child‘s father? Ashley squeezed through the crowd. After confirming her son was safe, she had cried uncontrollably. She grabbed Seraphina’s hands and thanked her repeatedly. Several times she tried to drop to her knees in gratitude, and each time someone caught her and pulled her back up. “The surgery was successful,” Seraphina said patiently. “Once his clotting function improves and the incisions heal, we’ll perform another procedure to remove the ECMO. After that, he can be transferred to a regular ward.” She rarely spoke so gently to family members. She had grown up without a mother’s love. Ashley’s raw devotion moved her. “There’s still another surgery,” Ashley said nervously. “Then who will lead it?” Seraphina understood her worry. Afterward, she would discuss it with Alaric. A straightforward removal would not require her personally. “Don’t worry. I’ll make the arrangements.” “But…” “You’ll lead it. Money isn’t an issue.” The deep male voice cut in abruptly. Cassian looked at her, gaze profound, as if calculating something. Huh? Seraphina lifted her eyes, a flicker of interest passing through them. “Are you the child’s father?” Ashley’s face turned red instantly. “No, no. He’s Cassian.” Cassian did not explain. His dark eyes carried layered meaning. He gave Victor a subtle look. Victor immediately took out a check and stepped forward. “Ten million. If it’s not enough, we can add more. You’ve worked hard.” A faint smile curved Seraphina’s lips. So that‘s how it is. A wealthy family connection. Whoever he was, he was generous. The surrounding doctors and nurses were practically green with envy. Ten million for one surgery. That was more than most people could earn in a lifetime. And this child clearly had deep ties to the Drayven family. If they performed well and caught the Drayven family’s attention, their future opportunities would be endless. As for this girl, her rise was practically guaranteed. “No need to add more. This works.” Seraphina reached out and took the check cleanly. Why refuse money? Besides, she was about to return to the Drayven family. Everything there was unknown. Having cash meant having leverage. “Three days from now, depending on his condition, we’ll schedule the surgery…” Before she could finish, a sharp laugh sounded. Celina leaned against the wall, watching with open mockery in her eyes.