She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 58

“Set the cautery to forty-five?” Heath paused mid-incision and looked to Loyce.

“Thirty-five is enough,” Loyce said, eyes on the monitor. “His clotting function isn’t great.”

When Heath reached the tumor’s edge, the scrub nurse handed over micro-scissors—only for Loyce to intercept them.

“Use blunt-tip scissors,” Loyce said. “A sharp edge could tear the capsule.”

She handed over a different instrument, and Heath accepted it like it was the most natural thing in the world.

The circulating nurse had to remind herself to stay focused. Every time she thought she’d gotten used to this, she hadn’t. It looked like an elite professor supervising a resident—except the “professor” was the young woman standing to the side.

The most terrifying moment came during the removal. Heath lifted forceps, and Loyce suddenly caught his wrist. “Stop. Two o’clock on your left—there’s an aberrant vein.”

She reached in, gently retracting tissue to reveal a vessel hidden in his blind spot. “Now you can continue.”

The entire operating room went silent.

No one dared mention the sweat sliding down Heath’s forehead. No one dared ask why he checked Loyce’s face before every critical move. Only when the final layer was sutured did Heath finally exhale. “Drain placement…”

“Angle it forty-five degrees toward the diaphragm,” Loyce finished smoothly, already indicating the precise spot along Forrest’s rib margin. “His liver sits higher than average. Standard placement could puncture the capsule.”

When Forrest woke in recovery, he vaguely heard nurses whispering.

“Dr. Heath nearly collapsed outside,” one murmured. “He said operating with Loyce was the most stressful thing he’s ever done…”

Loyce stood by Forrest’s bed, one hand in her pocket, checking his vitals with the calm of someone who’d done this a thousand times.

“Wait.” Forrest stopped her. “I have a meeting tonight, but a file’s still at home. Can you bring it to me?”

Loyce’s brows drew together. “Forrest. I just told you, you can’t overwork. This surgery drained you. Do you want to recover or not?”

Warmth spread through Forrest anyway, even as he grimaced. “I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal… so I had my assistant schedule it.”

“It is a big deal,” Loyce said, firm. “No meeting.”

Forrest, usually the kind of man no one could argue with, folded under her tone like he’d been trained. “Fine.” He sighed. “I’ll call Hank. He’s probably at the office. This investment project ties into his research anyway. Bring the file to my office and let him handle the meeting.”

Loyce finally nodded. “Good. I’ll do that.”