The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 545

I was completely stunned. The new Deputy Director had barely been on the clock for half a day, had just taken a quick walking tour of the halls, and was now rushing straight into a high-risk OR? Was this really a good idea?

Beside me, the deep frown on Amber's face instantly vanished, replaced by wild relief. "Oh, thank God! With Dr. Cross taking the lead, this surgery is a lock."

"Then let's stop wasting time and go prep. The patient is waiting." Caspian kept that same relaxed, effortless smile as he patted my shoulder.

The crushing anxiety and self-doubt that had been suffocating me a moment ago seemed to dissipate under his touch. A sudden wave of courage rushed through my chest, and I immediately fell into step beside him as we headed toward the cardiothoracic operating room.

During the time Lawrence was out recovering from his burn, I had actually run solo on several cases. From minor procedures to complex operations, the hands-on experience had drastically sharpened my clinical skills and tested my mental fortitude. I had grown by leaps and bounds.

But a case this delicate still terrified me. What made it even more daunting was that when we stepped into the OR, Caspian simply looked at me and said, "I'll give the commands. You'll execute them."

"I..." I choked on my words, snapping my head to look at him.

Over the rim of his surgical mask, his sharp eyes held none of their usual teasing. They were warm, steady, and full of absolute encouragement. "I've seen what you can do, Dr. Hayes. I know you can handle this. Now you just need to believe it too."

He actually believed in me? He honestly thought I could pull this off?

Because I didn't even believe in myself.

But faced with Caspian's unwavering confidence, I took a deep, steadying breath. The frantic panic in my chest finally began to settle.

Amber had already secured the infant's airway and administered a mild dose of midazolam before we even walked in. I moved to the IV and slowly pushed two milligrams of propofol. The baby quickly drifted off, losing consciousness entirely.