The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 174

The jet touched down at JFK International Airport just as evening descended the following day. The fading sunset draped the sprawling metropolis in a golden-red veil.

Evelyn didn't waste a second, breezing through the VIP customs channel. A sleek black sedan was already idling at the exit. The driver, a steady-looking man in his forties, respectfully opened the door the moment he saw her. “Dr. Sullivan, Chief Lee sent me to take you straight to the hospital.”

“Thank you.” Evelyn slid into the backseat and closed her eyes. Thirteen hours of flying hadn't dulled her edge; if anything, the exhaustion made the sharp, calculated gleam in her eyes even more pronounced.

By the time the car pulled up to St. Jude’s Medical Center, the city lights were in full bloom. The emergency department was blindingly bright, but the third-floor ICU wing remained eerily quiet, filled only with the rhythmic beeping of monitors and the muffled footsteps of medical staff.

Chief Lee was waiting by the elevators, right on time. The hospital administrator, a man in his early fifties with greying hair, looked grim in his white coat. Seeing Evelyn, he hurried forward. “Dr. Sullivan, you made it.”

“Thank you for everything, Chief Lee.” Evelyn shook his hand briskly. “How is my grandfather?”

“Stable for now, but extremely fragile.” Chief Lee kept his voice low, briefing her rapidly as they walked. “He collapsed suddenly at the estate yesterday afternoon and was rushed here by ambulance. His blood pressure was critically low, oxygen saturation at 82%. Dr. Benedict Miller managed to stabilize him before moving him to the ICU. He’s currently surviving on a ventilator and pressors. But...”

He paused, pulling several lab reports from his folder. “This is the bloodwork from this morning. His serum digoxin concentration is 5.8 ng/mL. It’s a massive overdose. But digging through Arthur's long-term prescription logs, he was never prescribed digoxin.”

Evelyn snatched the papers, her eyes darting over the numbers. Her gaze turned to ice.

Digoxin. A cardiac medication with an incredibly narrow therapeutic window. In high doses, it was pure poison.

“Dr. Miller noted that Arthur complained of palpitations, so he assumed it was a temporary, self-administered dose,” Chief Lee whispered. “I interrogated the staff at the estate. Around 3:00 PM yesterday, your father’s wife, Helena, visited the house and brought a thermos. Arthur collapsed shortly after she left.”

Evelyn didn't break her stride, but her fingers clamped down on the reports so hard the paper crumpled.

At the end of the hall, Stephen was pacing aggressively in the ICU family waiting area. When he spotted Evelyn and Chief Lee approaching, he bolted upright.

“Evelyn, finally—!”

“Save it.” Evelyn cut him off, her voice a flat, dead calm. “I need to change and assess the patient.”

She didn't even spare him a second glance as she walked straight toward the staff locker room.

Stephen stood frozen, his hand still hovering in the air. His face flushed a violent crimson. He pointed at her retreating back, his voice spiking in pitch. “What kind of attitude is that! I am your father!”

Chief Lee smoothly stepped between them, his stance polite but immovable. “Mr. Sullivan, please understand. Dr. Sullivan’s primary concern is the patient's survival. Any discussions can wait until after the assessment.”

“He doesn't have time for that.” Evelyn tossed the clipboard onto the desk and met Chief Lee’s gaze. “We need to operate immediately. I’ll implant a Ventricular Assist Device and initiate hemofiltration to purge the toxins. I’ll be the lead surgeon.”

Chief Lee didn’t hesitate for a second. “Understood. I’ll prep the OR right now. Who do you need on your team?”

“Dr. Vance for cardiothoracic, Dr. Reed for perfusion, and Dr. Hayes for anesthesia,” Evelyn fired off rapidly. “Grab two experienced residents to assist. I need the latest magnetic levitation centrifugal pump, and make sure we have plenty of blood on standby. We’re executing Protocol Two from my paper published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery three years ago.”

Chief Lee nodded fervently, jotting down notes. “I'll coordinate everything personally. OR 2 will be prepped in twenty minutes.”

“Make it fifteen.” Evelyn was already prepping her pre-op checks. “I’ll be there as soon as I scrub in.”

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The surgical lights in OR 2 blazed like the midday sun.

Evelyn stood at the operating table. The deep blue surgical gown accentuated her luminous skin, and the eyes visible above her mask were intensely focused. Flanking her were Dr. Vance, Dr. Hayes, and St. Jude's absolute best specialists, all wearing expressions of utmost gravity.