The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 25

At exactly 11:45 AM, just as Evelyn's car rolled away from the old estate, her phone began to ring.

She glanced at the screen—it was Dr. Sterling, the director of Metropolitan General.

"Hello, Dr. Sterling," Evelyn answered.

"Dr. Sullivan, I am so sorry for calling you completely out of the blue," Dr. Sterling's voice was tight with panic. "Are you in New York right now? We have an extreme emergency, and I desperately need you to take a look."

Evelyn's demeanor instantly shifted. "What's the situation?"

"Eighty-three-year-old male, massive anterior myocardial infarction, complicated by cardiogenic shock. We've already put him on ECMO, but he's still crashing." Dr. Sterling fired the words out rapidly. "The patient is Julian Thorne. His family is demanding the absolute best specialist in the world, and... you were the only one I could think of."

Evelyn's mind flashed back to the international cardiovascular summit in Geneva three years ago. She had attended completely anonymously under the alias "Dr. Rose," delivering a groundbreaking keynote on emergency interventions for critically ill, elderly coronary patients. After the presentation, Dr. Sterling had actively sought her out to exchange contact information, mentioning he'd love to consult her on complex cases.

"Where is the patient?" Evelyn asked.

"ICU at Metropolitan General. Dr. Sullivan, I know this is a massive imposition, but the patient's condition is incredibly critical. Julian Thorne is a national hero. In his youth, he made unparalleled contributions—"

"I'm on my way," Evelyn cut him off. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Have the cardiovascular, anesthesia, and intensive care teams meet immediately. Get all his scans and charts prepped."

"Thank God! Thank you so much, Dr. Sullivan!" A massive wave of relief washed over Dr. Sterling's voice.

Hanging up, Evelyn whipped the steering wheel around, dialing Penelope's number as she accelerated.

The phone rang endlessly before it finally connected.

"Evelyn, where on earth are you?" Penelope's voice was dripping with impatience. "The entire family is waiting for you. Lyra and her parents are already here."

"Penelope, I apologize," Evelyn said, her voice perfectly even. "An extreme emergency just came up. I won't be able to make it to lunch."

"What?" Penelope's voice shrilled through the speaker. "Say that again? I specifically told you Lyra's entire family is here, and you're just not showing up?"

"It truly is an emergency. It's a matter of life and death," Evelyn explained calmly. "An elder just went into critical condition, and I need to get there immediately."

"An elder?" Penelope scoffed brutally. "What elder is more important than your own family? Stop making excuses, Evelyn. Are you just too terrified to face Lyra?"

"No, that's not it at all. The patient's condition is dire, and I—"

"Evelyn!" Penelope shrieked. "Let me make this perfectly clear. If you do not walk through these doors today, don't ever bother stepping foot in the Lancaster estate again! Lyra is back, and she brought Christian's child with her! He owes her an explanation. As his wife, are you seriously too cowardly to even show your face?"

Evelyn took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Penelope. This patient's life takes priority. I'll come apologize another day."

Without waiting for a response, she ended the call and immediately toggled her phone to silent.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify