The One He Dismissed Became The One He Died For novel Chapter 2

The sterile scent of antiseptic in the hospital corridor stung her nose.

Claire calculated in her head when the final payment for her atelier's latest batch of orders would arrive. She needed to scrape together thirty thousand dollars as soon as possible to pay back Dr. Zimmerman, a man she barely knew.

Gritting her teeth, she called Jefferson. It rang for a long time before someone answered.

But it was Yvonne's voice on the other end.

“Jefferson, there's a call from an unsaved number...”

“Yeah,” Jefferson's cold voice replied. “Ignore it.”

Claire abandoned all expectations and simply hung up.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and forced herself to call her father, George Jenner.

“Mom desperately needs thirty thousand dollars for her surgery fee. I can pay you back by Monday...”

“Thirty thousand?” George snapped impatiently. “You've been with Jefferson Sterling for all these years, and you can't even cough up that much?”

“When I told you to sweet-talk him into giving me a contract with Sterling Holdings, you acted so high and mighty. Now that you're broke, you finally remember your old man? Well, it's too late!”

He aggressively ended the call.

She massaged her temples, her eyes throbbing with a dull ache.

The surgery lasted for two hours.

Miles walked out of the operating room and pulled off his sterile cap. “The clot has been removed. She's out of immediate danger, but we need to find a matching kidney donor as soon as possible. Come to my office later to sign the paperwork.”

“I understand... thank you, Dr. Zimmerman.”

-

Outside the ICU, Claire looked at her unconscious mother and remembered Jefferson's cruel words.

The Sterling family was too powerful. If she wanted to break free and save her mother, she needed a stronger shield.

Miles Zimmerman, the future head of the Zimmerman family and her mother's lead surgeon.

If she could align herself with him, her mother would be saved, and Jefferson would be forced to back off to protect his arranged marriage.

Dragging a man who had just saved her into this mess was a shameless, reckless, and dangerous idea, but it fiercely gripped Claire's rational mind.

“July 28, 1999.”

“I'll remember it, Dr. Zimmerman.”

“Will you really?” Miles's tone grew freezing cold. “Because I think Ms. Jenner is actually quite forgetful.”

Was there a trace of unspoken resentment in his voice? Maybe even a hint of hurt?

Claire didn't understand and didn't dare ask. She grabbed a sticky note, quickly jotted down her phone number, and slipped it into his hand, letting her fingertips lightly brush against his warm palm.

Miles's fingers instinctively curled inward.

“Dr. Zimmerman, this is my number. You can reach me anytime.”

The door clicked shut, and Miles picked up the sticky note.

He already knew that string of numbers by heart.

The frost in his eyes deepened. He relaxed his grip, dropping the note straight into the trash can.