The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 516

The doctor pulled off his surgical cap, wiping the sweat from his brow, deliberately softening his tone.

"When he was brought in, his injuries were incredibly severe. He had four broken ribs, one of which punctured a lung and caused tension pneumothorax, leading to massive internal bleeding... He also sustained blunt force trauma to the abdomen, resulting in a bruised spleen and severe soft tissue damage across his body..."

He paused, taking in their deeply tense expressions, before adding:

"But—his will to live is extraordinary. During the procedure, his vitals crashed to critical levels several times, but he fought his way back every single time."

"So, the surgery was a success. However, the risk of post-op infection and acute respiratory distress is still very high. We'll need to monitor him in the ICU for at least forty-eight to seventy-two hours before we can safely move him to a regular room."

All three of them let out a massive, collective sigh of relief.

Wyatt closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, and said in a rough voice, "Understood. Thank you."

Cassandra and Sloane both bowed deeply in gratitude. "Thank you, Doctor!"

A few moments later, Garrison was wheeled out of the operating room.

He was hooked up to countless IVs and tubes. The wires for his EKG monitor trailed out from beneath his hospital gown, connecting to the glowing screen at the head of the bed.

His face was still swollen, the bruises on his cheekbones darkening to an ugly purple-black.

But his breathing was far more stable now, rising and falling in a steady rhythm. The EKG monitor beeped quietly, the green lines tracing strong, consistent peaks.

The nurses pushed the gurney down the hall. The three of them followed silently.

After a long pause, he answered. "Hold off for now. His family's dynamics in the capital are way too complicated. If word gets out, people from all sides will swarm Northport. The hospital will be overrun with reporters and visitors, which is the last thing he needs for his safety right now."

"Besides... Grant might be dead, but we still need to figure out if there's a larger syndicate operating behind him. The police will handle the fallout. If we need to notify his family, I'll make the call myself."

Cassandra nodded, accepting his reasoning without argument.

She turned to Sloane, gently resting a hand on her uninjured arm.

"Sloane, let's go get those wounds properly bandaged now. Wyatt is keeping watch here. If the boss wakes up, he'll tell us immediately."

Sloane didn't answer right away. She stood at the glass, watching Garrison's chest rise and fall in time with the ventilator, the IV fluids dripping slowly under the clinical lights.