Chapter 2

When I woke again, my eyes were met with blinding white.

The VIP room was eerily quiet, save for the rhythmic beeping of the cardiac monitor.

"Ms. Julian, you're awake."

Sitting on the sofa by the bed was my attorney and long-time friend, Gibbs.

"How long have I been asleep?" My voice was hoarse as if I'd swallowed sand.

"Three full days." Gibbs poured a glass of warm water, moistening my lips with a cotton swab.

"Dr. Douglas performed extreme hemostasis on you at the scene and personally brought you to State Hospital for surgery. You were literally snatched back from the jaws of death."

I lowered my gaze, looking at my right leg, heavily bandaged.

"Where's Osman?"

Gibbs scoffed, handing me his tablet.

"Your wonderful husband has been quite busy these past three days."

On the screen was Osman's Ins post from half an hour ago.

In the photo, he was dressed in casual clothes, holding Samantha's daughter, feeding pigeons in the garden of a high-end private hospital.

Samantha leaned against him, smiling coyly.

The caption read: "My little princess's asthma is finally calm. With Superman Daddy here, there's nothing to fear. Peaceful times, grateful for you."

Below it were countless likes and compliments from his unwitting friends.

"Osman is such a good man."

"What a happy family."

I looked at those words and suddenly felt a wave of nausea, even my chest ached faintly.

Three years ago, Osman was just a struggling doctor whose talents went unrecognized.

It was I, Eleanor Julian, who utilized all of the Julian family's resources, even going against my family, to establish a special medical fund, paving his way to become the chief of trauma surgery at Kind Heart Hospital.

I thought I could soften a stone-cold heart, but I never imagined he was just an ungrateful viper.

The moment Samantha returned to the country, all his affection and responsibility shifted to her.

"Not only that," Gibbs scrolled the screen, bringing up another document.

"Osman was commended by Kind Heart Hospital for his 'decisive command' at the car crash scene and 'timely dispatch of a helicopter to transport a critically ill child.' He's now being nominated for this year's 'City's Outstanding Young Doctor' award."

I almost laughed aloud.

Abandoning his severely injured wife and dozens of other casualties at the scene, misusing a public rescue helicopter to pick up a child having an asthma attack, and he'd managed to spin it into a glorious achievement?

"What did Kind Heart Hospital say?" I asked coldly.

"The entire hospital is covering for him." Gibbs adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, a glint in his eyes. "After all, Osman is Kind Heart Hospital's star.

That intern, Kalman, has already been silenced. They even altered the rescue records, listing you as 'minor injuries'."

"Good, truly excellent."

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and when I opened them again, only bone-chilling coldness remained.

"Gibbs, get all those things ready that I asked you to prepare before the crash."

"Also, contact Kind Heart Hospital's board of directors and inform them that the Julian Group Foundation will be conducting an audit."

A hint of excitement curved Gibbs's lips.

"No problem, I've been waiting for you to say that. This kind of scumbag, if we don't make him lose everything, it would be a disservice to all the blood you shed."

Just then, the hospital room door was forcefully pushed open.

Jack, Osman's assistant, poked his head in, carrying a cheap fruit basket.

Seeing me awake, he visibly froze, then put on a fake smile.

"Ms. Julian, you're awake? Mr. Osman has been busy with an important consultation these past few days and couldn't break away, so he specially asked me to come check on you."

I looked at him coldly, "An important consultation? Was it the one feeding pigeons in a private hospital garden?"

Jack's smile stiffened, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

"Ms. Julian, please don't misunderstand, Mr. Osman he…"

"Get out." I couldn't be bothered to listen to his nonsense.

"Ms. Julian, actually, I have one more thing to do today." Jack bravely stepped forward, pulling a document from his briefcase.

"This is the hospital's accident waiver. Mr. Osman said that since nothing major happened to you this time, to avoid affecting his award nomination, he hopes you can sign it to confirm his rescue deployment was reasonable."

I looked at the absurd waiver, my anger turning into a cold laugh.

He not only wanted my life but also wanted me to step on my own blood and flesh to elevate his throne.

"Nothing major happened?"

I snatched the water cup from the bedside table and hurled it violently at Jack's feet.

The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room.

"Take this trash and go back and tell Osman. He wants my signature? Tell him to come beg me on his knees!"