Chapter 5

Lily's surgery lasted a full ten hours.

I sat outside the operating room, staring at the red light above the door, feeling completely drained.

My assistant, Marcus Hill, handed me a hot coffee.

"Ms. Hayes, Arthur and Serena caused a scene at the Medical Affairs Office and have now been escorted out by security. Serena fainted twice in the hospital lobby, attracting quite a few media outlets."

I took the coffee and scoffed.

"What else can she do besides cry?"

"Also," Marcus adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, "I've found something about what you asked me to investigate."

He handed me a tablet.

On the screen was Arthur's financial record for the past two years.

"Dr. Sterling has abused his position over the past few years, accepting tens of millions in kickbacks from pharmaceutical representatives. And..."

Marcus paused, his tone turning somewhat contemptuous.

"He not only bought Serena a lavish apartment worth three million dollars, but he also secretly transferred five million dollars from a medical trust fund specifically for Lily into Serena Thorne's account."

I stared at the damning transfer records, my fingernails digging into my palms.

Oh, Arthur, you truly are something.

You used the power I gave you to enrich yourself, and you used my daughter's life-saving money to support the woman you idealized.

"Call the police," my voice was icy.

"File charges against him for embezzlement and misappropriation of funds. Transfer all evidence to the Economic Crimes Unit."

"Yes," Marcus nodded, then hesitated slightly.

"However, Serena seems to have been prepared. She just posted a lengthy article on social media, and it's already trending."

I took the tablet and clicked on the trending topic.

The hashtag was glaring: #HeiressStealsHeart

I clicked it open to Serena's post.

Every word dripped with feigned sorrow.

*I am a desperate single mother. My son, Leo, is seven years old and suffers from severe heart failure. We finally found a matching donor heart, but just an hour before surgery, it was forcibly taken away by a powerful wealthy woman.*

*Because her daughter also needed a heart, she bribed hospital executives, brutally seizing my son's only chance at life.*

*My Leo is currently in the ICU, fighting for his life.*

*Can money truly allow one to do anything? Is the life of an ordinary person not a life?*

The post included a pitiful photo of Leo, covered in tubes, and another of her kneeling on the ground, weeping.

The comment section had been overrun by angry netizens.

*She's so wicked! Can money really let you steal someone else's heart?*

*This is practically murder! Investigate this hospital! Investigate this rich woman!*

*My heart goes out to this mother. That rich woman who stole the heart will surely get her karma!*

Some people had even doxxed my identity, and online abuse was rampant.

Marcus frowned, "Ms. Hayes, our PR department has already drafted a statement. Should we release it immediately?"

"Not yet."

I tossed the tablet aside, my eyes cold.

"Let her jump first. The further she falls, the more shattered she'll be."

Just then, the operating room door opened.

The lead surgeon walked out, took off his mask, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Ms. Hayes, the surgery was a complete success. Ms. Lily made it through."

At that moment, the tension I had held for ten long hours finally snapped, and tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

I covered my face, sobbing.

Lily was alive.

Now, it's time for those who wanted her dead to face their own hell.