Chapter 3

Amelia POV

After my father heard what had happened, he didn't yell at Ethan.

He first supported my shoulders and pressed me back down into the waiting chair, then turned to ask the doctor. "What happens to her now?"

The doctor said quietly, "We'll observe first and evaluate later."

"Can that surgery be transferred back?"

The doctor didn't answer.

My father clutched that bag of hospital documents, the veins on the back of his hand bulging bit by bit. He'd rushed all the way here expecting to wait for me to come out of surgery, not to hear there was no solution.

Ethan, standing nearby, finally spoke. "Mr. Cross, this situation was my oversight. I'll take responsibility. I'll find Amelia a better opportunity."

My father looked up at him, his eyes frighteningly red.

"If the person pulled off the operating table today had been your mother, would you still have signed that form?"

Ethan said nothing.

When I walked my father downstairs, he refused to leave, saying he'd wait near the hospital. I took the bag of documents from him. The opening had been wrinkled from his grip, and every sheet of paper inside seemed to carry the weight of these two years.

"Dad, please go home first."

My father shook his head. "You go in. I'll wait outside."

Holding the bag, I returned upstairs and stood by the elevator for a while.

I couldn't let Ethan sign for me anymore.

At the service desk, the staff handed me the medical authorization change form and reminded me that once canceled, Ethan would no longer be able to receive any hospital notifications on my behalf.

I nodded and first wrote my father's name in the new contact person section.

After finishing, I took the pen and crossed out Ethan's name from the original position.

Two years ago, in that same spot, Ethan had bent down to fill in his information for me, saying from then on I only needed to focus on treatment.

Now, as I drew that line through his name, my hand was steady.

"Some people are really something."

From the other end of the corridor, Maya deliberately raised her voice.

"Someone can clearly hold on, but they insist on forcing the person who just got wheeled in to step down. Sienna's old injury relapsed this badly, and she still has the heart to do this."

People nearby looked over, their gazes immediately changing.

I walked forward holding the form, but Maya blocked my path.

Sienna sat outside the prep area, her face terribly pale. She gently stopped Maya. "Don't say that. It's my fault."

She looked up at me, tears seemingly pooling in her eyes.

"Amelia, if you absolutely must have the surgery back, I can withdraw."

As soon as she finished speaking, she covered her chest and started coughing.

Maya immediately rushed over to support her, then turned back and snapped, "Amelia Cross, do you see this? She's in this condition! Do you have to hound her to death before you're satisfied?"

I hadn't said a word from start to finish.

But everyone's stares had already pushed me into the role of the person forcing a dying patient to give up her lifeline.

Ethan came out of the doctor's office, his first instinct to support Sienna.

"Where does it hurt?"

Sienna weakly shook her head, but her hand clutched his sleeve without letting go.

Only then did Ethan notice the form in my hand, his expression immediately changing.

"What are you trying to do now?"

I held the form out in front of him.

"Cancel your medical authorization."

Ethan reached out to take it.

I stepped back, avoiding him.

"From now on, you don't need to sign a single thing for my treatment."

Ethan seemed to freeze.

He seemed to finally understand. I wasn't arguing, and I wasn't throwing a tantrum. I was removing him from having any say over my life.

At the entrance to the prep area, the nurse started urging Sienna to go in.

Ethan glanced over there and lowered his voice. "Amelia, don't make a scene right now. Wait until Sienna's surgery is over, then we'll talk."

I looked at him.

"Every time, you make me wait."

I gripped the paper tighter, feeling my face go pale.

"But this time, I can't afford to wait anymore."

Before I could finish, my vision went black. My father was coming back from the elevator and seemed to see me falling, shouting desperately for a nurse.

I wanted to finish signing the form, but my hand gave out first.

The authorization cancellation form drifted down to Ethan's feet, the paper spreading open.

Someone from the prep area called for him to come over.

I lost consciousness completely.