Chapter 3 She's in the Hospital

Outside the operating room, time seemed to crawl.

Evelyn paced back and forth anxiously, glancing every few moments at the firmly closed doors.

Finally, they opened.

Emma was wheeled out by a nurse. She had fallen unconscious, but dried tear tracks remained on her face, and tiny bite marks were visible on her pale lips.

"Emma!" Evelyn rushed over immediately.

The doctor removed his mask, his expression somewhat grave. "The surgery went smoothly, but the patient is extremely weak. Remember, given her condition, she must rest properly, or it may be very difficult for her to conceive again in the future."

Evelyn's heart sank as she looked at the unconscious Emma, tears welling up in her eyes again.

How had Emma ended up with such a bastard like Nicholas!

When Emma woke up, it was already afternoon.

Evelyn's mother, Ruby Adams, had arrived, holding a bowl of steaming oatmeal porridge.

"Emma's awake? Quick, drink some hot oatmeal while it's warm; it'll be easier to digest." Ruby looked at her pale face with heartbreak.

"Thank you, Ruby!" Emma smiled weakly, struggling to sit up.

"No, no, don't move. Just lie down, I'll feed you." Ruby quickly supported her, scooping up a spoonful of oatmeal, carefully blowing on it to cool it before bringing it to her lips.

Her heart ached terribly. Emma had finally gotten pregnant, and now suddenly the baby was gone!

Emma had been homeless when she was young. Evelyn had been bullied on her way home from school when Emma stepped in to help. Evelyn brought her home, and the Jackson family supported her through her education.

Ruby had come to love her like another daughter.

Emma sipped the oatmeal in small mouthfuls, feeling warmth in her stomach, but her eyes reddened.

Evelyn was on the phone nearby, her voice deliberately low but her tone unusually agitated.

"Henry Garcia! Let me tell you—if you keep hanging around with that bastard Nicholas, we're breaking up immediately! Wedding's off, and we never see each other again for the rest of our lives!"

With that, she hung up with a sharp click, her chest heaving with rage.

Emma looked at her. "Evelyn, don't do this because of me..."

"This has nothing to do with you!" Evelyn cut her off. "I just can't stand that idiot Henry! Nicholas has hurt you like this, and he's still buddy-buddy with Nicholas. What's wrong with him? Whose side is he even on?"

The Jackson family and the Garcia family had arranged a marriage alliance—the two had been engaged since they were eighteen.

But Evelyn's proud nature had never changed, leaving Henry perpetually frustrated.

Meanwhile, in a private lounge at Emerald City's most exclusive club.

Sultry music flowed through the air, mingled with the expensive scents of premium liquor and perfume.

Henry stared at his phone, completely bewildered.

He looked innocently at Nicholas. "What's gotten into her now? Says if I keep hanging out with you, she'll break up with me?"

Nicholas held his whiskey glass, his long fingers gently swirling the amber liquid. At Henry's words, he merely raised an eyebrow without expression.

Ethan Martinez, beside them, laughed. "Oh, Mr. Garcia, Ms. Jackson seems to have quite the grudge against Nicholas. Looks like she's giving you an ultimatum."

Henry ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "Who knows what's suddenly gotten into her! Ignore her, let's drink."

Just then, the lounge door was pushed open.

A woman in a sexy red slip dress walked in with swaying movements—it was Zoe.

Zoe was the heiress to the Perez family and a top-tier celebrity.

Yesterday's high-profile birthday celebration with Nicholas had already boosted her followers to twenty million. She shone like a star in the heavens.

If she could marry into the Harrison family, she would become the most distinguished woman in Emerald City.

The distinguished wife of the wealthiest man! Just thinking about it made her giddy!

She walked straight to Nicholas, ignoring the admiring or envious glances around her, and sat beside him, naturally looping her arm through his and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Nicholas, for the Harrison Group anniversary gala this weekend, could I be your date?"

She was tired of hiding in his shadow.

Three years of waiting was long enough!

Nicholas's gaze softened. "Tomorrow, I'll have someone order you a gown."

Zoe smiled excitedly. "I knew you were the best."

Ethan raised his glass. "Congratulations, Zoe. Looks like your dream's about to come true."

Henry joined in the teasing. "Seems like the three-year arrangement is almost up, Zoe. Your suffering is about to end."

It was clear that both of Nicholas's friends favored Zoe, because they had never seen Nicholas bring Emma anywhere.

Besides, their marriage was secret—the outside world knew virtually nothing about it.

It might as well not exist!

Zoe gracefully picked up her glass and clinked it with theirs. "Thank you, Mr. Garcia and Mr. Martinez."

Three of the four prominent families' heirs in Emerald City stood by her side. Once Nicholas and Emma's marriage ended, she could rightfully marry into the Harrison family.

Meanwhile, Ethan looked at a notification that popped up on his phone, nearly jumping off the sofa with excitement!

"Holy shit! Dr. N is coming back!"

He held up his phone, the bold headline particularly striking—[Bluebird Tech Founder Dr. N Confirmed to Attend Next Month's Global Medical Summit!]

Ethan's voice carried incredulous joy, his eyes slightly red. "My grandmother's life can be saved! This is incredible!"

Ethan's grandmother had lung cancer and didn't have much time left.

This news was like a lifeline in a snowstorm.

The wealthy heirs around them immediately erupted in even louder discussion.

"Dr. N? The one who created that cancer treatment formula three years ago, became famous overnight, then vanished from the face of the earth?"

"My God! She's finally willing to show her face? I thought she was dead!"

Bluebird Tech! That's the shining jewel of the medical world! That medical formula three years ago pulled so many terminal patients back from death's door!"

"Exactly! That's her! Three years ago, she appeared out of nowhere, dropped that medical formula, and disappeared. No one could find her. Now that she's returning, she's definitely bringing even more groundbreaking results! Next month's global medical summit is going to be explosive."

Sitting not far away, Nicholas's deep eyes instantly blazed with intense light.

The Harrison Group's medical division was already among the nation's leaders.

He had pioneered the country's most advanced smart medical systems, reaching the top of Emerald City's wealth rankings in just four years.

Under his leadership, the Harrison Group's business spanned over eighty countries worldwide—he was truly heaven's chosen one.

However... Dr. N!

This name represented not just a medical legend, but a kind of leading force.

To him, Dr. N was like a mysterious island, radiating mysterious power that made him irresistibly drawn to approach.

If Dr. N could partner with the Harrison Group, then the Harrison Group's position in global medical care would be at the absolute peak!

Nicholas's fingers tightened slightly around his whiskey glass, a confident smile playing at his lips.

Henry added, "I heard Dr. N's 'gene therapy' uses biological gene editing technology to precisely target cancer cells! It's like an unbelievable miracle!"

Everyone chimed in excitedly, discussing and fantasizing about the revolutionary changes Dr. N's return would bring. The atmosphere reached fever pitch.

Dr. N was the world's most outstanding biologist—her value was immeasurable.

Just then, the lounge door was gently pushed open.

A young server carrying a tray carefully entered, preparing to refill the guests' drinks.

When she saw the three prominent family heirs in the lounge, she became so nervous that she suddenly stumbled, her body lurching forward!

The glasses on her tray came crashing down!

The sharp sound of breaking glass pierced through the noise.

Zoe, who was closest, had no time to react.

"Ah!"

Zoe let out a short scream. Nicholas reacted lightning-fast, pulling the startled Zoe into his arms almost the instant the glass shattered.

He shielded her from the glass shards flying toward her face, but glass fragments still left two bloody scratches on Zoe's snow-white hand.

He frowned deeply, seeing the obvious wound on her hand and the blood continuously flowing, his expression instantly darkening.

"Damn it!"

Nicholas's sharp gaze swept toward the server, who stood frozen in terror, his voice ice-cold.

"What are you standing there for? Get out!"

The server was so frightened she trembled, then scrambled out of the room.

"Nicholas... my hand hurts so much."

Zoe leaned against Nicholas, her voice tearful, tears welling in her eyes.

"Don't be scared. I'll take you to the hospital to treat the wound."

Nicholas's voice softened slightly. He carefully avoided Zoe's injured hand, scooped her up in his arms, and strode out of the lounge.

The hospital.

The smell of disinfectant permeated the air, and the corridor was so quiet that only footsteps could be heard.

Nicholas settled Zoe in and had the doctor carefully treat and bandage her wound.

Seeing Zoe's pale, pitiful appearance, Nicholas patiently comforted her a few times, telling her to rest well in the room.

He walked out of the room and had just reached the corridor corner when something in his peripheral vision caught his eye—a half-open door to another patient room.

A familiar figure came into view.

Nicholas's steps suddenly froze.

His gaze fixed on the hospital bed, the pale sheets, the pale face.

The woman lay there quietly, eyes closed, long lashes casting faint shadows beneath her eyelids. Her slender arm had an IV tube inserted, transparent liquid slowly dripping into her body drop by drop.

Emma!

How was she here? And lying in a hospital bed?

An indescribable complex emotion instantly seized Nicholas's heart, like an invisible hand squeezing it tight.

Nicholas pushed open the door and walked straight in!