“My mom’s all I have,” the girl said, her voice breaking as she spoke. “She raised me on her own, working day and night just to give me a chance at a better life. She even put me through college. Now, before I’ve had the chance to repay her, she’s fallen seriously ill.” She looked up at the doctor, her eyes pleading. “Could you please perform the surgery first? I’ll pay you back in instalments-I swear I’ll have the full amount within a year.”
Marcel Loftus looked visibly irritated. He shook his white coat off her grasp, his eyes narrowing. “Enough. What a lousy day. I’ve been losing at poker all morning, and now I have to deal with this?” He scowled as though the very presence of the girl was somehow responsible for his bad luck.”
“Listen, trying to make me feel sorry won’t change anything. If everyone did that, we’d have to close this hospital.”
He turned to leave, but not before delivering one final, dismissive remark. “If you don’t have the money in three days, you might as well start packing her things.”
The girl stood there, stunned by his coldness, but Marcel wasn’t done. Noticing the crowd that had gathered around, he puffed out his chest, his tone growing even more condescending. “And stop trying to guilt-trip me. If you can’t pay, don’t bring your problems here. This is a hospital, not a charity.”
He waved at the onlookers, his voice rising. “Alright, everyone, move along. The show’s over.”
As the murmurs in the hallway grew louder, the crowd slowly began to disperse. But before Marcel could take more than a few steps, a man stepped into his path, blocking his way.
Though Marcel’s earlier comments had been harsh, they were at least part of his job. But his last remarks crossed a line-there was no excuse for cruelty, especially from a doctor.
“What do you want?” Marcel asked, his voice dripping with disdain as he sized up the man.
Kayden’s expression remained calm, but his words were firm. “You don’t deserve to wear that white coat.”
Marcel blinked, momentarily taken aback. He narrowed his eyes. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
Kayden didn’t bother with a reply. Instead, his hand shot out, delivering a swift, stinging slap across Marcel’s face.
Marcel staggered back, his hand flying to his cheek, eyes wide with shock.
He looked around at the crowd, now frozen in stunned silence. Whispers broke out, and people began pointing, their eyes darting between Kayden and the humiliated doctor.
Marcel’s face turned red with rage. “You-you hit me?” he sputtered, raising his hand to strike back.
But before he could land a blow, Kayden’s arm flashed again, and another sharp slap echoed through the hallway.
“The first one was for this girl,” Kayden said, his voice steady. “The second one is to remind you how to treat people with respect.”
“Bastard!” Marcel roared, lunging toward Kayden in fury. But before his hand could connect, Kayden caught his arm easily, holding it in an iron grip. Marcel’s face twisted in pain as he realized he couldn’t pull free, the strength of Kayden’s hold completely overpowering him.
“Security! Security!” Marcel shouted desperately, his voice cracking.
A sharp voice suddenly cut through the tension, coming from the far end of the hallway. “What’s going on here?”
Heads turned as an older man marched toward the scene, his presence commanding immediate attention. His bald head gleamed under the hospital lights, and a pair of glasses perched on his nose. Behind him, two assistants-one man, one woman-trailed closely, clearly deferring to his authority.
It was Professor Stanley, the renowned medical expert Kayden, who had met at the Vincent family’s anniversary banquet.
“What’s all this noise?” Stanley barked, his voice cutting through the murmurs.
Before the flustered Marcel could respond, the girl rushed forward, her tear-streaked face turned toward Stanley. “Doctor, please,” she begged, her voice trembling. “My mother needs surgery, and I’ll do whatever it takes to pay for it. Just give me a little more time. I promise I’ll get the money.”
Stanley frowned, but the girl continued, her words tumbling out in a rush. “My father passed away when I was a kid. It’s always been just me and my mom. She’s worked so hard her entire life, never once thinking about herself. She barely had time to enjoy anything before she got sick. I can’t lose her, not now. Please, doctor, help her. I swear I’ll pay. If I can’t, I’ll offer my own kidney-anything, just don’t let her die.”
Tears rolled down the girl’s cheeks as she spoke, her voice trembling with raw emotion. There was a sense of desperation in her eyes, the kind that made anyone who saw her feel the weight she carried. She was young-probably not even out of college-and already facing a mountain of tragedy. It was impossible not to feel a pang of sympathy for her.
Stanley, who had been watching her closely, suddenly frowned. “Wait a second,” he said, his tone sharp. “Are you the one whose mother has lung cancer?”
The girl nodded quickly, her eyes wide with hope. “Yes, doctor, that’s me. Please, I’m begging you-help her.”
Stanley, always the picture of professionalism, straightened up and glanced around at the crowd that had gathered. He took a deep breath, and then gave her a look that mixed pity with pragmatism. “Look, I understand what you’re going through. But this is a hospital, and there are rules. We can’t just bend them for every case, no matter how tragic. I’m sorry, but there’s only so much we can do.”
His words hit her like a punch to the gut. The hope that had flickered in her eyes just moments before was snuffed out in an instant. Her tears came harder now, her entire frame shaking as the weight of his words sank in.
Marcel seized the moment to chime in, his voice dripping with self-righteousness. “That’s right. This isn’t a charity; it’s a hospital, and we have to follow protocol.”
Then, as if suddenly remembering the slap he had received earlier, Marcel’s face turned crimson with fury. He pointed an accusing finger at Kayden. “Dr. Stanley, someone needs to deal with this lunatic! He hit me! I won’t stand for this kind of behaviour in my hospital!”
Stanley’s gaze shifted to Kayden, and at that moment, his entire demeanour changed. His eyes widened, and for a brief second, he seemed frozen in place.
Wait… can it really be him?
Stanley’s heart skipped a beat as recognition dawned. It had been a long time since that fateful event, but he hadn’t forgotten. How could he? He had hoped-prayed, even-that he would never have to see Kayden again. But here he was, standing right in front of him.
Memories of that night at Coleman’s banquet flooded back, and Stanley felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. After that night, he had practically gone into hiding, terrified that Kayden would come looking for him, demanding retribution that would ruin his career-and his life.
For weeks, Stanley had avoided everyone, pretending to be ill, too scared to even answer his door.
And now, after all this time, Kayden was back, just like that. It felt surreal.
“Dr. Stanley,” Kayden said, his voice smooth but carrying a razor-sharp edge. His lips curled into a smile, but it was anything but friendly. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
Stanley’s face went pale. He tried to speak, but the words stuck in his throat. He stammered, his eyes darting around as if searching for an escape route, but there was none.
Kayden’s smile deepened a glint of cold amusement in his eyes. He turned his attention back to the girl and then, almost casually, said to Stanley, “You know, there’s always room for a little flexibility in situations like this, don’t you think? After all, respect for one’s parents is a cornerstone of our culture. She’s promised to pay the bill within a year. That’s not unreasonable, is it? Maybe it’s time for this hospital to show a little humanity.”