Chapter 9: Dr. Zhang Strikes, Humiliating Lin Tong

Lin Xiao's face flushed red with fury. "My master is a globally revered authority in medicine! Countless dignitaries beg for his help and can't even find his doorstep!"

Lin Tong scoffed, his voice dripping with mockery. "Spare me the grand titles. Let's see his medical license."

"Medical license?" Daniel laughed coldly, his eyes blazing. "A talentless fraud like you daring to question Dr. Zhang? You're not even worthy to lick his boots!"

Lin Tong's smirk froze, his face turning ashen. Trembling with rage, he spat, "I've never been insulted like this! If not for President Vanderbilt's connections, I wouldn't touch her case even if you groveled!"

A Twist of Fate

The ICU door swung open abruptly. A nurse peered out, urgency in her tone: "The patient is awake and asking for family. Who's next of kin?"

"Elena's conscious?!"

Daniel didn't hesitate. He brushed past Lin Tong and rushed into the room.

Elena lay propped up weakly, her face ghostly pale. Seeing her fragility, Daniel's heart clenched. He knelt beside her bed, voice softening to a whisper:

"Elena… I brought the best healer. You'll be okay soon.""I made you soup. Once the treatment's done, you can—"

Elena blinked slowly, her clouded gaze reflecting pure confusion.

Was this… a dream?

Daniel's gentle words hung in the air—utterly foreign, yet piercing Elena's haze of pain.

Since when had he ever spoken to her like this?

Charlotte stormed forward, her voice trembling with rage. "President Vanderbilt! He dragged in some back-alley quack to treat you! He's trying to kill you!"

Elena's gaze sharpened, clarity cutting through the fog of medication. Her lips curved into a bittersweet smile.

Given Daniel's past cruelty—the indifference, the betrayals—she had every reason to believe it.

"Elena, he's a true miracle doctor. Please… trust me this once." Daniel's plea was raw, desperate.

"You know what he's capable of!" Charlotte countered fiercely. "Dr. Lin is here— he's your only chance! Let him operate, and you'll recover!"**

Elena's eyes drifted between them—Charlotte's panic, Daniel's uncharacteristic resolve.

"Let his doctor treat me."

The room froze.

"President Vanderbilt—!"

"You can't risk this—!"

"Dr. Lin is—!"

"I said," Elena's voice, though weak, sliced through the chaos, "give him what he wants."

Her eyes locked onto Daniel's, exhaustion and defiance intertwining. "Whatever he wants… I've always given."

No one dared defy her will.

"President Vanderbilt…"

Charlotte's heart curdled with bitterness.

What sorcery had Daniel cast over her?

How could Elena trust him so blindly—even with her life?

But she knew better than to argue. Once Elena's mind was set, not even her family elders could sway her—let alone a mere assistant.

Gritting her teeth, Charlotte pivoted to damage control.

"Dr. Lin, come with me. We need to discuss contingency plans."

She strode out without waiting for a reply. Lin Tong followed, shooting Daniel a venomous glare. Wyatt lingered briefly, his voice a low growl:

"If anything happens to her… you'll die in this hospital."

Then he too was gone, leaving Daniel alone with Elena and the silent Dr. Zhang.

A Moment of Truth

Daniel knelt by the bed, his world narrowed to her fragile form.

"Trust me," he murmured, brushing a stray hair from her fevered brow.

Elena's lashes fluttered, her whisper faint as moth wings:

"I always have."

"You'll recover. I swear it."

Elena offered only a faint smile, her silence speaking volumes.

Daniel stepped aside to let Dr. Zhang approach. "She's in your hands, Dr. Zhang."

"Internal injuries, from what I observe," the old physician murmured, unpacking his needles. "Acupuncture will stabilize her. Stay calm."

Reassured, Daniel hesitated—then left the room, knowing the treatment required absolute focus.

Outside the ICU

Charlotte and Lin Tong huddled by the observation window, their eyes glued to the scene inside.

"If that quack botches this," Charlotte hissed, "you'll step in immediately. Save her."

Lin Tong nodded, smugness lacing his tone. "Don't worry. As long as I'm here, President Vanderbilt won't die."

Charlotte's shoulders relaxed slightly. At least Lin Tong hadn't abandoned them. With him here, there was still hope.

Just then, Daniel emerged from the ICU.

Charlotte whirled on him, eyes blazing. "You selfish bastard! You chose a fraud over a real doctor! If she dies, I'll bury you beside her!"**

Daniel's gaze turned glacial. "If your screeching disrupts her treatment, you'll be removed. Permanently."

"You—!"

Charlotte clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white, her glare slicing through Daniel like a dagger. Beside her, Lin Tong—a skilled surgeon rendered powerless by Daniel's stubbornness—stood like a caged tiger, his pride simmering into rage. If looks could kill, Daniel would already be shredded to pieces.

Inside the ICU

Dr. Zhang's weathered hands moved with hypnotic precision, inserting silver needles along Elena's meridians. Charlotte peered through the observation window, anxiety gnawing at her.

"Dr. Lin," she whispered, voice taut, "you said surgery was necessary! How can needles fix internal bleeding?"

Lin Tong crossed his arms, disdain dripping from every word. "Her coma stems from abdominal organ damage and clotted blood obstructing circulation. Acupuncture can't drain that. This charlatan is making things worse."

Charlotte's face paled. "STOP THIS!" She lunged toward the door, shouting at Daniel. "Call that fraud off! Only Dr. Lin can save her—!"

Daniel blocked her path, voice icy. "Silence. Now."

The Miracle

As Charlotte raised her hand to shove him aside—

A gasp echoed from the ICU.

Dr. Zhang withdrew a needle from Elena's lower abdomen.

Dark, viscous blood welled up and began to flow—stagnant toxins expelled.

Lin Tong's eyes bulged. "Impossible…!"