The Surgeon’s Fatal Choice

My daughter, Lilah Olson, was hit by a car and needed immediate medical attention. Instead of calling my surgeon wife, Elina Olson, I raced against the clock to find another doctor. In my previous life, Lilah and Elina’s first love, Nolan Hicks, were involved in car accidents at the same time. I called Elina first and begged her to operate on Lilah. She rushed over to perform the surgery, only to miss Nolan’s desperate call for help. Elina didn’t blame me. Instead, she comforted me, saying that everyone had their own fate. That was until our third wedding anniversary. She slipped sleeping pills into my water and replaced Lilah’s calcium supplements with rat poison. She grabbed me by the hair and forced me to stay conscious, making me watch as she hacked Lilah’s corpse to pieces, blow after blow, until it was nothing but bloody pulp. Then she used a scalpel to slash open my major artery and stabbed me more than a thousand times. “If it weren’t for you two, Nolan wouldn’t have died!” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Lilah was hit by the car. Chapter 1 After being reborn, my daughter, Lilah Olson, lay in a pool of blood just as she had in my previous life. Seeing her covered in blood, I hurriedly pulled out my phone and dialed 911. The call connected quickly. "911, what's your emergency?" I immediately said, "We're at 142 Willowbrook Avenue, Briarwood. My daughter is injured. Please send an ambulance as soon as possible. Please, you have to save her." "Is that you, Carter?" A familiar voice suddenly came from the other end. I listened carefully and realized it was Kendra Cherry, my wife Elina's junior. Looking at Lilah, unconscious and bleeding heavily, pain made my chest feel like it was splitting apart. I could only force myself to stay patient. "Lilah is losing a lot of blood. This is an emergency. Please send an ambulance right away." My voice trembled as I spoke, my eyes fixed on Lilah's pale face as she lay motionless in the pool of blood. But Kendra sounded annoyed. "Carter, Elina told me that the last time the two of you had a fight, you used Lilah as an excuse to trick her into coming home. "I know you two only had another fight yesterday, and Elina blocked you because she didn't want to see you. You couldn't reach her, so you called me instead. But this is an emergency line. You can't just call it whenever you want. And seriously, you're a grown man. Your wife gets mad and refuses to see you, so you make up a story about your daughter being injured? Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" "I…" I was about to explain, but Kendra impatiently cut me off. "Okay, okay. I already told you, you can't just call the emergency line whenever you feel like it. No wonder Elina specifically told me to hang up if you called. If I were Elina, I'd block you too. What kind of father would joke about his daughter's life just to get his wife's attention?" With that, Kendra hung up. In my previous life, Lilah had been in a car accident and was bleeding heavily. After Elina and I fought and she blocked me, I borrowed a stranger's phone to call her. I called dozens of times before she finally answered. The moment she picked up, I hurriedly told her what had happened to Lilah. At first, Elina didn't believe me either. It was only after I begged her repeatedly that she finally sent an ambulance. Once she saw the extent of Lilah's injuries with her own eyes, Elina immediately arranged for surgery. But while she was operating on Lilah, her first love, Nolan Hicks, was involved in a car accident too. Because Elina was in the operating room, she missed Nolan's desperate call for help. By the time she finished the surgery, she learned what had happened. When she finally saw Nolan again, all that remained of him was an urn of ashes. On the day of Nolan's funeral, I tried to comfort her. Instead, she told me that everyone had their own fate. After that, life went on as usual. I thought my wife had finally come to terms with Nolan's death. Until our third wedding anniversary. She drugged the water in my cup and replaced Lilah's calcium supplements with rat poison. When I remembered the state Lilah had been in before she died, cold sweat broke out all over my body. My hand trembled uncontrollably around my phone. No. This time, I absolutely could not let history repeat itself. I scooped my blood-covered daughter into my arms and ran toward the hospital, ignoring the strange looks from everyone around me. I ran so hard that I even lost one of my shoes along the way. By the time I reached the hospital, I was standing in the lobby with Lilah in my arms, both of us covered in blood. "My daughter has been hit by a car! Please, somebody, save her…" Several nurses immediately moved to bring over a stretcher. But Kendra suddenly stepped in front of them. Her brows knitted together, disgust filling her eyes as her voice rose. "No wonder Elina told me to keep an eye on you. You really won't give up, will you? But let me make one thing clear. This is a hospital. There are plenty of people here waiting to be saved. If you keep causing a scene, don't blame me for what happens next!" I felt a surge of rage in my chest and shouted at her, "Lilah was hit by a car! Look at how badly she's hurt! She's lost this much blood! Isn't the hospital supposed to treat her?" Kendra casually glanced at Lilah in my arms. I thought injuries this obvious would be enough for her to order someone to operate immediately. But what she said next sent my heart straight into an abyss. "Carter, stop bringing Lilah here to cause trouble. Elina already told me what you're like. You're always dragging your daughter around to play the victim. Don't think I'm going to believe you just because you smeared a few blood bags all over her. I don't have time to play along with your little act." The bystanders who had no idea what was really happening began pointing at me and criticizing me. "The doctor already said she's fine, and he's still making a scene!" "I seriously don't understand how someone like this even exists!" Lilah's breathing grew weaker and weaker in my arms. Cold sweat broke out across my forehead. Kendra stood to the side and let out a mocking laugh when she saw the panic on my face. "Carter, I only call you that because of Elina. But you actually made up a car accident just because you're jealous of Nolan? There aren't any doctors available for surgery today. Stop wasting your time." Looking at Kendra's smug expression, I suddenly came to my senses. So this had all been arranged by Elina. As long as Kendra was here, no one would save Lilah. I took a deep breath. Then I turned around, carried Lilah to the operating room, and dropped to my knees in front of the doors. Chapter 2 Elina wasn't the only doctor in the hospital to perform surgery. There were other doctors who could do it too. When Kendra saw me kneeling on the floor, she walked over and kicked me. "Even if you kneel in front of the operating room, you can't make the doctor inside come out and save Lilah. Do you know how many families you'll hurt if the surgery fails because of this? How can you be so selfish?" I ignored Kendra's taunts and continued kneeling without moving. The operating room light soon went out. The surgeon came out, and when he saw the scene before him, he froze. Before I could say anything, Kendra hurriedly stepped in front of me. "This is the man Dr. Olson told us about. He'll do anything because he's jealous. Dr. Olson specifically warned us not to get involved with him." A chill rushed through my entire body. I couldn't believe Elina had gone this far. "And I already examined the child. There's nothing wrong with her. The blood on her is from blood bags. He's doing this to interfere with our work!" Elina was the most authoritative doctor in the hospital besides the director, and Kendra was her junior. Faced with what Kendra said, the surgeon hesitated. After thinking for a few seconds, he turned to me. "I'm sorry, sir. I need to operate on another patient." My shoulders sagged. After being given another chance at life, was I really going to have to watch my daughter die right in front of me? I wiped away my tears. Then I suddenly heard someone scream. "She's vomiting blood! The child is vomiting blood!" I looked down. Blood was continuously seeping from Lilah's mouth. My mind went completely blank. I wanted to touch her, but I was terrified that moving her would make her injuries even worse. The people who had been watching the spectacle gradually realized that something was wrong. "Is this really an act? What if someone actually dies?" In my previous life, Lilah's injuries hadn't been particularly severe. If she had been taken to the hospital in time, her chances of survival would have been high. But now, every second was slipping away. I couldn't even be sure whether Lilah would survive. Just as I stood there completely helpless, a furious voice suddenly rang out from the crowd. "Don't move! Lay the child flat on the floor. Nobody touch her!" A young doctor named Lyra Avery hurried over. She pushed through the crowd, and the moment she saw Lilah lying on the floor, she moved toward her to examine her injuries. But Kendra stopped her. "You're just an intern. You really think you can get involved in something like this? This man is lying. If something happens and he tries to pin it on you, don't say I didn't warn you!" Her voice was threatening, but Lyla wasn't intimidated. She gave a cold laugh. "You can scare other people if you want. It won't work on me. I spent all these years studying medicine because I wanted to save lives. Now get out of my way." Lyla shoved Kendra aside. Then she crouched down and checked Lilah's heartbeat and injuries. Chapter 3 Her expression gradually grew more serious. Then she suddenly shouted, "Where's the stretcher? Bring the stretcher over! The patient is in critical condition!" "I'd like to see who dares move it!" Kendra gritted her teeth and glared viciously at Lyla, clearly determined not to let anyone save my daughter. Lilah coughed up another mouthful of blood. With tears burning my eyes, I pulled open the blood-soaked clothing covering Lilah. The wounds across her body were horrific. Everyone around us sucked in a breath. The moment I saw her injuries, I lost all reason. My eyes red with fury, I roared, "Anyone who tries to stop them from saving my daughter is going to have to get through me!" Kendra was frightened by the look on my face and instinctively took a step back. But at that moment, Elina called. "Kendra, Nolan was in a car accident. I'm on my way to the hospital right now. Clear out an operating room for me." The moment Kendra heard Elina's voice, her expression immediately brightened. "Elina, something's wrong. Carter is here causing a scene with Lilah again. This time he even made up a car accident!" She told Elina everything that had just happened. There was silence on the other end for a moment. Then Elina's cold voice came through the phone. "Carter, don't be such an asshole. I warned you again and again not to get jealous over nothing." I let out a bitter laugh. I wanted nothing more than to reach through the phone and strangle her. "You're willing to let your own daughter die without lifting a finger. Elina, what kind of doctor are you?" I had fought so hard to get Lilah a chance at surgery. There was no way I was going to let Elina take it away. "Carter, you used Lilah to lie to me last time. Don't think you can fool me twice." Elina paused before continuing, "Kendra, make sure the operating room is cleared. I'll be there with Nolan soon." Kendra acknowledged her, and the call ended. She looked at me provocatively. "You heard her. Elina is coming. Let's see how long you can keep up this act." I desperately suppressed the emotions surging through me and grabbed Lyla by the sleeve. "Please. I'm begging you. Lilah's life is in your hands." "Begging her won't help you. Besides Elina, I'm the only one in this hospital who can perform the surgery. What good is begging an intern going to do?" Kendra spread her hands, looking like she was enjoying the show. So she had known all along. Even if she cleared the operating room, there still wouldn't be a doctor willing to perform the surgery. My heart sank. Was I really going to have to watch Lilah die all over again, just like in my previous life? Just as my heart felt like it was being torn apart, a voice suddenly rang out. "What's everyone doing gathered here?" Upon hearing the voice, Kendra's expression shifted, and she visibly tensed up. Chapter 4 "D-Director Hester…" The moment I saw Alonzo Hester, the hospital director, I felt like I was seeing a lifeline. I immediately grabbed his hand, my voice urgent. "Director, please. My daughter really isn't going to make it. Please save her…" "Director, don't listen to him. Elina already said—" Before Kendra could finish, the director roared, "Is she the director, or am I? Since when can an operating room be reserved for someone? Who said doctors aren't allowed to treat patients?" Once Lilah was rushed into the operating room, the weight I'd been carrying in my chest finally eased, but I was still shaken. The patients' families who had been accusing me of putting on an act immediately changed their attitude after hearing the director. They surrounded Kendra and pointed at her. "How can someone like that be a doctor? That's a human life at stake!" "Exactly! The child was that badly injured, and she still stopped people from treating her. How can someone like that be a doctor?" "A parent will do anything for their child. God…" Kendra panicked under the families' accusations. She finally realized just how badly she had screwed up. She opened her mouth, her eyes darting around. "No… That's not what happened. Elina told me there was nothing seriously wrong with her." Kendra was a doctor, but she had no mind of her own. Whatever Elina told her, she believed. The only reason she had been able to become a doctor at this hospital was that Elina had pulled strings for her. I just hadn't expected this mess to reach Alonzo. Remembering how arrogant Kendra had been moments earlier, anger surged through me. "Kendra, everyone here saw what you did today. The security cameras recorded everything too. Wait for my lawyer's letter." My tone was firm. Lilah was my daughter. After a car accident, she should have received immediate medical treatment. In my previous life, I had trusted the wrong people. Now that I had been given another chance to choose differently, I still had to fight off the people Elina had put in my way. I couldn't let this go. The moment Kendra heard me, her face went deathly pale. Her legs gave out, and she nearly collapsed. She grabbed my sleeve, her voice trembling. "C-Carter, I didn't mean to. It was Elina. Elina told me to stop you. I was only doing what she told me… It wasn't my fault!" Her apology only disgusted me. I immediately stepped back, putting distance between us. The patients' families all raised their phones and started filming Kendra's face. She screamed and flailed her arms. "Stop filming! All of you, stop!" Seeing Kendra behaving so hysterically, everyone instinctively backed away. "This hospital is unbelievable. We should transfer out immediately. What kind of lunatics do they hire as doctors?" I silently watched Kendra's frightened expression. Then I suddenly remembered that Kendra, Elina, Nolan, and I had all graduated from the same university. Kendra was Elina's junior and had always been under her protection. The three of them had always been close. That was why Kendra listened to Elina's every word. In her eyes, I was nothing more than a pathetic husband who was always jealous. Nolan had been Elina's first love. The two of them had once reached the age when marriage was on the table. However, Nolan suddenly went abroad, cutting off all contact with Elina. No matter how hard Elina tried to win him back, he refused to return. I heard that Nolan had been bullied and developed depression, which was why he had gone abroad for treatment. Nevertheless, I could never understand one thing. If Elina loved Nolan that much, why had she married me? Before Nolan came back, Elina and I hadn't had a bad relationship. If anything, we had been very much in love. But the moment Nolan returned, Elina's attitude toward me changed completely. I curled my lips into a bitter smile. In the end, I still couldn't compete with the person in Elina's heart. "Carter, please. This was my fault. Can you let it go? Please don't sue me…" Faced with Kendra's desperate pleas, I chose to ignore her. I would never forgive her for this. She had come within a hair's breadth of killing Lilah. Time passed second by second. After five hours of emergency surgery, Lilah was finally wheeled out, but because her injuries were so severe, she had to be transferred to the ICU for observation. Alonzo reassured me, "Don't worry. The child has a strong will to survive, and the surgery was a success." I looked at him gratefully. Then I went to pay the medical bill. If it weren't for him, Lilah might have died long ago.