Chapter 4
Olivia went straight to the hospital director’s office, invoking her legal status as Mrs. Lowell to request the surgery to go ahead as originally scheduled—for the sake of her mentor’s wife.
She was still, on paper, the legally wedded wife of Harrison Lowell. Their extravagant wedding had played on local TV stations for months, a high-society event that the entire city had gossiped about.
Everyone had once known how deeply Harrison doted on her—his love had been grand and public. Even with Emily Ross now in the picture, Olivia’s status had never been officially revoked.
The hospital director, a reasonable man, weighed the facts and eventually agreed.
Elaine was prepped and wheeled into the OR.
Just as Olivia was starting to breathe a sigh of relief, Harrison and Emily arrived.
Emily stormed toward Olivia and slapped her across the face without warning. Her eyes were red with fury.
“You’ve gone too far, Olivia!” she snapped. “That’s a human life you just jeopardized!”
“You seriously think money lets you rewrite the rules of life and death? That homeless man was in agony—he needed that transplant! How could you be so selfish?”
Olivia grabbed Emily’s wrist before she could strike again.
“You want to talk about selfish?” she said coldly. “You’re the one abusing your position, violating medical ethics and playing God.”
Emily’s expression faltered. Olivia’s words had hit a nerve.
And behind Olivia’s calm voice was the memory of her daughter’s death, threatening to consume her.
She forced herself to stay composed. All she wanted was for the surgery to finish without interference.
Emily yanked her arm back, staggering a little before collapsing into Harrison’s waiting arms.
He caught her swiftly and held her close, then turned to Olivia with a look colder than ice.
“Cancel the operation.”
“What?” the director stammered. “The patient’s already under anesthesia… her abdomen’s been opened…”
“Then stitch her up,” Harrison said, his voice flat, indifferent—as if canceling lunch, not surgery. “It’s an unauthorized procedure. Or is that a problem?”
The director stood froze, and hesitated, sweat sliding down his temple as his authority evaporated. “But… but this surgery is by the book, I—”
Harrison’s eyes narrowed into a glare that could kill.
The director’s voice faltered. He shrank back and fell silent.
“You can’t do this!” Olivia cried. “You’ll kill her. The surgery is legitimate—”
Harrison chuckled as if she’d just told a joke.
“Legitimate? Since when do you decide that? Or him?” His gaze flicked back to the director. “Call the regulatory board. Let the Department of Health decide what’s proper. We’ll let the professionals judge.”
The director’s face drained of color. “There… there may have been irregularities. We’ll halt and correct them immediately.”
He turned and fled toward the OR.
“No—Harrison, don’t do this!” Olivia panicked. Dean West sank to his knees beside her, shoulders heaving, pressing his forehead to the cold marble in a single, wordless plea.
But Harrison didn’t even blink. His attention was fully on Emily, nestled in his arms.
“Get the homeless patient prepped,” she whispered softly. “We can’t actually let someone die.”
Harrison nodded and gave the order.
Dean West collapsed unconscious from blood loss. Olivia scrambled to check on him, shouting for help—but without Harrison’s approval, no staff dared move.
Then the OR doors swung open.
Elaine was wheeled out, still comatose, abdomen poorly sutured, vitals plummeting.
Harrison didn’t even look.
“Return her to the recovery unit,” he instructed.
“You can’t do this!” Olivia shouted, running toward him. “Have you forgotten your promises—to Dean, to Elaine?”
She was shaking. She and her younger sister had grown up in a state-run shelter. Dean West had taken them in, funded their education, and treated them as his own children. To Olivia, the Wests weren’t just mentors—they were family.
When she married Harrison, she’d asked to honor them as her parents in the ceremony. He had agreed without hesitation.
He’d once promised to care for them like his own flesh and blood.
Now… he was watching them die.
Olivia closed her eyes, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. She was a fool for thinking he still had a heart.
He had abandoned his daughter for Emily—why would he care about anyone else?
“I haven’t forgotten,” Harrison said, his tone businesslike. “I promised them lifelong support. That promise still stands. But the hospital will follow its rules. And as for you…”
He adjusted Emily in his arms.
“You need to start acting like the wife you still are. Stop clinging to Emily like a jealous teenager. It’s unbecoming.”
Then he carried Emily away, leaving Olivia standing in the hallway, alone.
