Chapter 19
Someone tell me why my ex-wife is here? I thought she's unemployed and depends on me to survive? Anyone? Why is she in a doctor's coat? Lucas's mind was blown by the sight that greeted him. The woman stopped three feet away from him, so the surgical team stopped abruptly, too.
Silence ensued in the hallway.
"Mr. Nolan," Ashlyn greeted him politely.
"Why are you here?" Lucas had snapped back to reality, but he couldn't stop himself from glaring at Ashlyn.
He had to admit the woman would look gorgeous even if she had a sack on. The doctor's coat she had on gave her an air of aloofness.
Lucas couldn't help but imagine her long legs wrapping around his waist.
He gulped abruptly as his lips went dry.
"Dr. Berry, we're ready for the surgery." Right then, a young nurse ran out from the operating theater and reported to Ashlyn as a look of admiration lit up her face.
"Mr. Nolan, I have to get back to work." With that, Ashlyn turned and headed into the operating theater. As she walked in, she announced to her surgical team sternly, "Everyone, let's do it. Don't get distracted halfway!"
"Yes!" The surgical team replied respectfully like she was some kind of queen to them.
Spencer rubbed his eyes and inched closer to Lucas. "Mr. Nolan, was that Ms. Berry?"
"Yes," Lucas gritted out through clenched teeth.
Did she really get bad grades as she claimed? She even told me she's unemployed because she didn't graduate from college!
Damn it, she didn't even tell me she's a doctor!
He was all riled up as he thought all this while she didn't even get to graduate college due to her bad grades. Marrying him was the only chance for her to survive.
Right now, his head throbbed painfully, reminding him how much of a fool he was.
"About Cindy..." Spencer reminded him.
"I'll leave it to you to handle the matter. Quash the story ASAP. I don't care what you do as long as you don't involve me in the issue. Also, release the truth in that statement." Lucas had no time for Cindy or Mindy, whoever that woman was.
For the first time in his life, he acted recklessly by stopping a nurse who happened to walk past him. "Is that Dr. Ashlyn Berry?" he inquired.
Even though he was good-looking, the nurse was terrified by his grim expression and answered timidly, "Dr. Berry? Yes. She's a skillful surgeon. She has always been my idol."
In a daze, Lucas muttered, "Skillful?"Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
The young nurse grew excited at the talk of her idol. "She's the best surgeon in our hospital. Don't you know her? S-She's so famous that many influential men came to our hospital to get treated by her. But she only performs one surgery every month, so it's quite hard to see her in action. Oh, and she's the top scorer in the national exams! She even graduated with a double degree! How amazing is that? I'm her junior in college. She was so popular back on campus. Because of her, I decided to study medicine. I'm no doctor, but I'm happy enough to be a nurse who can save lives."
Both Lucas and Spencer were dumbfounded.
They knew about the best surgeon in First Hospital who was rumored to be a young woman. She had created countless miracles in the operating theater.
Never in a million years did they think that doctor was Ashlyn!
Just now, Ashlyn's icy and indifferent expression was so different from the gentle demeanor she had put up at home. That was the very reason Lucas found it hard to accept the reality. Was that her true self? Did she put up an act for all these years?
In the operating theater, Ashlyn barked out orders professionally.
"Forceps."
"Hemostat."
"Heart rate."
"BP."
The patient was a 95-year-old man. He fell down on his back and injured his spine. As he was old and it was high-risk to operate on him, no one dared to perform the surgery.
The hospital director had no choice but to ask Ashlyn to take up the surgery.
The surgery went on for seven hours.
Sweat beaded on Ashlyn's forehead. Even her legs felt numb after standing that long.
Finally, after sewing the last stitch, she exhaled deeply. "Done," she announced.
She left the operating table and informed a doctor in his forties who was behind her all the while. "Dr. Hendrickson, finish up the rest."
"Yes, of course, Dr. Berry," Dr. Hendrickson replied politely. "Don't worry. You can nap in peace."
Ashlyn left the operating theater and removed her surgical gloves tiredly.
She plopped down on the ground and rested for a while. Then, she took off the surgical gown and washed her hands thoroughly.
After she finally cleaned herself up, the rest of the surgical team had already finished up and walked out from the operating theater. Ashlyn informed them regarding some important matters before leaving the operating theater.
The moment she stepped out, she saw Lucas waiting outside the exit.