Love at First Sight? Mr. Harrison Has Been Scheming All Along-Chapter 182: "Long time no see.
For a split second, Rory Linden held onto a sliver of hope. ’Could it be someone with the same name?’
But when she finished reading the patient’s age, her heart sank completely.
This age, this name.
It was the same Charlotte Rhodes she knew.
’Dr. Linden, this patient... might not accept me as her surgeon.’
Rory Linden hesitated for a moment, then decided to voice her concerns.
"If you’re worried that the patient won’t accept the new technology, you can rest assured. We’ve already communicated everything to the patient, and she has complete faith in the treatment plan we’ve provided."
Gregory Linden was full of confidence.
"No, that’s not it. I know this patient. We had some... unpleasant experiences before I went abroad."
Rory Linden recalled the events from before she left the country.
The last time she saw Charlotte Rhodes was in Evan Hollis’s hospital room.
At the time, she had been deeply disappointed by Charlotte Rhodes’s preferential treatment of Evan Hollis over Sean Harrison, and in a moment of impulse, she had said some harsh things.
’If Charlotte Rhodes knew I was the lead surgeon this time, she would definitely refuse.’
’And with such a difficult surgery, if any problems were to arise, Charlotte Rhodes would think I was using my position to get revenge.’
"Ah?"
Gregory Linden was stunned.
Rory Linden sounded a little helpless. "I never imagined it would be such a small world. The patient you specifically invited me back to operate on is actually her."
"Well..." Gregory Linden hesitated for a moment before saying, "In any case, you’re already back in the country. You should meet the patient first. If she insists on changing doctors..."
"Let’s meet with her first, no matter what."
Rory Linden had also reviewed Charlotte Rhodes’s file. Her condition was quite critical.
The reason she was able to arrive so quickly was that she had never changed her citizenship during all her years abroad; she was still a citizen of Celestria.
Her colleagues, on the other hand, would need to apply for visas to come over, which would cause a delay.
The car drove from the airport toward the city center.
Looking at the scenery outside the window, Rory Linden couldn’t help but feel a little emotional.
She hadn’t been back to her home country in many years. Veridia hadn’t changed all that much; it was just as she remembered.
As the car passed through familiar streets, Rory Linden spotted a familiar building in the distance.
The words Elysian Hospital were written on it.
Further in the distance, another building came into view.
She had once lived there for a total of a hundred and fifty-odd days.
The last time she had been in contact with Sean Harrison was three years ago.
To be precise, it wasn’t really "contact."
It was when she had finally earned enough to pay back the five hundred and forty thousand.
She had asked Sherry Walsh to go through Noah Sterling to finally return the money to Sean Harrison.
That five hundred and forty thousand was the sum Sean Harrison had given to Gary Sinclair back then. It was a setup for Gary to extort him, allowing Sean to sue and have him imprisoned.
She had said she would definitely pay him back the 540,000.
Although life had been difficult, at least after paying off the debt, she no longer owed him anything.
An hour and a half later, the car pulled into the parking lot of Sanctum Hospital.
Gregory Linden led her to see Charlotte Rhodes.
Just as the three of them entered the inpatient department of Sanctum Hospital...
Leo Linden spoke up. "Mom, I’ll wait for you here."
When Rory Linden looked over, he was already walking by himself, holding his small Rubik’s Cube, toward the spot he had just pointed to.
It was a set of sofas in the lobby of the inpatient department.
The hospital where Rory Linden worked abroad also had a sofa like that, right next to a floor-to-ceiling window.
When Leo Linden was little, he would often wait there alone for her to finish surgery.
’He probably feels safer in a place like this.’
"You don’t have to wait here," Gregory Linden said quickly. "We’ve prepared a special lounge for children. It has snacks, toys, and you can watch TV."
Rory Linden glanced in her son’s direction before saying to Gregory Linden, "It’s fine. Just let him stay here. We can just have someone keep an eye on him."
"But..."
"We’ll be quick."
Rory Linden’s tone was firm.
She understood why her son wanted to stay here, and she respected his decision.
There was another reason...
Leo Linden had been sick before.
Selective mutism.
Although it was only level five, with the mildest symptoms, and he was now considered cured.
Rory Linden was still worried his condition might relapse, so at times like this, she tried her best to respect his choices.
"Oh, alright then."
Gregory Linden nodded.
-
The cardiothoracic surgery inpatient department at Sanctum Hospital was on the 8th floor.
After reaching the eighth floor, Rory Linden put on the white coat she had brought with her, clipped on the ID badge Sanctum Hospital had prepared for her, and walked toward Charlotte Rhodes’s room.
The hallway wasn’t very long.
But Rory Linden felt a strange mix of emotions.
’In her mind, this trip back to Celestria was just a business trip. Once it was over, she would definitely go back.’
Perhaps it was because most hospitals in the country had similar interior designs.
Walking here gave her the illusion that it was still five years ago, and she was still at Elysian Hospital.
Charlotte Rhodes was in bed number 23.
Reaching the door to the hospital room, Rory Linden straightened her clothes slightly before raising her hand to knock.
A caregiver opened the door. Upon seeing Gregory Linden, she greeted him politely, "Director Linden."
The group entered the room.
Rory Linden walked to Charlotte Rhodes’s bedside. When she saw the old woman, her expression faltered slightly.
Having not seen her for five years, it was as if Charlotte Rhodes had aged at an astonishing rate.
Five years ago, she had been in her early sixties, looking radiant and full of vigor. Her skin was well-maintained, and she had the energy of someone in their forties.
Now, the old woman sat on the bed, her once thick, black hair cut short and visibly streaked with white. Her skin had lost the tightness it once had, and her eyes were slightly clouded.
She looked even older than her actual age.
Before Rory Linden could speak, Charlotte Rhodes recognized her.
"You... you..."
"Auntie Rhodes, it’s been a long time. I’m Rory Linden."
Rory Linden greeted the older woman with quiet dignity.
To this day, she still didn’t feel she had done anything wrong back then, nor did she feel she owed her anything.
"...How could it be you?"
Charlotte Rhodes looked as if she had a million things to say, but in the end, she swallowed them all, leaving only those five words.
"Auntie Rhodes, I’m the surgeon Sanctum Hospital invited to perform your operation. If you accept me as your lead surgeon, I will begin examining your physical condition now and then provide a surgical plan."
Rory Linden paused, then added an explanation, "I didn’t know you were the patient before I came. Otherwise, I would have definitely had one of my colleagues come instead."
A brief silence filled the room.
Fearing Charlotte Rhodes would refuse, Gregory Linden quickly interjected, "Dr. Linden is one of the world’s top cardiothoracic surgeons. If your case weren’t so special, we never would have been able to get her for this surgery. Even if we brought in one of her colleagues, they wouldn’t be as skilled as her."
Charlotte Rhodes looked at Rory Linden in silence.
In five years, the young woman hadn’t changed much, especially her eyes, which were still gentle yet firm.
Charlotte Rhodes’s hands tightly gripped the blanket covering her. After a long silence, she finally said, "Alright."
"Auntie Rhodes, if I’m to be your attending physician, I have one more request."
"Go on."
Rory Linden looked at the old woman before her and said earnestly, "I came back to Celestria this time to treat you. Regardless of your current relationship with President Harrison, I ask that you please not tell him I am your lead surgeon."
