Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 52: You Dare, I Dare

"Hello, what’s wrong with my sister?"

"Ethan Lancaster, your sister’s in danger at the County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. Get over here, now!"

Ethan Lancaster’s expression turned grim. He kicked back the chair behind him. "What did you say?"

"The York family hid her in the County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. She needs a C-section, but no one will sign the consent form."

Ethan Lancaster was frantic now. He didn’t even know a place like the County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital existed. "Raina Reddington, you have to save my sister for me. You have to save her."

Raina Reddington had never heard Ethan Lancaster sound so panicked. He must have abandoned a business engagement; she could even hear people calling his name over the phone.

"Can you have Mom go first?"

"There’s no time," Raina Reddington was the only one who could remain calm at a moment like this. "Where are you?"

"I’m in Ceylan."

"Tell your driver to hurry. You should be able to make it in two hours. Be quick."

Ethan Lancaster didn’t have time to wait for the elevator and took the stairs instead. He nearly missed a step, but Seth Sinclair, who was right behind him, quickly grabbed his arm to steady him.

"Raina, is my sister’s condition really bad?"

"Yes. It’s very bad."

Ethan Lancaster’s heart was burning with anxiety. It seemed like she was the only one he could rely on right now. He wished he could hold on to her tightly, not daring to let go for a second. "Raina, save my sister."

At that moment, all he needed was a single word of assurance from her, and that was exactly what Raina gave him.

"Okay."

Miranda Cameron saw Ethan Lancaster and Seth Sinclair leaving and quickly hurried after them. "What’s wrong? Is the meeting over?"

"Where are my things?"

Miranda Cameron handed Ethan Lancaster a file folder she was holding. Today’s meeting was highly confidential, so phones were not allowed inside—not even for Ethan Lancaster.

The man took the folder, opening it as he walked. After taking out his phone, he handed the rest to Seth Sinclair.

"Ethan, what on earth happened?"

"My sister’s having a difficult labor. I have to go there now."

Hearing this, a chill shot through Miranda Cameron, as if she’d been plunged into an icy cavern. She could vaguely guess what Raina Reddington’s call had been about. She trembled all over. She knew all too well what Ethan Lancaster’s boundaries were, and yet she had just stopped Raina from reaching him.

"Ethan, I’ll go with you." Miranda Cameron quickly took hold of Ethan Lancaster’s arm.

"Get away from me!" At that moment, Ethan Lancaster had eyes for no one. He flung Miranda Cameron’s hand away and quickened his pace down the stairs.

Miranda Cameron couldn’t just stay here. ’If Raina makes a big deal out of this, I won’t have any chance to salvage the situation.’

「The Hospital.」

Raina Reddington stepped outside, and Mrs. York immediately started grabbing at her again. Raina took the surgical consent form from a nearby doctor and walked straight up to Jason York. "Brother-in-law, sign it."

Jason York’s eyes were downcast. His hands trembled, but he didn’t reach for the form. Instead, he dug his fingers forcefully into his hair, pulling and tearing at the strands.

"Brother-in-law, sign it!"

Mrs. York lunged forward, snatched the consent form, and tore it to shreds.

"You won’t sign? Fine. I’ll have her sign it herself."

"Doctor Reddington," a nearby doctor jumped in alarm upon hearing this. "That’s not allowed. The patient can’t make that decision herself."

"What a joke," Raina Reddington’s voice was like ice, sharp and piercing. "It’s her life. Who has more right to decide than she does?"

"Those are the rules. That’s the regulation here at the County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital."

Raina Reddington felt a chill in her heart. "Help me submit an application. I’m also the patient’s family. If it comes down to it, I’ll do it."

Mrs. York wasn’t scared in the least. She had arranged everything in advance. She knew the Lancaster family couldn’t get there right away, and besides, the director of the County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital was a relative from her side of the family. As long as the hospital insisted they couldn’t operate without a family member’s signature, no one could hold them accountable.

To be extra cautious, Mrs. York had even paid for the director’s family to go on vacation, fearing that the Lancaster family would use their network of connections and put the hospital in a difficult position.

With this, Zion Lancaster was utterly and completely on her own.

Of course, Raina Reddington’s appearance was a complete and total accident.

The operating room wasn’t being prepped. Anxious, Raina Reddington rushed back into the delivery room. Zion Lancaster was screaming, her clothes soaked as if she’d just been pulled from the water. "Raina... I... I can’t push him out... Will something happen to the baby...?"

"Sis, don’t be afraid. It’s going to be okay. Listen to me, I’ll help you."

But the baby in Zion Lancaster’s womb was simply too big. Raina Reddington was at her wit’s end. She watched as Zion’s water broke, and a suffocating sense of despair pressed down on her, almost stealing her breath. She charged to the delivery room door again.

"Brother-in-law, there’s no more time! If this goes on, both mother and child will die! I’m begging you, please sign it!"

Jason York’s lips twitched. "Just... let her try again..."

Raina Reddington’s lips trembled, and it felt as if the blood in her veins was turning to ice. Zion Lancaster screamed her name, and she returned to the bedside. Zion’s face was white as a sheet, her voice a low whisper, "Raina... just do the C-section for me..."

The obstetrician walked over, trying to pull Raina Reddington away. "You’re not a doctor at this hospital! You have no authority to operate. If something goes wrong, you and the County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital will both be finished!"

Raina Reddington’s face was pale. Of course she knew. Right now, she was, at best, just one of Zion Lancaster’s relatives.

Meanwhile, Zion Lancaster’s consciousness was beginning to fade, and she couldn’t summon any strength at all.

The two sides were at a stalemate. Raina Reddington monitored the baby and Zion Lancaster’s condition on the ultrasound machine. To prevent the York family from barging in, Raina had already locked the door.

After some time, the sound of a commotion arose again from the hallway. Raina Reddington could faintly hear Ethan Lancaster calling her name.

She rushed to the door and opened it. Sure enough, Ethan Lancaster was striding in. Seth Sinclair had brought men to block Mrs. York outside. Ethan called out, "Sis!" then anxiously grabbed the doctor. "Quick, operate on her."

"N-No... I can’t. I can’t do it."

"I’m her biological brother. I’ll sign the form."

No one dared to take on such a responsibility. In a small place like this, the County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital had always had its own rules. "You’re not the primary signatory. It’s not allowed."

Furious, Ethan Lancaster grabbed something from the table and threw it. "Cut the crap! If you don’t operate, I’ll end you!"

"I can’t perform this surgery."

Ethan Lancaster glanced at Zion Lancaster on the bed, knowing that every second wasted was a second of her life draining away. He whipped his head around to look at the other person standing nearby.

"Raina Reddington, you do it."

Hearing this, the doctor turned to Raina Reddington and shook his head. "Even if you succeed, this surgery would be an unauthorized procedure. If you really pick up that scalpel today, the best-case scenario is you’ll never practice medicine again. Worst case, you’ll be facing a wrongful death lawsuit. Have you really thought this through?"

Back then, Ronan Reddington hadn’t wanted her to study medicine. The summer after high school graduation, Raina Reddington had worked like a madwoman, eventually collapsing next to a deep fryer at a fast-food restaurant, nearly falling headfirst into the hot oil. In the end, it was that money, plus the savings her grandmother had put aside for her, that had gotten her through the gates of medical school.

"Raina Reddington," Ethan Lancaster called her name again. "Do you dare?"

He was terrified that she would say no, or even hesitate for a moment. Because then, even with all the power in the world, he still wouldn’t be able to save his own sister.