Chapter 1

Being a doctor for quite some time, Fiona had seen all the gruesome details—or so she thought.

Fiona Smith was no stranger to the hospital's stressful environment. At twenty-eight years old, she grew familiar with the smell of disinfectant and the soft whirring of medical equipment that filled the air.

It was all normal for her.

That was until she had just finished her lunch when the intercom boomed again in the hospital's corridors.

And this time, their paging sounded different.

The nurse's voice was shaky, and her words were hurried. "Attention to Dr. Fiona Smith: Please report to the emergency room immediately."

Fiona's heart skipped a beat as she heard the announcement over the intercom. In a hurry, Fiona dashed into the emergency room while still in scrubs.

She had never once imagined that she would encounter the most ironic situation she would come across as a doctor, being entrusted with rescuing her husband's mistress, who was pregnant with their child.

Fiona rushed to her patient in the crowded emergency room and saw nurses clustered around the hysterical pregnant patient.

"Where the fuck is your doctor?!"

"Dr. Smith is on the way, ma'am," said the attending nurse.

With that, Fiona drove through the chaos and urgently asked a nurse, "I'm here. Give me the details."

The attending nurse cast an eye on the woman. "Dr. Smith, thank goodness you're here! Anyway, the patient is experiencing severe abdominal pain and bleeding. We've already administered IVs and fluids."

"Okay, let's get her to trauma one and start a full workup. Has she had any prenatal care?" Fiona probed.

"Not that we are aware of, Doc."

"Move out of the way!" Fiona gave instructions.

As she walked toward the pregnant woman, Fiona's eyes widened. She always believed that she had witnessed every possible medical emergency.

What she saw, however, was more than she had bargained for.

Fiona had never once imagined that she would encounter the most ironic situation she would come across as a doctor, being entrusted with rescuing her husband's mistress, who was pregnant with their child.

Alice Miller.

There, lying in bed, was her husband's mistress, pregnant with their first child. Her thighs were covered in blood as she clutched her bulging stomach in agony.

"Please help my baby! I can't lose him! Please, Doc—" Alice gasped, her mouth parted as she gazed at Fiona. "Fiona?!"

Fiona was terrified when she discovered that her husband, whom she had loved for years, had cheated on her with a younger woman and even had a child. Although she knew the facts of their relationship, the reality that he was a cheater still cut to the very core of her soul.

"How could it be you?" Alice gritted her teeth, her face scorning in a fury.

Fiona could say the same.

"How could it be you?!" Alice cried, her wails resonating throughout the emergency room.

She wondered why, out of all the doctors, she was chosen to be assigned to her husband's mistress. Fiona didn't know what to feel—whether or not she should be angry or sympathetic about Alice's situation.

Alice continued crying. She glared at Fiona. Please, I can't lose my baby. Give me another doctor! I don't want this bitch!"

The nurse beside Fiona frowned when she saw she didn't move and inquired, "Dr. Smith, we need your instructions now. The patient is bleeding excessively!"

However, Fiona still didn't respond. She was frozen before Alice, gazing at her longingly while her hands formed into tight fists.

"Earth to you, Dr. Smith! The patient is in a critical state!" The attending nurse called her out.

Fiona quickly snapped out of her trance and looked at the nurse. "Ultrasound her and check the baby's condition."

Right then, Alice went berserk. "Not her, please! Just anyone but her!"

Fiona couldn't believe what was happening. Alice was in the hospital, needing help for her and her unborn child's survival. God! How their situation had changed so quickly!

'Why do I have to save her?' A bitter thought crossed her mind.

But as a doctor, it was her duty to save every patient, even if it meant swallowing her pride and putting her personal feelings aside.

Meanwhile, the nurses tried to calm Alice, holding her arms as they gave her an ultrasound. As soon as the black-and-white imaging popped up on the screen, the nurse said, "Doctor, the fetal heart rate is dropping."

"Alright, we're going to have to go in. Get the OR prepped and call the surgical team," Fiona instructed them.

Alice sobbed. "NO! I'm not due yet!"

Fiona didn't answer her and said to the nurse as she pierced a gaze at Alice. "Tell them this is an emergency surgery."

"You're not taking my son from me!" Alice writhed in pain. "Get out of here! You're not my doctor!"

Fiona's heart sank as she saw the desperation in Alice's eyes. She knew that time was of the essence, and any delay could be fatal. With a quick nod to the nurses, she took charge and began to prep Alice for surgery, her mind racing as she tried to stay focused.

"Are you deaf? I told you to leave! I refuse to have you treat me! Give me a more qualified doctor!" Alice let out a piercing scream at the nurse.

When Fiona noticed Alice's condition worsening, she ignored her and instructed the nurse, "Get her some oxygen and dose it with tranquillizers."

"Right away, doc!" The nurse grabbed Alice's chin and put on the oxygen mask. Thankfully, her antics were covert.

Despite that, she kept her eyes on Fiona, who seemed at ease. Alice carefully glanced at Fiona from head to toe before laughing sarcastically. "I was wondering if you knew my son's father. It's your husband, Kahl, Fiona!"

And just before the sedatives entirely took her consciousness, she mumbled, "You look pathetic, Fiona. He's pregnant with my child, and you have—"

Fiona disregarded Alice's desperate provocation. She was only concerned with saving Alice's life and the baby's.

While in the operation room, Fiona's fingers moved with mechanical accuracy like an inanimate machine. But halfway through the operation, the head nurse delivered a crushing blow.

"Dr. Smith, the patient is only seven months pregnant. She has a premature rupture of membranes and uterine contractions," she said solemnly. "Her heartbeat fluctuates every second. We can't save her and the child."

Fiona's heart sank as she looked down at the unconscious woman on the operating table. She knew the risks, and she had to make a decision quickly.

After a few minutes of contemplation, Fiona spoke calmly. "We'll proceed with an invasive hysterectomy. Scalpel."

She continued the surgery and focused her attention on Alice. Despite dreading the aftermath of the operation, she had no choice but to terminate the baby. It was the best thing she could do to save Alice's life as her doctor.

After the successful seven-hour operation, Fiona exited the surgery room. As she glanced up at the waiting area, her body froze as she spotted a familiar figure.

It was Kahl Brown, her estranged husband.