Chapter 1

Miranda Payne was Ekason's most celebrated pediatric surgeon.

With a scalpel in hand, she had saved countless children's lives and was praised by the media as Ekason's "guardian of children".

At this moment, she was pinned against her desk. A cold gun barrel pressed hard against her wrist.

The man holding the gun was her husband, Jerome Cooper. He was the heir of the Cooper family, a man who ruled both the legal and underground worlds of Ekason.

Jerome wore a black suit and radiated a chilling presence. Behind him, one of his men held a tablet. The screen showed their son, Fred Cooper, being wheeled out of a hospital ward.

Fred was only five.

His body burned with fever. His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes looked unfocused. His small face twisted in pain.

"Mommy…" he murmured weakly.

"Freddie!" Miranda's heart felt as if it were being torn apart when she saw him.

"Miranda, you don't get a choice today," Jerome said coldly.

He pressed the gun harder against her wrist. "You'll operate on Dami first, or I'll destroy your hand. Then Dami and Freddie will die together."

Miranda stared at him, her eyes bloodshot.

Gritting her teeth, she spoke through shaking rage. "Jerome, Freddie is your son too! He already lost a kidney and now has complications, yet you want me to save your bastard first. How can you be this heartless?"

One week ago, Fred had been kidnapped after school.

Miranda had dropped everything and immediately contacted Jerome to search for him. They searched for three days without finding a single trace of Fred.

Just when Miranda felt utterly hopeless, he was dumped on the doorstep of their villa.

She discovered that her five-year-old son had one kidney brutally removed.

Miranda rushed him to the hospital and stayed by his side day and night. Despite her efforts, Fred still developed a severe postoperative infection.

As she prepared to operate on him herself, the hospital director delivered another surgical order. It was for a six-year-old boy who had developed vascular thrombosis after a kidney transplant.

The patient's name was Damian Cooper. The guardian column listed two names, Jerome and Madison Carline.

Miranda stood frozen on the spot. Before she could process it, Jerome stormed into her office with his men.

Only then had the truth become clear. The man who appeared to love her desperately and cherish their child had secretly built another family. He even had a son older than Fred.

"Stop wasting time," Jerome said icily. "I will guarantee Freddie's safety, but only after you finish Dami's surgery can you personally save him."

Miranda swallowed the metallic taste in her mouth, her eyes burning with restrained fury. "Jerome, tell me the truth. Is the kidney inside Damian's body taken from Freddie?"

Jerome met her gaze, his eyes as cold and bottomless as an abyss. "Yes, and you should understand what will happen to Freddie if anything goes wrong with Dami."

So it was true. The confirmation crushed her completely.

Miranda closed her eyes weakly as hateful tears slid down her face.

"Fine," she said, her voice trembling and hoarse yet unmistakably clear. "I'll do it. But you must guarantee Freddie's safety, or I have countless ways to make Damian die with my son."

Jerome studied her for a long moment and finally lowered the gun. His tone softened slightly as he spoke. "Relax. Freddie is also my son. I won't let anything happen to him."

He added, "Focus on Dami's surgery. Once this is over, I will compensate you and Freddie."

Miranda found his words bitterly ironic. She took a deep breath and forced her shaking hands to steady before entering the operating room.

Looking at the kidney inside Damian, the one taken from Fred, nearly broke her. She suppressed her agony and completed the surgery.

The moment she stepped out of the operating room, Miranda headed straight for Jerome, who was waiting outside the door.

"The surgery was successful," she said. "Where's Freddie? I need to see him now."

At that moment, the door of the adjacent operating room burst open. A doctor from the same department ran out in panic.

"Mr. Cooper," the doctor said urgently. "Something went wrong. Freddie suffered massive bleeding during surgery. We couldn't save him."

Miranda staggered backward, her mind reeling. Then she rushed into Fred's operating room like a madwoman, ignoring everything else.

The little boy lay under a white sheet, his body cold and stiff. He would never breathe again, never open his eyes to call her "Mommy" or ask for her hug.

Miranda nearly collapsed to the floor. She lay over Fred's tiny body, crying as if her heart were being ripped apart.

Overcome by rage and grief, she spat out a mouthful of blood. Before her hand could touch Fred's small face, darkness consumed her completely.

When she woke again, only a doctor who had gotten off duty was beside her.

"Miranda, Jerome has already gone to handle Freddie's funeral arrangements," she said gently. "You must stay strong and take care of yourself."

Miranda nodded calmly and thanked her before getting out of bed and walking into Damian's VIP room.

She looked at the boy's face, which bore a striking resemblance to Jerome, and reached out to remove his ventilator tube.

Chapter 2

The heart monitor let out a piercing alarm, Miranda's hand trembling slightly, but she didn't move.

The hospital room door was kicked open with a loud bang. Jerome and Madison stormed in with their men and several doctors.

Madison lunged toward Miranda and slapped her hard across the face.

"Miranda, you bitch!" she screamed. "How dare you lay a hand on my son!"

Jerome stared at the ventilator tube in her hand, his eyes flashing with uncontrollable rage.

He grabbed her by the collar and lifted her off the floor. "Miranda, have you lost your mind? How dare you do this?" he roared.

Miranda's lifeless eyes flickered, as if slowly coming back to life. They locked onto Jerome, the man she had once loved so fiercely she had been willing to marry him against her parents' wishes.

"I really was insane," Miranda said, her voice trembling, hatred burning in her eyes. "Jerome, you promised Freddie would be safe! And now he's dead, so why is this bastard still alive?"

"That's enough! Calm down!" Jerome shouted coldly and shoved her away. "Don't forget you're a doctor. What you did is enough to get your medical license revoked."

Miranda's head slammed against the doorframe. Blood trickled down her temple, but the pain was nothing compared to the ache in her heart.

She suddenly lunged at him, punching and kicking wildly. "Jerome, Freddie is dead! How do you expect me to stay calm?"

"Restrain her!" Jerome said, his eyes flashing with impatience. As his men held her down, he glared at her and warned coldly, "If you won't calm down, I'll make sure you do."

His next order carried no emotion at all. "Lock her in the snake pit. Don't let her out without my permission."

Miranda's struggling stopped abruptly. She stared at Jerome in disbelief.

Jerome was as notorious for his power as for his obsession with snakes. The snake pit held hundreds of them and was the place where he dealt with traitors.

When Jerome had been courting her, she had once mentioned her fear of snakes. For her sake, he had moved the snake pit away from the villa.

Now, he actually intended to lock her inside it. A deep, bone-chilling fear ran through Miranda, making her whole body tremble uncontrollably.

Jerome saw the fear in her eyes, but he only said coldly, "Take her down."

Miranda went limp, and she was dragged into the snake pit.

The heavy door slammed shut, and the disturbed snakes poked their heads out. Smelling the blood on her, they began to slither toward her.

Miranda was so terrified that she lost her voice. Her heart felt as if it was about to burst from her chest.

In desperation, she dialed Jerome's number. "Let me out, Jerome. I will die in here."

Jerome was silent for two seconds. Then Madison's urgent voice came through the phone. "Rome, Dami is awake."

Jerome's voice turned sharp and cold. "You dared to hurt Dami. This is the punishment you deserve."

Miranda stared at the dark screen and felt utterly hopeless.

As a snake crawled toward her feet, she suddenly regained her composure.

She pulled out the surgical scalpel she always carried and stabbed fiercely into the snake's body, striking its vital point.

She struck again and again, but the snakes kept coming endlessly. Overwhelmed by grief and terror, her whole body wavered, and her breathing grew rapid and labored.

Finally, she could no longer hold on. Her vision darkened as she collapsed to the ground.

A snake coiled around her legs, and in her fading consciousness, the heavy door burst open. She saw Jerome rushing toward her, shouting her name.

"Miranda!"

…

Miranda had a dream.

In the dream, she had defied her parents' wishes to study medicine and ended up staying in Ekason, taking a position at Ekason Hospital as a pediatric doctor.

One day, the department head called her over to introduce the donor who had contributed a large amount of equipment to the department.

That donor was Jerome.

That day, sunlight filtered through the leaves outside the window and fell across his face. In that instant, it stirred Miranda's heart.

After that day, Jerome pursued her passionately, and they fell in love. Despite her parents' disapproval, she secretly married him.

Married for six years with a five-year-old child, Miranda only discovered the truth after her son's death.

Jerome had another family.

All those enviable romantic confessions, those passionate promises whispered in bed, those simple, warm, happy days—they had all been an illusion.

Tears streamed down Miranda's face as she jolted awake from the nightmare of Fred's death.

She dialed a long-forgotten number. "I'm willing to return to Ariston and inherit the family business, but those who harmed my son must pay the price."

A calm male voice answered, "No problem, Andy, welcome back."

The words were steady and resolute.

After that, Miranda called her lawyer. "Prepare a divorce agreement for me immediately."

As soon as she finished speaking, Jerome's questioning voice came from the doorway. "A divorce agreement?"

Miranda looked up at him, her eyes filled with nothing but coldness. "Yes, Jerome, let's get a divorce."

Chapter 3

"Divorce?" Jerome's face darkened instantly, his eyes burning with restrained anger.

"Miranda, Freddie's death was just an accident. Are you really divorcing me over something like this?"

"Something like this?" Miranda's head spun. Her mind flashed back to the day Fred was born.

Back then, Jerome had held the newborn gently and carefully, speaking softly as he soothed him. He promised to give him the best life and a future free of worry.

But now, Fred had died on the operating table after his kidney was taken, and treatment was delayed. And to Jerome, it was just a small matter.

Miranda shot to her feet, her bloodshot eyes full of accusation and hatred. "Jerome, how can you—"

With a loud band, the hospital room door was suddenly thrown open. A swarm of reporters stormed in, cameras flashing and microphones thrust forward. They surrounded her in seconds.

"Dr. Payne, a video of you pulling out a patient's ventilator tube is circulating online. What were you thinking?"

"Was this the first time you've done something like this, or have there been countless others? Were those children who died in the hospital really beyond saving?"

"We heard your own son died during surgery. Could it be that your sins brought this upon him?"

"How can someone like you still work as a doctor? Are there hidden powers protecting you?"

The crowd shoved Miranda roughly, pressing microphones into her face. They gave her no chance to speak and forcefully knocked her to the floor.

Miranda struggled desperately until Jerome's sharp shout cut through the crowd. "Everyone, move aside!"

He pushed through the crowd and walked toward her, ready to help her up, when an angry voice suddenly rang out from the doorway. "Miranda, what did you do to my son?"

Madison stormed in with several bodyguards, charging straight at Miranda, and delivered a harsh slap across her face.

"Did you mess up the surgery? Why is my son still running a fever and crying in pain?"

Miranda's face burned from the slap, but thinking of the operation, she forced herself to answer through her anger and hatred.

"My procedure followed all medical protocols. There were no violations. Your son is only six, and kidney transplants carry extremely high risks. Postoperative complications like these are normal."

"Still making excuses!" Madison slapped her again. "If you hadn't messed up the surgery, if you hadn't pulled out his ventilator, this wouldn't have happened! People like you don't deserve to be doctors!"

She shouted, "Hold her down!"

At Madison's sharp command, the bodyguards behind her immediately restrained Miranda.

"Let me go!" Miranda struggled violently, her eyes bloodshot. "Madison, it was clearly you who illegally took—"

Before she could finish, a bodyguard kicked her hard in the back of the knee.

Miranda screamed and crashed to the floor, landing painfully on her knees.

The media erupted in excitement as camera flashes went off nonstop. Several reporters even started livestreaming.

Madison spoke with righteous fury, "Today, I will deliver justice and pass judgment on a heartless doctor like you. I will break your hands so you can never harm anyone again."

As she spoke, a vicious glint flashed in her eyes, and she raised an iron rod high above her head.

Staring at the cold metal gleaming under the lights, Miranda felt her heart leap into her throat.

She instinctively looked toward Jerome, her voice sharp and filled with terror. "Jerome, save me—"

Chapter 4

Everything around Miranda seemed to freeze. Through the crowd, she locked eyes with Jerome.

She clearly saw a flash of pain in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by cold indifference. "Miranda, you made a mistake, and you must be punished."

Miranda froze, and in the next instant, a sharp crack echoed through the room. Agonizing pain shot up her wrist. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and cold sweat poured down her face.

Another commotion broke out at the doorway. The hospital director, accompanied by the department head, pushed through the crowd and tossed a piece of paper at Miranda.

"Miranda Payne, you have seriously violated medical ethics," he said coldly. "Your medical license is hereby revoked. You are dismissed, and you will never be employed here again."

Miranda looked at the termination notice in front of her, and a bitter laugh escaped her lips. Her eyes rolled back, and she lost consciousness once more.

…

Once again, Miranda woke up in the hospital room.

A sharp, stabbing pain shot through her hand, and she realized her wrist was wrapped in a thick cast, completely useless.

Panicked, she looked at Jerome, who had been staying by her side the whole time. "What happened to my hand?"

A trace of sympathy flashed in Jerome's eyes. "Miranda, your wrist is shattered. You will never hold a scalpel again."

The words struck her like a death sentence.

Miranda froze, her mind blank. She stared at Jerome, opening her mouth, but no sound came out.

The hands she had been most proud of—the hands that had made her a respected doctor—were ruined.

She couldn't accept it, no matter how hard she tried; nothing could make her come to terms with it.

Seeing how lost and broken Miranda looked, Jerome pulled her into his arms, a trace of tenderness in his expression. "It's okay, Miranda. You still have me. I'll take care of you—"

She shoved him away violently before he could finish. "You?"

Miranda grabbed the fruit knife from the bedside table, tears streaming down her face. Her voice shook violently. "Jerome, if you hadn't kidnapped Fred and forced him to donate his kidney to that bastard… if you hadn't made me save him first and delayed saving Fred…"

"Enough!" Jerome interrupted impatiently. "Miranda, stop calling him a bastard. Fred and Dami are both my children. Now that Fred is gone, Dami is my only child.

"I know that you're devastated, but Dami is innocent. You hurt a child, and now you're facing the consequences you brought on yourself!"

"Consequences I brought on myself? You're right. If I hadn't been blinded back then and insisted on marrying you, I never would've ended up like this."

Miranda tightened her grip on the fruit knife and drove it straight into Jerome's chest. The blade sank in, blood gushing instantly.

Jerome stared at Miranda's bloodshot eyes in disbelief. "Are you trying to kill me?"

The two faced each other in silence, and finally, Jerome softened his stance.

He pulled the bloodied fruit knife out. "I know what happened to Fred hurt you deeply. Consider this stab as my way of making it up to you."

Then his tone hardened, carrying a warning. "But now that you've vented your anger, don't go after Madison and Dami again."

Miranda stared at him in a daze. It felt as if a knife had pierced her own chest, tearing her heart to pieces.

She let out a bitter laugh. "Don't worry. I won't lay a hand on them again."

After all, Damian was innocent. Now that she had calmed down, Miranda naturally couldn't bring herself to harm a child again.

But the next day, Jerome suddenly stormed into the hospital room, his face dark with fury. "Miranda, how dare you bribe a nurse to poison Dami!"

Miranda frowned and protested, "I didn't!"

"That nurse already confessed," Jerome snapped. "If she hadn't been so nervous and been caught by Madison, Dami would already be dead because of you."

His accusing and furious gaze pierced Miranda's heart like a dagger, sending a sharp ache through her chest and making her breath catch in trembling gasps.

She was too exhausted to argue. "Jerome, with your resources, you could find out the truth anytime."

"The truth is already clear. No one else would harm Dami except you."

With that, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of the room.

Miranda struggled. "What are you doing?"

Jerome's voice was icy. "Because of this little stunt you pull, you'll kneel at Dami's door and confess your sins."

"I won't!" Miranda shouted. Her reputation was already ruined. Kneeling now would only confirm her guilt.

"You have no choice," Jerome said.

He kicked her hard in the back of the knee and coldly ordered his bodyguards, "Hold her down and make her kneel. She may not get up without my permission."

Chapter 5

The people around Miranda murmured and whispered. "Isn't that Dr. Payne, the famous doctor in Ekason? Why is she kneeling here?"

"You mean Dr. Payne? She pulled a patient's ventilator tube, had her medical license revoked, and was fired from the hospital. I even heard the victim's family broke her hand."

"Serves her right. She shows no remorse and even bribed a nurse to poison that child!"

"How can someone be that cruel? She deserves to die!"

Miranda was pinned down by two bodyguards, struggling desperately. "Jerome, let me go! I didn't do this! You can't treat me like this!"

The hospital room was silent. Through the glass, Miranda saw Jerome holding Madison gently, both speaking softly to Damian, their faces full of indulgent smiles.

The scene pierced Miranda's heart like a sharp needle, tears flooding her eyes.

With a splat, a rotten egg hit her head, yolk running down her hair, followed by bottles of water and trash hurled at her.

Miranda was forced to endure the crowd's malice and insults. She was pinned to her knees for three days until they were raw, and she finally collapsed outside the room.

When she woke again, she was back inside the ward.

Jerome stood by the window, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Stop making a scene, Miranda. Tomorrow is Freddie's funeral. Behave, and I'll come get you."

Even though she hadn't done anything, even though she had been forced to endure everything, he told her to stop making a scene.

Miranda stared at his back, numb and exhausted, feeling hollow inside.

The next morning, Jerome arrived as promised to pick her up. Miranda got in the car, quietly watching the scenery pass by.

Jerome glanced at her. "I arranged Freddie's funeral to the highest standard. Don't worry—"

His phone rang again. "Rome, Dami woke up, crying for you. You need to come back quickly."

Without hesitation, Jerome slammed on the brakes and pulled over.

He gestured for Miranda to get out of the car. "Take a cab there first. I'll go back to the hospital and come straight after you."

Miranda's nails dug into her palms. "Jerome, today is Freddie's funeral—"

Jerome cut her off impatiently. "Dami is still sick. He needs me more."

Then, he added coldly, "Miranda, you said it yourself, the living are more important!"

Miranda shivered. Three years ago, Jerome had fallen apart after his parents died in a car accident. He drank himself into a stupor every night, and she had dropped everything to stay by his side, comforting him.

"Rome, your parents wouldn't want to see you like this. You have to move forward."

She held him tightly. "Rome, look ahead. The living are more important."

Two-year-old Fred had climbed into Jerome's arms, tenderly wiping his tears. "Don't cry, Daddy. I'm here."

But now it was Fred's funeral, and Jerome was leaving her and the ceremony behind to be with another child.

Miranda's heart felt as if it had been ripped from her chest, bleeding uncontrollably. She got out in silence, watching the car speed off down the street.

Just as she was about to hail a cab, a car pulled up in front of her. A man got out and pressed a handkerchief over her nose and mouth.

Miranda lost consciousness.

She woke up on a large bed to find a man on top of her, trying to remove her clothes. Terrified, she summoned all her strength and kicked him off with all her might.

The man sneered, closing in. "Well, Dr. Payne, you're awake."

Miranda realized it was Vergil Freeman, a department head in the hospital who had once tried to take advantage of her.

"What are you doing?" she shouted. "Dr. Freeman, Jerome is my husband! You can't touch me! If he finds out, you won't get away with it!"

She backed away, threatening him, and grabbed the phone from the bedside table to call Jerome.

Vergil laughed loudly. "Go ahead and call. Jerome is next door, messing around with Madison. I picked this place just to entertain you. Don't believe me? Just listen to the noises next door."