"Sir, we've found the girl who saved you, but she is getting married today!""Take me to her immediately. I need to stop the wedding!"=== ===In the duty room of the hospital, Camila Haynes was putting on her doctor uniform. Tonight was the first night of her marriage. But when a colleague had asked her to take over the shift for the night just now, she agreed and went straight to the hospital without hesitation. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she straightened her lab coat and smiled bitterly. No one cared where she went anyway. All of a sudden, the door was kicked open from the outside, sending it crashing against the wall. Before Camila could look up to see what was going on, she heard the click of the light switch, and the whole room became pitch black. Scared out of her wits, she trembled, her hair standing on end. "Who's—"Before she could get another word out, she was suddenly shoved down onto the table. With a loud clatter, the things on the table fell to the floor. The next thing she knew was a hand covering her mouth and a strange voice barked, "Quiet!"When her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could barely see the man's face clearly, though his eyes stood out. They were sharp and cold. Maybe it was because of her training as a doctor, she was used to staying calm and level-headed even in situations as scary and stressful as this. She subtly lifted her leg in an attempt to kick the man. But the second she moved, the man noticed and stopped her attack. "I saw him heading this way!" a voice sounded from the distance. Then, Camila heard the sound of footsteps approaching them. It seemed that they'd barge in any second now. In a moment of desperation, the man suddenly lowered his head and pressed his lips against Camila's. Wide-eyed, Camila struggled to shove the man away. Fortunately, he didn't hurt her because of her resistance. She touched her lips in a daze, unable to wrap her head around what just happened. Just then, she heard the sound of the doorknob turning. Making up her mind, she gritted her teeth and wrapped her arms around the man's neck.She whispered in a trembling voice, "I can help you..."The man's voice was at once deep and alluring as he spoke, "I'll take responsibility for this."Wait, he misunderstood her—she was just going to put up an act. When the door was pushed open, the light in the corridor shone on Camila and the man. It was still too dark for them to see everything, aside from two shadows entwined."That's definitely not Isaac. He's badly injured. There's no way he would be doing that after he got wounded Get moving! If we can't find him, we'll all be in trouble!"Soon, the sound of footsteps faded away. The man knew that his assailants had left, but he found that he couldn't move away from the woman.The crisis was solved now, so Camila tried to push the man away. But just as her palms pressed against the man's shoulders, she suddenly thought about her marriage. Her whole life had been controlled by others, including her marriage. Her father, a man ruled by his greed, had forced her to marry into the Johnston family. Her grandfather used to be the chauffeur of Robin Johnston, the patriarch of the Johnston family. As fate would have it, he died saving Robin's life in an accident. The small company run by her family had accumulated massive debt and was on the verge of bankruptcy. Her cunning father knew that if he asked for money from the Johnston family, their favor with them would be spent. So he came up with a plan to make his daughter marry Isaac Johnston, Robin's grandson. In this way, their family would finally establish a more solid connection with the Johnston family—one that was bound by marriage. Besides, given the Johnston family's wealth, they were sure to get a lot of benefits in the future. The Johnston family couldn't afford to refuse the proposition, or they would risk losing face in one way or another. Isaac was extremely dissatisfied with this arranged marriage, so he requested that his new bride never tell anyone that she was his wife, and that she keep her maiden name. But no one asked Camila what she wanted. And to make matters worse, the groom never showed up at the banquet, even though no one outside either family was present. Camila had been left alone at the banquet and felt so humiliated! She refused to accept it! Perhaps it was because of the tension in the atmosphere, but her pent-up feelings of rebellion suddenly exploded. Her life was barely worth living because it was controlled by others. Thus, she decided to fight back in her own way! As such, Camila kissed him again.......After some time, the man kissed her cheek gently and said, "I'll come back for you." Then he left quickly. All of a sudden, the sound of her phone ringing broke the silence. She reached out to grab it and answered the call. An anxious voice sounded from the other end of the line, "Dr. Griffith, emergency! Please come here quickly!"Camila adjusted her voice and answered calmly, "Okay, I'll be there soon."After hanging up, she looked at her phone in a daze. Her disheveled clothes told her that this was not a dream. It really happened.This was the most rebellious thing she had ever done in her life! But she didn't have the time to dwell on this. A patient needed her. Gritting her teeth, she quickly got dressed and rushed to the emergency center. Camila was busy for the rest of the night. When she finally returned to the duty room, she found that it was still a complete mess. Recalling what happened here a few hours ago, she couldn't help but run her fingers through her tangled hair in distress. "Thanks for taking over my shift, Dr. Haynes." Camila's colleague, Debora Griffith, suddenly strode in with a grateful smile. Camila forced a smile and answered, "You're welcome.""I can take it from here. You should head back and get some rest." Only then did Debora notice the mess in the room. Eyebrows raised, she asked incredulously, "What happened here?"Turning her head to hide the panic in her eyes, Camila said, "I accidentally knocked over the things on the table earlier. Anyway, since you're here, I'm going to head home now."Debora felt that Camila was acting strange, but she didn't care. She shrugged and bent down to start picking up the random things on the floor. Just when Camila left, the director of the hospital and Isaac's assistant, Willie Calderon, showed up at the door. "She was the doctor on duty last night, Debora Griffith," the director said. Willie walked into the room and peered at Debora's name plate on her lab coat. "Miss, please come with me."Debora looked up in confusion. "Where are we going?""You'll see. Just come with us," Willie answered expressionlessly. The hospital director, on the other hand, wasn't too happy with her hesitation. He pulled her and hissed, "Don't keep Mr. Johnston waiting."Chapter 2 Feeling GuiltyAlbeit confused, Debora obediently followed them to the hospital director's office. Isaac was sitting upright on the sofa with his legs crossed. Without paying close attention, the paleness on his thin lips would've gone unnoticed. Dressed in pure black, his sharp features and strong aura seemed to show that he had overcome countless difficulties. Even a single glance from him was daunting. Willie walked over to Isaac and whispered something in his ear. "All the surveillance videos last night were deliberately tampered with, likely thanks to your assailants. They cleaned up their tracks and got rid of any possible evidence. This is Dr. Debora Griffith, the doctor on duty last night. I also just went to check the records, and it was indeed her shift."Only then did Isaac look up at Debora. Debora was shocked. The man on the sofa was none other than the CEO of Paramount Corporation. "Are you the one who helped me last night?" Isaac asked, looking at her face carefully. Debora immediately averted her gaze, not daring to meet his eyes. "Y-yes, it... It was me." She didn't know what exactly had happened last night, but she knew that she could benefit a lot if she could get into Isaac's good graces. It just so happened that Military Central Hospital was about to select candidates for their internship. Although it was called an internship, whoever was selected would stay on as their official doctor. The resources there were much better than that of this hospital. If Debora could get the help of someone as powerful as Isaac, she'd definitely be selected for the internship. "I'll give you whatever you want—even marriage." Isaac's expression was indifferent, but when he thought of what happened last night, his cold face softened somewhat. "W-what? Marriage? Er... I..." Isaac dropped a bomb on her so suddenly that Debora couldn't think straight. "Once you've made up your mind, you can come to me." Isaac then stood up and asked his assistant to give her his phone number. The hospital director bowed slightly and offered, "Mr. Johnston, let me escort you out."Isaac refused him, returning to his cold demeanor. "That won't be necessary." Then, he seemed to think of something and added, "Please take good care of her.""Of course, Mr. Johnston," the director said with a subservient smile. After making sure that they were out of earshot, the assistant reminded Isaac in a low voice, "You're already married. I don't think you can marry Miss Griffith if she ends up wanting the marriage."Upon thinking the bride he was forced to marry, Isaac's expression darkened and he stared daggers at him.The assistant immediately fell silent, a shiver running down his spine. He didn't know if Isaac was angry about the woman he married or the person who sent the hitmen after him. After work, Camila went home to her husband's villa. As soon as Camila entered the house, the middle-aged housekeeper, Glenda Rivera, came up and asked, "May I ask where you were last night?""I had to cover someone's shift," Camila answered in a small voice. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she clearly looked tired. Glenda didn't press her for more information when she saw how exhausted Camila was. Instead, she bowed and let Camila retire to her room. Camila went straight to the bathroom and ran a hot bath. Soaking in the tub, she suddenly recalled the events of last night, and her face suddenly became as hot as the bathwater. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel guilty. She rubbed her temples, trying to clear her messy mind. After getting out of the tub, she got dressed and headed out. Seeing that Camila was about to leave, Glenda came over and asked, "Are you leaving again so soon? You should at least have breakfast first."Camila glanced at her watch and sighed. "No thanks. I'll be late for work."Glenda knew that Camila was a doctor, and she knew how hard this job was. Thinking of this, she looked at Camila with newfound respect and brought her a glass of warm milk. "At least drink this before going to work."Seeing the concern on Glenda's face, Camila felt touched. She took the glass of milk and said softly, "Thank you.""Of course." Glenda smiled, her chubby face looking very kind and friendly. After finishing the milk, Camila handed the glass back to Glenda and headed out. She did not start work immediately. In fact, she came to the hospital because she was visiting the Intensive Care Unit, where her mother was. After she entered, she checked her mother's condition as she always did—her heart sank since her mother was not improving. Her mother had suffered from heart failure and was now in a critical condition. The only solution was a heart transplant, which would cost a lot of money. She agreed to her father's demand and married into the Johnston family because her father threatened her, saying that he wouldn't pay the fees for her mother's surgery if she didn't agree. If they could just find a suitable heart donor, her mother would be saved. She looked at her mother, who was in a coma, and said in a low and bitter voice, "Mom, I promise I'll save you."A single teardrop ran down her cheek. Her mother was the person closest to her. The phone in her pocket started to ring. "Hi, Mila! Can you do me a favor?" A cheerful voice sounded from the other end of the line. It was her senior, Forrest Walters who called her. They graduated from the same medical school, but he was two grades above her. He had gone abroad for further studies, and now, he was a very famous doctor. More importantly, he had always taken good care of her. So the two were pretty close. "What kind of favor?" Camila asked. "I have a patient who needs treatment, but I'm in the middle of something urgent. I won't make it in time. Can you tend to the patient for me please?"Camila checked her schedule. Aside from two surgeries in the afternoon, she was relatively free that morning, so she agreed. "I have sent you the address. Just tell them that you're there for Mr. Calderon, and the doorman will know what to do."Chapter 3 Mysterious Injured ManCamila got the address and answered, "Got it.""And Mila, don't tell anyone about this and don't ask any unnecessary questions. Just focus on treating the patient, okay?" Forrest added. "Okay." After hanging up, Camila took a taxi to the address. It was located in a high-end neighborhood with top-level security. The doorman stopped her from entering. As instructed, Camila informed him that she was here to see Mr. Calderon. The doorman called to confirm before finally granting her access. It didn't take long before she found the house. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell. Soon, the door was opened. Seeing that it wasn't Forrest at the door, Willie frowned and asked, "And you are?"From the way Forrest sounded over the phone, Camila could tell that this patient seemed to care about his privacy very much. Not wanting to get involved, she wore a mask before going. "Dr. Forrest Walters asked me to come here in his place."Glancing at the medical kit she was carrying, Willie squinted at her. "You know what to do?""Yes, Dr. Walters briefed me. I won't tell anyone."Willie figured that Forrest wouldn't ask someone unreliable to come here, so he let Camila in. He led Camila through the huge living room, up the stairs to the second floor, and stopped in front of the door to a bedroom. The room was very dimly lit. Glancing at Willie, she asked, "How can I treat the patient without lights?"When Isaac heard that it was a woman's voice, he pulled over his coat over his head to cover his face and said coldly, "Fine. You may turn on the lights."Willie obliged and turned the lights on. The room was instantly illuminated. The voice sounded familiar, but Camila didn't think too much of it. She approached the injured man, who was lying in bed.She tried not to look at his covered face. After all, she was here to treat him, not to pry. Obviously, the patient didn't want others to know his identity, so it was only right that she respect his privacy. She set her kit down on the night stand and took out her surgical instruments. Camila instantly got to work, cleaning the wounds with her deft hands. Every move was elegant and efficient. "Are you allergic to any medicine?" she asked. Her voice was calm, completely different from how the panicked woman sounded from last night. Therefore, even though Isaac had heard her voice, he had no idea that this female doctor was the person from last night. On the inside, he was impressed by her skill and calmness, but on the outside, he remained cold. "No."After an hour, she was done stitching. It was a quick and successful treatment. Seeing that her hands were stained, she excused herself. "I need to go to the bathroom.""There's one downstairs," Willie said. Camila walked out and followed his directions. When she was gone, Willie closed the door and walked up to Isaac. "Upon investigating, it seems the person who had hired those hitmen was your Aunt Audrey. Because you dealt with all her spies in the company, she grew desperate and tried to destroy you."Isaac sat up in bed. He should've been weak given his injuries, but on the contrary, his eyes were sharp and alert. He looked at Willie and asked in a low voice, "Did the arranged marriage have anything to do with her?"After a pause, Willie answered, "Yes, I found out that she was in contact with your father-in-law. It was strange that he requested that his daughter marry you but not Audrey's son. Obviously, Audrey had something to do with that.""She's done so much for me. It'd be rude if I didn't do anything in return." He had just gone abroad for a few days for business, but someone had made so much trouble for him. He was completely expressionless, but the coldness in his eyes was undeniable. "I heard that her son runs a club called Charm on Cavern Street."Hearing this, Willie instantly understood what was on his boss's mind. "Since they don't have a place in the company anymore, that club is their only source of income. If they lose it...""Do it," Isaac said in a dangerously low voice, his eyes flashing viciously. Willie nodded and immediately set out to do what he was told. On the way downstairs, he ran into Camila, who was about to go upstairs. Willie knew that Forrest must've already told her to keep her mouth shut, but he figured it was worth reminding her. "If you tell anyone about what happened today, you'll regret it."If Audrey and her son caught wind of Isaac's injuries, they'd definitely seize the opportunity to beat him while he was down. "Don't worry, I won't." With her head down, Camila added, "I'll leave as soon as I get my medical kit."When she returned to the bedroom, she saw that the wounded man had taken off his bloodstained shirt. "Don't you know it's rude to stare?" The man didn't turn around, but he seemed to have noticed her intent gaze. His voice was lazy, mixed with a hint of mockery. Camila snapped to her senses and lowered her head in a hurry. With her head down, she walked over to pack up her things. In a gentle voice, she reminded him, "Don't let your wounds get wet for the time being. Disinfect them once a day, and wear loose shirts so as to avoid infection."When she was done packing her medical kit, she took out a bottle of pills and a tube of ointment. "I'm leaving you these medicines."Isaac didn't turn around and grunted in reply. Camila had nothing else to say, so she left. She walked out with the medical kit. She hailed a taxi and went back to the hospital. It was almost lunchtime when she arrived, so she went to the canteen of the hospital to eat. As soon as she returned to her office, she was summoned to the hospital director's office. "I'm sending Debora to Military Central Hospital for the internship," the hospital director said seriously. He seemed to have some unspeakable reasons. Chapter 4 The BenefitsCamila was stunned. "Didn't you say that you'd give the chance to me?""All our high-tech medical equipment was donated by the Paramount Corporation. Its CEO, Mr. Isaac Johnston, told me to take care of Dr. Griffith. I had no choice."At the mention of Isaac's name, Camila couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Although she was technically Isaac's wife, they hadn't even met each other yet. She only had seen his face on some financial magazines and TV. What was going on between him and Debora? Camila's heart was pounding wildly in her chest, but she managed to keep a straight face. "Really?""Yes. We recognize your professionalism and medical skills, but I'm afraid we have no say in the matter." The director tried comforting her. Among the young doctors in this hospital, he appreciated Camila the most. Camila lowered her head and answered in a low voice, "Okay, I understand."Perhaps in Isaac's eyes, she was nothing to him since he was forced to marry her. "I still have surgeries this afternoon, so please excuse me," she said feebly. She clearly knew that the decision was irreversible. The director sighed and watched her leave dejectedly. Despite her heavy heart, Camila went back to work. After successfully completing two surgeries, she was exhausted. She washed her hands, took off her blue scrubs, and sank onto the nearest chair to get some rest. Just then, Debora passed by. "Dr. Haynes," she greeted with a smile. "Let me treat you to dinner.""I'm afraid I'm not available tonight," Camila refused politely. The relationship between her and Debora was professional at best. To put it simply, the two were just colleagues that had graduated from the same medical school. Also, they were from the same batch. But Debora was quite the character. She was very competitive and ambitious, always showing off to get everyone's attention. On the other hand, Camila liked to be low-key. The two didn't mesh well together, that was all. So they didn't become good friends. "Oh, that's too bad. Actually, there was something I wanted to tell you," Debora said, looking a little embarrassed. Without looking at Debora, Camila spoke. "Go ahead."For some reason, after finding out that Debora had something to do with Isaac, Camila had a gut feeling to stay away from her. "You must've heard the news. I'm really sorry. I didn't know that the director would—""It's okay, don't worry about it." Not wanting to hear it, Camila cut Debora off mid-sentence. But Debora wasn't done yet. She lowered her eyes and looked away awkwardly. "So can you keep it a secret that you took my shift last night? Since I'm going to the Military Central Hospital for the internship, I don't want to get into any trouble."Her line of reasoning was a little farfetched. But Camila wasn't surprised to hear this from her. "Don't worry. I won't tell a soul."It wasn't uncommon for doctors to cover shifts for colleagues. After all, doctors still had lives of their own. Outside the hospital, it was getting dark. The street lights came on one by one. A black luxury car was parked at the gate. Forrest was inside, boasting proudly, "My junior was great, wasn't she?"Isaac was sitting next to him, leaning back lazily. Thinking of Camila's calmness and agility when she dealt with his wounds, even he had to admit that she was quite skilled. "Mr. Johnston, Miss Griffith is coming," Willie, who was sitting in the passenger seat, announced. Isaac lowered the window. Debora came over, wearing a small smile. Seeing her, Forrest's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Debora?""You know her?" Willie turned around and asked with great intrigue. Forrest nodded. "She was my junior back in medical school."Upon hearing this, Isaac's eyes took on a different light. She was the one who had saved him last night. Was she also the one who had dealt with his wounds earlier? Willie noticed the change in Isaac's demeanor and exclaimed, "Cupid finally noticed you!"Was that it? Did Cupid finally decide to shoot Isaac with his arrow? Forrest frowned in confusion. "What're you talking about?""Mr. Johnston?"At this time, Debora came over and interrupted their conversation. Forrest had only hitched a ride with Isaac to see Camila at the hospital. Seeing that Debora was here, Forrest quickly opened the door and got out of the car. "Excuse me."After Forrest left, Debora got into the car and sat opposite Isaac. She felt a little uneasy, worried that Isaac would realize that he had mistaken her for someone else. But she had already tasted the benefits of being affiliated with him. Because of Camila's skills, the hospital director had always appreciated Camila. Debora knew that he had only vouched for her to be sent to Military Central Hospital because of Isaac. So she made up her mind to win this man over, no matter what it took. Such an opportunity was rare. She must have to seize it! "I've made up my mind," she said softly. Then she looked up and locked eyes with Isaac. Isaac didn't seem to expect her to make a decision so soon. He looked at her emotionlessly and seemed to be disinterested, but deep down, he was curious about her answer. Chapter 5 Her Lifelong Dream"I don't need anything else," Debora said firmly. Since he was willing to marry her, he must've had an unusual relationship with the person he mistook her for. If she latched onto his proposal right off the bat, she might appear too greedy and ambitious. So she had to compromise for now to reap the benefits in the long run. "If we can be friends, that's enough for me."Isaac pursed his lips tightly, his eyes cloudy and unreadable. In a calm tone, he asked, "Are you sure?"Debora nodded. As such, Isaac decided against changing her mind—what happened last night had probably occurred in the heat of the moment. "Fine, I respect your decision."In the hospital. Camila was quietly reading a book in the staff lounge. Even though she was technically off work, she didn't want to go back to Isaac's place, nor did she want to go back home. The hospital was her only safe space. She didn't mind, since she could read and study there in peace. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Then the door was pushed open and Forrest poked his head in. "Why are you hiding here?""I'm not hiding."Camila shut the book and put it on the table. Looking at Forrest, she asked curiously, "What brings you here, Forrest?""You helped me out today. I need to pay you back, don't I?" He grinned. "Let's go. I'm going to treat you to something delicious."But she shook her head and said, "No, thanks.""What? Why not? Is something bothering you?" Forrest frowned. He could sense that she was in a bad mood. Averting her gaze, Camila muttered, "No."Forrest was unconvinced. "You can talk to me if something's wrong, you know. Don't you trust me?""It's not like that," she explained in a hurry, seeing that she might've hurt his feelings. "I'm just sad that we won't be colleagues in the same hospital.""What do you mean?" Forrest's frown tightened. Suddenly, it dawned on him, and he became a little angry. "The director changed his mind? Whom did he recommend for the internship? Where is he now? I'm going to talk some sense into him."Camila stopped him before he could walk out the door. "Isn't it your lifelong dream to become a military surgeon? How's that going to happen if you miss out on the internship at the Military Central Hospital?" Forrest thought that backing down wasn't like Camila at all. She had studied and worked so hard for her dream. How could she let it go so easily? Camila lowered her head dejectedly. It wasn't that she had given up so easily, but that reality was deliberately making things difficult for her. Besides, she didn't want to get Forrest involved. Seeing that Camila wasn't saying anything, Forrest pursed his lips and said, "Fine, then."Forcing a smile, Camila looked up at him and said, "No need to dwell on this. I've changed my mind. Let's go have dinner.""Maybe next time," he said gently. He wasn't a fool. He knew that there must've been someone who heavily influenced the director's decision to replace Camila. But Forrest refused to let it go. "Excuse me, there's something I must take care of."Then he turned around and stormed off. He was furious! Forrest went straight to the hospital director's office and barged in regardless of anything. He wasn't afraid of the consequences because not only was he a well-respected doctor, but he also came from a powerful and wealthy family. The director of the hospital was on a phone call. When he saw Forrest barge in unannounced, he hurriedly ended the call and stood up with a smile. "What can I do for you, Dr. Walters?""Weren't you supposed to send Camila to Military Central Hospital for the internship? Why the sudden change of heart? Who bribed you to do this? If you don't give me answers right now, I promise you you'll regret it."Hearing the obvious threat in his words, the director broke out in cold sweat. He explained helplessly, "I had no choice. Mr. Isaac Johnston asked me to take care of Dr. Griffith. What else could I do?"Hearing that it was Isaac behind this, Forrest's frown tightened. "Take it up with Isaac, not me." The director was smart. He couldn't afford to offend either Isaac or Forrest, so he tactfully pulled himself out of the matter. In a fit of rage, Forrest turned around to look for Isaac. As soon as he walked out of the hospital, he saw Debora getting out of Isaac's car. He strode over, fuming. Debora greeted him with a smile. "Hello, Forrest."Forrest paused, not knowing how to respond. In the end, he simply nodded out of politeness. After Debora left, Forrest was incensed that Debora had obtained the opportunity that rightfully belonged to Camila. But the person who had orchestrated everything was, in fact, his dear friend, Isaac. Isaac had never shown so much interest in a woman before. It seemed that he really had a special relationship with Debora. And Forrest couldn't bring himself to ruin his good friend's chances at love. It was so rare for Isaac to go out of his way to please a woman. So Forrest could do nothing but look at Isaac helplessly. "I really don't understand what you see in Debora."
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