The Phantom Surgeon's Revenge

A sharp, pungent smell filled the air.

"Diana! You damned quack! Get your ass out here!"

I yanked the door open.

A bucket of red paint had been splashed across my security door, dripping down through the seams.

The chief flight attendant stood there with several airline security guards, blocking my doorway with aggressive force.

The hallway was already crowded with curious neighbors, craning their necks and whispering among themselves.

"Unbelievable… she seemed like such an honest girl. Who would've thought she's a black-hearted doctor?"

"Exactly. If people are already at her door throwing paint, she must've done something awful!"

Hearing the murmurs, the flight attendant grew even more smug.

"Everyone, take a look! This is the quack! She took a patient's money and refused to do the job, deliberately delaying treatment until the patient's life is in danger! Now she's hiding at home playing dead. A doctor like this should be arrested and sentenced!"

Her face twisted with malice—clearly cornered by the Stafford family and desperate to use me as a scapegoat to earn their favor.

"You think hiding will save you? Even if you have to crawl, you're going to Scallow City today!"

I glanced at the red paint all over the floor and was just about to call the police when heavy footsteps echoed from the stairwell.

Several men in black shoved the onlooking neighbors aside.

The Stafford family's butler stepped up the stairs, looking down at me with cold authority.

The flight attendant rushed forward at once.

"Sir, look—I found her! Mr. Stafford will be saved in no time!"

He didn't even spare her a glance, walking straight up to me instead.

"Dr. Sullivan, have you finished throwing your tantrum?"

He pulled out a check, holding it between his fingers as he waved it slightly.

"600 thousand dollars. That's double the price. Come with me right now, and the Stafford family will let bygones be bygones."

I didn't even look at the check. I replied coldly with two words, "Not interested."

"Don't push your luck!" The butler's expression darkened instantly, his pretense gone. "Do you really think you can afford to offend the Stafford family?"

He leaned in slightly, his voice lowered but laced with chilling menace.

"If you won't go willingly, then today, I'll drag you there if I have to. If you refuse to operate, we have plenty of ways to make you. I heard your mother is currently staying at Rejuveen Sanatorium?"

My whole body stiffened. They had actually sunk so low as to track down my mother.

"Touch my mother and see what happens!"

I clenched my teeth, glaring at him.

"As long as it saves our heir, there's nothing the Stafford family wouldn't do."

The butler sneered, arrogance written all over his face.

"You'd better be smart about this and start packing now. Otherwise, I guarantee your mother will be thrown out of the sanatorium today and left on the streets!"

The bodyguards stepped forward immediately, restraining me.

The flight attendant chimed in from the side, gloating.

"You hear that? Still acting high and mighty in front of the Stafford family—guess you won't learn until it's too late!"

Looking at their faces, twisted with arrogance and cruelty, I suddenly laughed.

The butler frowned, his impatience evident. "What are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing at how stupid you all are."

I let the smile fade and turned to the still-smug flight attendant beside him.

"You think I don't want to save William? Even if I go now… he won't survive."

The butler's expression changed drastically. He grabbed my collar.

"What do you mean?"