Chapter 1010:
When Corey’s thoughts turned to Alicia for a heart transplant, it wasn’t just Caden’s wrath that gave him pause. Deep down, Corey couldn’t bear the thought of Alicia dying. That hesitation was why he had delayed until now, clinging to hope until there were no more options. Now, standing in front of Alicia, he decided with a heavy heart to choose Gemma over her.
Corey waited patiently, his gaze steady as the anesthetic began to take effect. His extensive knowledge of the human body was not just a skill – it was a necessity, honed for Gemma’s sake. Heart extraction was his specialty, disturbingly precise and practiced.
Under the flickering operating light, an assistant handed Corey the scalpel, the weight of the task settling over the room.noveldrama
Alicia closed her eyes, seemingly surrendering to the inevitable. With a stern expression, Corey covered her face with a cloth and began unbuttoning her shirt.
But the silence broke abruptly. The assistant next to Corey spoke up, her voice tense with anxiety. “Mr. Hampton, something’s wrong.”
Corey clenched his jaw, his frustration obvious. “Is Caden here yet?”
“No, the anesthesia isn’t working on her.”
Corey froze, his hand hovering in the air. His heart skipped a beat. “Is she immune to the anesthesia?
The assistant shook her head, helpless. “1 dont know. We didn’t have time to run tests. ‘
Pulling back the cloth, Corey’s gaze met Alicia’s open eyes. She spoke with unnerving calm, her voice cutting through the tension. “What is it, Mr. Hampton? Having second thoughts?” Corey’s pupils contracted. A sense of foreboding had gnawed at him since he entered the Ward mansion – now it loomed larger than ever.
The assistant, glancing nervously at the clock, urged Corey, “Let’s go ahead with the surgery. The organs are still viable without anesthesia.”
Corey’s eyes burned with a mixture of anger and desperation. “You want her to suffer a slow, painful death?”
The assistant hesitated. Wasn’t it too late to care about Alicia’s pain?
Corey’s breathing quickened, erratic and strained. He put down the scalpel with deliberate force, reached for a cigarette, and lit it with cold efficiency. “Find another way to numb her,” he ordered icily before stepping back.
In one swift motion, Corey tore off his sterile gown and turned the operation over to another professional.
The room was heavy with silence, every face marked by confusion. This was an impromptu operation – no time for meticulous preparation or alternatives.
The assistant ventured boldly, “Mr. Hampton, we must proceed. We cannot afford any more delays.”
Corey had already burned through half of his cigarette. His head throbbed relentlessly, as if struck by an invisible hammer. Gemma’s life was hanging by a thread and this was his chance to save her. But his body betrayed him, refusing to act on instinct. “We’re not doing the surgery.” Even Corey was startled by the words that came out of his mouth. What was he afraid of? His biggest < fear was Caden, but Caden wasn't even here.
.
.
.