"What happened?"
Daniel swallowed.
For the first time since he had known Edmund, he could see something behind those usually emotionless eyes.
Fear.
"What happened?"
He repeated it again, this time looking directly at Daniel.
Daniel felt as though his own heart had left his body.
He knew that look.
One wrong word.
One wrong move.
And he was finished.
His eyes shifted toward the girl lying on the bed,He couldn't afford to think about Edmund anymore.
Not now.
"Bring the surgical instruments. We need to start operating immediately." His voice became firm as he began giving orders.
"Prepare the operating room."
"Yes, Doctor."
"Check her vitals again."
The nurses immediately moved into action.
Daniel expected Edmund to say something.
Anything.
Perhaps question him,Perhaps demand to know why he hadn't answered earlier.
But nothing came.
Only silence.
Daniel glanced at him, Edmund was standing there, watching.
Not speaking. Not moving. Just watching his every movement.
Why isn't he saying anything?
Daniel wondered.
Somehow, Edmund's silence was worse than his anger.
Is he waiting for me to fail?
Daniel quickly pushed the thought away.
No. Focus, Daniel. You can panic about your life after you save hers.
The operating room was prepared quickly.
The atmosphere changed the moment the procedure began.
Every movement became deliberate.
Every instruction had to be followed immediately.
The steady beeping of the monitor filled the room, becoming the only sound between Daniel's commands.
Daniel's hands remained steady as he worked.
"Clamp."
The instrument was immediately placed into his hand.
"Hold it there."
The nurse obeyed.
Daniel's eyes remained fixed on the patient, Her condition was extremely unstable.
Then suddenly—
The monitor began to beep faster, Daniel's eyes snapped toward it, Her vitals were dropping. At that exact moment, the temperature in the room seemed to fall, a chill ran down Daniel's spine, He didn't need to look behind him, He could feel it, That deadly stare.
Edmund.
Daniel swallowed hard.
Please don't look at me like that.
He forced himself to concentrate.
"Keep monitoring her."
"Yes, Doctor."
"Don't let her vitals drop any further."
Everyone moved quickly. Daniel continued working, but he could feel Edmund's gaze following every movement he made, It was as though every second of the surgery was being judged. Every time the girl's condition worsened, the room seemed to become colder, And every time it happened, Daniel felt that same terrifying stare settle on him.
Is he blaming me?
Daniel wondered.
No. Don't think about that. Just save her.
The monitor suddenly gave another warning, Her condition was worsening again.
The temperature seemed to drop another degree.
Daniel's hands remained steady, but sweat gathered beneath his mask.
"Come on…"
He stared at the monitor.
"Stay with us."
For a moment, the numbers continued to fall.
Daniel's heart pounded.
He could feel Edmund's stare becoming heavier.
If she doesn't make it...
He refused to finish the thought.
"Continue."
The medical team responded immediately.
Seconds passed.
Then—
The monitor steadied.
Daniel released a breath.
"She's stable."
The tension in the room eased slightly, But Daniel knew they weren't safe yet.
The surgery continued.
Every time the girl's condition began to slip, the same thing happened.
The monitor would change, the room would seem to grow colder, and Daniel would feel that deadly stare on him, It became a terrifying pattern. At one point, Daniel glanced toward Edmund the man hadn't moved, His expression remained unreadable, But his eyes were fixed on the girl, Then they shifted toward Daniel.
Daniel immediately looked away.
Yep.
Definitely blaming me.
Another warning sounded, Daniel's heart nearly stopped, the temperature seemed to drop again.
It was almost like the girl was using her life to gamble for his.
Edmund's gaze became sharp.
Daniel immediately gave another order.
"Stay focused! We are not losing her!"
The doctors and nurses moved quickly, Daniel's mind raced as he continued the procedure. Finally they managed to stabilize her.
After what felt like hours, the monitor began to settle, Daniel watched the heartbeat carefully. Steady. Weak, but steady.
He slowly exhaled.
"She made it."
For several seconds, nobody spoke, the room remained completely silent.
Then Daniel finally lowered his shoulders, He was exhausted.
But relieved.
This was the most life threatening operation he had ever done, and he didn't want to go through it again.
He looked toward Edmund, the man was still standing there, still watching. Daniel couldn't help wondering what had been going through his mind throughout the entire surgery.
He had expected Edmund questions, maybe threats or demands
Instead, Edmund had remained silent.
And somehow, that silence had been more terrifying than anything he could have said.
Daniel removed his gloves slowly.
His exhausted eyes met Edmund's. Neither man spoke, the silence returned, But this time, Daniel knew one thing.
Whatever this girl meant to Edmund...
She meant enough to make a man like him afraid.
Present.....
"And even now you're still trying to claim my life."
He thought of the girl laying quietly in the hospital room.
"I was even thinking it was only twice I saved you, completely forgetting about the time in the operating room."
He shook his head.
"When you wake up, you'd better…"
"You can leave."
That cold, emotionless voice had now been engraved into his bones.
There was no way he would ever forget that voice.
It immediately brought him back to reality.
Daniel quickly turned and ran out of the room.
As he walked away, one thought came to him.
Where is his family?
Although Daniel had been working with Edmund for so long, not once had he ever seen his family or even come across any of them.
He knew Edmund had a wife, He knew he had children. But he had never met them.
Was he always like this with his family too?
Daniel frowned.
He had heard a few rumors over the years, rumors about the Devereux family, But he had never bothered to indulge in them.
After all, there were some things a man was better off not knowing.