Chapter 144



Caiden wasn’t at all surprised by Turner’s response. His expression remained unreadable as he gave a small, acknowledging nod. “Then it’s settled. The competition will take place in a week.”

With that, Caiden stood up and made his exit. Throughout the entire exchange, neither Belinda nor Kylee had been consulted. But honestly, their opinions did not matter here. After all, this was no longer just a rivalry between Belinda and Kylee. It had escalated into a high-stakes power struggle between Caiden and Turner.

Turner also rose to his feet. “Alright, you all can continue with your work. Kylee, come with me.”

Kylee’s face was pale as she followed Turner out of the room, still in a daze.

When Kylee arrived at Turner’s office and closed the door, her anxiety took over. She looked flustered, her voice trembling as she exclaimed, “Mr. Ortiz, how could you agree to Mr. Rodgers’ proposal? I-I…” She hesitated, her words faltering before she let out a sigh, her expression defeated. “What am I supposed to do?”

Turner, calm as ever, understood her concerns. He replied with a steady tone, “Given the situation, if I hadn’t agreed, the issue would have lingered unresolved. I had no choice but to agree at that time.”

Kylee chewed on her lip nervously, her face paling as she voiced her deepest fear. “But… With my current skills, there’s no way I can handle a type-B aortic dissection surgery on my own!”

She was painfully aware of her limitations—she hadn’t performed a single surgery independently before, let alone one as complex as this. With just a week to prepare for the surgery, how could she possibly succeed?

Turner gave a soft chuckle, his voice more encouraging than Kylee had expected. “Who hasn’t had to start from scratch? Every doctor has faced a similar situation like this. You don’t want to be stuck as an intern in this hospital forever, do you?”

Ⓜⓞⓡⓔ ⓤⓟⓓⓐⓣⓔⓢ ⓘⓝ ⓖⓐⓛⓝⓞⓥⓔⓛⓢ.ⓒⓞⓜ With a light sigh, he leaned back in his chair, giving Kylee a reassuring look. “Don’t worry. I’ll teach you everything you need to know. Relax. Even if you can’t complete the surgery in a week, it’s fine. Your sister won’t succeed, either, so you’ll have time to practice. All you need to do is perform the surgery successfully before she does.”

Kylee’s furrowed brows eased slightly as she considered his words. After a moment of reflection, she couldn’t help but admit that Turner had a point.

“If you couldn’t perform the surgery successfully, Belinda certainly wouldn’t be able to, either. At least she had been at the Grand Plains General Hospital for over a year, observing countless surgeries under Turner’s meticulous guidance. In terms of both skill and experience, she believed she was undoubtedly better than Belinda.

With this thought, Kylee allowed herself a small sense of relief. Turner, seeing her expression, added, “And think about it—if you succeed, you’ll become a full-fledged resident physician without even having to sit for the exams. Isn’t that exactly what you’ve always wanted? This is the chance you’ve been waiting for. Shouldn’t you grab it with both hands?”

Kylee pressed her lips together. She looked as if a spark of determination had been lit inside her. “Don’t worry, Mr. Ortiz! I’m going to succeed—no doubt about it!” Turner’s lips curved into a satisfied smile. “That’s what I like to hear. I have complete faith in you.”

After a brief pause, he continued, “For the next few days, don’t come to work. Focus entirely on practicing your skills.”

“Understood.” Kylee nodded firmly.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the hospital, Belinda stepped out of the office and found a quiet spot to make her call to Caiden.

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