Chapter 93

The air outside the operating room grew heavier as the minutes dragged on, the Gordon family's anxiou faces reflecting the strain.

"How much longer is this going to take?" Stan's wife, Leonie Gordon, asked, her nerves tightening with eac passing minute.

Davin had always treated her with kindness, and she feared something had gone wrong.

Stan leaned back slightly, trying to sound steady. "Heart surgery takes time. It's not something that end quickly."

Jonny,however,offered no comfort. His words carried a sharp edge."If you ask me, this whole delay because that woman interfered. Without her meddling, things would've gone smoothly."

Doran cut him off with a voice as sharp as a blade, "Please watch your tongue. Loose words could cost yo far more than you're prepared to pay."

The grim set of Doran's jaw gave him the air of a merciless judge.

Jonny felt his throat tighten, swallowing hard as fear silenced him, though resentment still smoldered in hi chest.

Yes, Tristan wielded immense influence, but this was the Gordons' family affair. What right did he have t interfere? And why had he allowed an untrustworthy woman into the operating room? If Davin's life wa jeopardized, not even Tristan would escape unscathed.

Leyla, by contrast, seemed to ease more with every passing minute. The longer the surgery dragged on, th more serious it appeared.

She leaned toward Jonny with feigned composure. "Your grandpa is a nice man; he will be fine. You dor need to worry so much-he'll come through this." Her words struck a tender chord in him, warming the fear that clutched his chest. "Thank you for staying here with us."

"There's no need for gratitude," she replied earnestly, her gaze steady, as though reassuring herself as much as him. "The man inside isn't just your grandpa-he's my teacher too."

Just then, Rocco came back.

Two hours earlier, Tristan had sent him to question the two bodyguards who escorted Davin.

Their stories mostly matched what Leyla had claimed, though a few cracks showed in the details.

Suspicious,Rocco had gone to comb through the café himself, which cost him precious time.

Now,leaning close, he murmured a brief report into Tristan's ear.

Tristan's expression barely shifted, but a cold gleam slid toward Leyla like the edge of a blade.

A chill prickled across her back, and she quickly turned away, unwilling to meet that glacial stare.

Ever since that first encounter with Tristan at the Clarkes' estate, she couldn't help but feel drawn to him.

Handsome, wealthy-what woman wouldn't be intrigued?

But the more she interacted with him, the faster that shallow fascination faded.

Tristan carried himself with an icy detachment that made her uneasy, even frightened.

These days,just catching sight of him stirred the urge to shrink back into the shadows.

Unfortunately, in the narrow hallway, there was nowhere to slip away.

The sound of steady footsteps echoed closer, followed by Rocco's low voice.

"Miss Murray, I just finished questioning Mr. Gordon's two bodyguards. According to them, he never approached you at the exhibition hall's entrance. In fact, it was you who ran after their car, persuading him to follow you into the café."

Leyla's face drained of color, and the Gordons immediately shifted their gaze toward her, suspicion flickering in their eyes.

"Then tell me, why would you twist the truth, claiming he came looking for you when it was the other way around?" Rocco pressed, his tone sharp.

Before Leyla could form a reply, Jonny cut in defensively., what's the point of dragging this out?"

He didn't see the reason behind everyone aiming their questions at Leyla.

Rocco met Jonny's skeptical stare with a faintly amused smile. "I have my reasons for asking."

Doran, however, spoke with blunt authority. "Do you really not understand? We believe your grandpa's sudden collapse may be tied to her."

Jonny froze, stunned by the accusation, and blurted out, "No way-that's not possible! People don't just cause heart attacks!"

Before he could say more, Leyla tugged lightly at his sleeve and offered a strained smile. "I slipped up earlier, so it's only natural they'd be upset with me. You must know-whatever's wrong with your grandpa,I'm not the cause."

Jonny gave her a firm nod. "Of course I trust you."

Rocco, however, wouldn't relent. "Miss Murray, answer my question."

Fighting down her frustration, Leyla stepped forward, her voice sharp with defiance. "Yes, I lied!"

His brows lifted in cold curiosity. "And why would you do that?"

"Because..." Her gaze flickered downward as her cheeks burned. "I was ashamed! I begged him to forgive me,and how could I possibly bare something that personal in front of you? You know everything happened earlier today-you must already know why I needed his forgiveness. Now that you've heard the truth behind my lie, is that enough for you?"

Her expression was a swirl of anger and wounded pride, tinged with reluctant shame. The mix was so precise it almost looked rehearsed.

For a fleeting moment, Rocco wavered. But he quickly steadied himself. Extending his hand, he revealed a small pill resting in his palm. "Then tell me-have you seen this before?"

Leyla stiffened in surprise. That pill-she had hurled it out the window. How on earth had he retrieved it?

Still, she smoothed her expression, masking the jolt in her chest with practiced indifference."What pill? I've never laid eyes on that before," she said lightly, feigning ignorance.

Such a tiny thing couldn't possibly carry fingerprints. That thought steadied her, and her face remained calm,not a flicker of panic showing.

Rocco studied her for a long moment, but her composed mask gave away nothing. At last, he slipped the pill back into his pocket and retreated to stand at Tristan's side.

Tristan held back his words, his gaze sharp and cold.

The truth about Leyla's role in Davin's sudden heart attack would surface only when the old man woke,yet his instincts already painted her as guilty.③

The tension broke when the operatig room doors pushed open.

A doctor appeared, gripping a paper in one hand.

Instanly, everyone surged toward him.

"The patient's blood pressure has plunged to a critical low," the doctor said, his tone grim.in grave danger-someone must sign this emergency authorization right away..."

Leonie's lips drained of color, and she swayed so hard she nearly collapsed. Stan caught her quickly,steadying her before she could fall.

Having lost her parents so young, she had always relied on Davin, who treated her like his own child. That lifelong kindness burned in her memory, and now the bad news shattered her composure-tears streamed unchecked down her face.

Jonny's eyes brimmed red, though he forced them dry. Clutching the doctor's arm with trembling strength,he demanded,"Tell me-what role does the doctor who went in earlier play in this surgery?" The doctor said calmly, "Dr. Murray is serving as our lead surgeon now."

"Lead surgeon?" Jonny's eyelids jerked uncontrollably, his composure shattering. He lunged forward and seized the doctor's collar. "She's barely out of school! How much real experience could she possibly have?How could you let someone like her take charge of such a critical surgery? My grandpa's condition is life and death-are you telling me his condition is because of her mistake? Did she cause this?"