Stepping back into the familiar operating room, I knew Dr. James Carter was about to make a fatal error, yet I chose to watch, cold and detached. In my past life, it was James’s mistake that left the patient teetering on the brink of death. I rushed to the table and saved the patient, whose chest lay open. But afterwards, my wife, Katherine Hayes, fabricated evidence and sent me to prison. I confronted her, incredulous, but she merely looked contrite and said, “James is an international colleague; he can’t be implicated! Once this blows over, our lives will go back to normal.” Ultimately, I was killed by the patient’s family, reborn consumed by hatred. This time, I wanted to see how Katherine Hayes would handle it! But then, she suddenly turned to me, her voice trembling yet firm: “Daniel Thorne! The patient’s condition is critical! James can’t control it! You take over!” … 1 “Don’t you understand? The patient is fading fast!” Katherine’s voice abruptly rose, her eyes wide with terror. “Please, darling… this surgery is a turning point in my career. It can’t go wrong!” She clutched my hand tightly, her tone shifting from command to desperate plea. On the operating table, the patient’s chest lay wide open, blood gushing out. The monitor’s readings plummeted, life draining away. “You’re the most skilled surgeon in the entire hospital! Only you can salvage this!” I shook off her hand, a cold sneer playing on my lips. “I’m just an assistant. I don’t know James’s specific technique. And with millions of people watching nationwide, I’m not capable of stepping in at the last minute!” Katherine’s eyes instantly filled with panic. “Didn’t James claim he was experienced?” “Or are you saying you put him in charge, knowing he wasn’t competent, to boost your reputation, playing with a patient’s life?” Katherine’s face turned stark white. “Now is not the time for assigning blame!” her voice trembled. “The patient’s chest is already open. The family is waiting outside…” “This surgery is a key publicity event for the hospital. It affects the future of the entire department!” James stood by, flustered, constantly glancing at Katherine. I remembered the past life at this very moment. I had stepped in, saved the patient’s life, but James’s mistake had left the patient paralyzed. When the family stormed the hospital, Katherine, tears streaming, had handed me a confession: “Daniel, for our future…” I, naive, signed that life-destroying document. My license was revoked, I was subjected to national online slander, the hospital cast me aside like trash, Katherine filed for divorce and took all our assets. Most tragically, the paralyzed patient’s family found me: “You incompetent doctor, you ruined my son! I want your life!” Before I died, I learned my father had a heart attack from the shock and passed away, while Katherine and her lover gained fame and fortune. Back in reality, Katherine was still pleading: “Darling, for the sake of our marriage…” James had caused too much trouble. Even she found it hard to escape responsibility. I smirked inwardly: You reap what you sow. I stepped back, yielding my position in front of the operating table. The patient’s vital signs plummeted. James stood by, helpless, muttering “Damn it.” Ultimately, the patient died on the operating table. Katherine’s face was ashen. Vice President Davis walked into the operating room, his gaze glacial: “Chief Hayes, what happened?” Katherine pulled off her gloves, feigning composure: “The patient suffered unforeseen complications, leading to…” Heart-wrenching cries echoed from the corridor. The patient’s family had received the tragic news. “Ah! You butchers killed my father!” A young girl was restrained by security at the door. James produced a folded paper: “This is standard operating procedure. I followed the protocol precisely.” Davis took the document, his brows furrowed: “A resident as lead surgeon? This surgery shouldn’t have been your responsibility.” “James is very experienced. I trust him completely.” Katherine straightened her back. “Dr. Carter, please explain the cause of death.” Davis turned to James. James bit his lip: “The situation was complex after opening the chest, but within controllable limits.” “Specifically, what caused the death?” “It might be… his pre-existing heart condition.” Dr. Evans, the anesthesiologist, scoffed: “Pre-operative assessments showed the patient’s cardiac function was normal, perfectly sufficient for the surgery.” “What vessel did you sever?” Davis pressed. James’s forehead beaded with sweat: “A routine incision…” “State its specific name.” James’s eyes darted: “I… I need to check the records.” Katherine attempted to interject: “This is a technical issue. We’ll discuss it later.” Davis remained unmoved: “As lead surgeon, the most basic anatomical structures should be ingrained in your mind.” James retreated, hiding behind Katherine. The atmosphere in the operating room solidified. Nurses lowered their heads, organizing instruments, their eyes filled with disdain. “I saw him sever a branch of the coronary artery, completely against protocol,” a junior doctor whispered. “I heard Chief Hayes specifically authorized him to lead, even knowing his skill wasn’t up to par…” “It’s just leveraging his international status to boost the department’s global exchange points. Who knew it would lead to reckless disregard for human life?” Katherine scanned her surroundings. Her colleagues, who usually flocked to her, now deliberately kept their distance. Only James cowered behind her, like a frightened child. She anxiously searched for Daniel Thorne. I stood in the corner, watching everything with an impassive face. Katherine’s gaze locked onto me, her expression complex, a mix of plea and command. Step forward. Take responsibility. she mouthed. I ignored Katherine, exiting the operating room through a side door. Walking out the main hospital entrance, my phone vibrated. A news alert popped up: “Major Medical Malpractice Incident at City General Hospital; Patient Dies on Operating Table.” I immediately dialed my private banker, Ms. Lee. “Ms. Lee, I need to freeze all assets, including joint accounts and property shares.” “Dr. Thorne, this is a large transaction. It requires…” “Execute it immediately. Emergency situation.” My voice was cold and firm. “Transfer all liquid funds to my father’s independent account.” Then I contacted the only person from my past life who had believed me. My phone rang again. It was Katherine. “Darling, where are you?” Her voice was clearly tearful. “You have to come back and help me! You’re the only one who can save me! The patient’s family is causing a huge scene. The hospital wants answers from me…” The hospital corridor was eerily quiet. I turned the corner and saw Katherine leaning against the wall, her eyes red and swollen, her fingers tightly clutching a file, knuckles white. “Darling, you’re finally here.” I nodded, subtly touching the button camera concealed in my chest pocket, confirming it was recording. “Katherine, what’s so urgent?” Katherine pulled me into a deserted small conference room, locking the door behind us. “The situation is worse than we thought.” Her voice was trembling uncontrollably as she pulled a document from the file. “Darling, help me. Sign this, saying it was your operational error, and this whole thing can be settled.” I stared at the cover of the document. “Medical Malpractice Confession Agreement” stood out in bold letters. “Katherine, you want me to be your scapegoat?” “It’s not like that, darling.” Katherine squeezed my hand. “I promise I’ll get the best lawyers, and I’ll get a letter of understanding from the patient’s family. You won’t be in any trouble.” She embraced me, her voice softening. “Darling, I know this is asking a lot! But I swear, once this is over, I’ll compensate you tenfold. We’ll have a child and live a good life together.” I picked up the document, flipping through it, saying nothing. Katherine saw I didn’t immediately agree, and her eyes quickly welled up with tears. “Darling, please, only you can save me now!” I paused, then picked up the pen and signed my name on the confession. Katherine immediately breathed a sigh of relief. The tears in her eyes quickly vanished. She neatly put away the document, lightly touching my cheek. “Daniel Thorne, you should rest now. You’ve been through too much these past few days.” With that, she turned and left the room without a second glance. I watched her retreating back, a cold sneer forming in my heart. Katherine Hayes, this time, things won’t go as you wish! Back at home, I took off my coat and hung it up. The living room lights were dim. From the second-floor bedroom, I heard the sound of water and muffled laughter. I frowned, treading lightly upstairs. The moment I pushed open the bedroom door, my breath hitched. Dr. James Carter, the man, was standing there, wearing my wedding suit, adjusting his tie in the mirror. That suit, which I had cherished in my closet, had once been a symbol of my happiness. “Oh, hi!” James turned, a clumsy surprise on his face. “Chinese doctor, you’re back earlier than expected.” Footsteps pounded on the stairs. Katherine frantically appeared in the doorway. “Daniel Thorne, you’re back.” Her eyes darted around, her body instinctively positioning itself between James and me, like a shield. “James needs a safe place to stay lately. The hospital… you know, with what happened, he needs to cooperate with the investigation.” I raised an eyebrow. “So, you invited him to live in our home?” Katherine’s fingers unconsciously twisted together, her gaze briefly flickering away. “He wants a home in America.” Her voice lowered, and she tilted her head slightly to avoid my gaze. “I promised to help him.” With that, she quickly looked up again. I felt a wave of visceral nausea. The familiar feeling of betrayal washed over me again. “What do you mean?” James smugly pulled a document from his suit’s inner pocket and handed it to me. “Dr. Thorne, this is my home now.” I took the document. The property deed indeed listed this address and James’s name. I looked at Katherine, incredulous. “This is the house my parents bought for us as our marital home.” Katherine stepped closer, her hand gently resting on my arm, her eyes filled with feigned apology. “Darling, I know this is sudden for you, but James really needs help. Didn’t you always say we should be compassionate?” Her voice was soft, yet there was no hint of retracting her decision. “Darling, you said you loved me. Truly loving someone means supporting all her decisions.” I subtly reached into my pocket, confirming the recording device was active. Seeing my silence, Katherine moved closer and linked her arm through mine, her voice tinged with a false intimacy. “Daniel, rest assured, you’ve done so much for me. My husband will always be you. That will never change.” Her eyes glittered with self-satisfied confidence. I nodded impassively, feigning acceptance of the reality. The master bedroom had been completely transformed. My belongings were all gone. In their place were James’s luxury items. Even our wedding photo had vanished, replaced by a picture of James and Katherine. Seeing a few pieces of lingerie scattered on the bed and the trash can in the corner overflowing with used tissues, my heart still ached, imperceptibly. I walked out to the yard. In the corner, near the trash can, piles of my clothes, books, and personal effects were strewn. Katherine rushed after me. “Daniel, I didn’t know. James did all this on his own.” “He’s an international colleague, not very familiar with our customs…” I crouched down. From the pile of trash, I picked up a broken music box. It was my mother’s most cherished possession, the only memento left to her by my grandfather. The delicate wooden casing was completely shattered, its internal springs and gears scattered on the ground. My heart felt as if it were being pierced by countless tiny needles. Katherine’s eyes began to redden. “I’m sorry. I can have James put your things back…” I shook my head, forcing myself to remain calm. She instantly relaxed. James swaggered over, apologizing with an exaggerated tone. “Dr. Thorne, I’ve never done this kind of work before. If it’s not done well, I’m sure you won’t mind!” “Look at this pathetic little thing.” James snatched the broken music box contemptuously. “This cheap piece of junk. Only a loser like you would treasure it!” “No wonder your mom died early. She probably couldn’t stand a pauper son like you. Good riddance!” He laughed coldly, then threw the music box to the ground, heavily stomping on it, grinding it a few times. “This is where it belongs—with the trash.” The accumulated grief and humiliation from both my past and present lives erupted at this moment. “You’re dead!” My fist swung out uncontrollably. James crumpled to the ground, blood gushing from his nose. I lunged at him, punching again and again, pouring all my hatred into every blow! “Ah! Help! Someone, help!” Katherine shrieked, her voice shrill, frantically dialing her phone. In less than ten minutes, several burly bodyguards stormed into the yard. They roughly pulled me off James. Katherine’s voice sharpened: “Daniel Thorne, did I give you too much leeway? How dare you hit James!” “Teach him a lesson! A harsh one!” The bodyguards immediately restrained me, punches and kicks raining down. Katherine stood coldly to the side. My wife, who used to cry tears of concern if I even scraped a finger, now watched as if a stray dog were being beaten. James wiped the blood from his mouth and slowly walked over to me. He brutally kicked my ribs. Then, deliberately, he ground his foot onto my hand. Crunch! I heard the sound of my own finger bones shattering. “Katherine Hayes! James Carter!” I gritted their names through my teeth. “Throw him in the cold storage. Let him cool down.” Katherine’s voice was icy as she gave the order, then she turned to James, her face instantly filled with concern. “Darling, are you alright? Come, let me help you get some medicine.” “Katie, it’s just a scratch. It’s nothing.” James leaned weakly on Katherine’s shoulder, a mocking smirk on his face as he looked at me. The bodyguards dragged me like a dead dog and tossed me into the cold storage. My fingers, broken, were useless. My whole body ached with intense pain. The voice recorder in my chest pocket was still intact. I endured the searing pain and activated the recorder. “I, Daniel Thorne, am currently being illegally imprisoned in this cold storage by my wife Katherine Hayes and her lover James Carter. I have sustained multiple severe injuries, including fractured fingers on my right hand…”
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