Zyler's face instantly darkened. He strode over and suddenly kicked me hard in the stomach.

A deep, bone-chilling pain immediately spread through me.

Before I could react, another kick sent both Francesca and me crashing to the ground.

I wrapped my arms tightly around her, shielding her as my back slammed against the floor.

By now, Francesca had fallen into a deep coma and the heart rate monitor blared a danger alarm.

I quickly signaled for an emergency rescue, but Jordin sauntered over at a leisurely pace.

"Jessica, saving a life comes at a price."

"Lick my shoe clean and I'll tell Zyler to give you the epinephrine."

Zyler not only didn't stop Jordin from humiliating me, but he also made fun of me.

"Jessica, if you waste any more time, that little girl's really gonna die."

My eyes burned red as I trembled and crouched down.

Jordin shoved her foot in front of me and sneered loudly.

"Make sure you lick it clean. Not even a speck of dust should be left!"

After enduring the humiliation, just as she picked up the epinephrine and was about to hand it to me …

She suddenly raised her arm and hurled it against the wall. The vial shattered, scattering the medicine everywhere.

"You're such an idiot. Did you really think I'd save her?"

"She ended up in my hands. That's just her fate!"

That woman was a monster!

If we weren't in a hospital, I'd tear her mouth apart!

My hand incidentally brushed against the emergency call button on my scrubs and I immediately pressed it.

"Tsk, looks like she's really dead."

Jordin glanced at Francesca's heart monitor. The line had already gone flat.

Zyler spoke indifferently, "Then we'll just wheel her to the morgue later. No point taking up a bed."

How could he be so callous with human life?

I held Francesca tightly in my arms, attaching the last portable oxygen bag to her.

When I checked her carotid artery, my eyes widened in relief.

There was still a faint pulse!

That's when I realized the electrodes from the monitor had come loose. It was a false alarm.

Thankfully, I had prepared a special antidote beforehand to treat allergic reactions in emergencies like this.

An injection would quickly relieve drug allergy symptoms.

It could also buy critical time for treatment.

I frantically searched through my medical kit but couldn't find that antidote anywhere.

"I could've sworn I packed it. Where is it?"

My anxiety spiked. I turned to Zyler and Jordin, yelling at them.

"Did you take my medicine?"

"Where's the antidote? Give it to me now!"

Jordin raised a brow. "Control your emotions, or that little girl will die even faster."

"Jordin, you stole my antidote! Give it back!"

She shrugged smugly.

"Stole? You'd better have proof."

"Isn't she just a minor city little punk? No one cares if she dies."

"This is her karma, stop wasting your effort!"

My rage boiled over. I shouted furiously.

"Francesca Herrera is not someone you can touch!"

"If anything happens to her, tearing you limb from limb would be letting you off easy!"

"I'll say it one more time, give me the antidote!"

Jordin scoffed at my words.

"So what if she's from the city? This is a metropolis hospital, not some gangster playground."

"Besides, she's still breathing, isn't she? Why waste a ten-thousand-dollar imported shot on her?"

To prove her twisted logic, she suddenly pulled out a scalpel and slashed Francesca's arm.

The girl's body jerked instinctively in response.

Blood instantly gushed from the wound.

I shouted in rage, "Jordin, have you lost your mind? She'll bleed out at this rate!"

Still, Jordin didn't care at all.

"Quit pretending to be some saint!"

"She can still move, can't she? If she's reacting, she's not dying. So why waste such expensive medicine on her?"

But the entire medical bill had clearly already been paid in advance!

Did Jordin even spend a single cent on it?

She was obviously planning to pocket the drugs and sell them on the black market!

A glint flashed in Jordin's eyes, revealing a murderous intent.

"At this point, the only way is to silence her for good. If you really save her, my career is over!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she swung the scalpel again.

I threw my arm up to protect Francesca, but the blade sliced through me. Jordin, in a wild frenzy, stabbed me repeatedly without hesitation.

A sharp pain tore through my chest as more and more blood stained my white coat.

My vision blurred and I saw Zyler rushing over in a panic.

His face was frantic as he grabbed Jordin.

"Jordin, stop! The hospital surveillance is recording everything!"

Faintly, I heard hurried footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Had I been reborn only to fail in revenge and lose my life instead?

Just then, the ward door was thrown open.

I forced my eyes up and saw the emergency team rushing into the room.

As they drew closer, Zyler turned and snarled at me with a vicious threat.

"Jessica, if you want to walk out of this room alive, keep your mouth shut!"

"Or face the consequences!"

The emergency team burst into the room, alarms from medical equipment blaring around them.

They quickly stopped beside Zyler and Jordin.

"We received an emergency call. Who needs resuscitation?"

The two of them stood in the way, completely blocking the view of Francesca and me in the corner.

Jordin immediately clutched her chest, leaning weakly into Zyler's arms.

Her voice trembled as she gasped.

"It's me ... I'm having an allergic reaction. I can't breathe … "

She acted like she was in pain, but moved quickly toward the stretcher, ready to climb on.

I rushed to the medical team and grabbed Jordin's wrist.

"You're faking it!"

"This is emergency equipment, not your personal stage!"

I turned to the medics for help.

Seeing me covered in blood, they quickly began bandaging my wounds.

"The one who really needs help is that little girl over there."

"She's in anaphylactic shock. Please save her immediately!"

Zyler immediately cut in, "Jordin's condition is more critical. She must be saved first!"

Then he turned on me with a sharp reprimand.

"Jessica, are you really going to risk Jordin's life just because of a personal grudge?"

"That little brat is already beyond saving. Why waste resources on her?"

"You'd better get your priorities straight. Do you even understand who matters more here?"

He even pressured and threatened the emergency responders.

"If Jordin's treatment is delayed and she ends up with complications, I'll report your entire department!"

Intimidated by his authority as the chief doctor, the medics hurriedly lifted Jordin onto a stretcher.

"Are there any other patients in critical condition? We have one more stretcher."

"Me!"

Zyler clutched his chest. "My heart's acting up. I might be having a heart attack. Get me to the ER now."

Another faker!

The emergency team had only two stretchers and the medical staff were already occupied with Jordin.

Now Zyler was trying to hog the last one.

I shielded Francesca with my body, gritting my teeth as I argued with the paramedics.

"If you don't save this little girl today, her father will make sure you pay for it!"

"Don't say I didn't warn you. That man is ruthless. If anything happens, your lives will be at risk!"

The lead doctor's expression changed dramatically.

I seized the moment and added more pressure.

"But if you save her, I promise the reward will be worth it."

"And this child still has vital signs. You can check for yourselves!"

Skeptical but swayed, they stepped forward to examine her. After a quick check, they confirmed that Francesca was indeed still alive.

They prepared to lift her onto the only stretcher left.

But Zyler aggressively blocked their way.

"She's just a kid. If she dies, she dies. Adults should go first."

With that, he shoved the paramedics aside and tried to drag me away from Francesca.

I desperately pleaded with the emergency team.

"She doesn't have time! If we wait any longer, she won't make it!"

"Please! I'm begging you, save her!"

From her stretcher, Jordin sinisterly chimed in, "Jessica, why don't you carry her down the stairs to the ER yourself?"

This method would surely cause Francesca to completely stop breathing from the jostling.

But Zyler didn't hesitate. He immediately ordered the nursing aide to drag both me and Francesca out of the ward.

"Zyler! Are you trying to kill us?"

"What if something happens to Francesca after you dump us in the hallway?"

He looked completely unfazed.

"Not my problem."

"All I know is, Jordin enjoys watching meddling fools like you suffer the consequences."

The paramedics wanted to speak but were intimidated by his long-standing authority.

In the end, they could only follow Zyler and leave the scene.

As we waited in the hallway, a sharp pain tore through my chest and my breathing grew ragged.

Blood kept seeping from my wound.

Francesca's condition grew increasingly critical, with multiple instances of apnea.

I kept performing CPR, barely keeping her alive.

She was now hanging by a thread.

Meanwhile, blood loss left me deathly pale and my limbs were ice cold.

By the time hospital security found us, I had already collapsed.

They rushed us both to the ER for emergency care.

Inside, Francesca underwent urgent treatment.

As for me, I was temporarily placed on an observation bed in the hallway.

That's when Thomas Herrera finally arrived, breathless and furious.

"It was just a minor surgery! How could my daughter be in danger?"

"Which bastard did this? Get out of here right now!"

He radiated a murderous aura, his eyes gleaming with predatory ferocity.

In seconds, a hundred men in black swarmed the hospital, sealing it off entirely.

Zyler frowned deeply and he arrogantly challenged.

"Who the hell do you think you are? What gives you the right to act like a thug in a hospital?"

Without a word, one of the bodyguards kicked him hard, sending him crashing into the wall.

His teeth were knocked loose, blood gushing from his mouth.

The paramedics watching nearby trembled with fear, whispering to each other.

"He actually dared to cross Mr. Herrera. Does he have a death wish?"

"Everyone in the Halycon City circle knows how ruthless Thomas Herrera is. They're screwed now."

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces turned ashen with fear.

Jordin's legs gave out and she collapsed to the floor, paralyzed with terror.

The emergency team deeply regretted their actions. Their guts twisted in dread and they wished they could vanish into thin air.

"If you don't tell the truth, I'll chop you into pieces. Don't blame me for being cruel!"

Clutching his bloody mouth, Zyler shakily pointed at me.

"It was Jessica Shaw!"

"She not only stopped us from saving Francesca, she also poisoned your daughter on purpose!"

Jordin immediately took the cue, wailing dramatically with crocodile tears.

"She always took out her anger on Francesca just because she was obedient and quiet. She even put poison in her meds! She's a complete monster!"

"Sir, you must avenge Francesca!"

The moment Thomas heard that, a wave of murderous rage surged toward me.

Seeing me lying there on the brink of death, he flew into a fury and slapped me hard across the face.

"Don't think faking illness can get you out of this. You dared hurt my daughter, I'll make you wish you were dead!"

He grabbed me by the hair and yanked me off the bed, dragging me down to the floor.

The wounds that had just stopped bleeding tore open again.

Blood quickly soaked the ground beneath me.

The intense pain jolted me awake.

Although my mind was still somewhat hazy.

Thomas stomped on my chest, grinding his foot mercilessly.

"Speak! Why did you poison my daughter?"

Unfortunately, I was too weak to speak. My mouth could only open soundlessly.

At that time, he suddenly pressed down harder and I heard the crisp snap of my ribs breaking.

The searing pain made my whole body spasm. I shook uncontrollably, drenched in cold sweat.

Off to the side, Zyler and Jordin watched with smug satisfaction.

"Still won't admit it? Then don't blame me for using disciplinary measures!"

He pulled out a dagger and pressed it against my throat. The blade bit into my skin, blood trickling down its edge.

Just then, the emergency room doors burst open.

A black-clad bodyguard shouted urgently.

"Sir, Francesca is awake!"