As they witnessed the heartbreaking scene, the medical staff's eyes reddened, and even some nurses furtively wiped away their tears.

"I want to save Erica too, but rules are rules. That's the hospital's limit. Maybe this is just fate. As for your daughter, that's not my concern," I said with a sigh, though my eyes never left the screen.

As the live stream viewers surged, I couldn't help smiling. Most had come for the doctor-patient drama, and the comments were full of insults and questions, but I didn't care. In live streams, popularity mattered most.

The sight of me staring at my phone seemed to enrage the crowd in the hospital even more.

A senior doctor, accompanied by an intern, pointed at me. "Rika, remember this. This is what a cautionary example looks like. This kind of person doesn't even have basic medical ethics. He's thrown away everything our profession stands for."

"Why don't you go?" I snapped, lifting my head to glare at the senior doctor. "I just finished a major surgery. How am I supposed to walk in there? Would you only be satisfied if I got infected too?"

Even the usually self-righteous Michelle fell to her knees in front of everyone. "Felix, I'm begging you. The woman in the isolation room is your wife. Back when you were a struggling resident, Erica told me she didn't care that you were poor—she cared about you as a person.

"Even if you can't go in now, you are the one who knows this virus best. You could at least guide them from outside.'"

Lionel quickly chimed in, "Exactly, Dr. Dahmer. You're the leading expert on this. Don't worry—we'll take every precaution to keep you safe."

I stayed still, staring at my phone. The live stream comments had by now shifted from skepticism to full-on insults.

"He started as a regular resident and somehow became the hospital director, probably through his father-in-law. Now that he has power, he doesn't even care about basic medical ethics. He's worse than a scammer—at least they bother to say a few kind words."

"Med school was a waste on him—he can't even match a vet."

As the insults scrolled by like wildfire, I didn't even flinch. I let out a soft chuckle and addressed the camera casually, "Thanks for your attention and support, everyone. Don't forget to like, follow, and tip if you want. Feel free to upgrade to a premium membership."

A young doctor suddenly charged at me, knocking my phone to the floor. "Are you out of your mind? Your ex-wife's life is on the line in isolation, and you're live-streaming for tips?"

I looked at him coolly. "What's it to you? That's my ex-wife, not yours. Why are you getting so worked up?"

I glanced at him, picked up my phone, and went back to scrolling, casually checking the tips coming in from viewers.

"She's in trouble! Dr. Scarver's blood oxygen just dropped! Her vital signs are failing rapidly! If we don't intervene, she won't last half an hour! Dr. Dahmer, are you really going to just watch her die?" Lionel shouted in terror.

He shook the monitor violently, staring at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Is this what doctors have become? Where's the humanity? He calls himself a husband, but he's nothing more than a beast," someone muttered from the crowd.

I shrugged lightly. "What's the problem? I'm not going in. Erica is my ex-wife. If you're this worked up, I hope it's not because of some hidden connection with her."

I looked up at him with a faint, mischievous smile.

Lionel's face drained of color, but he straightened immediately. "I'm a doctor. I can't just stand by while a patient dies. Dr. Scarver has been my mentor and a true friend for years, and I owe it to her to try everything I can to save her."

Lionel's sincere words didn't just stir the staff—they even made Michelle's eyes well up.

Soft whispers of praise echoed through the room, all for Lionel, not me.

"Look at him, then look at yourself. As a hospital director, you can't even compare to a regular doctor. Do you have any shame? If it were me, I'd hide myself away in embarrassment," a head nurse mocked.

Since I showed no reaction, Michelle finally lost her composure. "What exactly do you want? Set any condition you want. Just promise me you will save Erica. I know you've always dreamed of becoming a professor. If you save her, I'll call the former dean myself and make sure you get promoted immediately."

I raised an eyebrow. "Mom, with hundreds of thousands watching online, openly bribing me like that is a little embarrassing, don't you think? I don't need the professor position, and I'm not interested anyway.

"Since you are asking me to name a condition, then transfer the private hospital under your name to me, and I will go in and save her."

I maintained a righteous facade, but my eyes betrayed a hint of greed. I was already estimating the value of the upscale private hospital. At the very least, it was worth over a hundred million dollars.

"You want money? Fine. I'll give it to you, as long as you can save Erica."

Michelle tried to stand up in excitement, but she had been kneeling too long, and her legs went numb. She stumbled and nearly fell, but Lionel caught her just in time.

"Promises don't mean much. We need a contract. What if I save her and you refuse to keep your word? Draft a transfer agreement, and I'll go in immediately. I've lost both my job and my marriage, so I have to plan for myself," I said.

Michelle hesitated at my shameless demand but finally nodded. "Fine. Sign it now. You must go save her immediately afterward. The contract includes one rule—once Erica survives, you two must divorce."

"Deal. Let's get this signed," I said without a second thought.

My resolve left Michelle staring at me in despair. The tiny flicker of hope she had just felt collapsed completely.

"Erica, this is the man you married. Money matters more to him than anything else."

The murmurs among the staff grew louder.

"This man is a disgrace to doctors. After becoming director, he forgot everything. Now that he has a private hospital, he will probably sell it and chase some models. He's shameless to the core."

"The mother is truly remarkable. She's willing to give up everything she's worked for just to save her daughter."

"Let's hope Dr. Scarver makes it through and finally sees the true face of this ungrateful man so she can start a new life."

"He is completely heartless. How could he demand money from his ex-wife just to save her? This isn't how a doctor should act."

I observed everything coldly, paying no mind to the insults. It didn't matter. The money was already secure. I glanced at the live stream, pleased to see viewers had topped two million.

Even if every comment was against me, it meant nothing. Views and money were all that mattered.

As Michelle and I worked through the transfer details, Lionel suddenly shouted in alarm, "Dr. Scarver's heart has stopped!"

Everyone's eyes snapped toward the isolation room. Just moments ago, Erica's chest had been rising and falling, but now, it lay utterly still. The ECG monitor showed nothing but a straight line.

"Dr. Dahmer, when did you become so cold and greedy?" Lionel shouted. "The Scarvers treated you like family. Fine, you can be ungrateful, but to seize this moment to claim all the hospital shares? Are you even human? Look at yourself. You are nothing but a bottomless, bloodsucking leech. You make me sick."

Lionel turned to offer Michelle some comfort. "Mrs. Scarver, don't worry. I promise I'll do everything I can to save Dr. Scarver."

Hearing his passionate words, the medical staff couldn't help but start clapping. A few hesitant claps came first, then more joined in, until the room was filled with a rhythmic wave of sound.

Riding the wave of applause, Lionel lifted his chin and stared at me. "Dr. Dahmer, this is your last chance. Are you really going to let her die?"

I let out a cold laugh. "Why would I go in? The contract hasn't even been signed yet, and even if it is, she still has to divorce me afterward. What's the point of all this? Besides, how do I know you wouldn't deliberately infect me with the virus and get me killed?"

Lionel's face fell, shadowed with disappointment and grief. He held up the monitor and said, "Dr. Dahmer, I always admired you in medicine and dreamed of following in your footsteps. I never imagined you could become like this.

"I never meant to harm you, much less take your place. I was wrong about you."

While Lionel donned his protective gear, ready to step into the isolation room, the crowd around me erupted in curses and angry murmurs. The live stream went berserk, and the comments erupted into chaos by what he had said.

"This is straight-up murder. Who cares that she's his ex? Anyone in her state should be saved. He's clearly trying to profit while putting her life at risk!"

As I scrolled through the comments, flashes of Erica and all our shared struggles hit me. Thinking of how she had stayed by my side through everything sent a faint ripple through my chest.

I gave in. Lionel would save her anyway. I might as well go along and play my cards right. Maybe Erica would be moved, or at least I would get a little extra in the divorce.

Just as Lionel was about to step into the isolation room, I called out, "You're right. I went too far. I'll go in and save Erica."

Surprise flashed across Lionel's face, and a strange light glinted in his eyes. The crowd froze, staring at us in disbelief. I reached into the pocket of my white coat and pulled out a small device, holding it up for everyone to see.

"Doctors in our hospital have died from infections before," I said steadily. "To avoid that, I worked with a medical equipment company to add vital sign trackers to every protective suit. This remote lets us read the data instantly and locate the infection faster."

Before anyone could react, I pressed the button. A hush fell over the room. Everyone was too shocked to say a word.

Suddenly, a shrill alarm pierced the air, echoing through the hallway.

I froze, staring in shock at the figure pushing frantically through the crowd. "Honey, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the isolation room, fighting for your life?"