The old couple's cries pierced the air, raw and unrelenting. Suddenly, a surge of anger coursed through me, and I hurled the powder compact in my hand to the ground.

It shattered, scattering fine particles across the floor like dust over a battlefield.

"Can you two just shut up already?!" I shouted, my voice slicing through their wails. "God, you're driving me insane! If it weren't for all your flailing around, do you think I'd have wasted my false lashes? Do you even understand how essential false lashes are to eye makeup?"

Their sobs quieted momentarily, stunned into silence by my outburst.

I seized the chance to continue, my tone sharp and scathing. "Do you have any idea how expensive they are these days? And these—these are daily disposable contact lenses! Do you know what that means? It means if you don't stop whining, you can all get the hell out of here!"

Before I could unleash more fury, a commotion from the operating room snapped everyone's attention. A nurse burst out, her face pale, eyes brimming with panic.

"The patient's condition is deteriorating rapidly," she cried, her voice trembling. "If we don't act now, we'll lose him."

Dr. Henley turned toward me, his expression steely. "Dr. Warhol, this is the last time I'll ask you this. Are you going to save him or not?"

I rolled my eyes at him, exasperated. "Dr. Henley, for someone who graduated top of his class, you really have a hard time understanding plain words."

I raised my injured hand in front of him, the wounds on my fingers jagged and raw. "As I've already said, I'm not doing the surgery."

Hearing my refusal, Gracie collapsed to the floor, clutching her chest as though the words themselves were knives.

"You ungrateful wretch!" she wailed. "Has Lex not been good to you? He's a graduate of one of the top universities—never once has he cared that you're an orphan or that you came from nothing!"

Her voice grew louder, desperate and cutting. "He's tall, handsome, and could have had his pick of girls—do you know how many lined up just to catch his eye in high school? But he only ever had eyes for you! Every morning, he went five miles out of his way to buy your favorite pastries!"

She sobbed harder, choking on her words. "We didn't ask for anything from you, didn't mind that you had no family to speak of. He even gave you jewelry when you got married. Since you got married, he hasn't let you lift a finger around the house!"

Her lament grew louder, stirring murmurs from the crowd that had gathered. Some people looked at me with open disgust, their whispers sharp and accusing.

"She's heartless," someone muttered. "How can she sit there like that, putting on makeup, while her husband is fighting for his life?"

"Money can be earned again, a job can be replaced," another added. "But her husband only has one life!"

A wave of murmured disapproval rippled through the crowd, and some even began recording on their phones, broadcasting the scene live.

But their anger, their judgment, it all rolled off me. I remained seated, calm and unbothered, as though I were carved out of stone.

When Nicholas raised his head again, his face was streaked with blood. It startled me for a moment, but I quickly masked my surprise. Crawling on his knees, he grabbed at the hem of my pants, his voice hoarse and desperate.

"Samantha, please," he begged. "If you save Lex, we'll give you everything. All our savings, all the money Lex has—it's yours. We'll even transfer the house to your name, I swear it. Anything you want, just save him.

"If you're worried, we'll beg the hospital, do whatever it takes to save your job, okay?!"

His voice cracked with each word, trembling with exhaustion and pain.

For a fleeting moment, I considered his offer. The terms weren't bad, not bad at all. I raised an eyebrow, letting the silence stretch before replying.

"Fine," I said finally. "I'll save him."

Hope flickered in his eyes, like a dying ember reignited. "Really? You will?"

But I kicked his hand away, my voice cold and impatient. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I have one condition. The money and the property transfer—they need to happen now. Not tomorrow, not later. Now."

My words hit like a hammer. Both of them froze, their expressions crumbling into despair.

Nicholas choked out, "The property office is closed for the day... And Lex, he's unconscious. He can't sign the transfer papers."

I let out a derisive laugh. "Then that's not my problem."

Gracie finally snapped. "What did Lex ever do to deserve this from you? Why are you so determined to ruin him?"

I didn't bother answering. Let her scream, let them all scream. It made no difference to me.

Around us, the crowd grew more restless, their outrage swelling. Some were glaring openly, while others seemed ready to intervene.

I smirked and held up two fingers in a peace sign toward one of the cameras, thinking, 'Let them record. Let the world see.'

Just then, a nurse rushed out of the operating room, her face ashen. "The patient is awake," she said, her voice strained. "He asked me to deliver a message."

"He said he doesn't blame Samantha," the nurse continued. "He asked you not to make things difficult for her. He said... he knows she's had a hard life, that she's always needed love, and money has always been her security. He said, as long as she lives well, that's enough for him. Even if she won't save him, everything—his money, the house—it's all hers."

Hearing Lex's message from the nurse, Gracie and Nicholas nearly collapsed. They lost all strength and slumped to the ground, mumbling incoherently, "Please, I beg you... I know you can save him. Whatever it costs, we'll pay... Lex is our only son!"

Watching the two elderly figures crumpled on the floor, I felt a brief flicker of hesitation.

My parents passed away when I was young, and I dropped out of school before finishing elementary.

Lex had been my childhood companion—we'd known each other since we were kids. If Gracie and Nicholas hadn't been kind enough to take me in temporarily, I'd probably have ended up in an orphanage, fighting over scraps with a pack of stray kids.

Gracie and Nicholas were good people. They never gave me less to eat because I was an outsider. Later, when distant relatives tried to snatch the house my parents had left me, it was Gracie and Nicholas who fought the case on my behalf, driving those people away.

Gracie had held my hand back then, her voice warm but firm. "A girl must have her own home," she had said. "That's how she'll stand tall in the world."

She had also told me that girls needed an education to avoid being trampled by society. They tightened their belts, willing to eat less themselves, just to ensure both Lex and I stayed in school.

And Lex—he was always kind to me. As a child, he'd promised to marry me. Later, when I became his first love, no matter how many girls admired him, he never glanced their way.

When we secretly got married, many of his relatives mocked us. They sneered that I was an orphan, an illiterate nobody. They didn't bother hiding their contempt.

Nicholas had been furious. He had even cut ties with those relatives on the spot. "Samantha grew up under my watch," he thundered. "I know exactly what kind of person she is! You lot are nothing but dogs spitting nonsense. Get lost!"

I was deeply moved. Even my biological parents had never treated me with such fierce protection.

From that day, I vowed to take good care of Lex and repay his parents for their kindness with everything I had.

But…

The thought broke, like a fragile thread snapping in my mind. I stared blankly at Gracie and Nicholas, weeping on the floor. My gaze shifted away quickly—I couldn't bring myself to keep looking.

Dr. Henley finally helped Gracie and Nicholas to their feet. He reassured them, "Don't worry. Even if Samantha refuses to help, I'll save him! I'll do everything it takes to save your son!"

He turned to me, his eyes blazing with disgust.

"Without you, I'll still save him! Compared to money, a human life is far more valuable. Samantha, you're a monster!"

With those words, he strode into the emergency room without hesitation, leaving the air crackling with his righteous indignation.

Inwardly, I applauded.

Ah, what a virtuous doctor. How noble, how self-sacrificing. Truly the stuff of tear-jerking melodramas. How touching.

Still shaken, I prepared to leave this suffocating place. But before I could take a step, an enraged bystander emerged out of nowhere and landed a punch squarely on my face.

"You vicious woman! The most toxic poison is a woman's heart! You're a snake in human skin—beautiful but rotten to the core. Today, I'm going to be justice itself and rid the world of you!"

They kicked my abdomen, again and again, until the world around me spun and blurred.

Then came a final blow, hard and deliberate, striking the back of my head. A low groan escaped me before everything dissolved into darkness.

The sharp, sterile smell of disinfectant pulled me out of unconsciousness.

I opened my eyes to find myself in an empty, stark-white hospital room. Outside the door, I could hear the faint voices of nurses murmuring.

"Dr. Henley's incredible skills saved Mr. Hampton's life…"

"Didn't you hear? His heroic act is trending online. The hospital even gave him a raise and recognition from the higher-ups!"

"But do you think Dr. Warhol will get fired over this? After all, it caused such a big scene…"

Their voices faded as they moved away from the door.

My face darkened, but a soft laugh escaped my lips.

Lex, you got lucky this time.

But as long as I'm alive, this isn't over.

I struggled out of bed, clutching my still-throbbing stomach and head. My movements were clumsy, but determination pushed me forward as I staggered toward Lex's ward.

Before I could get far, a doctor on duty blocked my path, his eyes filled with disdain.

"Your injuries aren't healed yet. Go back and rest," he said curtly.

I sneered. "I'm fine. Don't try to stop me."

He sighed, his tone softening. "What you did… no human would do something like that. But here's a piece of advice: don't go now."

He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Your actions have gone viral. There are people out there who want to kill you. You'd be walking straight into danger—

"Hey! Where are you going?!"

I ignored him, pressing forward.

When I reached Lex's room, I found it packed with people. The hospital director stood front and center, handing a custom-made banner of gratitude from Gracie and Nicholas to Dr. Henley.

Dr. Henley stood tall, beaming with pride, his face glowing with satisfaction.

Without acknowledging anyone, I stepped into the room.

For a moment, silence fell over everyone.

Lex, propped weakly against the headboard, forced an awkward smile. "Samantha, you're here. What happened to your face? Does it hurt?"

I cut him off, my voice laced with impatience and disdain. "What kind of pathetic show are you putting on? It's disgusting."

Lex's smile faltered. His tone turned firmer. "Samantha, let's talk about this later. Reporters are coming to interview us soon. Can't you stop making a scene?"

Ignoring him, I placed my phone in the center of the room, its camera already streaming live. Comments flooded the screen, each one more vicious than the last.

"This stream is actually from that bitch?! Unbelievable. Don't give her any attention, people!"

"Why aren't you dead yet? Seriously, the wrong person fell down those stairs."

"First, she tried to kill her husband, and now she's harassing Dr. Henley? Someone end this psycho already!"

A faint smile tugged at the corners of my lips. Perfect. This was exactly the reaction I wanted.

I turned to the room, my voice calm but deliberate. "No need to bother with reporters. I've already set up a live broadcast for you all."

Lex's face grew darker. "Samantha, what are you trying to do?"

Excitement surged through me, and I gestured animatedly in his direction.

"Lex, have you ever wondered why I chose to endure all the insults, all the hatred, just to refuse to save you?"

He stared at me, bewildered, and shook his head.

The viewership count climbed to 100,000.

Perfect.

My smile widened, spreading across my face like a crack in glass.

"Because only by doing this can I make sure the whole world sees the truth about you and your precious family."

I laughed, the sound sharp and electric, filling the room.

"The show is just beginning."