Amidst the flurry of bodyguards, a young girl was rushed into the hospital on a stretcher. By her side, a tall, stunning woman with long flowing hair and legs clad in black stockings clutched the girl's hand desperately.

Her voice trembled with emotion as she spoke, "Cece, please be okay. I'm right here, and I promise I'll save you, no matter what."

Despite the urgency of the situation, many onlookers immediately recognized the woman. She was Lauren Rhodes, the heiress of the prestigious Rhodes family and widely regarded as the most beautiful woman in Jayrodale.

In the city's fashion industry, Lauren was often described as a femme fatale.

"Ms. Rhodes, please don't worry. Our hospital will do everything in our power to save your sister," Bernard Hackett, the hospital's deputy chief, rushed to assure her.

Lauren's status and the Rhodes family's influence in Jayrodale were unparalleled. Hence, their presence demanded nothing but the utmost dedication and respect from the hospital staff.

After watching Cecelia Rhodes being wheeled into the emergency room, Lauren turned to face the assembled staff. Tears still glistened on her flawless face, but they did nothing to lessen her elegance and commanding presence.

"Dr. Hackett, bring me your best doctor immediately. I have only one request: save Cecelia. We will reward you generously afterward."

Bernard nodded solemnly. "For a member of the Rhodes family, we'll assemble our top team. With our chief doctor away, I'll personally lead the operation."

Then, he turned to the hospital staff and said, "I'll also need our most skilled attending physician to assist me."

At these words, several doctors stepped forward, especially the male physicians, their faces alight with excitement and anticipation. It was a golden opportunity to shine in front of Lauren, with the potential for great rewards and perhaps even the attention of Jayrodale's most desirable bachelorette.

Philip was the most eager, rushing to the front and addressing Lauren directly. "Ms. Rhodes, you can call me Dr. Philip. With me on the case, Ms. Cecelia will be in safe hands."

Lauren frowned. "Dr. Hackett, is he truly your most skilled attending physician? I insist on only the best. I hope you understand."

Bernard hesitated, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward Andrew, who stood at the back of the crowd.

An elderly doctor with graying hair leaned in and whispered, "Bernard, given the importance of the Rhodes family, I believe Andrew would be a better choice than Philip."

Another respected senior physician chimed in, "Bernard, let Andrew assist you. Everyone here can attest to his exceptional medical skills."

Bernard hesitated, fully aware that Andrew's medical skills far surpassed Philip's. However, he could not bring himself to choose Andrew for one simple reason: Philip was his son.

"Ms. Rhodes, Dr. Philip is indeed our most skilled attending physician. You can trust him completely."

With Bernard's assurance, Lauren saw no reason to argue. "Very well. Dr. Hackett and Dr. Philip, I'm counting on you both to work your magic."

Encouraged, Philip confidently declared, "Rest assured, Ms. Rhodes. I won't let you or your sister down."

As he entered the emergency room, he shot a smug glance at Andrew, silently gloating that connections trumped skill in their hospital. Without Christina's support, he believed Andrew's life would only get harder from there on.

In the back of the crowd, one of the senior doctors patted Andrew's shoulder and asked, "Andy, why didn't you speak up for yourself? This could have been a great opportunity for you."

Another senior physician chimed in, "Andrew, we've all witnessed your exceptional skills and ethics. It's a shame that Philip's family connections won out. Try not to let it get you down."

Andrew smiled gently, feeling the warmth from their appreciation and kindness. "Thank you both for your support. But saving lives is a noble act, regardless of who performs it. As long as the patient recovers, that's what truly matters."

The two older doctors exchanged worried glances as they walked away. They knew that connections often mattered as much as skill, and they feared Andrew's lack of politicking might hinder his promising career.

Lauren, still protected by her bodyguards at the edge of the crowd, had been observing Andrew. She noticed how he remained in the background, unlike the other male doctors who seemed eager to impress her. Her sharp intuition told her there was more to this situation than met the eye.

Turning to her assistant, Eunice Brooks, Lauren whispered, "Quietly gather information about the top doctors at Jayrodale General. And find out the name of that doctor standing in the back."

It did not take long for Eunice to return with the requested information. "Miss, it seems Dr. Hackett may have misled us," she reported, her face clouded with anger. "Philip isn't even close to being the best-attending physician at this hospital. In fact, he doesn't even rank among the top."

Lauren's gaze turned cold, but she remained composed. "It's fine. As long as Cece is okay, I can overlook this."

Eunice continued, "The doctor you asked about is Andrew Lloyd. Apparently, he's quite exceptional. The staff I spoke to said his medical skills are among the best here, even surpassing those of many experienced senior doctors."

Lauren was shocked. She had asked about Andrew on a whim, but she had not expected him to be so outstanding within the hospital, especially given his apparent youth. After all, it was common knowledge that medical expertise typically deepened with age.

Eunice's expression turned curious as she added, "There's more to Dr. Lloyd's story, Ms. Rhodes."

Lauren smiled, intrigued. "Do tell."

Eunice eagerly obliged. "Do you remember the stunning CEO of Stevens Corporation? Her beauty is second only to yours, but just like you, she's admired by countless people. Rumor has it she's been keeping a boy toy around, and guess who it is?"

Lauren's eyes widened. "You're not suggesting it's Dr. Lloyd, are you?"

Eunice nodded, grinning. "The very same. But poor Dr. Lloyd—word on the street is that Christina just dumped him and is now engaged to Harvey Weller."

Lauren shook her head. "He's so young and talented. If he'd focused on his career instead of being a kept man, he might have been more appealing. Such a shame he chose the wrong path."

Their gossip was abruptly interrupted as the emergency room doors burst open. Two nurses rushed out, panic etched on their faces.

"It's an emergency! The patient's vitals are dropping rapidly. She's barely breathing!"

Lauren's face paled instantly. "What did you say? Where's Dr. Hackett? What's going on?"

Bernard and Philip approached, looking apologetic. "We're sorry, Ms. Rhodes. Ms. Cecelia's condition is critical. We've done all we can."

Philip added, his voice filled with frustration, "The initial treatment seemed promising, but suddenly, Ms. Cecelia's breathing weakened dramatically. It's not our lack of skill, Ms. Rhodes. We're simply facing an impossible situation."

Before Philip could finish his explanation, Lauren slapped him.

"Ms. Rhodes, what was that…"

"You idiot!" Lauren seethed, her body trembling with rage. "Didn't you just boast about your ability to save Cece?"

Philip stood there, speechless and humiliated, his cheek stinging from the blow. Then, Lauren turned to Bernard, her voice dripping with venom.

"Dr. Hackett, I'll ask you one last time. Is there anyone else in this hospital who can help? If anything happens to her, you and your incompetent son will face severe consequences."

Bernard was visibly shaken, and he stammered, "There is… one person we could try.

"Who is it?"

"Dr. Andrew Lloyd."

Lauren's eyes lit up. "Of course! Dr. Lloyd! Quick, get him to save Cece!"

Philip, consumed by jealousy, mocked, "Andrew's in my department. I know his capabilities. He's not up to this task."

Lauren's eyes flashed with a dangerous glint. "Shut your mouth. If you dare speak again, I'll remove your tongue!"

Philip's face instantly ashen, knowing that he had ruined his reputation forever in Lauren's eyes. Even so, he absolutely could not stand seeing Andrew being favored.

Just then, Andrew arrived on the scene. He glanced at Lauren and said sternly, "There's no need to summon me. Saving lives is my job."

"As the patient's sister, you should focus on helping rather than venting your anger. Come with me. I'll need your assistance."

Lauren's cheeks flushed at Andrew's unexpected rebuke. She was stunned that this mere doctor dared to speak to her in such a manner.

Eunice was dissatisfied with Andrew's behavior and intervened, "Dr. Lloyd, please show more respect to Ms. Rhodes."

Andrew, already striding toward the emergency room, replied without turning back, "I'm sorry, but I prioritize what's right over who's important. If that offends you, feel free to find another doctor."

As Eunice sputtered in anger, Lauren raised a hand to stop her. Watching Andrew's retreating figure, she realized, to her surprise, that his blunt words had not angered her at all.

In the emergency room, Andrew donned his gloves and began the life-saving procedure. The little girl on the operating table was deathly pale, her skin taking on a blueish tinge, and her breathing was barely noticeable.

Philip and Bernard watched from the sidelines, internally scoffing. They thought the case was hopeless and were curious to see how Andrew would fail. If Cecelia died, they could quickly shift all blame onto Andrew for interfering.

"Andrew, we've tried everything possible. What else do you think you can do?" Philip asked coldly.

Ignoring Philip, Andrew turned to a nearby nurse and requested, "Scalpel."

Then, he made an incision on Cecelia's wrist. Blood immediately began to flow, alarming everyone in the room.

Bernard exclaimed, "Dr. Lloyd, what are you doing? The patient is already critical. How can you justify bloodletting?"

Lauren was equally frightened as she watched Cecelia's blood flow steadily from the cut. She wondered what Andrew could possibly be thinking.

Andrew replied calmly, "I'm draining the toxins from her body. Initially, the poison was only skin-deep and could have been treated with medication. But due to the delay, it's now in her bloodstream. Bloodletting is our only option."

Philip angrily retorted, "That's nonsense! If Ms. Cecelia were poisoned, I would've noticed it immediately."

Just as Philip finished speaking, another observing doctor gasped, "It really is poison! Look at the patient's blood—it's turning black!"

Indeed, Cecelia's blood had changed from a healthy red to a murky black, a clear sign of poisoning. Philip's face turned red as a beet, thoroughly embarrassed by the public correction.

Bernard frowned, "Dr. Lloyd, you may be draining the poison, but she's just a child. If you continue this bloodletting, even if you remove all the toxins, she might not survive the blood loss."

Andrew remained composed. "You're right, which is why we'll be giving her a blood transfusion during the detoxifying process."

Bernard shook his head, "That's just wishful thinking. It's impossible."

However, Andrew had already turned to Lauren, gesturing her to expose her wrist. Lauren complied, revealing her slender, fair arm. Then, Andrew continued, "You're sisters, and I've confirmed that your blood types match. You'll be donating blood to her."

Bernard immediately objected, "Dr. Lloyd, this is madness! Even with matching blood types, you can't perform a direct transfusion. It's basic medical knowledge. You'll cause Ms. Cecelia's blood pressure to skyrocket. No one could save her then."

Another senior doctor chimed in, "Andrew, this method won't work. At the very least, you should draw Ms. Rhodes' blood first and transfuse it through proper equipment. That's the safest approach."

Andrew had already connected Lauren and Cecelia with an IV line. He calmly replied, "Under normal circumstances, you'd be correct. But this isn't a normal situation. We can't afford any more delays."

Philip seized the opportunity to mock Andrew. "You talk a good game, but if you actually do this, you're guaranteed to cause harm. Not only will Ms. Cecelia be in danger, but Ms. Rhodes will be at risk too."

Andrew's tone grew cold. "You've been interfering with my work since I started. If you're so knowledgeable, why don't you take over?"

Philip bit his lip, frustrated. "Fine, since you're so smart, let's see how you save her."

With lightning speed, Andrew pressed several points on Cecelia's body.

What happened next astonished everyone in the room—blood from Lauren began flowing smoothly into Cecelia, while the poisoned blood drained steadily from Cecelia's other wrist. The process seemed perfectly balanced. As fresh blood entered her system, color returned to Cecelia's pale face.

The observing medical staff were stunned into silence. Bernard looked at Andrew, unable to hide his shock.

"Dr. Lloyd, w-was that some sort of secret pressure-point technique used to block circulation or pressure points from an ancient medical practice?"

Andrew nodded. He was surprised by Bernard's unexpected insight.

Philip, behaving like an idiot, asked his father, "Dad, what's this pressure-point technique? It doesn't seem like a big deal to me."

Bernard's face darkened instantly, wishing he could slap some sense into his dimwitted son.

He hissed, "You fool, just shut up already! Haven't you embarrassed us enough? The pressure-point technique is a legendary skill in medicine. It's said that some reclusive ancient healers could even take or save lives instantly using this method, controlling a person's very life force with a single touch."

Lauren was quite knowledgeable and had seen it all. Even so, she was genuinely amazed by Andrew's skill from the moment he began as she realized this man, rumored to be Christina's boy toy, possessed genuine medical expertise. She wondered why someone so talented was mistaken for a freeloader.

The treatment did not take long. Ten minutes later, the blood transfusion was complete. Andrew bandaged Cecelia’s wound and cleaned everything up meticulously, then instructed them not to disturb the child's rest before leaving the emergency room.

Lauren hurried after him, calling, "Dr. Lloyd, please wait."

Andrew turned to face her. "Is there something else?"

Lauren was looking slightly pale from the blood transfusion, and she said earnestly, "Nothing much. I just wanted to thank the staff at Jayrodale General Hospital properly. If it weren't for you all, Cece might have been in real trouble."

She motioned to Eunice, who promptly brought forward the prepared gifts. The nurses and doctors who had assisted Andrew received their gifts with surprise. They knew it was all thanks to Andrew that the Rhodes family was being so generous.

"Ms. Rhodes, you're too kind. As doctors, we're just doing our job. There's no need for these gifts," Philip and Bernard chimed in, approaching with self-righteous expressions. Philip, in particular, wore a poorly concealed smug look as if he had been instrumental in saving the patient.

Lauren's indifferent response cut through their pretense. "I'm sorry, but I wanted to thank Dr. Lloyd and his team. It doesn't really have anything to do with you two."

Ignoring their frozen smiles, Lauren presented Andrew with a gold card. "Dr. Lloyd, this is a token of appreciation from the Rhodes family, specifically for you. Please accept it."

Before Andrew could respond, Philip rushed over, breathing heavily. His eyes locked on the card as he asked, "Ms. Rhodes, isn't that the exclusive Black Gold Card from Rhodes Corporation?"

"How can you give it to this loser? If you're giving it to anyone, it should be my dad or me. My dad's the deputy chief of this hospital, so if we're talking about credit, it should start with him…"

Lauren, unable to tolerate such shamelessness any longer, coldly commanded, "Someone get him out of here."

Two burly bodyguards immediately stepped forward, grabbing Philip by the hair and roughly dragging him away, ignoring his screams. Seeing this, Bernard did not dare direct his anger at Lauren.

Instead, he turned to Andrew with a dark expression. "Dr. Lloyd, your medical skills may be good, but remember, without the hospital, you're nothing!"

Andrew did not accept Lauren's card. He had never been in the habit of receiving gifts from patients, even though this card represented the prestigious Rhodes Corporation and would make countless people at Jayrodale green with envy.

"Miss, is this Dr. Lloyd playing hard to get?" Eunice asked with a frown. She had never seen anyone unmoved by a Rhodes Corporation's Black Gold Card, especially one personally offered by Lauren.

Lauren shook her head thoughtfully. "I don't think so. He genuinely doesn't want it… Though, if he were playing hard to get with me, that might not be so bad…"

She finished with a coy smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Eunice was left speechless by Lauren's remark, but she did not take her words seriously. The Rhodes family's heiress was a rare beauty. Few in Jayrodale could catch her eye. Though handsome and skilled, Andrew was still just a doctor after all.

As the end of the shift approached, Andrew finished his work and left Jayrodale General Hospital. Just as he reached the entrance, a pink Maserati pulled up beside him. The window rolled down, revealing a stunningly beautiful face.

"Dr. Lloyd, what a coincidence. We meet again," Lauren said with a smile.

Andrew nodded politely. "Hello, Ms. Rhodes."

Lauren's smile widened. "Cece insists on thanking you in person for saving her life. There's a fundraising gala at South City Orphanage tonight. Why don't you join us and keep Cece company?"

Andrew was about to decline, but he got into the car upon hearing it was at South City Orphanage. "In that case, thank you, Ms. Rhodes. I actually needed to visit South City Orphanage myself."

Lauren looked surprised. "Dr. Lloyd, are you also a guest tonight?"

Andrew shook his head. "I'm just a simple doctor, not important enough for an invitation. I'm just familiar with the children and staff at the orphanage, so I thought I'd drop by."

Lauren didn't press further, realizing that only Jayrodale's elite would attend the event at South City Orphanage. Such a high-society gathering would likely be out of Andrew's league.

Suddenly, two SUVs came racing toward them, sandwiching the Maserati. Lauren's expression changed, and she was about to accelerate when the SUV in front slammed on its brakes, forcing her to stop.

After that, about eight burly men jumped out of the vehicles. Their leader, a man with a scarred face, leaped onto the hood of the Maserati and grinned at Lauren.

"Ms. Rhodes, please step out of the car."

Lauren remained calm and spoke coldly, "Whose men are you? Have you considered the consequences of messing with the Rhodes family?"

The scarred man shrugged. "It's precisely because we know you're the Rhodes family's princess that we're doing this. Don't worry, Ms. Rhodes, we won't harm you, but I'm afraid you won't make it to South City Orphanage tonight."

Lauren immediately realized this was a ploy by her competitors to sabotage her. "Dr. Lloyd, Cece, hold tight. These bastards don't know what they're in for. I'm calling for help right now."

Seeing Lauren reach for her phone, the scarred man's face darkened. He waved his hand and ordered, "Break open the car door."

Two men approached with sledgehammers, clearly prepared for this. Lauren felt a surge of panic, knowing that even if she called now, her family's bodyguards would not arrive in time.

"Ms. Rhodes, don't waste your time. It's best if you cooperate with us," the scarred man sneered, looking smug.

At that moment, the locked Maserati door opened, and Andrew stepped out of the car.

"Dr. Lloyd, don't get out! It's dangerous!" Lauren cried out, forgetting about her phone call.

The scarred man burst into laughter. "Ms. Rhodes, your pretty boy here is useless. He's as timid as a mouse. My men haven't even touched him, and he's already surrendering. What a total wimp!"

Lauren sighed in resignation and put down her phone. "Fine. The Rhodes family withdraws from tonight's fundraiser at the orphanage. Just don't harm Dr. Lloyd. He's an outsider and has nothing to do with our feud."

It was then that Andrew spoke up. "The child in the car is my patient, and you've already frightened her. Now, I'm giving you ten seconds to get lost."