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."

Andrew's voice was calm, showing no sign of arrogance. Meanwhile, the scarred man and his thugs were stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Ha! Did this pretty boy just tell me, Scarface, to get lost?"

"Idiot, you've been watching too many superhero movies. Trying to play the knight in shining armor, huh?"

"Boss, why waste time talking? Let's just take him out!" Another thug swung a steel pipe viciously at Andrew's head.

Lauren sighed inwardly, thinking she would have to step in to protect this brave but foolish man. Suddenly, she heard a piercing scream. The thug who had attacked first was on the ground, clutching his stomach.

Somehow, Andrew had taken the steel pipe from him. Then, in a blur of motion, Andrew swung the pipe. A series of thuds followed as the attackers fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

Yet, no one could see how he moved as he was moving too fast.

Scarface roared in anger, leaping at Andrew with a vicious kick. At the same time, Andrew tossed aside the now-bent pipe and, without even looking, launched a kick of his own.

Soon, Scarface's cry could be heard, and his body curled as he flew backward, slamming into the SUV with a sickening thud. Blood spewed from his mouth as he struggled to move.

He looked up at Andrew in terror, stuttering, "Y-You…"

Andrew ignored him, turning back to Lauren as if nothing had happened. "Let's go, Ms. Rhodes."

Lauren's eyes were still wide with shock. Andrew, who had seemed so gentle and refined, turned out to be incredibly fierce in a fight. She thought someone like him was highly unlikely to be just a boy toy. With his medical skills and fighting prowess, he was more like a hidden gem.

Lauren felt a rush of excitement at the thought that she had stumbled upon a real gem. She smiled seductively as she started the car and drove toward South City.

"Dr. Lloyd, first you saved Cece, and now you've saved me. I don't know how to thank you enough," Lauren said with a smile as she drove, her interest in Andrew growing by the minute.

Andrew replied politely, "I really didn't do much. But Ms. Rhodes, you should be careful. These men might be connected to the ones who poisoned Cece earlier."

Lauren's expression hardened. "I have a pretty good idea who's behind this. They'll learn that the Rhodes family isn't to be trifled with, and I'll make sure they pay for this tenfold!"

From the back seat, Cecelia chimed in sweetly, "Lauren, Dr. Lloyd has helped us so many times. Shouldn't we give him some kind of reward?"

Lauren nodded in agreement. "You're right. We should definitely thank Dr. Lloyd properly."

Cecelia's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Lauren, I have a suggestion."

"What's that?"

"Well, since he didn't want our family's Black Gold Card, why don't you reward him… personally?"

"Oh, you little brat! What are you saying? I ought to wash your mouth out with soap…"

Andrew felt uncomfortable listening to the sisters' banter. Lauren's face flushed, but she maintained her composure as she turned to Andrew.

"Dr. Lloyd, please don't mind my sister. She doesn't think before she speaks sometimes."

Andrew smiled awkwardly, trying to show understanding.

However, Lauren suddenly added, "Though I wouldn't mind what Cece suggested if that's what you want."

Andrew was at a loss for words. Undeniably, Lauren was an incredibly alluring woman. Born into a prestigious family, she carried herself with grace and had a face that could launch a thousand ships. Moreover, her figure was really curvaceous.

Unlike Christina's cold, unapproachable beauty, Lauren was the other extreme—passionate and fiery, with full lips and curves that could make a man weak at the knees.

Andrew had seen his fair share of beautiful women, but Lauren's charm was almost overwhelming. Catching a glimpse of Andrew's slightly embarrassed expression in the rearview mirror, Lauren giggled.

She had not expected Andrew to be someone who would actually feel shy, and she was amused. Countless men of all types had pursued her, but Lauren had never met someone quite as intriguing as Andrew. Maybe, she thought, it was worth giving him a try.

South City Orphanage was located on the southern outskirts of Jayrodale, on a sizeable piece of undeveloped land. Jayrodale's business community had long coveted this prime real estate.

The fundraising gala that night was organized to facilitate the orphanage's relocation, attracting Jayrodale's most influential families and business groups.

As night fell and the lights came on, South City Orphanage's courtyard was transformed. A red carpet welcomed Jayrodale's elite, who arrived with their glamorous dates for an evening of socializing.

"Ms. Rhodes, welcome!" The orphanage director personally greeted Lauren.

However, as he adjusted his reading glasses, his eyes lit up at the sight of her companion. "Dr. Lloyd, you're here too? Oh my, the children and I have been eagerly waiting for you!"

A group of orphans excitedly swarmed around Andrew, repeatedly calling, "Andy!"

Lauren was surprised to see Andrew chatting with the director, realizing that this humble doctor's popularity overshadowed her status as the Rhodes Corporation heiress.

Soon, a few VIP guests approached to greet Lauren. She smiled, thinking she had finally regained some of the spotlight.

"Dr. Lloyd, let me introduce you to some CEOs," Lauren said, ready to show off her connections.

To her astonishment, the guests recognized Andrew before she could make introductions.

"Oh, isn't this Dr. Lloyd from Jayrodale General Hospital? Hello, hello! I'm James Campbell. It's thanks to your miraculous treatment that I can walk again!"

"Dr. Lloyd, what an honor to meet you again! Remember me? I had problems with my pregnancy. Thanks to you, we now have a one-year-old. Our family line is secured!"

"Hey, Dr. Lloyd! I owe you a drink tonight. If it weren't for you, I would've been out of the game at 60. Now I'm still going strong!"

Lauren was dumbfounded. She watched as these VIPs eagerly approached Andrew, showering him with warm greetings. This guy's connections were clearly extraordinary—far beyond what one would expect from a simple doctor.

After finally bidding farewell to the guests, Andrew turned to Lauren with an apologetic shrug. "Sorry about that, Ms. Rhodes. They were all former patients of mine. To be honest, I can barely remember them."

Lauren smirked. "Dr. Lloyd, you're quite the dark horse, aren't you?"

Little did she know, Andrew truly could not recall these Jayrodale bigwigs despite their status.