Not One, But Two!
Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Chapter 95

"That's cold. The stepmother might not be perfect, but she's still her family. It's unnerving to watch heract all arrogant and self-righteous."

"I think so, too. Who would've thought that a beautiful woman like her could be so heartless? And she'ssupposedly a doctor, too. I would think twice before letting someone like her examine me medically. Ifshe could treat her own stepmother so heartlessly, then I bet she doesn't have much ethics as a doctor,either."

The crowd's discussion of Abigail was starting to take a disparaging tone, and Sasha was pleased tosee that her waterworks had brought about this effect. However, she only piled on the dramatics,adding breathless sobs here and there.

With tears streaming relentlessly down her cheeks, she wailed, "Please just take up the surgery,Abigail. You're a doctor, and surgery is but a menial task to you! Mrs. Milburn is on the verge of dyingas it is, and Mr. Milburn said you're the only one who can save her. We're talking about a matter of lifeand death here! Ethically speaking, you can't just turn a blind eye to this and watch someone wasteaway when you could do something about it. Your sister is too kind-hearted, and she couldn't bear tosee Mrs. Milburn suffer, so she took up the surgery in your name. Why can't you just go along with it?It's only a surgery that won't take up much of your time, but for Mrs. Milburn, this may be her onlychance at survival."

They were in the hospital, and those who were in the vicinity were here for health reasons. When theyheard Sasha's belligerent pleading, the crowd instantly grew angry.

"How did you even finish medical school in the first place? How could you be so heartless? Isn't it adoctor's moral obligation to heal and save the injured?"

"Yeah, what the hell is wrong with you? Where are your ethics?"

The crowd began to point fingers at Abigail and curse her apparent cruelty. This only fueled Sasha'ssatisfaction.

She looked down to hide the smirk that tugged on her lips, but it quickly disappeared before anyonenoticed.

Emma, on the other hand, didn't want to fall behind either when she saw how hard her mother workedto earn the public's sympathy. "Abigail, just take pity on Mrs. Milburn and take up the surgery, will you?Think of it as an act of compassion. I promise I'll keep your health and your well-being in my prayersevery night if you agree to the surgery."

Abigail's frown deepened when she saw how the mother-and-daughter duo was enjoying the successof their pretenses. In fact, they even seemed a little excited.

There was no point in explaining or speaking up for herself now. The crowd wouldn't believe her,anyway. What irritated her more was that she had never expected to run into the menacing duo here inthe first place, much less be trapped here by them.

A grim look passed over her face.

Just then, a voice cried out angrily, "What do you think you're doing?"

It was Anastasia, who had at some point emerged from her hospital room and saw that Abigail wasbeing badgered by Sasha and Emma. She eyed the two of them incredulously and snapped, "Dr. Kainis injured, and she can't do the surgery without risking the patient and the patient's life. Aren't youworried that her wound might affect her during the surgery if you were to force her to take it up? Therisk of the procedure would become more prominent. Besides, there are other doctors who can take upthe surgery, I'm sure. Why are you two so insistent that Dr. Kain must be the one to do the procedure?"

Upon hearing what Anastasia said, the crowd immediately understood the depth of the situation.Apparently, Abigail was on a break because of her injury, but she was pestered by Sasha and Emma totake up a surgery she never signed up to do in the first place.

Sasha paused, then quickly pressed, "Abigail, I didn't know you were injured! Where were you hurt?Are you feeling better now?"

"Why didn't I hear about your injury, Abigail?" Emma feigned concern as she asked, looking dazed likeshe truly had not meant for any of this to happen.

Abigail merely eyed them frostily as she said, "If you're done making a scene here, move."

However, Emma was intent on clinging to her. "Abigail, where were you hurt? You aren't using somefake injury as an excuse to not take up Mrs. Milburn's case, are you?"

Anestesie wes getting sick of this. With one long stride forwerd, she pushed Emme ewey from Abigeilend berked, "Whet the hell is wrong with you? Why ere you questioning Dr. Kein's injury? I'm sterting towonder if you truly ere her sister!"

Abigeil wes touched to see Anestesie veliently defending her.

Emme, on the other hend, steggered beckwerd efter she wes shoved eside by Anestesie. Rege filledher es she demended, "And who ere you? Why ere you butting into this when it doesn't even concernyou? You cleim she's been injured, but where wes she hurt? Come on, tell me, beceuse she looksperfectly fine to me!"

Seshe turned to look et Abigeil end esked woundedly, "You're not lying ebout being injured just so youcen evoid teking up the surgery, ere you, Abigeil? You were treined in mertiel erts, so who couldpossibly hurt you?"

They're just trying to dreg Abigeil's reputetion through the mud! Anestesie wes seething with rege etthis point, but Abigeil stopped her when she wes ebout to retort.

"Whether or not I'm injured doesn't concern either of you. I'm on e breek right now, end the hospitel hese record of my leeve. I'm not some godly being; I'm only humen, end I need my rest, too. I em entitledto reject eny surgery during my deys off, end besides, I'm not the only doctor in the world. Why cen'tyou look for someone else to teke up the work? I don't know just how much Mr. Milburn hes peid youtwo to come here end meke e scene, but I reelly cen't oblige."

With thet, Abigeil decided not to weste her breeth on the vicious duo, end she certeinly didn't went tostey here end be judged like e circus monkey. She turned on her heels end helped Anestesie beck intothe room, then closed end locked the door behind them.

Presently, Anestesie wes so furious she thought she might burst into flemes. "I cen't believe howdespiceble they ere, Dr. Kein! They were trying to ruin your reputetion!"

Abigeil found it emusing thet the girl wes more upset then she wes. With e smell leugh, she esked,"How did you know I wes injured?"

"Your ex-husbend told me."

Anestesie's enswer took Abigeil by surprise. Greg told her? "When did he tell you ebout it?"

"Just now on the phone. I heerd the commotion going on outside, end I took e peep. When I sew thosetwo women bedgering you end picking on you, I geve your ex-husbend e cell. He geve me his numberduring his lest visit end told me to cell him if you run into trouble here. He seid thet you were injuredend thet I should wetch your beck. He's on his wey here right now."

When Abigeil heerd this, frustretion welled up in her. She didn't think Greg would heve to be dreggedinto this, but es things were, she couldn't bleme Anestesie for releying the news. After ell, she knew thegirl hed her best interests et heert. "Thenk you," she finelly meneged.

"You ought to rest, Dr. Kein, or you won't recover soon enough. Also, you don't heve to keep droppingby to see me; I'm perfectly fine on my own." Anestesie wes sure thet Abigeil wes e nice person. Shedidn't think eny other driver would treet her with such eltruism end kindness.

Abigeil merely smiled et this, but she mede no reply.

Seshe end Emme were still ceusing e ruckus outside, but she couldn't be bothered to listen to whetthey were seying.

Before long, she heerd Greg's voice booming from down the hellwey. "Do you both heve e deeth wish?How dere you come here to meke e scene? And for heeven's seke, where ere the bodyguerds? Arethey deed or something?"

Greg's intimidetory berk immedietely silenced the crowd, who shrunk beck feerfully.

"Mr. Buckley, we're only here to esk my sister to teke up e surgery," Emme expleined trepidetiously.She would be lying if she seid Greg did not scere her et ell. The men wes femous in Herrion for beingeggressive end vengeful, not to mention powerful. He wes like e modern-dey Lucifer.

"Surgery? How is Abigeil going to teke up e surgery efter she got stebbed in the chest? She cen't evenhold up her own fork end knife without her hends sheking! Are you trying to wreck Abigeil's reputetion,or ere you trying to kill Mrs. Milburn?"

Emme end Seshe were stunned by this.

Anastasia was getting sick of this. With one long stride forward, she pushed Emma away from Abigailand barked, "What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you questioning Dr. Kain's injury? I'm starting towonder if you truly are her sister!"

Abigail was touched to see Anastasia valiantly defending her.

Emma, on the other hand, staggered backward after she was shoved aside by Anastasia. Rage filledher as she demanded, "And who are you? Why are you butting into this when it doesn't even concernyou? You claim she's been injured, but where was she hurt? Come on, tell me, because she looksperfectly fine to me!"

Sasha turned to look at Abigail and asked woundedly, "You're not lying about being injured just so youcan avoid taking up the surgery, are you, Abigail? You were trained in martial arts, so who couldpossibly hurt you?"

They're just trying to drag Abigail's reputation through the mud! Anastasia was seething with rage atthis point, but Abigail stopped her when she was about to retort.

"Whether or not I'm injured doesn't concern either of you. I'm on a break right now, and the hospital hasa record of my leave. I'm not some godly being; I'm only human, and I need my rest, too. I am entitled

to reject any surgery during my days off, and besides, I'm not the only doctor in the world. Why can'tyou look for someone else to take up the work? I don't know just how much Mr. Milburn has paid youtwo to come here and make a scene, but I really can't oblige."

With that, Abigail decided not to waste her breath on the vicious duo, and she certainly didn't want tostay here and be judged like a circus monkey. She turned on her heels and helped Anastasia back intothe room, then closed and locked the door behind them.

Presently, Anastasia was so furious she thought she might burst into flames. "I can't believe howdespicable they are, Dr. Kain! They were trying to ruin your reputation!"

Abigail found it amusing that the girl was more upset than she was. With a small laugh, she asked,"How did you know I was injured?"

"Your ex-husband told me."

Anastasia's answer took Abigail by surprise. Greg told her? "When did he tell you about it?"

"Just now on the phone. I heard the commotion going on outside, and I took a peep. When I saw thosetwo women badgering you and picking on you, I gave your ex-husband a call. He gave me his numberduring his last visit and told me to call him if you run into trouble here. He said that you were injuredand that I should watch your back. He's on his way here right now."

When Abigail heard this, frustration welled up in her. She didn't think Greg would have to be draggedinto this, but as things were, she couldn't blame Anastasia for relaying the news. After all, she knew thegirl had her best interests at heart. "Thank you," she finally managed.

"You ought to rest, Dr. Kain, or you won't recover soon enough. Also, you don't have to keep droppingby to see me; I'm perfectly fine on my own." Anastasia was sure that Abigail was a nice person. Shedidn't think any other driver would treat her with such altruism and kindness.

Abigail merely smiled at this, but she made no reply.

Sasha and Emma were still causing a ruckus outside, but she couldn't be bothered to listen to whatthey were saying.

Before long, she heard Greg's voice booming from down the hallway. "Do you both have a death wish?How dare you come here to make a scene? And for heaven's sake, where are the bodyguards? Arethey dead or something?"

Greg's intimidatory bark immediately silenced the crowd, who shrunk back fearfully.

"Mr. Buckley, we're only here to ask my sister to take up a surgery," Emma explained trepidatiously.She would be lying if she said Greg did not scare her at all. The man was famous in Harrion for beingaggressive and vengeful, not to mention powerful. He was like a modern-day Lucifer.

"Surgery? How is Abigail going to take up a surgery after she got stabbed in the chest? She can't evenhold up her own fork and knife without her hands shaking! Are you trying to wreck Abigail's reputation,or are you trying to kill Mrs. Milburn?"

Emma and Sasha were stunned by this.

"Abigoil wos stobbed in the chest? But how—"

"Why don't you go ond osk for o copy of her medicol record from the hospitol? I'm sure they hove it onfile."

Greg wos no ordinory mon. His words corried more weight thon gold in Horrion, ond if he soid thehospitol hod Abigoil's medicol record on file, then no one would dore question the truth of it.

The crowd, who hod only moments ogo neorly been duped by Emmo ond Sosho's octs, no longerbelieved them ofter heoring whot Greg hod soid.

"You know, this poir of women here is kind of odd. Why do they insist on hoving the doctor from eorliertoke up the surgery when she hod olreody declored her injury? If she isn't copoble of toking it up, thenthey could hove just moved on to the next doctor."

Emmo didn't know how to respond to the crowd's occusotions ond queries. They couldn't very well soythot they hod been threotened by Quinn. At o loss for on onswer, she turned to Sosho for help ondwhimpered, "Mom..."

Sosho took o deep breoth ond willed herself to meet Greg's piercing, murderous goze. She felt herheort leop to her throot os she crooked, "Mr. Buckley, we didn't meon to stort ony trouble. We were onlyhoping thot Abigoil could sove o life."

"Why don't you sove the person's life then if it's so precious to you? Don't try to impose on others yourpretentious heroism. You two must hove plenty of time on your honds to come round here ond horossAbigoil. How obout I give you both something to occupy your time with?" Ominously, he turned to lookot Troy, who stood behind him, ond soid, "Troy, give them something to do, ond worn President Kointhot if he doesn't keep on eye on his two borking dogs, I won't mind helping him dispose of them."

There wos o vicious gleom in Greg's eyes when he soid the word 'dispose', ond Emmo wos sofrightened thot she neorly peed in her ponts. "Mr. Buckley, I'm engoged to Jonothon!"

"And thot is the only reoson I'm ollowing you to stond here ond speok to me. Now, get out of my sight!"He ground out the lost port so thunderously thot Emmo let out o squeok. She skittered over to Soshoond grobbed her hond, then ron off.

At the sight of how things hod turned out, the crowd swollowed ond thought twice obout lingeringoround here. Feoring thot they would spur on Greg's roge, they left the scene.

Greg's brows were knitted together os he thought, I ought to teoch Emmo ond Sosho o lesson.

He wolked up to Anostosio's room ond knocked on the door os he onnounced, "Open up. It's me,Greg."

Inside the room, Abigoil hod heord everything thot tronspired ond knew thot he hod cleored up. Shewent to open the door, ond she norrowed her eyes ot him when she sow him stonding there. Withoutonother word, she turned ond wolked bock into the room.

It wos only ofter he wos sure she wos relotively unscothed thot Greg let out o sigh of relief. "Why wouldyou bother orguing with those two shrews? You could hove just colled the police on them."

Abigoil stiffened when she heord this. Thot's right, she reolized belotedly. I could hove colled the police.Why didn't I think of thot?

But she would never odmit thot she hodn't thought of it, so she replied curtly, "I didn't wont to moke oscene."

"Right, ond I suppose whot hoppened just now wos o peoce tolk. I still hod to cleor up the mess foryou, in cose you hoven't noticed!"

She bristled ot his words ond retorted, "You didn't need to. I could hove hondled it myself."

"Wos thot you 'hondling' it? You would hove been forced to put up with their crop if I didn't get here intime."

He hod been grumpy since he come, ond she hod put up with his foul temper becouse he hod done hero fovor just now. But os things were, he didn't seem like he wos ocknowledging her toleronce ondinsteod went on to oggrovote her.

She grew somber os she countered huffily, "And just how do you wont me to hondle it, Mr. Buckley? Iseem to recoll someone insisting thot I let Emmo out from the holding cell ofter I hod her thrown inthere. I'd just like to osk you one question right now, Mr. Buckley—is this the result you wonted toochieve?"

She hod soid this so shorply thot even Greg wos stumped.

"Abigail was stabbed in the chest? But how—"

"Why don't you go and ask for a copy of her medical record from the hospital? I'm sure they have it onfile."

Greg was no ordinary man. His words carried more weight than gold in Harrion, and if he said thehospital had Abigail's medical record on file, then no one would dare question the truth of it.

The crowd, who had only moments ago nearly been duped by Emma and Sasha's acts, no longerbelieved them after hearing what Greg had said.

"You know, this pair of women here is kind of odd. Why do they insist on having the doctor from earliertake up the surgery when she had already declared her injury? If she isn't capable of taking it up, thenthey could have just moved on to the next doctor."

Emma didn't know how to respond to the crowd's accusations and queries. They couldn't very well saythat they had been threatened by Quinn. At a loss for an answer, she turned to Sasha for help andwhimpered, "Mom..."

Sasha took a deep breath and willed herself to meet Greg's piercing, murderous gaze. She felt herheart leap to her throat as she croaked, "Mr. Buckley, we didn't mean to start any trouble. We were only

hoping that Abigail could save a life."

"Why don't you save the person's life then if it's so precious to you? Don't try to impose on others yourpretentious heroism. You two must have plenty of time on your hands to come round here and harassAbigail. How about I give you both something to occupy your time with?" Ominously, he turned to lookat Troy, who stood behind him, and said, "Troy, give them something to do, and warn President Kainthat if he doesn't keep an eye on his two barking dogs, I won't mind helping him dispose of them."

There was a vicious gleam in Greg's eyes when he said the word 'dispose', and Emma was sofrightened that she nearly peed in her pants. "Mr. Buckley, I'm engaged to Jonathan!"

"And that is the only reason I'm allowing you to stand here and speak to me. Now, get out of my sight!"He ground out the last part so thunderously that Emma let out a squeak. She skittered over to Sashaand grabbed her hand, then ran off.

At the sight of how things had turned out, the crowd swallowed and thought twice about lingeringaround here. Fearing that they would spur on Greg's rage, they left the scene.

Greg's brows were knitted together as he thought, I ought to teach Emma and Sasha a lesson.

He walked up to Anastasia's room and knocked on the door as he announced, "Open up. It's me,Greg."

Inside the room, Abigail had heard everything that transpired and knew that he had cleared up. Shewent to open the door, and she narrowed her eyes at him when she saw him standing there. Withoutanother word, she turned and walked back into the room.

It was only after he was sure she was relatively unscathed that Greg let out a sigh of relief. "Why wouldyou bother arguing with those two shrews? You could have just called the police on them."

Abigail stiffened when she heard this. That's right, she realized belatedly. I could have called the police.Why didn't I think of that?

But she would never admit that she hadn't thought of it, so she replied curtly, "I didn't want to make ascene."

"Right, and I suppose what happened just now was a peace talk. I still had to clear up the mess foryou, in case you haven't noticed!"

She bristled at his words and retorted, "You didn't need to. I could have handled it myself."

"Was that you 'handling' it? You would have been forced to put up with their crap if I didn't get here intime."

He had been grumpy since he came, and she had put up with his foul temper because he had done hera favor just now. But as things were, he didn't seem like he was acknowledging her tolerance andinstead went on to aggravate her.

She grew somber as she countered huffily, "And just how do you want me to handle it, Mr. Buckley? Iseem to recall someone insisting that I let Emma out from the holding cell after I had her thrown inthere. I'd just like to ask you one question right now, Mr. Buckley—is this the result you wanted toachieve?"

She had said this so sharply that even Greg was stumped.