Miranda choked on her words, her rebuttal lacking conviction. “Who...who knows you!We don’t even know you that well.”
Her uncle also came to Miranda’s defense, “Bringing in that top-tier medical team is going to cost a fortune, isn’t it? We’re just an ordinary family, we can’t afford that kind of money!”
“We’re not paying for any of those expenses!”
“Exactly. We didn’t call in that medical team. Even if they’re specifically here to operate on the old lady, we won’t be responsible!”
“Yes! If they manage to save the old lady, that’s one thing, but if they don’t, whose fault is that?”
The others chimed in one after another.
Hearing these irresponsible remarks, Alana couldn’t help but flush with anger. “Are you... are you still my grandmother’s family?”
Her grandmother was in the operating room, fighting for her life, yet they stood outside without even a thought of using their savings to save her.
How could anyone be so selfish?
Stephan had seen enough of Alana’s so-called family today. He spoke coldly.
“I called in the medical team myself. I will cover all the costs...not a single penny needs to come from you ungrateful wretches.”
Miranda and the others breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing they wouldn’t have to cover the medical bills.
But hearing Stephan call them ungrateful wretches left them deeply offended.
They felt that simply bringing the old woman to the hospital was already the height of kindness and duty.
Some people with ulterior motives and no moral compass wouldn’t even bother with their own elderly mothers, leaving them to die at home, left to fend for themselves.
They’d already brought the old woman to the hospital, what more could they possibly want?
Oh well, since Stephan was willing to cover the medical bills anyway, they couldn’t very well keep nitpicking and making accusations.
If he were to change his mind and refuse to cover the medical bills, they’d be in dire straits.
The cost of the top medical team was beyond their means, they couldn’t afford it even if they sold everything they owned.
Sure enough, in about ten minutes, the medical team from the capital arrived at the hospital.
After quickly assessing the patient’s condition, they immediately implemented an efficient treatment plan and entered the operating room to begin resuscitation.
Time was ticking away.
Every minute and every second felt like an agonizing wait.
Alana prayed incessantly in her heart, begging for her grandmother’s safety and wishing for her to live a long and healthy life.
Grandma had worked so hard her whole life and hadn’t enjoyed a single moment of happiness yet; she couldn’t just be cruelly taken away like this. Perhaps Heaven had heard Alana’s silent prayers.
A ding!
The red light outside the operating room suddenly turned green. With a whoosh, the operating room doors swung open.
Several top-tier senior professors and specialist doctors emerged together. They all turned to look at Stephan, their voices filled with respect.
“Mr. Hudson, we’ve done our duty, the surgery was a success.”
Stephan nodded. “Thank you for your hard work.”
Upon hearing this, Alana’s tense body instantly relaxed.
Overcome with emotion, she threw her arms around Stephan, crying and laughing at the same time. “Stephan, this is wonderful!”
“Grandma’s surgery was a success!”
Stephan curved his lips, pulled her close, and gently kissed her forehead and eyes.
“Yes, Grandma pulled through.”
Miranda rushed over to the doctor in shock. “What does that mean? If the surgery was successful, does that mean the old lady is okay?”
A white-haired elderly man replied, “She’s still in the critical phase and needs to remain in the intensive care unit for twenty-four hours of observation.”
“If she’s out of danger after twenty-four hours, then she’ll likely be fine.”
Miranda asked uncertainly, “Does that mean she might not end up in a vegetative state, lying in a hospital bed for the rest of her life, waiting to die?”
The elderly man nodded. “Yes.”
Miranda sighed in awe.
“That old woman really has a strong will to live. Even after a fall like that, she managed to pull through.”
The others also felt that the old woman was meant to live.
The white-haired elderly man continued, “Fortunately, the patient has a strong will to live, which is why we were able to save her life. We’ll keep her under observation and have her stay in the hospital for a while.”
Upon hearing this, Alana’s eyes welled up with tears.
Grandma really did want to live.
Thankfully, she hadn’t signed any DNR form just now, that’s what saved her grandmother.
After the surgery, Grandma was wheeled into the intensive care unit for observation. Because the patient’s condition was unstable, the doctors did not allow family members to enter for visits; they could only watch from outside the door.
Miranda was the type to treat people differently depending on their status; seeing how capable Stephan was, she couldn’t help but offer a few words of praise.
“Oh my, I really have to thank your boyfriend, Alana.”
“If you hadn’t brought your boyfriend back, your grandmother probably wouldn’t have made it out of the operating room alive.”
The others chimed in, “That’s right, Alana, where on earth did you find a boyfriend like that?”
“He’s handsome, so capable, and can even bring in top medical team from anywhere, he must be rolling in cash, right?”
They all stared at Stephan, as if they were demons eyeing a god, curious about his identity.
Stephan stood silently beside Alana.
Alana glanced at this group of ill-intentioned relatives and said calmly, “My boyfriend is just an ordinary person.”
Miranda didn’t believe her. “Oh, come on. Can an ordinary person really call in the capital’s top medical team? That must have cost millions, right?”
Could an ordinary person really spend millions at a go?
Was Alana trying to fool them?
Alana remained expressionless. “So what?What does that have to do with you?”
Miranda and the others frowned.
Miranda put on a brave face. “We’re just looking out for you.”
“Exactly! If you ever make it big, don’t forget us, the relatives who raised you!”
Alana scoffed. “Did you raise me? Shouldn’t it be ‘enslaved me’?”
“For a girl, you sure don’t know how to speak properly!”
“We were just teaching you life skills, it was all for your own good!”
“Exactly! How can you take our kindness for granted like that?”
Alana closed her eyes briefly, not even wanting to waste her breath on them.
Stephan shot a glance at Alana’s group of terrible relatives.
One minute they were one way, the next they were completely different.
He’d really seen it all.
Even with all his experience, he’d never seen anything this outrageous.
And Alana, had she really grown up in this kind of family environment?
It was hard to imagine how she had managed to endure it all, or just how much she must have suffered.
The more he thought about it, the more his heart ached for her.
Why hadn’t she ever told him any of this?
Did she think he would abandon her or distance himself from her because of these terrible relatives?
Whatever the reason, it wasn’t her fault.
It was because he hadn’t given her enough that she felt so insecure and couldn’t trust him.
So, it was his fault, not hers.
After waiting at the hospital for a while, Miranda and the others decided the old lady should be okay, so they gradually went home.
Alana remained at the hospital to stay with her grandmother.
Stephan, of course, stayed with her.
The young couple sat in chairs, snuggled close together.
Alana buried her face in his chest and suddenly said in a subdued voice, “Stephan, I’m sorry...”
Stephan lowered his gaze to look at her in his arms. Her eyes were still red-rimmed, a sight that tugged at his heartstrings.
“Why are you apologizing to me?”
Alana lowered her gaze. “For bringing you here and making you witness all this.”
That was why she had been reluctant to reveal her true background to him.
After all, who would accept a girlfriend with such a complicated family background?
Let alone marry her and bring her home as a wife.
Even she despised herself, how much more so would others?
Stephan found it amusing. “Is it just because of this that you feel guilty toward me?”
Alana looked at him with reddened eyes. “Don’t you... mind?”
Stephan asked earnestly, “Why should I?”
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