The Divine Physician System

Chapter 2

Adrian's heart pounded violently as he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Hale?"

It was Doctor Lewis again.

"The transplant team has contacted us. They need confirmation of payment before five o'clock this afternoon. Otherwise..." He paused before continuing, "...they'll assign the donor to another patient."

Adrian's face turned pale.

"I... I'll find the money."

"We'll do our best to buy you some time."

"Thank you, Doctor."

After hanging up, Adrian stood motionless in front of the Sterling Mansion for several seconds.

His body felt cold.

He had exhausted every option.

There was only one person left who might be able to help him.

Director Victor Kane.

Taking a deep breath, Adrian hailed a taxi back to St. Raphael Medical Center.

The ride felt unbearably long.

Every passing second brought Lily closer to death.

...

The hospital bustled with activity as usual.

Doctors hurried through the corridors while patients waited anxiously outside consultation rooms.

Adrian ignored the strange looks directed at him and headed straight toward the administrative building.

Outside the director's office, the receptionist looked up with visible disdain.

"The director is busy."

"I only need five minutes."

"He isn't seeing cleaners today."

"It's an emergency."

The receptionist rolled her eyes.

"Everyone says that."

Just then, the office door opened.

A young orthopedic surgeon stepped out, smiling.

"Thank you, Director Kane."

Victor Kane nodded with a smile.

"My pleasure."

The moment he noticed Adrian standing outside, his pleasant expression disappeared.

"What are you doing here?"

Adrian stepped forward.

"Director Kane... I need to speak with you."

Victor adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses.

"I don't recall scheduling an appointment with the janitorial department."

Several nurses nearby burst into laughter.

Adrian lowered his head.

"It concerns my sister."

Victor walked back into his office.

"If you're going to beg, come in."

Adrian quickly followed.

The spacious office overlooked the entire hospital.

Awards, certificates, and photographs of Victor shaking hands with influential people decorated the walls.

Victor sat comfortably behind his expensive mahogany desk.

"So?"

Adrian stood before him.

"My sister's leukemia has worsened."

"The donor has finally been found."

"I only need the hospital to perform the surgery first."

"I'll pay every cent afterward."

Victor leaned back in his chair.

"How much?"

"Five hundred thousand dollars."

Victor chuckled.

"That's not exactly pocket change."

"I know."

"I've worked here for three years."

"My salary alone..."

Victor immediately interrupted.

"What salary?"

Adrian froze.

"The salary this hospital pays its employees."

Victor crossed his arms.

"You've been working here every day."

"I know."

"So?"

"My salary is enough to cover most of the surgical f*e."

Victor laughed louder.

"You actually think cleaning floors earns half a million dollars?"

"I wasn't always a cleaner."

"I started here as an intern physician."

"You demoted me."

Victor's smile widened.

"And?"

Adrian clenched his fists.

"You also suspended my wages."

Victor shrugged casually.

"I don't remember."

His indifferent attitude caused Adrian's chest to tighten.

He lowered himself into a ninety-degree bow.

"Director Kane..."

"I've never begged anyone before."

"But today..."

"I'm begging you."

"Please save my sister."

"I'll work for this hospital for the rest of my life if that's what it takes."

The room fell silent.

Victor slowly picked up his coffee and took a leisurely sip.

"No."

One simple word.

It shattered Adrian's final hope.

"Why?"

Victor smiled mockingly.

"Hospital regulations."

"We don't perform surgery before payment."

"But other patients have received emergency operations before settling their bills."

"They had guarantors."

"I do too."

"My wife."

Victor's smile became even more amused.

"Evelyn Sterling?"

Adrian nodded quickly.

"She's overseas on business."

"I can't reach her."

"But once she returns..."

Victor suddenly burst into laughter.

"You can't reach her?"

His laughter echoed throughout the office.

Adrian frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Victor slowly picked up his phone from the desk.

"You've called her?"

"Yes."

"How many times?"

"...More than a hundred."

"And she never answered?"

Adrian remained silent.

Victor grinned.

"Interesting."

He unlocked his phone.

"Let's see whether she's truly busy."

Before Adrian could react, Victor tapped Evelyn's contact.

The phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Click.

The screen lit up.

A breathtaking woman appeared on the video call.

She wore a white business suit and stood before the glass windows of a luxurious office overlooking a foreign skyline.

Her flawless features remained calm as ever.

"Director Kane."

Her voice was gentle.

"I was just about to attend a meeting."

"What can I do for you?"

Victor's lips curved upward.

"It's nothing important."

"I simply wanted to check whether your business trip was going well."

She smiled politely.

"Everything is proceeding smoothly."

"I'll return in a few days."

"Good."

"I won't keep you."

"Take care of yourself."

"I will."

"Goodbye."

The call ended.

The office became deathly quiet.

Adrian stood frozen.

His mind had gone blank.

His phone...

Hundreds of unanswered calls.

Hundreds.

Yet Victor had reached her with a single attempt.

She wasn't busy.

She wasn't unavailable.

She had simply chosen not to answer him.

Victor slowly placed his phone on the desk before looking at Adrian with satisfaction.

"Did you see that?"

Adrian stared blankly at the black screen.

A bitter ache spread through his chest.

Three years.

For three years, he had convinced himself Evelyn was merely cold by nature.

He believed she disliked talking.

He believed she was occupied with work.

He believed that if he waited long enough, treated her sincerely enough, one day she might accept him as her husband.

How foolish.

She had ignored every desperate call while readily answering another man's.

Victor leaned forward.

"It seems your wife values my calls more than yours."

Several administrators passing outside the open office door overheard the conversation and exchanged knowing smiles.

"So even Mrs. Sterling ignores him."

"What a pathetic husband."

"I almost feel sorry for him."

Victor spoke loudly enough for everyone outside to hear.

"Adrian."

"If your own wife doesn't trust you enough to answer your phone calls..."

"What makes you think this hospital should?"

Laughter erupted outside the office.

Every chuckle stabbed into Adrian's heart.

His face burned with humiliation.

Still...

He forced himself to speak.

"Director Kane..."

"My marriage has nothing to do with my sister."

"Please."

"She's innocent."

Victor tapped his fingers against the desk.

"You know..."

"I actually have an idea."

Hope flickered across Adrian's face.

"What is it?"

Victor's smile slowly turned malicious.

"You have two kidneys."

The smile on Adrian's face disappeared.

Victor continued casually.

"Healthy kidneys sell for quite a lot these days."

"You only need one to stay alive."

"If you sell the other..."

He shrugged.

"You might even have enough left over to buy yourself some dignity."

The office exploded with laughter.

Even the receptionist outside covered her mouth as she giggled.

Victor leaned back comfortably.

"After all..."

He looked Adrian directly in the eye.

"Your wife has never shared your bed."

"So why would a useless man like you need both kidneys?"

For a long moment, Adrian said nothing.

His fists trembled so violently that his fingernails dug into his palms, drawing blood.

He wanted to punch Victor.

To smash that smug smile from his face.

But then Lily's frail face appeared in his mind.

He slowly loosened his fists.

Without another word, Adrian turned around and walked toward the door.

Behind him, Victor's mocking laughter echoed throughout the office.

"Remember!"

"If you decide to sell a kidney..."

"Our hospital can even help you find a buyer!"

More laughter followed him into the hallway.

Adrian kept walking.

Head lowered.

Heart shattered.

As he reached the elevator, his phone rang once more.

It was Doctor Lewis.

A terrible feeling suddenly gripped his heart as he pressed the answer button.