He was being impossible.

"You better think this through," I said, biting down my rage. "If you waste my time, Grandpa Donato's heart won't make it."

I was supposed to operate on Marco's grandfather tonight.

But if I couldn't save Chancellor Ravel in time, Donato would be stuck waiting—every minute more dangerous than the last.

"Enough!" Marco snapped. "Don't think I don't know you've been lying!

"I looked into it. That first heart procedure on Grandpa? Minor. Any doctor could've done it. You just tricked him into thinking you were special so you could marry in."

He grit his teeth. "Well, congrats. I'm not ending the engagement, but you're never touching him again."

My chest tightened.

"No—this surgery REALLY can only be done by—"

"Still acting, huh?" He sounded bored. "Sophia found a foreign heart expert. Surgery's been moved up. You're off the case."

Moved up?

And no one bothered to tell me—the lead surgeon?

If I wasn't stuck on this mission, I'd be sprinting back to the hospital to shut it down myself.

But I couldn't.

I was out of moves.

"If something goes wrong, are YOU taking the blame?" I snapped.

People waited months for a shot at my OR. Donato? He only got through because of Marco. Normally, he wouldn't even make the list.

If they didn't want my help, I wasn't going to beg.

Silence.

He hadn't expected me to fold that fast.

"Nothing's going wrong," he said quickly. "I'm fully responsible."

Click.

He hung up.

With Marco throwing me under the bus, the maid—who'd clearly been living for the drama—snorted. "Regretting it now, huh?"

She rolled her eyes. "Ms. Caro's not just some intern. She moved in like, a month after joining. Mr. Varonetti spoils her nonstop. Told all of us to treat her like the LADY OF THE HOUSE. No one dares cross her. Who do YOU think you are?"

Lady of the house?

I really thought I misheard. They had a "lady" before I was even married to him?

"You people really don't know Marco Varonetti has a fiancée?" I asked.

The maid sneered. "Please. He said once that idiot woman comes in, she can walk right back out. The ONLY woman he recognizes is Ms. Caro."

Sophia exhaled dramatically, flashing a smug grin—and the diamond ring on her finger.

I laughed. Dry. Bitter.

The Varonettis?

Absolutely unreal.

If I'd known Marco was this disgusting, I'd have never said yes.

I checked the time—thirty minutes till takeoff.

Miss this flight, and the whole mission's screwed.

"Last warning," I said coolly. "Delay me, and you won't be able to handle the fallout. Hand over the car now, and maybe I'll still vouch for you."

Sophia's eyes flickered.

Then she laughed. "You're just a driver. Your ENTIRE salary couldn't buy a single pair of my shoes! Even if I beat you to death, I could cover the cost without blinking."

No time to waste.

She wasn't moving, so I ditched the car and called a taxi. I had thirty minutes to make that flight.

I was steps from the door when something slammed into my stomach. Hard.

My phone flew. I hit the floor like dead weight.

Pain ripped through me—felt like my insides were tearing apart. Blood filled my mouth. I choked and spit it out.

Sophia strolled over, smug as ever, and dug her stiletto into my cheek.

"Trying to leave without apologizing?"

Pain seared through me. I couldn't move.

Sophia aimed her stiletto heel at my eye. One press and it'd pop like a grape.

Marco's guards loomed nearby, gripping bats like they couldn't wait for a reason.

I didn't stand a chance.

"S-Sorry, Ms. Caro..." I gasped, desperate. "Please... I have a patient waiting. I'm begging you. Let me go."

For a second, she actually looked surprised.

Then she yanked my hair and slammed my head into the floor.

"Lying to me when you're about to die?!" she shrieked. "You think playing doctor's some kind of game? You're not even a real driver—and even if you WERE a doctor, I could still kill you just like that!"

I tried to cover my head.

She stomped on my fingers.

I screamed, shaking, whispering, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

As a surgeon, my hands were everything. One wrong break, and I'd never hold a scalpel again.

"Scared now?" Sophia sneered. "Too late."

She pointed at my car. "Didn't you wanna drive? Let's make it fun."

With a flick of her hand, the guards rushed me. Tied me up. Dragged me to the back of the car.

I started trembling. I knew exactly what she was about to do.

"I'll die!" Panic closed in fast. "You can't—"

Smack.

She slapped me hard. Then tossed a fat stack of bills in my face.

"Twenty grand—for your life." The guards laughed. "Ms. Caro once ran someone over in this car without a license. Paid only ten grand. You should feel honored."

The engine roared.

Next thing I knew, I was being dragged across scorching pavement.

Sophia hit the gas and swerved hard, laughing as my body slammed into thorny rose bushes.

Skin shredded. Blood mixed with dirt and gravel.

I was wearing a light outfit—nothing to protect me. At this rate, I wouldn't make it.

Then the car stopped.

Sophia stepped out, moving like she was on stage. "Tsk tsk. I thought you'd at least scream. I've done this to five people. You're the dullest."

I couldn't reply.

One of the guards had already taped my mouth shut.

Satisfied, she climbed back in.

This time, she veered onto a sand road.

Grains sliced into my wounds, grinding deeper with every bump.

My elbows and ankles were shredded—bone nearly showing.

Pain blurred everything.

I wanted my heart to stop. Just give out. End it.

Right as I was about to black out—Sophia slammed the brakes.

"Marco!" Sophia squealed, running toward the car.

I barely lifted my eyelids. I needed answers.

But it wasn't Marco. It was Adrian—his secretary.

Sophia's smile dropped. She pouted. "Ugh, YOU? I'm in a mood today. Didn't even get my nails done. He sends you to brush me off? No way. I want HIM here."

"Mr. Varonetti's with his grandfather for the surgery," Adrian said.

She crossed her arms. "So? I hired some foreign expert—it'll be fine! And he still won't come comfort me?"

Adrian frowned. Then his eyes met mine—and he froze.

He rushed over, dropping to his knees beside me, eyes locked on the blood and torn skin.

"Mr. Varonetti said to take her to the hospital right away."

He reached for the ropes.

Barely hanging on, all I felt was bitter irony.

He must've realized the surgery went south—and now he wanted me back.

That operation was high-risk. No one but me could've pulled it off.

"Her?"

Sophia stared at me like she'd seen a ghost, jealousy warping her face.

"So THAT'S why you snuck into Marco's house!" she shrieked. "Pretending to be a driver just to mess with me? Admit it! You've been seducing him, you tramp!"

She smacked Adrian's hand away.

"You think you can replace ME?" she spat. "I've seen your type a thousand times. Marco's just toying with you. And when he's done, he hands you to ME. I get rid of girls like you. Even if I kill you, he'll thank me for it!"

Completely unhinged, Sophia bolted back into the car.

The engine roared to life.

She floored it.

Adrian was left in the dust as the SUV tore forward.

My back split open—skin and fabric shredded together.

My wrists? Ground down to bone.

"AAAHHHHH!"

Sophia shrieked.

Bang! The SUV slammed to a stop.

Adrian had rammed her car with his own.

"Enough!" he yelled, chest heaving. "Mr. Varonetti said bring her back!"

"He doesn't love me anymore?" Sophia sobbed. "He'd rather be fooled by some cheap whore than comfort ME..."

While she melted down, I made my move.

With the last ounce of strength, I ripped through the frayed ropes and crawled toward Adrian.

My bloodied fingers gripped his phone.

My hands—raw, torn, useless. I'd never hold a scalpel again.

The mission was over. I couldn't save Chancellor Ravel.

Bleeding out, I took one last breath.

Through the pain, I forced my ruined fingers to type:

[I failed you. I failed the Council's trust. I can never repay this.]