Sloane’s eyes sharpened instantly. “Quick! Put him down—carefully!” Shawn obeyed at once, lowering the blood-soaked Dr. Grayson onto the floor with trembling hands. “I—I found him nearby… in the alley,” he stammered. Sloane’s hands were already moving. She swiftly cut open the doctor’s bloodstained coat, revealing a gaping wound in his chest. Her pupils contracted. “The bullet missed his heart by barely two centimeters…” Shawn’s face went pale. “Then what do we do? Shouldn’t we get him to a hospital right now?” “There’s no time,” Sloane said grimly. “If we move him, he won’t make it. I have to operate immediately.” “But here? You don’t have the equipment for that!” Shawn was stunned. “I’ve got a surgical kit upstairs,” Sloane replied calmly, even as her voice trembled faintly from urgency. Before she could move, Lucas was already sprinting up the stairs to fetch it.Within minutes, everything was laid out—needles, instruments, antiseptic. Sloane’s expression hardened into complete focus. She inserted several acupuncture needles around the wound with lightning precision. “Stopping the bleeding first—then we remove the bullet.” Lucas handed her instruments without needing to be told. His movements were steady, but his jaw was tight. “Can he survive this?” Shawn asked in a low voice, his hands clenched. “With me here,” Sloane said without hesitation, “no one’s taking him away.” Her fingers glinted under the light as she maneuvered the forceps, deftly avoiding major arteries. With a firm motion, she extracted the deformed bullet, blood dripping onto the tray. When the final suture was tied, Grayson’s breathing steadied, his face regaining a hint of color. Sloane exhaled slowly and wiped the sweat from her forehead. “He’s stable for now. But we’ll need to monitor him closely.” Lucas gathered the bloody gauze, his tone low and serious. “Shawn, where exactly did you find him? What happened?” Shawn frowned, trying to recall. “I was coming back from the company when I heard groaning in an alley two blocks from my house. When I looked, I saw Dr. Grayson lying there in a pool of blood…” Lucas’s brows knitted. “Too close. Why would he show up near the Oliver estate of all places?” Sloane looked up from checking Grayson’s pulse. “You think he was trying to come here?” “Maybe,” Lucas said quietly. But what he didn’t voice was the thought gnawing at the back of his mind—the paternity test. Grayson was the only one who had seen those records. And something about this timing, this attack, felt far from coincidence. “Maybe he knew he was being hunted and came to us for help?” Shawn offered, though his tone was uncertain. Sloane shook her head. “We can’t assume anything. We’ll have to wait until he wakes up.” Her gaze lingered on the doctor’s pale face. For some reason, an uneasy feeling stirred in her chest. Lucas placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “You’ve done enough for now. I’ll keep watch here—you should get some rest.” “Alright,” she said softly, exhaustion finally catching up with her.As she descended the stairs, she nearly bumped into Beth coming out of the kitchen. Beth hurried up to her, concern etched on her face. “The surgery’s done? I had the maid prepare some soup for you. Drink it before you rest.” “Okay.” Sloane managed a small smile, warmth blooming in her chest. “Thank you.” Beth’s lips curved into a gentle smile. “We’re family now. No need for thanks.” Sloane slipped her arm through Beth’s and playfully leaned against her. “Then I’ll do as you say, Aunt Beth.” Beth chuckled and personally ladled out a bowl of soup, watching carefully as Sloane finished every drop. “It’s delicious,” Sloane said, setting down the spoon. “Good.” Beth’s eyes softened. “If you like it, I’ll have the maid make it for you every day. Look at you—dark circles and all. Once you finish resting, you’ll feel better.”