Zaden had just found out about the connection between Roxanne and Maya and was ready to deal with her. But before he could do anything about this, an emergency meeting came up at work. He had no choice but to attend. Taking care of someone like Roxanne was nothing for him. "It's fine. I'm already at the hotel," Athena said kindly. "You can handle your business first." They hung up soon after. Athena sat quietly for a while, thinking about everything that had happened lately. The research institute didn't feel safe anymore. The equipment there was advanced, but with Maya's people watching, she could never truly relax. The place had been arranged by Zaden. He had done his best to help her, and she could see how busy he already was. She didn't want to trouble him further. Maybe she should ask Kate for help instead. After she thought this through, Athena picked up her phone and called Kate. The moment the call connected, Kate's cheerful voice came through. "Athena! How's your training going? Any progress?" Hearing Kate's warm tone made Athena's heart soften. If there was anyone in this world who genuinely cared about her, it was Kate—a woman who was like both a professor and a mother to her. "I'm doing alright," Athena replied, "just ran into a small accident." "I saw the video Maya posted," Kate said, her tone turning serious. "I studied it carefully afterward. Your hand still needs one more round of treatment to fully restore your nerves and muscle control." Athena thought Kate just wanted to chat.She hadn't expected such valuable advice. It might be the missing piece, the final step to getting her hand completely healed. Athena's heart raced as she listened carefully to every step Kate explained. She followed Kate's instructions, inserting the thin silver needles into specific points on her hand. Soon, she felt warmth spreading from the blockage spots where the needles touched. That was exactly where her hand felt stiff before, where she couldn't hold the scalpel properly. When she finally removed the needles and flexed her fingers, her eyes widened in surprise. The stiffness was gone. Her hands moved freely again. A rush of joy filled her chest. It worked! Awesome! Kate's voice came through the phone, calm and steady. "Athena, how does it feel? Is your hand more flexible than before?" Athena quickly replied, excitement breaking through her voice, "Professor, my hands feel completely normal now. I can move them smoothly. Next time I pick up a scalpel, I won't make another mistake!" After thanking Kate several times, Athena suddenly remembered Roxanne. She couldn't let Roxanne know she'd recovered. If Roxanne found out, Maya would know too. The best plan was to mislead her and practice somewhere else in secret. Athena shared her concern with Kate. Kate immediately said, "Finding a new place to practice? That's no problem. I have plenty of contacts out there. Don't worry, I'll set it up for you." "Thank you, professor!" Athena said, overjoyed as she ended the call. She looked down at her hands again, still amazed. It felt like a dream. Her hands were truly healed. With a few more days of practice, she'd be back to her old level, maybe even better. Then she thought of Roxanne, and a cold smile appeared on her lips. This time, she would expose Roxanne for what she'd done. ... That afternoon, Athena returned to the research institute. She went straight to the director's office and made a simple request. She didn't need any assistant doctors, only Roxanne. Because of Zaden's influence, the director didn't question her. He agreed right away. Satisfied, Athena went back to the operating room. Roxanne was already there, waiting. The moment she saw Athena, she spoke briskly, "Let's start the simulation." Athena nodded. "Alright." But as Roxanne glanced around, her expression quickly changed. The assistants who usually stood by were nowhere to be seen. Her face darkened. Roxanne asked angrily, "Where is everyone? Don't they know we have a session this afternoon?" She was about to storm out to find them. Athena stopped her. "I told them not to come." "You … " Roxanne's brows furrowed tightly. Then she paused, thinking Athena might still be embarrassed about the mistakes from before. She probably sent them away because she doesn't want anyone watching her fail again. Roxanne's frown slowly eased. He looked at Athena and said, "Alright then. But that means you'll have to work a bit harder on your own."Athena didn't respond. The two of them entered the operating room together. Without the other assistants, the place felt colder, quieter.