After Jaylee spoke, she looked hesitant, as if she wanted to say something but didn't. Seeing that, Athena asked, "What's wrong?" "Um ... " "What is it? Is there a problem?" Athena began to worry. Could something be wrong with the patient? She had just managed to send one patient off. If another troublesome case came her way, she would have a headache. As a new doctor in a private hospital like Storm Hospital, she rarely had patients come specifically to see her. So, this new case actually caught her off guard. Jaylee didn't plan to hide anything. With a helpless tone, she said, "This patient seems to be from the Rices. She might even be related to Maya. Dr. Hall, you should be careful." Athena was speechless. What a small world—of all people, I had to run into them. Her connection with the Rices would probably never be fully untangled. After all, their blood ran in her veins. Athena quickly pushed down the unease in her heart and put on a faint smile. "It's fine. I'll have to face it sooner or later. A patient is a patient, and I'll treat everyone equally." Of course, Athena wasn't the type to sit there and be a pushover. Within professional limits, she would still fulfill her duty as a doctor. As for anything beyond that, it was no longer something she could control. She briefly went through the patient's file.Ariana Rice, female ... The name rang a bell. This must be Maya's grandmother. She hadn't expected the woman to end up here, and even less that she'd become her patient. Reading further, Athena saw that the patient had suffered multiple injuries from a fall. Her current condition was unclear, but she couldn't stand up. Given her age, her recovery and medication would need to be handled with extra care. Some elderly people couldn't survive a bad fall. Athena took a deep breath, steadied her mood, and left her office. She intended to examine the patient first. Inside the ward, an elderly woman with white hair was leaning against the bed. Though her hair was completely white, her skin still held some elasticity, and her facial features hinted at the striking beauty she once possessed. The once-beautiful woman had passed her prime. However, her expression looked far from pleasant. Beside her stood a man and a woman, both speaking to her with overly flattering smiles. Whatever they said seemed to make Ariana's expression even uglier. Athena hesitated for a moment, then finally stepped forward and knocked on the door. With a calm and professional tone, she said, "Hello, I'm Athena Hall, the attending doctor assigned to your case." Ariana glanced at Athena with a cold, assessing look before saying sharply, "Can a little girl like you handle my case? So young yet you're a chief surgeon? You must've gotten in through connections." The room instantly fell silent. The two people beside Ariana hurried to speak up. "Mrs. Ariana, Dr. Hall is one of Vlephia's rising stars these days. She's very capable!" To others, those words might have sounded like they were defending her, but Athena could hear the mockery underneath. Her expression remained composed. When they finished, she said, "Mrs. Ariana, your granddaughter Maya also became a professor at a young age. Not everyone young is incapable." At that, Ariana's lips pressed tightly together, her face darkening with displeasure. She had always been fiercely protective of her family. Ariana already knew everything about Maya's failure due to Athena and the media's rumors. After her fall, she had originally planned to go to the Rices' hospital. But then she thought it was the perfect chance to avenge her granddaughter. She wanted to put this insolent girl in her place and let her see that the Rices were not to be trifled with. So, she instructed the others in the family to send her here and demanded that Athena be her doctor. She couldn't believe how someone could raise such an arrogant child. Ariana studied Athena, who stood there in her white coat. She was wearing a mask, hiding most of her face. But through her exposed eyes, one could tell how delicate and beautiful her features were. There was something oddly familiar about those eyes, as though she had seen them before. Ariana scoffed at herself for overthinking. Athena might look gentle, but she wasn't someone nice. Just looking at her was enough to irritate Ariana. She gave a cold snort. "Don't try to be clever with me. If anything goes wrong with my treatment, I won't let you off easily!"Athena stood there calmly with her hands folded, her composure making Ariana's anger look almost childish by comparison.