Addison was dragged down the long corridor by two bodyguards until they stopped in front of the operating room doors. She didn't struggle along the way—not because she couldn't, but because she was too caught up in her thoughts, trying to figure out what the bodyguards' cryptic words meant. As they reached the end of the corridor, a scene appeared: doctors clustered around a hospital bed, the urgent beeping of medical devices filling the air. Two steps closer, and she saw Steven trembling violently. What's going on? Didn't Steven already make it through the danger zone? Why is this happening now? Addison had full confidence in her surgical skills. She was sure that she had stabilized Steven during the operation, and all his vital signs had returned to normal by the time she left the room. There was no way this could have happened! Seeing this scene unfold before her, a chill ran down her spine, and for the first time, panic set in. She began to struggle against the bodyguards holding her. "Let me go! I need to check on Mr. Steven!" She had only stepped out momentarily to change her scrubs—how did everything fall apart so fast? What exactly happened in the meantime? The guards tightened their grip, refusing to let go. Addison lifted her gaze and saw Lance standing nearby. His expression was colder than ice, his entire demeanor like a vengeful god from the underworld as if he was ready to strike her down at any second. That look, something wasn't right. "Lance, what are you doing? What happened to Mr. Steven? Did you do something to him?" She bombarded him with questions, unable to keep the panic from her voice. The man's reply was like a plunge into an icy abyss. Lance sneered, his eyes filled with disdain. "Shouldn't I be asking you that? "You hate the Johnstons so much that you'd harm an innocent man?" His words came sharp and unrelenting, each one cutting her to the core."Addison, do you even have a heart?" One accusation after another hit her like a relentless storm, leaving her heart cold and numb. "What ... what are you talking about?" She could hardly believe the words coming from him. The severity of Steven's heart condition made the surgery extremely difficult, and she had known that going in. On top of that, the Johnstons's private doctor had previously mismanaged his treatment, which only worsened the situation. It had been a massive challenge for her to save him. She had worked tirelessly, and every second of the operation was tense, knowing there was no room for error. After hours of high-stakes surgery, she had finally managed to pull him back from the brink of death—and now she was being met with this kind of accusation? What a cruel joke. "Lance, you really think I'd do something to harm Mr. Steven? You don't trust me at all, do you?" Lance didn't respond. His jaw was set in a rigid line, his silence as cold and unforgiving as his gaze. It was as good as confirmation. He believed she was guilty. Seeing the expression on his face, Addison felt a bitter smirk tug at her lips. Without warning, she wrenched her arms free from the bodyguards' grasp. "Let go of me!" Addison suddenly gathered all her strength, and before the bodyguards could react, she broke free from their grip. "You!" One of the bodyguards glared at her, but when he saw Lance's cold expression, he quickly lowered his head and tried to grab Addison's wrist again. In front of Lance, two strong men couldn't even hold onto one woman—this was a disaster. They started to fear that they might end up like those doctors and get kicked out. With that thought in mind, both bodyguards shuddered, and their hands became even firmer. At this moment, they didn't care whether the person they held was beautiful. However, they heard Lance's voice before their hands could reach her. "Let her go." The voice was as cold as ever. "Huh?" The guards froze in confusion. "Mr. Johnston, you want us to release her?""Yes," Lance gave a slight nod. The bodyguards reluctantly obeyed, stepping back and making themselves inconspicuous. They had been around Lance long enough to know that staying out of his way when he was angry was a matter of survival. Standing nearby, Virginia noticed something off. Why did Lance suddenly order the guards to let Addison go? Could he really be letting her off that easily? No, she couldn't let this happen! Virginia's eyes turned cold, and she quickly spoke up, her tone laced with false concern. "Addison, why would you do this to Mr. Steven? Did he ever treat you badly?" Her voice was soft and puzzled as if she truly couldn't understand. Then, as if a sudden realization struck her, she gasped. "Wait, are you still holding a grudge over the incident at the Johnstons banquet? "But even if you were humiliated and thrown out of the banquet, you shouldn't take it out on Mr. Steven. This is a matter of life and death!" Her words fueled the fire, stoking Lance's simmering rage. She wanted Addison to be utterly condemned in his heart. Lance's face darkened even further, and Virginia's heart swelled with satisfaction. This was exactly what she wanted—to make sure Addison never regained Lance's trust. Addison lifted her eyes to meet Virginia's gaze. At that moment, something clicked. She stared at Virginia coldly and declared, "You did this." For some reason, Addison just glanced at Virginia, and a voice inside her told her that Virginia was behind this. Addison's words were not a question but a statement of certainty. Virginia's heart skipped a beat. "You!" How did Addison know? How could she be so sure? But the panic lasted only a second before Virginia quickly composed herself. There was no way Addison could know. She was just making wild accusations. "I didn't do anything," Virginia replied firmly. "From the moment you left the operating room, I haven't even gone near Mr. Steven. How could it possibly be me?" Addison sneered.She understood everything now. So this was Virginia's plan all along. No wonder she hadn't rushed forward to show concern for Steven earlier. Instead, she had stuck close to Addison, ready to mock her at every turn. She was creating an alibi for herself. Seeing Addison fall silent, Virginia's smug expression returned. Once the drug's effects fully set in, Steven would be reduced to a vegetative state. He would no longer be able to oppose her marriage to Lance. It was perfect—killing two birds with one stone. It ensured that Addison couldn't make a comeback in Lance's heart and cleared the biggest obstacle on her path to marrying into the Johnstons. It seemed that Steven's life still had some value. Seeing Virginia's expression, Addison's suspicions were confirmed. Without bothering to speak to Virginia any further, she immediately stepped forward, heading toward Steven's room. She needed to see what Virginia had done to Steven. She had to see just how ruthless this sweet-looking woman was in her pursuit of marrying into the Johnston. "Addison, you still dare to go?" Just as Addison took a step, Lance's warning voice came from behind her. His eyes, dark as night, burned with fury. Every word he spoke dripped with coldness. "Are you going to check on your handiwork? "Get her out of here. Throw her out." His words cut like a knife, merciless and final.