Lance stood by the window, his gaze sharp as he observed the activity inside the room. Isaac struggled to keep pace, arriving late and out of breath after a hurried climb up the stairs. The noise he made seemed to break the quiet, or perhaps it was the oppressive silence that made it seem louder. Virginia shot him a brief, irritated glance. Isaac, sensing her disapproval, quickly stepped aside and did his best to fade into the background. Virginia turned her attention back to Lance, though her mind was still puzzled by his sudden withdrawal. Why had he pulled back before touching her face? She tried to shake off the question, regaining her composure as she walked toward him. "Lance, you—" Before she could finish, Lance cut her off, his voice steady. "What's the doctor's name?" He had to express her gratitude to the Daves, it was only right. Virginia hesitated, discomfort flickering in her eyes. She only knew the doctor was a Daves, and that was hardly enough to answer his question. "The name doesn't matter, Lance. Just call him Mr. Daves," she said, trying to deflect the issue. Lance wasn't convinced. "He must have a name. He's done us a great favor. We ought to thank him properly." Virginia's discomfort grew. "There's no need for that. My uncle said the Johnstons' problem is the Daves' problem." She spoke with certainty, "When I marry you, Lance, the Daves and the Johnstons will be family. That makes everything we do just part of the deal." Her words were calculated, and she waited for his response. Lance fixed his gaze on her, his expression unreadable. Virginia faltered, unsure of his thoughts. "Lance? What is it?" She asked, a hint of nervousness creeping into her voice. She looked as innocent as she could, not understanding why her words seemed to unsettle him. "Is something wrong with what I said?" she asked. Lance stared at her for a long time, his lips thin and tight. He looked away, as if weighing his next words.After a moment of silence, he spoke again, his voice more measured. "Your uncle may have said there's no need to thank him, but that's just him being courteous. We should do what's right, don't you agree?" Virginia quickly responded, "Ah ... right." She could tell that Lance was determined to learn the doctor's name, and she realized there was no avoiding it. She wished she had asked earlier. "So, what's the name of the doctor inside?" When Virginia didn't immediately answer, Lance assumed he had been too harsh with his earlier words. He lowered his gaze and stood in silence, reflecting for a moment. Lance had become aware that his tone with Virginia had been too sharp. After all, she had brought the Daves person, and considering everything she had done for her grandfather, it was only fair that he adjust himself. He softened his voice. "Once Grandpa wakes up, he'll want to know the name of the person who saved him. Knowing that will give him something to hold on to." Virginia, taken aback by the sincerity in his voice, had no immediate reply. The more seriously he spoke, the harder it became for her to find the right words. Silas, standing nearby, noticed Virginia's discomfort. Without hesitation, he stepped forward to alleviate the situation. "Mr. Johnston." Lance's attention snapped to the new voice. He frowned, sizing the man up. "And you are?" "I'm a doctor working in this very hospital," Silas replied, his posture straight and composed. "Anything you want?" Lance asked, his face giving nothing away. It was clear he didn't recognize the man. Lance's growing impatience was evident. Silas, picking up on the subtle irritation, bowed his head slightly, speaking in a calm and steady tone."You may not know, but the Daves are a reclusive family, known for keeping to themselves here in Kreshill. They prefer not to reveal their names ... " Silas stopped, leaving the thought hanging in the air. Virginia immediately understood what he was trying to say. She stepped in to finish the thought. "Yes, Lance, the Daves have their customs. They don't share their names unless absolutely necessary." "If I tell you his name, Lance, it might upset him once he's out." "Steven wouldn't want his savior to be upset ... " Virginia's voice was genuine as she met his eyes. Lance was silent, absorbing her words. His expression shifted, though it was hard to tell whether he was convinced or simply being polite. Noticing Lance's pause, Virginia glanced subtly at Silas, signaling for him to step away. While Silas had helped her dodge an uncomfortable situation, Virginia wasn't thrilled by his sudden involvement. She didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea about her relationship with him. Just then, the flashing red light in the ICU blinked off, followed by the sound of activity from inside the room. "Is the treatment over?" Virginia quickly asked, her voice full of urgency as she moved toward the door. Lance was right behind her. As Leon opened the door, he was startled to see Virginia standing there. He jumped back, stumbling slightly. "Watch your step," Lance said firmly, his voice filled with caution. Leon looked up and immediately spotted a tall man in a sharp suit, standing behind the woman from earlier. His icy features and stern expression made it clear who he was. Lance. The look on Leon's face shifted quickly from neutral to disgust. Even with his mask on, it was clear what he was thinking.Three years had passed, yet Lance still had that same, irritating expression. "Dr. Daves, you've done so much. Please, take a seat and rest," Virginia said brightly, unaware of the change in Leon's demeanor. She signaled for a bodyguard to bring over a soft chair. "The chairs by the door aren't comfortable. Your back might bother you, so take this one. It's ergonomic." Leon raised an eyebrow. How did she know about his back? He shook his head and calmly replied, "No, thanks." He continued to remove his gloves and mask slowly, with care. "Dr. Daves, how's my grandfather? Is he awake yet?" The urgency in Lance's voice was clear. Leon paused mid-action, his eyes meeting Lance's hopeful gaze. Lance's expression was filled with sincerity, his eyes full of longing. The tall man, nearly six feet, leaned slightly forward, his sincerity almost overwhelming. Who could ignore such a look, especially when it came from someone like Lance, usually so aloof? But Leon didn't seem to hear. He didn't even glance at Lance, continuing to remove his gloves at his own pace, unhurried. Lance stood there, watching, his frustration starting to show. He took a deep breath, trying to convince himself that perhaps Dr. Daves just had an unusual way of doing things. After a long pause, Leon finally finished with his gloves. Seeing that Leon was done, Lance asked again, his patience wearing thin. "Dr. Daves, how is my grandfather?" Still, no response. Leon placed the wooden box back into his pocket and turned to walk away. What was going on? The first time, it could have been a simple mistake. But now, the question was clear. Could he really have not heard him? Was Dr. Daves ignoring him on purpose? Did he have a problem with him?After being ignored twice, Lance felt his frustration grow.