Virginia stood off to the side, her face pale from the earlier scene. Dr. Daves had called her out in front of everyone, and now she wasn't sure how to handle Lance. But when Leon mentioned "Angel", it made her freeze. At first, she was confused. Then, she listened more carefully and realized he had used her nickname. Her back straightened, her nerves shifting. The doctor had been rude to her earlier, but now his tone seemed to change. Was it because he'd seen Lance scold her? Did that make him feel sorry for her? Virginia couldn't be sure what was going on in Dr. Daves' mind, but hearing him speak like that made her feel somewhat relieved. She shot him a quick, grateful glance. Leon shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. Her eyes were warm, but there was something about it that made him uneasy. What's with that look? Oh man, I think I'm going to hurl. He moved closer to Addison, trying to escape the weight of her stare. Lance noticed Dr. Daves's reaction and looked at Virginia, who stood quietly behind him. Her posture had softened, almost as though she were retreating into herself. Lance felt conflicted. He turned back to Dr. Daves. "Dr. Daves, I think there's been some sort of misunderstanding." "Misunderstanding?" "You were sent by Angel's uncle, right?" Lance hesitated for a moment. He felt it was necessary to defend Virginia. No one wanted to be wrongly accused after they'd put in so much effort. "Angel's uncle?" Leon's eyes widened. "I— I'm Angel's uncle," he started to say, but Addison interrupted.Addison stepped in quickly. "It doesn't matter who Dr. Daves came for." She eyed Lance sharply. "Aren't you going to check on Steven? Why are you still here, holding up Dr. Daves for no reason?" Lance stood firm. "I trust Dr. Daves's expertise." "If he's already left the ICU, then Grandpa must be fine," he added, a hint of finality in his voice. Addison raised an eyebrow. It was clear Lance wasn't planning to leave anytime soon. If he wasn't going to leave, then she would. "Well, now that Steven's better, we'll head out," Addison said, pulling Leon toward the door. She had come to Johnston Enterprise's private hospital to find her uncle. Now that the task was done, she wanted to leave without wasting any more time. Leon followed reluctantly, but as they walked, he glanced back at Lance. "Angel? How can he talk to you like that? The guy's got an awful attitude." He muttered to himself, "He's got a thicker skin than a brick wall ... " Then, with a flash of indignation, he added, "If you ask me, Lance isn't good enough for you." Addison sighed, but spoke in a calm tone to reassure him. "I know, I know. I know Lance isn't good enough for me." Virginia watched them, fuming. Addison was taking Dr. Daves away, a chance Virginia hadn't even had a shot at yet. She couldn't just let this slip by. Quickly, she stepped forward. "Lance, weren't you planning to thank Dr. Daves properly? Why are you letting Addison take him?" She added, her voice sharp, "Addison's probably trying to get close to Dr. Daves for her own benefit. She's clueless and represents the Johnstons. If she messes up in front of him, it could be a disaster." Virginia was certain Lance would understand the gravity of the situation. But before she could finish, she saw Lance was already gone.Looking up, she saw him stride right up to Addison. Without missing a beat, he stopped in front of her and said coldly, "You can't leave." Addison froze, confused. "Why can't I leave?" Had the Johnstons really reached a point where they could control others' freedom? Realizing his words had come out wrong, Lance quickly corrected himself. "You can leave, but not with Dr. Daves." "Dr. Daves has a distinguished status. He's not someone you can just take with you." Leon had already been irritated with Lance, and now, hearing this, he couldn't hold his frustration in any longer. "Lance, how can you talk to Angel like that?" "Are you saying Angel's not important enough?" Lance met Leon's furious stare. For a split second, he felt a reflex to apologize. "Of course not," he began, but then something clicked. He paused, replaying Dr. Daves's words in his head. It took a moment, but then Lance finally understood the mistake he had made. Lance looked up, his face a picture of disbelief. "Are you saying this 'Angel' is the person standing next to you?" Leon shot him a look, as if Lance had lost his mind. "Of course. There's only one Angel, and she's the one I'm talking about" "Angel performed surgery on Steven yesterday. She was wiped out, and you didn't even bother to thank her? And then you talk to her like that? I don't know what she sees in you." "There are plenty of good men out there. I just don't get why she's clinging to you." Lance stood still, his dark brows knitted in confusion. Addison's nickname was also Angel? That couldn't be right. And the Dr. Daves treating Steven wasn't the one Virginia had brought—he was the one Addison had arranged? Lance's thoughts raced. "You ... ?" He turned to Addison, unsure of how to even begin to express what was swirling in his mind. Addison met his gaze, her confusion evident. They stood there, locked in an unspoken understanding. For a brief moment, Lance's mind flashed back to a memory from his childhood—the girl with eyes that had once made his heart race. He remembered lying on the wet grass, staring up at her as she gazed down at him. Her eyes were clear, like crystal—pure and transparent. Just like an angel. Now, standing in front of Addison, he saw that same clarity in her eyes. He had woken up only remembering her clear, autumn-colored eyes and the small charm she wore around her neck. He hadn't seen much of it, but it was the only clue he had. The rest was from the voices calling 'Angel' as they passed through the trees. But now Addison's nickname was also Angel. Lance couldn't shake the doubt creeping in. Could the girl from back then have been someone else but Virginia? "Spit it out," Addison said, breaking the silence. When Lance didn't respond, she pressed him further. Leon, seeing the confusion on Lance's face, sighed heavily. He gave him a look that could only be described as pitying. "Angel, let's go," he said, his tone flat. It was obvious to him that Lance would never get it. No matter how much Angel did for the Johnstons, Lance just wouldn't see it. He pulled Addison toward the door. Lance, starting to follow them, froze when Addison's voice rang out. "Stop following Dr. Daves. He doesn't need the Johnstons' thanks.""You'd be better off focusing on getting your perfect little lover to stop lying." Her voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. Lance stopped dead in his tracks, staring after her, lost in thought. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice dry and full of delayed regret. "Thank you." The words came out slow, as if the weight of them was only now sinking in.