Chapter 5
73%
Tobias’s expression was as cold as stone, his lips pressed into a thin line. He didn’t waste any words, just gave Spencer a hard look and said, “Do what she says.”
Spencer felt like he was being pinned down by Tobias’s eyes. It was like the air had been sucked out of the room.
But then he remembered–he was the head of the Emergency Department. He straightened up and started to bark out, “Who do you think you are, giving me orders? You-”
He didn’t get a chance to finish. Yaxley, who had been standing behind Tobias like a shadow, moved faster than lightning. Before Spencer could react, Yaxley grabbed him by the hair and slammed his head down onto the table with a sickening thud.
Spencer let out a sharp cry of pain.
Yaxley stared at him coldly, his voice flat and unimpressed. “You should feel lucky that my boss’s even giving you orders. Now do what he says.”
Spencer’s heart was pounding in his chest. He didn’t dare argue anymore. His hands were trembling as he pulled out his phone and called the front desk. “Open up the OR and get ready to assist Mandy. The woman drank antifreeze–we need to move fast.”
Mandy was already on the move. She sprinted out of the room, her voice trailing behind her. “Lindsay, get the patient into the OR. Mia, get the meds from the pharmacy. Jill, call the gastro and respiratory teams. Mark, with me–we’re prepping for surgery.”
Tobias watched her go, his face still unreadable. But there was a flicker of something in his eyes–almost like approval.
The surgery was starting, and he had no reason to stay. He wheeled himself out, Yaxley right behind him. As they left, they saw Mandy, in her scrubs, rushing into the operating room.
“Tobias, maybe this Dr. Jones isn’t as bad as Barry made her out to be,” Yaxley said, glancing at Tobias.
But Tobias didn’t respond. He was already thinking about what came next.
As soon as they stepped out of the ER, the next wave of tests began. Even with no lines to wait in, the process dragged on for hours, consuming the entire afternoon.
The results came back clean, but the reality was still the same: standing up felt like a distant dream. Tobias had grown used to this kind of disappointment.
He had barely made it out of the doctor’s office when his phone rang. It was Richard.
Tobias figured he was calling to check on the test results. But as soon as he answered, Richard’s voice exploded with excitement: “Tobias, your leg can be cured! You can stand up again!”
Tobias could feel Richard’s exhilaration pouring through the phone. It had been three years of hope and heartbreak, each new lead fading into disappointment. This just happened once again yesterday.
“Who is it this time?” Tobias asked, his tone flat. He’d heard promises before, only to have them shattered.
“It’s the doctor yesterday,” Richard replied, his voice trembling with excitement.
Tobias was confused. “You mean that young girl?”
Richard smiled, “Yes, Beau’s student. He just called and told me she’s something special. She’s young, but she’s mastered everything he knows. In fact, he thinks she might even surpass him one day.
1/4
13:23 Sat, 8 Mar
Chapter 5
73%
“But that’s not the point. The point is, she thinks your nerves aren’t dead. They’re just blocked. If we can clear that blockage with acupuncture, you might be able to walk again.”
Richard’s words were a jumbled mess, but one phrase cut through the noise: “nerves aren’t dead.” Tobias’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly regained his composure, realizing he needed to hear this directly from Mandy.
Then it hit him. Mandy had been cut off yesterday before she could finish what she was saying. Could it be that she was about to reveal something about my nerves not being completely damaged?‘ he thought.
At the time, he’d assumed the worst. And then that damn detective had called, always on the hunt for “the widow,” and he’d rushed her out. Now, looking back, he realized how hasty he’d been.
Tobias hurried back to the Emergency Department. Mandy was still in surgery, and the husband of the patient was pacing outside, his eyes darting through the gaps in the operating room doors, desperate for any sign of his wife.
“Tobias,” Yaxley started, “The surgery could take a long time. Maybe I should stay here while you take a break?” But just as he spoke, the operating room doors swung open.
The man lunged forward, his face etched with worry. “Doctor, how’s my wife? Is she going to be okay?” he pleaded.
Mandy emerged, pulling off her mask with a relieved smile. “The surgery went well. She’s going to be fine,” she said softly, her voice filled with reassurance.
The man’s face lit up with joy, and tears streamed down his cheeks. He sobbed with gratitude, “Doctor, if it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t have made it. Thank you, thank you so much…”
“Please, don’t do this. I just did wha
a doctor does,” Mandy insisted, trying to stop the man from crying.
In the midst of the emotional scene, Mandy’s gaze shifted to Tobias, who was standing quietly nearby. Their eyes met, and in that brief moment, she felt a deeper sense of respect and warmth toward him, something she hadn’t quite felt the day
before.
“You should thank him, not me,” Mandy said gently, pointing to Tobias. “If it weren’t for him, your wife might not have made
it.”
The man’s tear–streaked face turned toward Tobias, and he cried again, “Thank you for saving my wife. Thank you…
Tobias’s voice was deep and steady, filled with a quiet sense of justice. “There’s no need to thank me. It was my duty,” he said simply.
Mandy was taken aback, her curiosity piqued. She wondered what Tobias meant. As she pondered this, the man finally left, his gratitude evident in every step.
Once the man was gone, Mandy turned to Tobias and bowed formally. “Mr. Lancaster, thank you for stepping in,” she said sincerely.
Tobias shook his head. “Dr. Jones, there’s no need for this. It was my duty,” he repeated.
The word “duty” kept echoing in Mandy’s mind. She guessed maybe he was a police officer. She couldn’t help but ask, “Your duty?”
Tobias smiled. “Citizen’s duty,” he clarified.
Mandy couldn’t hold back a laugh.
Tobias blinked. “Why?”
“I was starting to think you were a cop, the way you kept emphasizing it was your duty,” she admitted.
2/4
13:23 Sat, 8 Mar
Chapter 5
Tobias raised an eyebrow. “Sorry to disappoint you,” he said with a hint of amusement.
“No disappointment here,” Mandy replied with a smile. “But seriously, you weren’t waiting here just for me, were you?”
“I just got off the phone with my dad after my check–up…” He paused, looking serious. “Look, about yesterday, Barry and i were way out of line. I’m really sorry.”
Mandy blinked, taken aback. She’d expected him to be defensive, not apologetic. She softened her tone. “I was pretty upset yesterday, but I get it. Your friend was just worried.”
Tobias nodded, and the atmosphere seemed to shift with his next words. “Alright, let’s get down to it. How do we figure out if my nerves are fried?”
Mandy didn’t mince words. “Acupuncture,” she said, her voice matter–of–fact,
“Can we do it now?” Tobias pressed, his urgency clear.
Mandy shook her head. “Time doesn’t matter. It’s just that I’ve been in surgery all day. I’m running on fumes. If we do it now, it won’t be accurate. How about tomorrow morning?”
Tobias looked like he wanted to argue, but he relented. “Fine. I’ll have someone pick you up at nine.”
“Deal,” Mandy said, her voice steady.
As Tobias turned to leave, he hesitated, his eyes flickering over the dried cut on her face. “Take care of that,” he said quietly.
Mandy’s hand instinctively went to her cheek. She’d forgotten about the scratch Spencer had given her. Tobias might seem cold, but he was paying attention. She nodded. “Thanks.”
Just as he walked away, Lindsay rushed over, phone in hand. “Mandy, you’ve got to see this.”
Mandy glanced at the screen and felt her heart drop. There, trending on social media, was a headline that made her blood run cold: [Doctor Spencer Lewis at Westbay Hospital Accused of Unethical Practices for Profit.”
Mandy’s mind raced. ‘I knew Spencer was just a coward, but this… this is beyond anything I could have imagined. All this just for money? His career is over, and he’d be lucky to avoid prison. It must be Nelson behind all this.
‘But how has he done it so fast? The speed and precision with which Nelson has exposed Spencer’s crimes are almost supernatural. Who exactly is he, and what other secrets is he hiding?‘
Mandy was lost in her thoughts about Tobias when she suddenly remembered Richard’s friend was supposed to come to her studio for a fitting at eight. It was already 7:30, and she knew she wouldn’t make it.
She quickly called her friend Fiona Zoe. “Hey, Fiona, my father–in–law’s friend is supposed to be there at eight for a fitting. If I’m not there, can you cover for me?”
Fiona was a bit confused. “Your father–in–law’s friend? You mean your late husband’s dad’s friend?”
“Yeah,” Mandy said, but before she could explain further, Fiona’s voice rose in alarm.
“Simon? Simon Reed? Get over here! Something’s up with Mandy,” Fiona shouted.
Mandy, Fiona, and Simon had been like family since they were kids, growing up together in Zitigulf, Taventhorn.
Even though they went to different colleges, they still lived in Westbay and spent most of their time together. They knew each other’s secrets, and that’s why Fiona’s reaction was so intense.
Mandy could hear Fiona filling Simon in, and she felt a pang of gratitude.
3/4
73%
Chapter 5
Simon’s voice came through the phone, concerned. “Mandy, what’s going on? Why is your father–in–law’s friend coming
over?”
Mandy explained the situation in a few quick sentences. Fiona and Simon both let out a sigh of relief.
Fiona laughed nervously, “You really gave me a heart attack there! I thought you were exposed. But if it’s just a fitting, no worries. I’ll make sure your client gets the royal treatment.”
“Thanks, Fiona. You’re a lifesaver,” Mandy said, feeling a wave of relief.
Back in college, Mandy, Fiona, and Simon had bonded over their love for vintage fashion. It was Simon’s idea to open a vintage fashion studio, and it had taken off in recent years.
They’d moved from an online shop to a physical store and even started taking custom orders. Mandy, using the name Penny, was the designer, but she rarely had time to visit because of her demanding day job.
Mandy threw on her clothes and rushed out the door, hopping onto her trusty bike. She revved it up and sped off to the studio, heart pounding. She was in a hurry, but it seemed like someone had already gotten there before her.
Tobias stood across the street, his eyes sharp and calculating, watching the quaint little studio named “Raven Lane.” Through the big windows, he could see a middle–aged woman being fitted for a dress by Simon. She looked like a client, probably in her fifties.
Nearby, a little girl in a pink dress was playing with dominoes on the ground. She couldn’t have been more than three, with her hair in a cute ponytail. She was adorable, like a tiny doll, and even Tobias, who usually kept to himself, couldn’t help but smile at her.
“Hey, Tobias, looks like Ms. Jones isn’t here yet. Should I go check inside?” Yaxley asked, glancing at Tobias.
Before Tobias could answer, Mandy pulled up to the studio. She caught Tobias’s eye the moment she arrived. He couldn’t see her face under the helmet, but there was something about her that made him pause.
As Tobias was wondering if this could be Penny, the woman he’d been waiting for, Simon escorted the client out of the studio.
The client spotted Mandy on the bike and beamed. “Ms. Jones! I’m so glad you’re here. I loved the dress you designed for me last time. I can’t wait to see what you come up with this time,” she gushed.
“Thanks, I’m happy to help,” Mandy replied.
After a quick exchange, the client left. Before Simon could say anything to Mandy, the little girl playing with dominoes spotted her and ran over, shouting, “Mommy!”
The word hit Tobias like a punch to the gut.
414
