?Chapter 82:


    “Why are you here?” Calvin blinked, momentarily thrown by the mother’s sudden appearance. “I thought you were still overseas.”


    “I just got back,” the mother replied, her anxiety spilling over as she hurried closer. “Dr. Emmett, tell me—how’s my son? Is he…”


    Before she could voice her fears, the doors swung open, and her son was wheeled out, pale but breathing. The rxed expressions on the medical staff’s faces made her breathe a quiet sigh of relief.


    Calvin’s voice softened as he spoke. “The operation went smoothly. He’ll need to be monitored, but he’s out of danger.”


    A flood of emotion washed over the mother’s face. “Thank you, Dr. Emmett,” she murmured, her voice thick as tears threatened to spill. But Calvin simply pointed at Christina, who stood quietly to the side. “You should really thank her. She’s the reason we made it in time.”


    The mother turned, finally taking in Christina.


    Christina stood with the understated poise of someone far too striking to blend into any crowd—fine-boned, impossibly graceful, with an air that seemed to shimmer even in the harsh hospital lights. Her beauty rivaled any starlet, yet there was something more—an aura both serene and maic.


    “So you must be the one who brought in Dr. Emmett?” the mother asked, stepping forward. Gratitude shone in her eyes as she gazed at Christina.


    “Yes, I am.” Christina met her eyes with a gentle, self-assured smile and reached out first for a handshake.


    “Thank you so much. If you hadn’t stepped in to save my child, I don’t know what would have happened to him…” The mother’s voice shook, and she clung to Christina’s hand, as if anchoring herself to her son’s savior.


    “It’s really nothing. Dr. Emmett is the one you should thank most. I might’ve tried, but without him, my good intentions alone couldn’t have brought in the right help,” Christina replied, her lips curving into a gentle, reassuring smile.


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    Calvin cast Christina a nce, the corner of his mouth quirking with the trace of a smile. Her knack for faking it stayed wless as always. If fate hadn’t intervened, revealing Christina’s hidden identity during the night she saved him, he never would have guessed that the legendary healer, King, was this quiet young woman.


    “Both of you deserve my deepest gratitude,” the mother murmured sincerely, her gaze sweeping over Christina and Calvin. “Once my son’s condition stabilizes, I’ll…”


    “Host a dinner tomorrow at Morfort Restaurant. Please—let me show my appreciation to you both.”


    Before Christina could protest, the mother continued with quiet determination, “I insist. It’s the least I can do to thank the people who saved my child.”


    Recognizing her resolve, Christina relented and gave a small, warm nod. “Alright. We’ll look forward to it.”


    “For now, you should go apany your son,” Calvin remarked, his voice gentle but firm. “We have other matters to take care of.” The mother read the polite hint and offered a gracious smile. “Sure, let you get back to work.” She glided away, herposure unshaken.


    As her heels clicked down the hallway, Calvin exhaled.


    Christina shot him a confused look. “Why the sigh? The surgery went smoothly, didn’t it? What’s with the gloomy expression?”


    With a sly smile, Calvin asked, “Do you have any idea who she is?” Christina just shrugged, the faintest smirk on her lips. “Not a clue.”


    He let out a low, knowingugh. “Figures. Aside from medicine, nothing else ever seems to register with you.”


    The corners of his mouth lifted in an affectionate, slightly exasperated smile. Her world probably looked like an endless stream of case files and surgical notes, leaving no space for anyone or anything else.


    Christina didn’t bother pretending to care about that mother’s background, but since Calvin had brought it up, she tossed out a casual question. “So, who is she then? Some big potato?”


    Leaning in, Calvin lowered his voice, his words tinged with significance. “She’s the eldest daughter of the Gomez family from Lorbridge.”


    He hesitated for a heartbeat and then added, “Actually, I’ll be heading out soon to operate on another high-profile member of their family.”


    Christina gave a quiet, contemtive nod. If Calvin’s tone was any indication, the Gomez family was far from ordinary—more like the type whose every move sent ripples through the city.


    “I see. It’s gettingte—you should get some rest. I’ll head home as well.”


    Calvin offered an easy smile. “Alright then. Just don’t forget about dinner tomorrow.”


    “Don’t worry, I won’t,” Christina replied, her tone warm but resolute.


    After they went their separate ways, Christina made her way out of the hospital. She had meant to meet Davina for dinner, but with everything that had happened, she had no choice but to postpone.


    As she stepped through the hospital’s sliding doors and into the cool evening air, a figure moved toward her from the curb. She recognized the man instantly—it was one of Dn’s drivers, a familiar face from past encounters.


    The driver offered a respectful nod. “Miss Jones, Mr. Scott is waiting for you.”


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