Chapter 1762:


    After a brief silence, Christina spoke again, her tone measured and careful. “Once Adide is close to a full recovery, arrangements will be made for your surgery.” Her hand closed gently around Gillian’s. She nced around the room before lowering her voice.


    “There’s something you need to know. King has agreed to perform the operation personally.”


    Gillian went still. “That’s… truly possible?”


    It felt like fortune had reached for her twice in the same breath — impossible, and yet apparently real.


    “Yes,” Christina said. “Though I don’t have a date yet. And this has to stay between us. If word gets out, that offer disappears.”


    She held Gillian’s hand a little more firmly. “With King performing the surgery, your recovery is very likely. You’ll be able to stay by Adide’s side as she grows. Without King, the oue is far less certain.”


    “I understand,” Gillian said without hesitation. “I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”


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    This was not a promise she would take lightly. Living long enough to watch Adide grow — that was everything. She would not risk it for anything.


    Christina released her hand. “Go sit with her. When Adide wakes up, your face should be the first one she sees.”


    Gillian nodded, gratitude toorge for words settling quietly in her chest. “You’re right.”


    Christina stayed where she was for a moment, watching as Gillian returned to the bedside and resumed her patient vigil. A faint smile touched her lips. Keeping her identity as King concealed from Gillian was a necessary thing — and she intended to keep it that way.


    On the floor below, the Martel family moved quietly through the inpatient wing and rode the elevator up to Adide’s level. Santos leaned toward Henrik, his voice barely above a murmur.


    “Are you certain this is the right floor?”


    “Yes,” Henrik said, without hesitation. He nodded toward a room down the corridor. “It should be that one.”


    Colette slowed, unease passing across her face. “Are we truly just going to walk in unannounced? The whole family, like this?”


    Arriving in force, without warning, was bound to draw attention. A visit of this scale would not go unnoticed by the Jones family — and suspicion was precisely what they could not afford right now.


    Henrik let the silence stretch for a moment, weighing his options before he spoke.


    “Why don’t the rest of you find somewhere to wait? I’ll look in on the girl myself and we’ll decide on our next step from there.”


    “That works,” Colette said thoughtfully. “While you do that, we can try to track down King.”


    If they could get a meeting with the legendary doctor, there was a chance King might be willing to address Alban’s condition. It would mean everything for the future of the Martel family.


    “Good. You handle that,” Henrik agreed.


    It gave him a perfectly reasonable basis for going to the room alone. Under the cover of looking for King, he could check on Adide himself — see her with his own eyes and perhaps pick up whatever information he could about King’s whereabouts at the same time.


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