Chapter 92: Retrieve
Samuel, who had been in the driver's seat, got out and walked over to Ava, bowing slightly. "Ms. Davis, Mr. Thomas is waiting for you."
Ava's gaze was fixed on Joshua in the car, and Joshua's deep eyes were also looking at her. Their eyes unexpectedly met.
"Ms. Davis, please."
Clearly, she had no choice but to get in. Samuel walked ahead and opened the car door for Ava, helping her settle in before closing the door, then took his place in the driver's seat.
"You needed something?"
"Are you busy this weekend?" Joshua asked.
Ava pressed her lips together. "Why are you asking? Is something up?"
"Yes."
Ava thought for a moment. "I have plans this weekend."
She had arranged for Isabella to come over with Finn and Cleo for a birthday celebration at home.
Joshua frowned. "With whom?"
"Why do you need to know? Is it really important?"
Joshua turned his head, his eyes fixed on her, slightly displeased.
"It's important. Are you busy all day?"
Ava shook her head. "Not really, just in the evening."
Joshua said, "Then the daytime is mine."
Sensing that Ava might refuse, Joshua added, "It's really important. I hope you won't say no."
Ava paused. She had wanted to refuse, but hearing Joshua say this, she couldn't find a reason to turn him down.
Finally, she agreed. "Alright then, just send me the time."
Joshua's brow relaxed a bit. "Okay."
"So we're done now, right? If there's nothing else, I'll go."
"You're already in the car, let me take you home." Joshua's tone wasn't asking for permission, and Samuel up front, being very perceptive, started driving without giving Ava any chance to get out.
Ava rubbed her forehead helplessly.
The car soon stopped smoothly at the apartment entrance. Joshua personally got out to open the car door for Ava.
This left Ava feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Thanks. I'm home now, you should head back."
"Okay." A slight smile appeared on Joshua's face. "Don't forget about the weekend."
Ava nodded slightly with a faint frown.
"Cleo, look! Mommy and Daddy!"
Upstairs, two children were resting their little heads on their hands, their bright eyes watching the scene below, with a small notebook in front of them.
"Daddy drove Mommy home, add five points," Finn said.
Cleo recorded it in the notebook for Joshua.
Looking at the previous entries in the notebook:
Took Ava to dinner, add five points!
Returned Buddy, add five points!
Forgot Ava's birthday, minus fifty points...
Didn't believe Ava, minus fifty points...
Today's total: negative eighty-five points!
Cleo sighed helplessly, feeling bad for Joshua. "With this score, Daddy's going to have a hard time winning Mommy back."
Both children sighed helplessly.
If Joshua knew he was being closely monitored by the two children, he would definitely be on his best behavior.
These past few days at work, Ava had been under constant scrutiny at the hospital, as if a million eyes were watching her. Today was no exception, but today was different. The nurses and doctors who usually wore their disapproval of her on their faces were actually greeting her warmly. In the elevator, they even made small talk with her, praising yesterday's surgery non-stop.
This enthusiasm actually made Ava uncomfortable.
Yesterday's surgery had indeed caused a stir. When the patient had massive bleeding and lost her heartbeat, while everyone panicked, Ava calmly and quickly saved the patient, then performed a flawless surgery that successfully pulled the patient through. It was truly remarkable.
Meanwhile, the other lead surgeon was already hiding in her office, crying her eyes out.
"I had already controlled the bleeding point. I was about to stop the bleeding. I don't know why Dr. Davis suddenly took over my surgery. The operation was almost finished. How could Dr. Davis do this? How could she steal my patient? Now everyone's thanking her, as if all the mistakes were mine. I'm so upset. Why would she do this..."
"Mia, don't cry. It's Ava who's too sneaky and cunning. You did nothing wrong. This surgery was yours to lead. You saved Mrs. King. Ava can't steal your credit," Lyra said beside her with fake sympathy.
"Dr. Palmer, do you believe me?" Mia looked at Dean pitifully.
Dean's expression was complicated as he gritted his teeth. Anyone with eyes could see that Mia had made a surgical error. If Ava hadn't appeared in time, the patient would be dead by now. A surgical error isn't a natural death, and this couldn't be covered up. The King family wouldn't let it go either. Mia wouldn't even have the chance to cry here now.
One thing was very clear this time: Ava had completed an impossible surgery in the shortest time possible, racing against the clock to save the patient's life. Her abilities were there for all to see, and no one could question them.
And everyone had also witnessed Mia's surgical error. If the King family pursued this, Mia couldn't escape responsibility. No matter how much she cried now, these were the facts.
But Mia wasn't willing to accept it. She couldn't stand Ava appearing so brilliantly in front of everyone, overshadowing her completely, leaving her without a trace of light, and even being criticized.
So she had to use her pitiful appearance, use her ability to evoke sympathy, to portray herself as completely innocent and helpless.
And she painted Ava's emergency entry into the operating room as having ulterior motives, just wanting to steal her patient, making herself the victim.
She was doing all this out of strong vindictiveness, desperately trying to clear herself of responsibility.
Dean bit his lip. Seeing Mia crying like this, his heart had long since softened. He gently pulled Mia into his embrace.
Because Mia wanted Dean's help, even though she found him repulsive, she endured it without refusing, letting him hold her, crying softly in his arms, displaying her hurt and grievance to the fullest.
She sobbed and asked in a choked voice, "Dr. Palmer, do you believe me?"
"Of course I believe you." With a beauty in his arms, he had to believe her even if he didn't.
Mia bit her lower lip and said, "No one believes me now. Dr. Palmer, will you help me?"
"What can I do to help you?"
"I want to ask Mr. White to clear things up for me. This wasn't a surgical error. I wasn't feeling well before the surgery. I pushed through for the patient's sake. I didn't expect the patient to hemorrhage massively because the patient was just too weak. I was just too nervous and panicked for a moment, which is normal, isn't it?
If Dr. Davis hadn't taken over the surgery, I could have saved the patient and completed the operation myself. All the praise she's getting now should be mine. Dr. Palmer, please help me, okay?"
Mia deliberately moved closer to Dean, speaking weakly, trying to bewitch him.
Dean watched the red lips in front of him opening and closing, the obvious seduction making his whole body tense. He slowly leaned in, his intention clear. Mia shyly turned her face away.
Her reddened eyes were full of grievance.
Dean already liked Mia, so how could he resist such temptation? He agreed immediately. "Okay, don't worry. I'll go find Mr. White right now."
Mia's face lit up with joy, and she rewarded Dean with a hug. Dean tightly embraced the person in his arms, feeling extremely satisfied at this moment.
"Mia, don't worry. Thora and I will be divorced soon. Once I'm divorced, we can be together, okay?" Dean looked at Mia with eyes full of affection.