Chapter 57
By the time Victoria stepped out of the prison, darkness had already blanketed the sky. A single streetlamp on the corner cast a faint, lonely glow over a small patch of pavement.
She lifted her eyes toward the heavy clouds, a sudden wave of unease settling over her.
From Nolan’s evasive answers, it was obvious the mastermind behind everything was someone far beyond her current reach.
What was she supposed to do now?
She lowered her gaze and released a quiet sigh, preparing to hail a taxi.
Her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket, jolting her from her thoughts.
Who would be messaging her at this hour?
Victoria walked toward the curb, pulling out her phone as she went.
The moment her eyes scanned the screen, her steps faltered for a second.
Edward?
She raised a hand to flag a passing taxi and then tapped open the message.
[Be at my office tomorrow morning. We're going to the hospital.]
The words were as brief and commanding as the man himself.
Victoria blinked, her mind racing for a moment before the meaning sank in.
Could he have already found an orthopedic specialist?
Startled by her own assumption, she gave a small shake of her head.
After a brief hesitation, her slender fingers moved across the screen.
[Understood.]
The phone was slipped back into her bag.
Looking up, she hailed a taxi, gave the driver her address, and then closed her eyes, replaying every piece of information she had gathered from her meeting today.
Amid all the information swirling in her head, another face kept surfacing, Edward’s.
She wondered which renowned orthopedic surgeon he planned to take her to see tomorrow.
Was there really a chance for her injured hand to recover?
She would only know once she met the doctor.
The next day.
"Take a look at her condition," Edward said, his tone cool as he stood in the hospital office. "The right hand."
His gaze shifted impassively toward Victoria, a hint of urgency in his eyes.
Still recovering from her initial shock, Victoria couldn’t help stealing a glance at the man beside her.
Had Edward truly managed to secure an appointment with this highly esteemed orthopedic specialist?
Before the Spencer family’s downfall, they had tried everything to get a consultation with this very doctor.
But even with the Spencer family's influence at the time, getting a meeting had not been simple.
And then, everything had happened.
Victoria lowered her lashes and stepped forward, extending her injured hand toward the doctor. Her eyelashes trembled faintly.
She was terrified.
The higher the hope, the more devastating the potential disappointment.
She couldn’t bear the thought of learning her hand was beyond repair. Would she lose all hope completely?
As chaotic worries tangled in her mind, a cool voice cut through from beside her.
"Stop overthinking."
Edward reached out and gently prodded her shoulder, his brow furrowed. "Calm down and listen to what the doctor has to say."
If Chase had been present, he would have been floored.
In all his years with Edward, he had never once seen him show concern for another person's state of mind.
Victoria, unaware of this, felt her nerves strangely settle. The tension in her body eased.
She let out a long breath and offered Edward a grateful smile.
The doctor, completely unfazed by their interaction, was already focused on her severely damaged hand.
"I understand you were involved in a car accident that caused a comminuted fracture in your right hand?"
He asked without looking up. “Do you have the previous medical reports? Let me review them, then go next door for fresh X-rays. I need to assess the current condition before giving a clear prognosis."
His professionalism was so palpable that Victoria couldn't help but adopt a more serious demeanor. "Yes, I have the reports. I organized them in advance and brought them with me."
She retrieved a prepared file from her bag and stood up. "I'll let you review these. I'm going to get the X-rays done now and will be back shortly."
Only after the doctor nodded did she turn to leave.
Edward didn't follow.
He stood quietly to one side of the room, eyes fixed on his phone, seemingly handling work matters.
Having just received such a major favor, Victoria didn’t want to impose further. She slipped past him quietly and headed into the adjacent imaging room.
The X-rays were taken quickly, and she was out in no time.
The X-rays were completed quickly. However, it would still take time for the images to be processed.
"Finished?"
Edward had appeared at some point, his gaze lowered. "The doctor is looking for you."
With that, he turned and walked back toward the office.
Victoria remained momentarily stunned, frozen in place for a few seconds.
"Are you not coming?" Edward paused and glanced back, his handsome brows knitting with a hint of impatience. "Have you decided you don’t want treatment after all?"
The words were like shards of ice, snapping Victoria back to reality.
"Coming!"
She hurried after him, falling into step behind his tall figure, her mind still swirling with anxious thoughts.
The pain in her hand had been worsening lately, and she wondered if the cold weather was aggravating the old injury.
Surely that wouldn't affect her chances, would it?
Lost in thought, she found herself standing before the doctor again.
"I've reviewed your reports. They're quite clear," the doctor said, flipping through the papers in his hand. "Ms. Spencer, the severity of your injury is due to the significant delay in treatment. It's not that it's untreatable, but the final prognosis will depend on the new X-rays we just took."
He phrased it cautiously, offering only a sliver of possibility.
But Victoria's eyes suddenly lit up.
A possibility! Her hand could actually be healed!
Even that faint glimmer was enough to reignite the hope within her.
"Don't get your hopes up too soon," the doctor said, immediately pouring cold water on her excitement. "You haven't protected your hand well, which has had a significant impact on the injury. Before we finalize a treatment plan, you need to rest it properly and ensure you're in the best possible condition for surgery. Otherwise, even I can't help you."
Victoria immediately sat up straight, her expression earnest.
She even took out her phone and meticulously noted down every precaution the doctor mentioned.
The list of instructions wasn't long, but consistency was key.
Once she had recorded everything, she glanced to her side and was surprised to find that Edward was still seated there.
Edward had the patience to sit and listen to all of this?
She had assumed that, given his personality, he would have long since escaped to find some peace and quiet outside.
Since the X-rays would still take some time, they had nothing to do but wait in the office.
Victoria turned to look at the man absorbed in his work and spoke up unexpectedly. "Mr. Windsor, why did you come to the hospital with me personally? Are you this considerate toward everyone?"
There was no flirtation in her voice, only pure curiosity.
Edward paused scrolling through the document on his screen. He then replied, his voice flat, "You have potential. This investment is not a loss."