Chapter 67:
She leaned in, gently shifting the tissue to reveal a narrow vessel. “There. Now, go on.”
Silence blanketed the room. No one dared to mention the sweat beading on Rory’s forehead or how he kept glancing at Rylie before making each decision.
It wasn’t until the final fascia stitch was tied that Rory let out a sigh. “Drainage tube goes next—”
“Angle it forty-five degrees. Aim toward the diaphragm.” Rylie stepped in again. Her fingertips traced along Felix’s rib. “His liver sits higher than normal. A standard placement might tear the capsule.”
Later, in the recovery room, Felix stirred to the soft buzz of nurse chatter. “Dr. Carter looked like he’d been through a war,” one whispered. “Said he’s never felt that much pressure working beside Miss Kirk.”
He opened his eyes to find Rylie by the bed, one hand in her coat pocket, casually checking his vitals. All around him, the room buzzed with quiet awe. Every eye seemed drawn to Rylie. Felix blinked slowly. There was no doubt now—his sister was nothing short of remarkable.
Rylie noticed he was awake. She handed the record book to a nurse and walked over to the bed. With a gentle tone, she said, “The tumor’s gone. The biopsy shows it’s benign. You’ll need to rest for at least two weeks, take it easy, and stay away from alcohol.”
Felix’s face clouded with thought. “Where did you learn all this, Rylie? Even Rory—the hospital’s most famous and experienced surgeon—asks for your advice.”
Rylie gave a small smile. “Dr. Carter doesn’t take advice from me. We just help each other out.”
Felix had worked in business for years. He could see through modesty when he heard it. He still couldn’t grasp how his sister, who never even finished medical school, could surpass someone like Rory.
“If that’s all, then you should rest,” said Rylie. “I’m going home.”
“Hold on.” Felix stopped her. “I’ve got a meeting tonight. I left an important document at home. Can you grab it for me?”
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Rylie’s brow furrowed. “Felix, you shouldn’t be stressing over meetings right now. You just had surgery. Don’t you care about your recovery?”
Felix softened at her words but tried to reason with her. “I didn’t think the surgery would be a problem and had my assistant schedule the meeting for tonight.”
“That’s not happening,” Rylie said, firm and unbending.
Felix wasn’t one to back down, but this time, he did. “Alright, I’ll call Deandre. He’s probably still at the office. The meeting’s tied to his research anyway. Just bring him the file, and he can go in my place.”
Rylie gave a nod. “Got it.”
The Owen family had already settled in Crolens after leaving Kouhron. With businesses spread across countries, Felix now worked from their Crolens branch.
Rylie went home and found the file. The cover read, “Comprehensive Organ Regeneration and Immune Compatibility Transplant System.”
Her eyes narrowed. That kind of research would require hundreds of millions in funding. And it was tied to Deandre.
Only then did she realize—her brothers weren’t just businessmen. They had secrets too—just like her.
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