Avery arrived at a private airport in the western outskirts of Fichester. She then put on a mask, switched to a small car, and headed into the city to meet the person tasked with picking her up. Together, they drove in silence. Avery thought Alexander was bold for hiding Lucy in De Beer Bay. However, upon further reflection, she realized that hiding Lucy there made sense. The Moran family didn’t have as much presence in that area, which made it easier to stay unnoticed. This clever arrangement likely enabled Lucy to remain hidden for five years.
An hour later, Avery arrived at a villa in the northern suburbs of Fichester. It was an upscale area. The environment was quiet and open, with villas set far apart, offering great privacy. As Avery made her way there, she hardly encountered anyone, passing only a few cars.
The car pulled up to what looked like an ordinary villa, but its interior was lavishly decorated. Inside, Avery met Freya and the others. Without exchanging pleasantries, Freya immediately led Avery to a two-story building in the backyard. Avery entered a bedroom on the ground floor and saw Lucy. Lucy had been ravaged by illness and looked extremely frail. Her body was covered in tubes, and her face was pale. A scar from brain surgery was visible on her bald head. Despite her condition, she remained beautiful. Her eyebrows were trimmed finely, and her lips had a hint of lipstick, showing that Alexander had been taking great care of her.
Avery examined Lucy carefully. After reviewing the patient’s medical reports and health analysis, she said, "Gather everyone for a meeting to work out the surgery plan."
There were a total of 13 people in Avery’s team—10 medical staff and three researchers. On Alexander’s side, their experts attended the meeting, but they were powerless to help with Lucy’s condition. They could only participate as assistants, observers, and learners.
As Avery reviewed the surgery plan prepared by Freya and the others, she asked questions and made modifications. An hour later, she finalized it, saying, "Send this plan to Mr. Moran. If he has no objections, we’ll proceed with the surgery."
Because of his mother’s and sister’s conditions, Alexander had studied medicine himself. After reviewing the plan, he thought, This is a bold approach! If it succeeds, it will be a medical miracle and solve a major problem, benefiting all of humanity! Alexander had no objections to the plan and signed it online, stating, I have absolute trust in Dr. Annie and her team and fully support her plan.
With that settled, Avery had a good night’s sleep.
The next morning at 8 a.m., she took a cold shower and had a simple breakfast. Then she tied her hair into a tight bun, put on a white coat, mask, and glasses, and met everyone outside the operating theater. The two-story building had long since been converted into a state-of-the-art medical facility, complete with operating rooms, an ICU, and a pharmacy.
Alexander was already waiting outside the surgery room with a solemn expression. When he saw Freya and the team approaching, he quickly stepped forward and asked politely, "Freya, I heard Dr. Annie arrived last night?"
Freya turned slightly to look at Avery beside her and introduced, "This is Dr. Annie. Dr. Annie, this is Mr. Moran, the patient’s brother."
Alexander gazed at Avery, whose face was covered with a mask. He bowed with great respect and said sincerely, "Dr. Annie, thank you for performing surgery on my sister. We owe you a great debt of gratitude."
Avery’s eyes flickered slightly behind her black-rimmed glasses. She said, "No need to thank me, it’s my job." Then she turned to everyone and said, "Let’s go inside."
Her voice came muffled from behind her mask, making it difficult for Alexander to recognize her as Avery. However, he felt that the doctor seemed familiar—her height, build, demeanor, movements, and even the gaze behind her glasses reminded him of Avery. He couldn’t help but wonder, Could Avery and Dr. Annie be related? Is their connection deeper than it appears?
On the other hand, Avery’s mind was fully focused on the surgery. She led the team into the operating theater, changed into surgical scrubs, and entered the sterile area. Not everyone was needed in the room; some remained outside, watching through the glass, ready to assist at any moment.
Inside the operating theater, Avery asked the researchers, "Are you ready?"
The researchers nodded. "Yes."
According to the surgical plan, a specially formulated magnetic fluid would be injected into the targeted bone fragments with an extremely fine needle after opening the patient’s skull. Once the fragments became magnetic, a magnet would be used to extract them. The process required utmost precision, as even the slightest mistake could be catastrophic.
Two researchers brought over a delicate instrument and secured it beside the operating table. They then began the extraordinary procedure. Avery and her team, accustomed to advanced technology, remained calm. However, the observers behind the glass were awestruck, thinking, Amazing!
Ten minutes later, the first dangerous bone fragment was removed. Thirty minutes later, the second fragment was successfully extracted. After an hour and a half, the most dangerous third fragment was removed with almost no bleeding or damage to the patient’s brain nerves.
The researchers exited the room amidst applause. Next, it was Avery’s turn. She was highly experienced in such surgeries, and her skills were refined to perfection. As usual, she performed flawlessly. Additionally, the medication, surgical tools, and sutures she used were the best and most advanced, unavailable on the market.
Meanwhile, Alexander stood outside the surgical area, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He lowered his head slightly, closed his eyes, and waited motionlessly. He resembled a lifelike mannequin.
Suddenly, the sliding door opened, and a nurse stepped out carrying a tray. Alexander raised his head, opened his eyes, and quickly walked forward. Struggling to contain his anxiety, he asked, "How did the surgery go?"
The nurse replied with a smile, "The surgery went very smoothly. All three fragments have been removed. The patient will be taken to the ICU for observation shortly. These are the fragments."
Alexander looked at the blood-stained bone fragments in the tray and felt his legs go weak. Fortunately, Louis caught him. Alexander shook his head, composed himself, and asked the nurse, "Can I keep the fragments as a memento?"
He wanted to keep them as a reminder of how much his sister had endured.