Chapter 135: The surgery
Ian slowed his steps.
Elias looked him up and down, disbelief flashing across his face. "What are you doing here?"
Before Ian could answer, the middle-aged ophthalmologist stepped forward. "Dr. Whitmore is the chief of neurosurgery at our hospital," he explained. "He is assisting with today’s surgery."
"What?" Elias stared at the two doctors in astonishment. Then his expression changed. His brows pinched.
"I thought this was supposed to be a simple eye surgery. Why would a neurosurgeon be involved?"
A sense of unease crept into his chest.
"I’ll explain," Ian said calmly.
He briefly went over Evelyn’s condition and pointed out the compression around the optic canal that had been overlooked.
When he finished, Elias’s eyes flashed with rage.
"Why wasn’t any of this explained to us earlier?" he demanded. Every muscle in his body was coiled like a spring ready to snap. "Why are we only hearing about it moments before the surgery?"
The ophthalmologist lowered his head apologetically.
"That was our oversight. Dr. Whitmore personally reviewed Miss. Rowan’s scans and discovered the actual cause of her blindness. Without relieving the pressure around the optic canal, the surgery would have had only a fifty percent chance of success."
Elias’s jaw tightened.
He had chosen this hospital because it had the best reputation in the city. Learning that such a crucial detail had been missed ignited his fury.
His lips curled into a savage sneer. "So if Dr. Whitmore hadn’t reviewed her case himself, you would have operated on her without discovering the real cause?"
The veins on his neck stood out as anger surged through him. "Do you expect me to let that go?"
The corridor fell silent.
Everyone could feel the pressure radiating from him.
Seeing his temper flare, Elena quickly reached for his arm. "Elias, please calm down."
She lightly squeezed his sleeve, afraid he would completely lose control.
Ian met Elias’s furious gaze without flinching.
"You have every right to be angry," he admitted. "But right now, our priority is Evelyn. We’ll take responsibility for the hospital’s mistake later. For now, let us do the surgery."
Elias’s eyes remained icy. "I don’t trust you."
His words struck Ian harder than he expected.
"You hurt her once," Elias grunted out through his bared teeth. How do I know you won’t hurt her again?"
Ian fell silent. His throat tightened.
For seven years, he had buried himself in work, convincing himself he was doing the right thing. In reality, he had neglected his family, the people who mattered most.
He hadn’t been there for Evelyn. He hadn’t even been there for his son.
After a long pause, he finally spoke. "I may have failed as a husband. But I’m still a doctor."
He looked straight into Elias’s eyes. "I know what I’m doing. And she is the mother of my son. I’ll do everything in my power to restore her sight."
Without another word, he turned and walked into the operating room.
The ophthalmologist followed behind him.
The doors slowly closed.
The red OPERATING light illuminated above the entrance.
Elias stared at it in silence. His fists remained tightly clenched, his knuckles turning white. He could barely suppress the rage and anxiety churning inside him.
"You are frightening me," Elena whispered.
Her soft voice finally pulled him back to reality.
He turned toward her. The anger in his eyes gradually faded.
"I’m sorry." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her closer. "I shouldn’t have lost my temper."
Elena leaned against him. "It’s because you are worried about Evelyn."
He nodded silently. His eyes returned to the operating room.
The corridor became eerily quiet. Although his face remained expressionless, the slight twitch of his jaw betrayed the fear he refused to show.
Ian was one of the country’s finest neurosurgeons, and the ophthalmology team was equally skilled.
Even so, until the surgery was over, he couldn’t allow himself to relax.
Elena quietly intertwined her fingers with his.
"She’ll be alright," she whispered. "Trust them."
"I hope so."
An hour later, the operating room doors finally opened.
Ian stepped outside, removing his surgical cap.
Elias immediately stood. His expression remained composed, but inside, his heart pounded violently. He wanted to ask about Evelyn. Instead, he found himself unable to speak.
The memory of seeing her unconscious after the accident still haunted him. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing another member of his family.
Elena looked at him, hoping he would say something. But Elias remained silent. She then rose to her feet and walked over to Ian.
"How is she?" she asked anxiously.
"The surgery was successful." A faint smile appeared on Ian’s tired face. "Her vision should recover."
Relief washed over Elena. Her shoulders finally relaxed.
"Thank you, Dr. Ian."
Ian gave a small nod before looking at Elias. "We’ll remove the bandages in two weeks. If everything heals as expected, she should gradually regain her eyesight."
He paused for a moment before adding, "Evelyn should stay in the hospital for observation. And again, the decision is yours. If you want, you can take her home in a few days. But you have to make sure you take proper care of her."
He waited for Elias to respond. But Elias remained silent.
His eyes had become slightly red.
Seeing the awkward silence, Elena smiled politely. "Thank you again. It’ll be Evelyn’s decision whether she stays here or returns home."
"Of course." Ian nodded. "I’ll check on her later."
His gaze lingered on Elias for a brief moment before he quietly walked away.
Only after Ian disappeared did Elias let out a long breath. It felt as though a mountain had been lifted from his shoulders.
He slowly sat back down, pressing a hand against his chest.
Elena immediately became anxious. "Elias?"
She hurried closer. "What’s wrong? Does your chest hurt?"
She gently rubbed his chest.
Before she could react, Elias caught her wrist and gave it a gentle tug.
"Ah..."
She lost her balance and landed on his lap. One arm instinctively wrapped around his neck.
A smile finally appeared on Elias’s face. "Were you that eager to hold me?"
His eyes sparkled with amusement. "I haven’t been intimate with you for two whole days. Are you growing impatient now?"
Elena stared at him in disbelief. Then she lightly smacked his shoulder.
"Your sister has not come out of the operating room yet, and you are in the mood to tease me?"
"Can you blame me?" He smiled innocently as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "You tempted me. I can’t resist you."
He pulled her in closer and kissed her.