Chapter 5 Sarah Is Penny?
1146 Words
When Roxanne laid eyes on Sarah, her expression darkened significantly.
Pablo immediately felt a wave of relief. Roxanne's reaction seemed to confirm his belief: Sarah wasn't Penny.
The gathered crowd exchanged knowing glances, their arrogance bolstered.
Eddie smirked coldly at Sarah. "Impersonating a legendary physician? People like you never meet a good end. If you apologize now, maybe we'll let you off lightly."
Sarah frowned but kept her composure. "We don't have time to..."
"She's clearly just a shameless liar who won't admit it without hard evidence," Eddie interrupted loudly, his voice sparking a wave of derision from the crowd.
The hospital, once a place of quiet urgency, now buzzed with the chaos of insults flying freely. Even Pablo stood by with a mocking grin, making no effort to intervene.
Roxanne's patience snapped. Her voice cut through the noise. "Enough! Isn't this exactly the white dress I mentioned?"
The room fell into stunned silence. Every ounce of bravado drained from the doctors' faces as they turned to Sarah, their eyes wide with disbelief.
"What are you saying?" one of them stammered, his voice trembling. "She... she's Penny?"
Roxanne's anger flared as the realization hit her. The scornful remarks she'd overheard on her way in had all been directed at Penny herself.
Her gaze swept the group, sharp and accusing. "You all begged for Penny to come perform this surgery, and now you're the ones blocking her at the door. What, have you decided to give up on the patient already?" she snapped.
She turned her fiery glare on Pablo. "Didn't I tell you Penny would be wearing a white dress with a floral emblem? Isn't that exactly what she's wearing?"
Pablo's face turned ashen. He was too shocked to say a word. If Roxanne herself confirmed it, there was no room for doubt.
At over fifty years old, he now looked like a chastised child on the verge of tears.
'God, what have I done? I offended Penny! The top medical legend!'
In fact, he had never forgotten the white dress Penny should be wearing. But the woman in front of him was too young, so he never bothered to mind what she was wearing.
Pablo stammered, "I... I didn't think Penny would be so young..."
Roxanne sneered. "Step aside. Now."
Her presence was the irrefutable proof Sarah needed.
Jacob's composure barely masked his shock. Suppressing the disbelief swirling within him, he commanded firmly, "Let her through!"
Jacob's sister paled, her face a mosaic of embarrassment and dread. Moments ago, she had been sneering at Sarah, accusing her of being a money-grubbing scammer.
But Penny? Penny didn't need anyone's money.
The doctors and security guards no longer dared block Sarah's path, and she moved swiftly into the operating room.
Pablo and Eddie exchanged panicked glances, their earlier confidence replaced by terror.
Penny wasn't just a top physician; she was revered in the medical field.
Yet they not only failed to recognize her but also insulted her.
Now, Pablo would give up everything to take back the harsh words he had just said. As Sarah passed by, he raised his hand and slapped himself across the face.
"Penny, I'm so sorry. Please don't hold it against me," he apologized awkwardly.
Eddie quickly followed suit. "Yes, we're just a bunch of fools. Please forgive us."
Other experts hung their heads, their faces crimson with humiliation.
If not for Roxanne's intervention, they might have continued to deny her because of her youth.
Now it felt like a sharp slap across their collective pride, a stinging reminder of their arrogance.
The lesson was truly painful.
Pablo respectfully led Sarah to the operating room.
Everyone else breathed a sigh of relief when they learned about Penny's arrival.
The patient was barely clinging to life on a ventilator, and even the best efforts of the hospital's staff hadn't been enough.
Only Sarah's intervention could change the odds. The patient's condition was dire, but now that Penny was here, there was hope.
Jacob followed close behind her, his tone low and urgent. "Sarah, please save my mother."
Sarah nodded firmly. "Don't worry. I'll do everything in my power."
With time running out, Sarah quickly donned surgical scrubs and gloves before stepping into the operating room with her team.
"Clamp."
"Forceps."
"Hemostats."
Her movements were swift and precise as she located the tumor hidden beneath a blood vessel and excised it with steady, decisive hands.
The procedure lasted nearly two hours. By the end, Sarah's surgical gown was soaked with sweat, but the nurses monitoring the patient's vitals were beaming.
"The readings have stabilized!" one of them exclaimed.
Sarah gave a brief nod. "You can handle the closing. I've done my part."
If she had arrived later, it might have been too late.
Outside the operating room, Jacob sat in the hallway, his expression a mix of worry and disbelief.
He longed for news of his mother's recovery but was also reeling from the revelation that Sarah was Penny.
Back when they were in college, she hadn't studied medicine, or so he thought. Besides, Penny's reputation had been established eight years ago. How could it be her?
As he wrestled with these questions, a cold, familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. "What's going on?"
Jacob looked up and saw Hugo approaching. He wasn't surprised by his friend's presence. "My mother's condition worsened. The doctors issued a critical notice earlier today."
Hugo frowned and took a seat beside him.
He was aware of Jacob's mom's terminal condition and knew she had little time left.
Upon hearing from his assistant that today might be her last, he had immediately sent Jenny back to the hospital and rushed over.
He and Jacob grew up together. They were both business partners and good buddies.
"She'll pull through," Hugo comforted.
Jacob nodded. "I've called Penny. She's already performing the surgery."
Hugo's head snapped up. "Penny?"
Jacob's expression shifted slightly. Could it be that Hugo didn't know that Penny was actually Sarah?
Before Jacob could respond, the operating room doors opened.
Both men stood and stepped forward immediately.
Sarah came out, fully geared in surgical attire, flanked by other doctors.
She immediately noticed Hugo, and a flicker of annoyance passed through her light blue eyes.
'What's he doing here?' she wondered.
But she quickly figured out the answer.
Hugo and Jacob had long been business partners; he didn't come for her. Why would he anyway?
Jacob's concern drew her focus back. "How is my mother?" he asked anxiously.
Sarah met his gaze, her tone reassuring. "She's stable now. The next step is postoperative care. Make sure she rests well."
Relief washed over Jacob, his shoulders sagging as the tension ebbed away.
Hugo, however, narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze fixed on Sarah, who was still wrapped in that surgical scrubs.
This woman's voice was very familiar. It sounded exactly like Sarah's.
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