Chapter 7: Cold Treatment

Sophia Baker was one in a million. She was Harvard-educated, born into a doctor family, and had resounding success in the medical world at a young age. She was only twenty-seven years old but had already surpassed many big-league peers. The female doctor was a leading researcher and authority in cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery. An insider had leaked the news that she had performed surgeries on various royal family members across nations.

Sophia was such a voluptuous beauty that TIME magazine featured her as the sexiest doctor of the decade. The bombshell had a million followers on Instagram. She was fashionable and filthy rich; even popular international brands signed her to promote their products.

That international celebrity Sophia Baker would arrive in Springfield to treat a random elderly patient shocked the hospital administrators. Edgar Damone used to be a successful businessman, but now he was just an infirm old man whose name was relatively unknown in Springfield. Why was Sophia interested in his case?

"Edgar Damone?" Dr. Hodge asked, taken aback. He looked anxious all of a sudden. "Yes, of course. He's in the ICU as we speak. Regrettable case," he said, shaking his head.

Sophia raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by regrettable? Tell me the current status."

"Err…" the Director hesitated. "He may not be fit to operate on." Hodge looked around with shifty eyes as if he was hiding something.

"Well?" Sophia urged with irritation. "Is that your professional opinion?" The Hospital Director appeared incompetent by her standards. She was half his age but had scaled great heights already while he was going to retire as Director of a hospital. If she was a giant in the medical field, he was a dung beetle.

Dr. Hodge figured that keeping any information from Sophia would be foolish. Her knowledge far exceeded his, and any untruth would be immediately exposed. He took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Damone was admitted last week due to chest pain. We diagnosed that he needed a thoracic aortic dissection repair. Moreover, he was facing renal failure. It is quite impossible to operate on such an elderly person at this serious stage. I would advise against taking up this patient, Dr. Baker. It would not go well on your perfect record of successful surgeries."

Sophia eyed him with annoyance. "Did I ask for your advice? Do you think I have come to this backwaters hospital for mundane discussion?"

The Director turned pale. "My apologies, Dr. Baker. Please go ahead if you must. My staff and hospital are at your disposal."

The elegant female doctor passed Victor and Carol but failed to notice their presence. Edgar was wheeled to the operating room within minutes, and green lights went on. Carol stayed close to Victor in anxiety. She was both confused and worried about the sudden reversal of events.

Why would a celebrity doctor arrive at that exact time to treat Edgar Damone? Who summoned her? Wouldn't such a person have tremendous influence and power?

"Do you know Dr. Sophia Baker?" she asked her husband.

Victor answered calmly. "There's no justification for me to know who she is."

Carol nodded. His words made sense since she was a huge celebrity while Victor worked in a failing company with a small turnover. There was no way her towny husband remotely knew Sophia Baker.

Carol did not know that her husband meant something different when he said, 'There's no justification for me to know who she is.' Sophia was the one unfit to talk to him. Not the other way around.

"Then why did she arrive out of the blue to treat grandpa?" Her husband did not answer this question, nor did she push him. Edgar's life was hanging by a thread at the moment, and Victor had been behaving abnormally since last night. Moreover, she wondered how much Sophia would charge for her medical services. It would probably cost millions and bankrupt the Damone family. She bit her lip anxiously, imagining Victor as a homeless person.

After ninety minutes, Sophia walked out of the operating room with her team. Her cold and aloof attitude had not wavered. She ignored Victor but talked to Carol. "I presume you are the patient's family?"

Carol nodded. "The surgery was successful," the female doctor said monotonously. "The patient is stable now."

Carol exhaled and cried out with relief. She looked at her husband, but his expression was cold as always.

Sophia turned towards Victor but did not look into his eyes. "My fee of three million dollars will be charged to the organization. There are some separate costs which I will bill separately." It was as if she was addressing a wall from which she expected no answer.

Carol was speechless. Three million dollars? What organization will she charge it to? Did Sophia perform the surgery for a charitable organization? She nodded to herself. That would make sense since Victor had no money to compensate such a top-notch doctor. Perhaps the same organization also paid the original six hundred thousand demanded by Springfield Hospital.

Carol wanted to clarify this from Sophia but did not dare to ask. The female doctor had an intimidating personality which made her unapproachable. Moreover, she had just saved Edgar's life, and it would be rude and ungrateful to ask such intrusive questions. The celebrity doctor was at par with her in looks, but her confidence and attitude made her even more attractive.

"Can you hand me your husband's unlocked phone?" Sophia asked Carol. "I need to save my number."