Chapter 160
Chapter 160:
Camille followed the doctor down the sterile corridor, each step echoing against the polished floor. Alexander walked beside her, his presence steadying her as the world seemed to tilt beneath her feet. The hospital’s antiseptic smell burned her nostrils, mingling with the lingering scent of coffee on her breath.
“Is she…” Camille couldn’t finish the question, fear clogging her throat.
The doctor glanced back, his face unreadable beneath his surgical mask. “The chief surgeon will explain everything.”
They turned a corner into a small consultation room where Dr. Lin, Victoria’s lead surgeon, stood washing her hands. She turned as they entered, pulling down her mask. Exhaustion lined her face, but her eyes held a clarity that made Camille’s heart leap.
“The surgery was successful,” Dr. Lin said without preamble.
The words hit Camille like a physical force. She reached for the wall to steady herself, her knees suddenly weak. Alexander’s arm came around her waist, supporting her weight.
“She’s alive,” Camille whispered, the two words holding the weight of a universe.
Dr. Lin nodded. “We encountered a complication during the procedure—unexpected bleeding that concerned us enough to notify you. But Ms. Kane responded well. We removed the tumor completely and found less spread than the imaging suggested.”
Camille pressed a hand to her mouth, containing a sob of relief. “When can I see her?”
“She’s in recovery now. The anesthesia will take time to wear off,” Dr. Lin checked her watch. “Perhaps another hour. She’ll be groggy, confused. That’s normal.”
“But she’ll recover? Fully recover?” Alexander asked, his voice steady where Camille’s could not be.
“The prognosis is excellent,” Dr. Lin confirmed. “We’ll need to monitor her closely and begin immunotherapy once she’s healed from surgery, but yes, I believe Ms. Kane has a very good chance of full recovery.”
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Camille closed her eyes, waves of relief washing through her. The tightness in her chest, present since Victoria had collapsed in her office, finally began to lift.
“Thank you,” she managed, opening her eyes to meet the surgeon’s gaze. “Thank you for saving her.”
Dr. Lin’s professional demeanor softened slightly. “Ms. Kane is remarkably strong. Her body responded to the surgery better than someone half her age might have. She did most of the work herself.”
“That sounds like Victoria,” Alexander said with a faint smile.
Dr. Lin excused herself to check on her patient, leaving Camille and Alexander alone in the consultation room. The moment the door closed, Camille’s composure crumbled. She turned to Alexander, burying her face against his chest as tears came—not tears of fear or grief now, but overwhelming relief.
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