The VIP lounge at Oakridge Hospital was packed, like some sort of high-stakes family meeting. Half the people were in white coats—clearly part of the hospital staff. "Lilah, don't say I didn't warn you," Patricia said coldly, eyeing Lilah's young face. "This is a life-and-death surgery. Have you even thought about what happens if you mess this up?" Sure, Lilah was qualified to operate, but how much actual experience did she really have? There was no way this surgery was going to be a success—at least, not in Patricia's eyes. "At this point, what's the point of bringing that up?" Lilah slid her hands casually into the pockets of her lab coat. The surgery was just twenty minutes away—talking like this now was just noise. "Hmph. I'm just looking out for you," Patricia added,

