496-500

Chapter 496: Shut the Door, Let the Dogs Loose 

Medical Center. Emergency Room. 

Adam was busy treating a kid whose neck had gotten stuck in a tiger-shaped toy when a familiar face stormed in, clearly on a mission. 

"Hold on a sec," Adam said. 

The moment he saw her, he knew exactly what this was about. Still, he shot her a quick "calm down" look. 

She noticed the kid next to Adam, and her angry expression melted away in an instant. Concern took over as she asked, "Oh no, what happened here?" 

"Got caught in something by accident," Adam explained casually. 

Once he finished up with the case, he led Lily—who’d flipped back to her angry face—outside the hospital building, all while the nosiest little nurse watched with gossip-hungry eyes. 

"Lily, what’s so urgent you had to track me down at the hospital?" Adam said, putting on a stern face. "Don’t you know I’m working? This doesn’t look good, you barging in like this." 

"Sorry," Lily mumbled. 

She was a kindergarten teacher with a soft spot for kids, and seeing Adam tending to one just now had hit her guilt button hard. 

"Just this once. Don’t let it happen again," Adam said, secretly smirking inside but keeping his face straight. 

He knew why Lily was here, so he figured he’d get the upper hand by putting her on the defensive first. 

But Lily wasn’t your average pushover. As a master of motivational clichés, she was quick on her feet. She switched back to her angry face, struck a Bruce Lee pose, and pointed a trembling finger at Adam. "Don’t change the subject! What did you do to Robin?" 

"Ahem." Adam coughed lightly, playing innocent. "What are you talking about?" 

He knew Lily and Robin were besties—well, in the original timeline, anyway. 

In this timeline, thanks to Adam flapping his chaotic butterfly wings, Robin never got tangled up with Ted. That meant she barely hung out with Lily and the gang, so their bestie bond had definitely taken a hit. 

Given that, Adam seriously doubted Robin would’ve spilled the beans about last night to Lily. 

Until he got the full story, he wasn’t about to confess anything stupid. 

"You know what I’m talking about!" Lily growled, her finger shaking as she spat out each word. 

"What?" Adam, who’d faced plenty of scares in his time, had now mastered the art of acting. With his strength backing him up, he kept that innocent look locked in place. 

"The marks on Robin’s body!" Lily snapped. Seeing her tough-guy act wasn’t cracking him, she upped the ante. "Don’t tell me you have no idea what’s going on!" 

"Oh." Adam nodded lightly. "I know about that. But do you?" 

"I—" Lily faltered. 

Of course she didn’t know. 

If she did, she’d have screamed it out already. 

All she’d seen were the marks on Robin’s body. When she pressed her, Robin only let slip that Adam—this jerk—was involved. But no matter how much Lily prodded, Robin wouldn’t give up the details. 

That drove Lily up the wall. 

We’re talking indescribable injuries here. 

The second Lily saw them, her mind ran wild with a million scenarios. She wanted Robin to confirm them, but Robin just clammed up. 

It was the ultimate "pants are off, and this is what you show me?" moment. 

Since she couldn’t get answers from Robin, Lily marched over to confront the other guilty party—Adam—fuming with righteous anger. 

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But let’s be real—Lily wasn’t here for the juicy details (well, not just that). She was on a mission to get justice for her bestie. How could anyone treat a girl so rough? Those marks—Lily’s heart ached just looking at them. 

Oof. Like, really ached. 

"It wasn’t me," Adam said with a helpless chuckle. "Lily, you know me. Do you honestly think I’d do something like that?" 

"Hmm, it doesn’t seem like you," Lily admitted, nodding. Then she frowned. "But if it wasn’t you, then who? Robin’s been cursing your name left and right!" 

"Uh…" Adam gave an awkward laugh. "It’s kinda related to me, but I swear I didn’t do it myself… Look, just drop it, okay? Robin doesn’t want anyone else knowing." 

"Anyone else? Am I just anyone to her?" Lily puffed out her chest, striking a "I’m Robin’s number-one bestie" pose. 

"Heh." Adam just looked at her, smiling without a word. 

"…Okay, fine," Lily muttered, realizing her stance wasn’t convincing. She softened her tone. "Adam, seriously, what happened? You know Robin didn’t even go to work today." 

"That bad, huh?" Adam said, genuinely surprised. 

Robin was a total workaholic. Skipping out like this? That wasn’t her style. 

"You’re a doctor, and you’re shocked?" Lily’s voice shot up again as she rolled her eyes dramatically. "She’s hurt so bad she can’t even wear a bra. How’s she supposed to go to work?" 

Adam thought it over and felt a pang of shame. 

Normally, he’d have caught something like that right away. But back then, his brain was too fried—too overloaded with everything—to notice the little details. 

Now, rewinding the mental tape and unlocking that encrypted memory file… From a pro doctor’s perspective, those injuries… 

Adam’s guilt doubled, and he couldn’t help but grumble inwardly, "Alice really lives up to her doctor rep. Way harsher than Robin ever was." 

"She didn’t see a doctor?" he asked. 

"How could she?" Lily shot him a glare. "It’s humiliating! She just took some painkillers." 

"Hang on, I’ll grab some ointment for her. You can go over and help her apply it," Adam said quickly. 

"What?!" Lily’s eyes widened. "She’s in that state, and you’re not going yourself?" 

"I’ve got stuff to do," Adam said, hesitating. "The hospital just got—" 

"How far is Robin’s place from here?" Lily cut him off. "You can’t spare a few minutes? What, are you the only doctor in this whole place?" 

"Well, no," Adam said with a sheepish grin. "But me showing up right now? Not the best idea. You know Robin’s got five big dogs and a stash of guns at her place. You’re her bestie—you’re the better fit for this. Don’t you wanna help her out~?" 

His tone and expression turned a little sly at the end. 

Lily caught on instantly. Her mind slipped into the scenario Adam painted, and she zoned out for a sec, her eyes taking on a mischievous glint. 

Adam snickered to himself. 

He knew Lily couldn’t resist this kinda bait. 

Back in the original timeline, she’d always had a thing for Robin—tons of fantasies included. 

Take this classic moment: When Robin and Ted were in their honeymoon phase, the two couples had a chat. Ted and Robin sat everyone down all serious, saying they had something to announce. 

Once they spilled it, Matthew immediately teased Lily, "Told you they didn’t mean that." 

Lily had been mortified. 

She’d rambled to Matthew more than once after a few drinks, dreaming up wild ideas about shaking up their little four-friend, two-couple dynamic. 

Matthew thought it was hilarious and blurted it out without thinking. 

Lily and Ted? Please. They were like left hand and right hand—no chance. 

But he’d totally misread her. 

With four people, there’s more than one combo, right? Lily’s real dream team was her and Robin, okay?! 

Adam, with his god-tier perspective, saw it all clear as day. So right now, he landed a knockout punch with an offer Lily couldn’t refuse. 

Truth be told, he wasn’t thrilled about going to Robin’s himself. 

Not because he was scared she’d sic her five massive dogs on him or blast him with a shotgun. 

It was more like: 

One, he did have stuff to do. Those quintuplets were a high-risk case—he had to stay on top of it. 

Two, if he went over, how was he supposed to comfort Robin? To do it right, it’d take forever—and he just didn’t have that kinda time. 

If he half-assed it, the comforting wouldn’t even work, so why bother going at all? 

So, nah, he’d sit this one out and nudge Lily into action instead. 

The besties could hash it out, slap on some ointment, trash-talk Adam a bit, and boom—negative vibes gone. 

That’s the winning move right there. 

Chapter 497: I Bet There’s No Bullet in Your Gun 

At the medical center. 

Outside the building.  

Facing Adam’s tempting proposal, Lily drifted into a daydream. Her eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint, her right eyebrow shooting up—once, twice—making it painfully obvious she was imagining something pretty darn nice.  

Adam flashed a knowing smile.  

Know your enemy, know yourself, and you’ll win every battle. 

The advantage is mine!  

But then—  

“No! No! No!”  

Lily snapped out of her fantasy, stumbling back while frantically waving her hands, shouting her refusal. The sheer struggle to resist temptation was so intense that even Adam, her friend, felt a pang of sympathy watching her. It reminded him of a buddy from his past life—round as a ball after swearing to lose weight—flailing in panic when Adam and the gang teasingly dangled his favorite food in front of him.  

“I can’t do this!”  

Lily thrust her hands out flat, keeping Adam at bay, her voice tangled with hesitation. “I’m me, you’re you—I can’t step in for you. In times like this, it’s you who needs to go. That’s what makes the most sense.”  

“You’re overthinking it,” Adam said gently, standing his ground. “What’s a guy, anyway? Just a tool, right? Robin needs her bestie—you—way more right now.”  

“You’re a doctor,” he added. “You’d be better at helping her heal.”  

Lily shook her head.  

“I’ve already checked her out. The ointment I gave you—just rub it on evenly.”  

Adam chuckled warmly. “Three circles left, three circles right—clockwise, counterclockwise, whatever works. If you want her to feel better faster, give her a nice little massage. Get that blood flowing!”  

Lily’s eyes gleamed again, that right eyebrow arching high.  

But before Adam could smirk triumphantly—  

“No!”  

She shook her head hard, took a deep breath, and got serious. “Whether you did it yourself or not, this all started because of you. Robin’s pissed at you. If you still see her as a friend, you’ve got to go yourself. That’s what you, Adam Duncan, should do. Otherwise, how are you any different from Barney? At least Barney never lets a woman get hurt physically.”  

“…”  

Adam’s mouth twitched.  

What kind of messed-up comparison is that? 

Isn’t heartbreak always worse than a bruise?  

And seriously—him, Adam Duncan, the same as Barney? 

No way in hell!  

“Fine,” he sighed, throwing up his hands as Lily transformed into some kind of fierce life-coach guru. “I’ll go, okay?”  

“Now that’s the Adam I know!” Lily grinned. “Next time, I’ll back you up when you’re roasting Barney. Gotta have some solid ground to stand on, right?”  

“Heh, thanks a bunch,” Adam quipped dryly. “Really appreciate you and Matthew’s support!”  

Just that morning, he’d been comparing Meredith to some TV character, deciding they weren’t alike. But now, as night fell, here was Lily channeling that same vibe. He couldn’t help but wonder if some mysterious force was pulling strings behind the scenes.  

So, what did Lily have in common with that character?  

First off—and most obvious—they were both queens of dishing out feel-good wisdom. Lily was basically the go-to emotional therapist for all her friends. Whenever someone hit a rough patch in love or life, she’d swoop in to sort them out. Adam admired that about her. Her moral compass might not be perfect, but in the wild world of American TV drama, it was top-tier.  

Second thing—they both took love seriously. Lily and Matthew’s relationship blew Adam’s mind. In this chaotic, mix-and-match soap opera universe, they were a rare pair who stuck it out, almost from start to finish. A real betrayal of the genre’s norms! Even Chandler and Monica couldn’t hold a candle to them. Their bond was so pure it reminded him of… well, his parents in this life.  

Okay, fine—sitcoms can’t compete with Disney family vibes for wholesomeness.  

Point is, Lily was basically the American version of that character. When she poured on the heartfelt advice, Adam had no choice but to gulp it down, even if it made him roll his eyes.  

“Where you headed?” Lily asked, noticing him turn to leave.  

“Gonna swing by the nurses’ station, let them know to tell my colleague,” Adam replied casually.  

Sure, Liz was covering the first half of the night, but he had a hunch this little errand might make him late for the handoff later. Better to give a heads-up now. After all—if you’re gonna do something, do it right. This time, he was determined to get Robin to accept his apology.  

“Oh,” Lily said, not quite getting it. She figured he was still on shift, oblivious that it was barely evening—five or six hours shy of midnight—and Adam was already planning five steps ahead.  

At the nurses’ station—  

“Got it, Dr. Duncan!” The sharpest nurse gave him a sly “I know what’s up” wink.  

“Thanks,” Adam said with a nod, then headed out of the hospital to drive to Robin’s place.  

“Hey, what’re you doing?” he asked, spotting Lily trailing him.  

“Coming with you, duh,” she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  

She’d worked so hard to convince him, securing justice for her bestie Robin. No way was she missing the follow-through! What if they fought? What if Adam pulled some shady move again? She needed to be there, keeping an eye on things—otherwise, she’d never relax.  

“Nah, you don’t need to,” Adam said, shaking his head. “It’d be awkward.”  

“Why’s that?” Lily’s expression shifted, a little suspicious.  

“You tell me,” Adam said with a sly grin.  

“Wait—you mean…?” Lily’s face flushed, her eyes going all dreamy again.  

As the resident love guru—amateur grandmaster level—she knew exactly what the best way was for a guy and a girl to bury the hatchet! 

Yeah, her tagging along might get… complicated.  

But now? She kinda wanted to go…  

Emmm. Don’t get the wrong idea! She was all talk, no action—just fantasizing like always. If push came to shove, she’d bolt straight back to Matthew’s side in a heartbeat.  

“Don’t worry,” Adam laughed. “I’ll make sure she cools off.”  

“I trust you,” Lily said, already picturing a dozen ways Adam might smooth things over. She slipped herself into Robin’s shoes for a second and thought, If I were her, facing this, I’d have to forgive him. No choice!  

“You know where Robin lives, right?” Lily called out, not climbing into the car as Adam settled into the driver’s seat.  

“Of course,” he replied, starting the engine with ease. He shot her a grin, floored the gas, and peeled out, leaving her with one last line echoing in the distance:  

“I know that road better than you do!”  

Robin’s Apartment  

Ding-dong.  

Adam rang the bell.  

“Woof woof woof! x5!”  

A chorus of ferocious barking erupted from inside. Most people would’ve turned tail and run.  

After a moment, the door swung open.  

There stood Robin—one hand gripping leashes for five massive dogs, the other aiming a huge handgun right at Adam.  

“You jerk! You’ve got some nerve showing up here!”  

“I bet there’s no bullet in that gun!” Adam said calmly, smirking.  

Then he glanced at the five dogs—gifts from Robin’s five exes—finding them way too loud. One look from him, and—  

“Whine whine whine! x5!”  

The once-rowdy pack whimpered and shrank back, legs trembling like they’d just met their alpha.  

Click.  

Adam stepped inside, shutting the door firmly behind him.  

“Whine whine whine! x6!”  

Chapter 498: The Dogs Are Feeling Wronged 

Robin’s Apartment. 

“You jerk!” 

“You jerk.” 

“You jerrrrk~”  

The same phrase, but with each passing second, the tone shifted—like some kind of time-warped magic trick. That’s the power of the years, huh? 

“So, you’re not mad anymore, right?” Adam said with a grin. “Can you put the gun away now?” 

“Hmph.”  

Robin let out a noncommittal huff. Still, she struggled to her feet and stashed the oversized handgun from her nightstand into the safe. 

“We good now?” Adam asked, flashing a cheeky smile.  

“In your dreams,” Robin shot back, rolling her eyes.  

“So, what’s the plan then?” Adam chuckled.  

“Haven’t figured it out yet,” she said, shaking her head.  

“How about I get you a gift? Something you’ll love?” Adam said, slipping on sunglasses and a chunky gold chain. He popped a cigar in his mouth, his smirk tilting up a smooth 60 degrees.  

“What do you take me for?” Robin scoffed. “If I could actually take you in a fight, you think I wouldn’t have shot you by now?”  

Oof.  

Her logic was airtight.  

“You’re overthinking it,” Adam said quickly, switching to damage control. “Last night wasn’t on purpose, I swear. Hand on heart—I’ve got nothing but respect for you.”  

“…”  

Robin slapped his “swearing” hand away, done with talking. This guy’s tricks were endless—she couldn’t keep up.  

Adam caught her reaction and smirked.  

After last night’s wild clash, he’d still had the confidence to promise Lily he could smooth things over with an apology. That wasn’t just hot air.  

Sure, his apology was dripping with sincerity, but it was more than that. With his god-mode perspective, Adam probably knew Robin better than she knew herself.  

Classic TV drama vibes: Childhood shapes everything. A happy one heals you forever; a rough one leaves you patching yourself up for life.  

Robin Scherbatsky—or, if we’re going ancient East Country style, Robin “Victory Man” Scherbatsky. Yup. Her dad had wanted a son. Too bad he got a daughter instead.  

But no biggie! Raise her right from the start, and a girl can be just as tough as any guy.  

“Baseball pro” Penny’s dad would’ve nodded in approval—total expert move.  

So, raised like a boy, Robin’s personality and hobbies skewed hard toward the masculine. Guns, fighting, football—she was all about the rough stuff.  

It all stemmed from habits she’d picked up as a kid, chasing her dad’s praise. Naturally, that led to a textbook issue: what Barney once called her “super-hot daddy complex.”  

In Adam’s all-seeing view, he’d watched Robin—decked out in a suit, puffing a cigar—open up about her past. Her cigar skills? Honed to impress her cigar-loving dad, hoping for some bonding time.  

But hanging out in guy-world too long nearly turned her into something else entirely. She and Penny shared the same “problem”: a little training, and their pecs outshone everyone at the gym, leaving the boys jealous and bowing down.  

Later, as pop star “Robin Sparkles,” she left the country for the U.S. and carved out a totally different path.  

Deep down, Robin wasn’t that hung up on last night. What really ticked her off was getting the short end of the stick in her showdown with Alice.  

For someone as competitive as her, that was unbearable. And since Adam was the root cause, she’d redirected all that fury his way.  

“So, who’s that bitch?” Robin snapped, Adam’s grin dredging up old grudges.  

“Why do you wanna know?” Adam dodged with a laugh. “What, you planning to fight her?”  

“Obviously,” Robin said with a cold smirk. “I’ve never taken a hit this bad my whole life—especially not from another woman!”  

Tsk!  

Talk about some serious shade toward her fellow ladies.  

“Heh,” Adam chuckled, staying quiet.  

No way. Last night was a fluke. Spill the beans now, and if it blew up at the hospital, it’d be a mess he didn’t need.  

“So, you’re on her side?” Robin asked. She might’ve been all bold and brassy, but she was still a woman—instinctively pulling the “pick a team” card like a pro.  

“Of course not,” Adam said, shaking his head with a smile. “You know me—I’m always in the middle.”  

No matter how she pressed, Adam wouldn’t budge.  

Kidding? With his iron will, there was no way he’d sell out Alice.  

“&%￥3@…”  

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Robin sneered and unleashed her trump card—an ultimatum over an encrypted channel.  

“…You focus on healing up. I’ll see what I can do later,” Adam said, all noble and upright.  

“Hah!” Robin let out a scornful snort.  

Adam acted like he didn’t hear it.  

“Oh, by the way—you and Lily are tight, right?” he asked with a grin.  

“Yeah,” Robin nodded. “I don’t have many friends around here. Lily’s the newest, but she’s the warmest. She’s given me a kind of friendship I’ve never felt before. I guess that’s what a bestie is, huh?”  

“Heh,” Adam laughed softly.  

Robin “Victory Man” had only known brotherhood growing up—besties were a foreign concept. She thought Lily’s enthusiasm was just pure gal-pal vibes.  

Hmm.  

Okay, fair enough. Adam wasn’t a woman, so he couldn’t exactly judge what “bestie vibes” were. Maybe he didn’t have the right to laugh.  

He remembered those sappy posts from his past life’s social feeds: “All you need is one good bestie—shopping, eating, chatting. Who cares about a husband?” Probably written for someone like Robin.  

“How’re she and Matthew doing lately?” Adam asked casually.  

“Huh?” Robin gave him a weird look. “Aren’t you the one closest to them? Why’re you asking me?”  

“Ugh,” Adam sighed dramatically. “Us doctors are too busy. Even with my best buds, I barely get time to catch up. Just taking the chance to get the scoop.”  

“…”  

Robin was floored by his shamelessness again, feeling deeply offended.  

What did he take her for? Some all-purpose errand girl?  

“Quit it,” Adam said, effortlessly catching the kick she launched at him.  

If he were Juno, the mind-reader, he might’ve heard her inner rant and fired back, “What, I’m not a tool to you?”  

Mutual tool status.  

If she weren’t so useless—barely taking up 10% of his CPU—he wouldn’t bother unlocking new features out of boredom.  

Ring ring!  

His phone went off.  

“Be right there,” Adam said into it, then started throwing on his jacket and heading out.  

“Hospital stuff.”  

“Drive slow,” Robin called.  

“Don’t worry.”  

“…When’re you coming back?”  

“When you’re healed up. I’ll call. Just don’t crash into anything again.”  

Her reply? A high heel, hurled at Mach speed.  

Bang!  

Adam shut the bedroom door just in time, hearing the shoe slam into it. He smirked.  

Living Room.  

Robin’s five big dogs—gifts from five ex-boyfriends—were huddled on the couch, looking pitiful. When Adam glanced their way, they ducked their heads even lower.  

They were dying over there.  

Normally, when they needed to pee, they’d nudge the bedroom door open, jump on the bed, and lick their owner’s face to wake her up for a bathroom break.  

But with this scary guy around? No chance—they didn’t dare get close.  

And their owner had strict rules: no peeing or pooping inside.  

It was a doggone nightmare.  

The newest pup, Number Five, was extra miserable.  

The OG dog, a gift from Ex Number N, let out a mournful woof in dog-speak: “Don’t be sad. Every time, she starts out all lovey-dovey, but then those guys turn into dead men in her eyes and get kicked to the curb.”  

Dog Two, from Ex N+1, chimed in: “Can confirm. The guy who got me? Same deal.”  

Dogs Three and Four, from Exes N+2 and N+3: “Us too.”  

Number Five blinked, thinking back to the dude who’d bought him—leaving the apartment with a “what even is life” look on his face. Suddenly, he perked up and barked happily.  

Chapter 499: No Magic Can Beat Fate  

Medical Center. 

VIP Ward.  

“What’s going on?” Adam asked.  

“Mrs. Russebin just had some contractions,” Liz replied quickly. “To keep the babies in a bit longer, I’ve lowered the bed angle—using gravity to delay things.”  

“Good call,” Adam said, checking the vitals. Both mom and babies were stable, so he gave her a nod of approval. “I’ll take it from here. Go get some rest.”  

“I’m still good,” Liz said, her energy buzzing.  

“Alright then,” Adam replied, not pushing it. He stepped out, grabbed a medical textbook, and plopped onto the ward’s sofa to read.  

“Dr. Duncan, want some tea?” The nurse assigned to the room brought over a steaming cup.  

“Thanks, Rita,” Adam said with a smile.  

“No problem!” Rita grinned and left.  

Liz’s fiery enthusiasm suddenly fizzled. A wave of exhaustion hit her hard.  

“You take the tea and cover the second half of the night,” she said, her tone a little sour. “I’m heading to the break room. Call me if anything comes up.”  

“Sounds good,” Adam said, sipping his tea and flipping a page, giving her a casual nod.  

Liz trudged off, feeling like the world had it out for her. It always had, ever since she was a kid.  

When she started interning at the medical center, she’d tried so hard to befriend everyone—Meredith, George, Cristina, Adam, the other doctors and nurses. She poured her heart into it, but time after time, her warmth got met with cold shoulders.  

Meredith, her freaking roommate, only ever confided in Cristina. Never her. George was decent, sure, but he was a guy—there was always that distance. Adam? She still remembered how he’d chewed her out early on. Even now that they were cool, he kept her at arm’s length. Alex, that jerk who’d left, was ironically the closest she’d gotten to a real connection. The rest of the staff? They barely gave her the time of day.  

She racked her brain and could only figure it was her looks—too pretty, too perfect. Women got jealous and stayed away. Take just now: the nurse hadn’t even glanced her way. Classic.  

Adam, oblivious to Liz’s “lonely at the top” pity party, kept sipping tea and reading. Before he knew it, the clock ticked into the wee hours.  

2:30 AM.  

“Ahh!” Mrs. Russebin suddenly yelped.  

“What’s wrong?” Adam dropped his book and rushed over.  

“My contractions—they hurt so bad,” she groaned. “I think my water broke.”  

Adam checked the monitor, then lifted the blanket. A patch of blood stared back at him.  

“Deep breaths,” he said, calming her while calling for the nurse.  

“Get Dr. Montgomery on the line.” 

“Page Dr. Stevens.” 

“Tell the OR to prep Operating Room 1.” 

“Grab the backup staff list from the nurses’ station and call everyone in.”  

A flurry of orders spilled out of him.  

“Ah! What’s happening?” Mrs. Russebin cried.  

“Your placenta’s torn—we can’t wait any longer. We’re delivering tonight,” Adam explained, keeping his voice steady. “But don’t worry, everything’s under control. Relax. Deep breaths.”  

“Tom!” she shouted.  

“I know, I’ve got the nurse calling Mr. Russebin already,” Adam said, letting her squeeze his hand like a vice. “He’s on his way and will be with you in the OR, I promise.”  

“The boys!” she gasped through the pain.  

“They’re all set—Mr. Russebin’s got it covered,” Adam reassured her, ignoring the death grip on his hand.  

If it were Liz or someone else, they’d probably have flinched by now. The less patient ones might’ve even grabbed a nearby needle and jabbed her to make it stop.  

“What’s going on?” Liz burst in, her clothes a mess from rushing over.  

Adam gave her the quick rundown, then said, “Go help call in all the backup staff.”  

This wasn’t just a C-section. It was three babies, three surgeries. Lead surgeons, assistants, nurses—four surgical teams and two care units. Over twenty people, easy. No way they could wing it without a solid lineup.  

Beep beep. 

Beep beep.  

Pagers blared across the city. Whether people were snoring or… uh, busy, they had to drop everything and race to the hospital.  

Dr. Montgomery, the attending, sped over from home too. Adam’s call was spot-on, as always. She tossed him a quick “Nice work,” confirmed the full team was ready, and started scrubbing in.  

Operating Room 1.  

A swarm of doctors and nurses huddled around the central table. Mrs. Russebin, under local anesthesia, locked eyes with her husband. Behind the drape, Dr. Montgomery took the lead, with Liz as first assist, starting the C-section.  

Adam stood by Dr. Burke, waiting for Baby #2, Emily, to make her entrance. Meredith was next to Dr. Shepherd, her face hidden behind a mask. You couldn’t see her expression, but her eyes said plenty.  

She’d had zero hope of joining this high-profile surgery. After clashing with Dr. Montgomery over Dr. Shepherd—practically a screaming match—she figured the attending would freeze her out. A case like this could pad her resume big-time, but she didn’t trust Montgomery to give her the shot.  

Turns out, she’d underestimated the woman’s grace. But that just made the whole thing feel… hollow. She almost wished Montgomery had sidelined her. At least then she’d know she was a threat. Being ignored? That stung worse.  

One by one, Dr. Montgomery lifted the babies out—gentle, steady—handing them to Liz, who passed them to the assigned teams. Into incubators they went, wheeled out of the OR.  

Then came #2, Emily.  

Adam stepped up, taking the tiny, messy, pitiful little thing from Liz. He placed her in the incubator, listened with his stethoscope, and gave Dr. Burke a nod. Burke nodded back.  

“To OR 2,” Adam said. Under Mrs. Russebin’s teary gaze, they rolled the incubator out.  

Operating Room 2.  

“No matter what the books say, I guarantee you’ve never seen a heart this small,” Dr. Burke said to Adam as they scrubbed in.  

“Mm,” Adam replied with a polite smile and a nod—more courtesy than agreement.  

Burke paused, then shook his head with a wry grin. He’d forgotten: most people couldn’t connect textbook diagrams to a real, tiny beating heart. But Adam? He could.  

After scrubbing up, they suited up with the nurses’ help.  

“Duncan, you take the lead,” Burke said, stepping aside to assist and mentor. No surprise there.  

“Thanks, Dr. Burke,” Adam said, smoothly taking the main spot.  

“Scalpel.”  

He held out his hand, and the nurse slapped the blade into his palm like clockwork.  

“Damn!”  

As he cut into Emily’s left ventricle, Adam’s eyes narrowed. He cursed under his breath and glanced up at Burke.  

Burke saw it too. He sighed and shook his head.  

No matter how prepared Adam was, it didn’t matter now.  

No magic can beat fate.  

Chapter 500: A Brutal Lesson 

Medical Center.   

Operating Room 2.   

“Call Dr. Montgomery and tell her to come over as soon as she’s done over there,” Dr. Burke instructed.   

“Yes, Doctor,” the nurse replied, hurrying off.   

“The ultrasound equipment still isn’t advanced enough,” Adam said, shaking his head. “It can’t pick this up.”   

“You’ll never get a perfect measurement before going into surgery,” Dr. Burke said gravely. “That’s why we, as doctors, have to keep sharpening our skills.”   

Baby Emily had been born underdeveloped. Her atrial septum was split by a thin membrane, and her aorta was narrower than anyone could’ve imagined—just one millimeter in diameter. It couldn’t carry enough blood. No matter how well Adam had prepared or how precise the Norwood procedure was, without a steady blood supply through that aorta, Emily wouldn’t make it. Dr. Burke estimated she had about 24 hours left, tops.   

Dr. Montgomery arrived soon after getting the message.   

“Crap!” she muttered under her breath, closing her eyes. As a seasoned pro, one glance told her everything she needed to know.   

“If you’ve got no objections, we’re closing her up,” Dr. Burke said.   

The Norwood procedure had hit a dead end. All they could do now was stitch her up, give her a little more strength, and buy her a few extra hours.   

“Yeah,” Dr. Montgomery said, opening her eyes with a heavy nod.   

“Let’s do it,” Dr. Burke signaled to Adam.   

Adam nodded back, moving fast but with expert precision to close Emily’s chest.   

“Get her to the neonatal ICU,” Dr. Burke ordered once they were done.   

The surgery was over.   

“Dr. Duncan, step outside for a sec. I need to talk to you,” Dr. Montgomery called.   

“Sure,” Adam replied. He peeled off his surgical gown, gloves, and mask, then followed her out of the OR to her office.   

Man, what an office.   

In a hospital—or anywhere, really—a big, private office like that screamed status. It was one of the perks Chief of Surgery Richard had dangled to lure Dr. Montgomery here.   

“Dr. Duncan, I don’t want you to tell Dr. Stevenson about the surgery’s outcome,” Dr. Montgomery said once she’d settled into her chair.   

“Why not?” Adam asked, caught off guard.   

“Emily’s not going to make it past 24 hours,” Dr. Montgomery said, locking eyes with him. “I want Dr. Stevenson to handle her case from start to finish.”   

“You mean…” Adam trailed off, piecing it together as he studied her.   

“Exactly,” she nodded. “Dr. Stevenson’s got real talent in pediatrics. I want to mentor her properly. Since Emily’s already in this state, I’m handing her over to Liz completely.   

“She’s going to be scared. She’s going to freak out.   

“But if she pushes through it, the next time something like this comes up, she’ll be able to handle the pressure.   

“You can only become a better doctor by letting go of too much emotional attachment to patients. That’s Dr. Stevenson’s biggest weakness right now.   

“I went through the same thing back in the day.”   

“I get it,” Adam said with a nod.   

In that moment, he believed Dr. Montgomery was genuine. You wouldn’t put a student through something this brutal unless you truly saw potential in them. Most of the time, it’s a thankless job.   

patreon:belamy20   

“I’m asking you not just to keep quiet, but also to ignore her pages,” Dr. Montgomery added. “If Emily makes it to tonight, I want you out of the hospital. Let Dr. Stevenson deal with it all on her own.”   

“You sure about this?” Adam asked, raising an eyebrow. “Knowing Liz, she’s probably not going to thank you for it. She might even ditch pediatrics altogether because of this.”   

“Then that’d be a shame,” Dr. Montgomery said, shaking her head. “But whether it’s pediatrics or any other specialty, every great doctor has to face this hurdle.   

“If she can’t get past it today and gives up on pediatrics, what then? Is she going to quit every time she hits a wall?”   

“Maybe she’s just meant to be an average doctor,” Adam pointed out.   

“Maybe,” Dr. Montgomery paused, considering it. “But right now, I want to give her a shot. I don’t want her talent to go to waste. What she does with it later—that’s up to her.”   

It was a rare opportunity, honestly. If they weren’t absolutely sure Emily couldn’t be saved, no attending would ever let an intern take the reins like this. Plus, there was the risk factor—hysterical families could easily sue the attending if they found out.   

Dr. Montgomery was willing to teach this way. If it were Cristina or Adam on the receiving end, they’d be grateful after the fact.   

Of course, Adam and Cristina wouldn’t even need this kind of lesson. Call them cold or heartless, but they already had the mindset of top-tier doctors.   

“I hope Liz can see Dr. Shepherd’s good intentions,” Adam said with a nod. “I know what to do.”   

“Here’s hoping,” Dr. Montgomery replied with a wry smile.   

Adam got it. Beyond the selfless angle, there was a bit of self-interest in it for her too. After he’d turned her down, she had no choice but to groom her own team. Normally, it’d be a slow process, but Emily’s case was a sudden golden ticket. If Liz could push through, her mindset would level up big time. Pair that with her natural talent and Dr. Montgomery’s guidance, and Liz could rise fast—maybe even become her right-hand woman. So yeah, despite the risks, Dr. Montgomery was willing to roll the dice.   

Adam left her office.   

During the day, he deliberately avoided Liz. That night, he didn’t even stick around to cook up his usual late-night meal. Not that he could’ve anyway—the quintuplets in the neonatal ICU, courtesy of Mrs. Lusabin, each had a dedicated doctor assigned. Liz was on Emily, naturally, while Meredith, Cristina, George, and another intern each took one of the others.   

Left to his own devices, Adam could’ve chatted with Alice Grey. But since he’d promised Dr. Montgomery, and knowing Liz might actually track him down, he bailed on the hospital entirely. He headed to Robin’s apartment instead—perfect timing to change her bandages.   

Her wound was on her conscience.   

She needed a little extra TLC.   

Late that night, Adam’s pager wouldn’t stop buzzing. Liz was paging him like crazy—desperate, terrified, you name it.   

“Why aren’t you answering?” Robin asked, groggy from sleep but woken up by the constant beeping. She’d crashed hard after overdoing it earlier.   

Adam sighed and filled her in.   

“Whoa,” Robin gasped, wide-eyed. “You doctors have to go through training like that?”   

“Not all of us,” Adam shook his head. “Only the great ones need that kind of mindset. You either have it from the start or you build it up. Tonight’s a make-or-break moment.”   

“But isn’t that just… cruel?” Robin winced.   

“Tonight’s cruelty might save hundreds, maybe thousands of patients down the line,” Adam said with a heavy sigh.   

“Liz probably won’t forgive Dr. Montgomery for this. Or you,” Robin muttered.   

“I don’t need her forgiveness,” Adam said with a carefree grin. “As long as you forgive me, I’m good~”   

“Whoa!” Robin sucked in a breath again—maybe shocked by Adam’s sudden flirty vibe, maybe something else. The whole mood shifted in an instant.   

Yeah, the harsh reality sucked, but life keeps moving forward…   

P.S. Big thanks to “Lost in Wanren Mountain” for the tip!   

(Chapter End)