432-434

Chapter 432: Exhausted Parents-to-Be 

Monday.  

3:00 AM.  

Adam had just finished rattling off all 31,485 pieces of heart surgery data.  

Peggy, on the other hand, dove right back into her calculations, sprawled across the desk. This was all rough draft material for their future paper. Adam stood behind her, watching for a solid hour, completely lost in the maze of complex, mind-bending math formulas.  

Let’s be real—when it came to math, he was totally out of his league.  

That realization hit him hard, and he made up his mind right then and there to double his math study time going forward. Math wasn’t just a way to bond with Peggy—it could seriously boost his career as a top-tier doctor. Once this heavyweight paper got published, it wouldn’t just add a splash of color to his résumé; it’d be a dazzling, standout page!  

But for now, all he could do was stand there, staring blankly, understanding zilch.  

The Duncan-Adler formula? Honestly, calling it that felt a little shameless.  

That thought didn’t even linger for a second before Adam mentally chopped it down. Without him, would Peggy have ever zeroed in on this? It’s like a woman carrying a baby for ten months—sure, she gets the lion’s share of the credit, no question. But without a guy kicking things off in those first few minutes, even the most capable woman’s out of luck, right?  

And that’s just your average guy.  

Adam, though? He showed up at 9:00 AM, worked straight through to 2:00 PM, and then kept going for another 14 hours. He’d earned his stripes—both in contribution and pure grind. This “brain baby” of theirs taking his last name? Totally fair!  

“Peggy, I’ve gotta head back to the hospital. I’ll swing by again tonight,” Adam said, glancing at his watch.  

“Mhm.”  

Compared to her old habit of flat-out ignoring him, this time Peggy didn’t look up but at least gave a little hum of acknowledgment.  

“Make sure you rest, okay?” Adam added.  

Peggy didn’t bother responding this time.  

Adam stepped out of the room and knocked on the door across the hall.  

Knock, knock, knock.  

“Lisa?”  

Knock, knock, knock.  

“Lisa?”  

Knock, knock, knock.  

“Lisa?”  

“Boss.”  

Lisa cracked the door open, still in her pajamas, rubbing sleepy eyes. She checked the time and groaned, “It’s 4:00 AM!”  

“This month’s bonus is doubled,” Adam said casually.  

That shut down her grumbling real quick.  

“Boss, what’s up?”  

Lisa perked up, her eyes practically sparkling as she looked at Adam, ready to jump into action—whatever he needed, she’d tackle it, no hesitation.  

Why? Simple. On top of her hefty monthly salary, Adam tossed in bonuses depending on the situation. The amounts were enough to make the average white-collar worker jealous—doubled? Forget about it!  

Then, as if something clicked, Lisa bit her lip, turned her head slightly, and tugged at the neckline of her pajamas.  

“…”  

Adam’s mouth twitched.  

What’s that supposed to mean? What kind of guy do you think I am?  

“Peggy’s gone full-on research mode again, totally zoned out. Keep an eye on her. I’ll be back tonight—make sure there’s an extra dinner ready,” Adam instructed.  

“Oh, got it.”  

Lisa nodded quickly. As Adam turned to leave, she blurted out, “Boss, that’s it?”  

“What else do you want?” Adam shot back, half-teasing.  

“Uh…”  

Lisa awkwardly tugged her pajama neckline back into place and shook her head. “Nothing.”  

After Adam left, Lisa grabbed the keys to Peggy’s apartment and shuffled over in her pajamas, muttering to herself along the way. “Can you blame me? It’s 4:00 AM, my hotshot boss is banging on my door, doubling my bonus, and he’s got that whole charming vibe going on. What am I supposed to think? I didn’t jump straight to some wild group scenario—that’s me being nice.”  

New York.  

Medical Center.  

Locker Room.  

“Adam, where’ve you been? You didn’t show up yesterday, and I couldn’t even get you on the phone!” Christina complained as she changed. “Without you, Dr. Grey totally ignores us. Didn’t you even skip a friends’ dinner before? How’d you waste a whole day and night this time?”  

“Relax,” Adam said with a grin. He was about to be a “dad” to this project, and he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. “Dr. Grey’s doing fine. Even if she doesn’t fully recover, she’s stable for now. We’ve got time.”  

“Sure, we’ve got time, but why risk it?” Christina pressed, her eyes blazing with that relentless thirst for knowledge.  

“My bad,” Adam admitted, his smile fading as he reflected.  

She was right. He’d gotten a little too caught up in all the good stuff lately—maybe he’d been floating a bit. That wasn’t okay.  

Alice Grey had Alzheimer’s. She might seem fine now, but no one could predict what’d happen next. He should’ve been pouring all his energy into soaking up her knowledge and experience while he still could.  

“So, tonight?” Christina asked, her eyes lighting up when she saw him own up to it.  

“Tonight’s on,” Adam said with a laugh.  

“Sweet! I’ll go spread the good news,” Christina said, practically bouncing.  

Adam’s deal with their little crew was this: they’d have these nightly study sessions, just their tight-knit group, and then every week or two—depending on how things went—they’d open it up for a big lecture in the teaching room.  

For Adam, it didn’t matter either way. He wasn’t worried about colleagues stealing some “top-secret technique.” If they wanted to learn, go for it. No one could outpace his learning ability anyway—they weren’t even in the same league. He was basically a TA, maybe even half a professor.  

But for Christina and the others, it was a different story. If everything went wide open, it’d turn into a straight-up talent-and-effort showdown. Christina was confident she could keep up with Adam, but the pressure of others closing in would skyrocket.  

For Meredith, Liz, and the rest? If they didn’t buckle down and kept getting distracted by romance, they’d get left in the dust. People are selfish—it’s human nature.  

Christina whispered some bestie vibes to Meredith, and just like that, their little study group was back on. Adam didn’t say no. Why would he? Meredith had guardianship over Dr. Grey. If she got upset and shipped Dr. Grey off to a nursing home, Adam would be the one losing out big time.  

Plus, giving his friends a leg up felt natural. He wasn’t some saint fighting for equal rights for random coworkers he barely knew.  

After changing, Adam stepped out and called Lisa. “I’ll probably get there around midnight. Yeah, just have some late-night snacks ready!”  

He hung up, grinning to himself.  

For most people, you couldn’t have it all—work all day, study Dr. Grey’s expertise all night, and keep tabs on Peggy “giving birth” to their project. Time and energy just didn’t stretch that far.  

But Adam? His stamina was off the charts—and still climbing. Skip a few days of sleep? No big deal. He’d still be buzzing with energy.  

So, his plan was set: run the study session as usual, wrap up late, then zip over to Peggy’s place in New Jersey to check on the “delivery” progress before hauling it back to New York without missing a beat.  

When you’re a parent-to-be, especially in crunch time, running yourself ragged is just part of the gig, right?  

Chapter 433: So This Counts as True Love?  

Medical Center – Nurse Station  

“Dr. Duncan!”  

A female nurse called out to Adam.  

“Rosie, what’s up?”  

Adam stopped and smiled.  

Remembering everyone’s name in the hospital was a small challenge he set for himself.  

For him, it was easy.  

But to others, it was a sign of respect.  

Details make all the difference.  

“There’s a case here that needs your attention.”  

The nurse, Rosie, beamed at him.  

“A gunshot wound to the head?”  

George, who was flipping through medical records, caught a glimpse of the patient file in her hand. His eyes widened. “That’s not fair! I’ve been digging through these files for so long, and you just had this one hidden away?”  

“They’re all patients, and they all need doctors.”  

Rosie explained seriously, “Different cases require different doctors. This one happens to need a doctor as outstanding as Dr. Duncan.”  

“…”  

George’s chubby face was full of grievance.  

Women these days…  

“He survived a gunshot to the head?”  

Adam walked over, took the file, and was genuinely surprised.  

“Not only did he survive, but he also drove himself to the hospital to schedule surgery.”  

Rosie nodded toward the waiting area.  

“A miracle.”  

Adam followed her gaze and saw a middle-aged man sitting there, flipping through a magazine. The bullet hole right in the middle of his forehead was glaringly obvious.  

“Thanks, Rosie.”  

Adam sincerely appreciated it.  

A case like this? Whoever gets it is lucky.  

Sure, Rosie was looking out for him.  

But it was also just his good fortune.  

After all, if the patient had come too early or too late, she wouldn’t have dared to do this. She probably saw Adam arrive and immediately pulled the file from the stack.  

Meanwhile, poor George had to sift through them one by one, while the nurses registering patients had the full picture.  

“You’re welcome.”  

Rosie blushed slightly and hesitated before asking, “Dr. Duncan, can I get a copy of last night’s lecture recording? I’d love to study it.”  

“Of course.”  

Adam was only briefly surprised before agreeing.  

He had made multiple copies anyway, planning to distribute them and spread his reputation.  

Nurses might be at the bottom of the hospital hierarchy, so they weren’t the best for boosting his name.  

But hey, why not?  

Besides, maybe she really meant it.  

There were nurses who worked hard, studied diligently, got into med school, and eventually became doctors.  

“Thank you.”  

Rosie’s smile grew even sweeter.  

Of course, she wasn’t actually planning to study it.  

She wouldn’t even understand most of it.  

Nurses transitioning to doctors were rare. Becoming a doctor wasn’t that simple.  

She wanted it… as a movie.  

At this point in time, the term “fangirling” didn’t exist.  

But her actions were a perfect example of it.  

“You’re welcome.”  

Adam nodded at her and walked toward the patient, file in hand.  

“Mr. Linden? I’m Dr. Duncan. Mind if I do a quick examination?”  

“Of course not.”  

Linden put down his magazine.  

As Adam began his exam, Linden started explaining. “I was cleaning my gun when I accidentally pulled the trigger. I thought I had already removed the magazine. I never expected this to happen.”  

“Oh, really?”  

Adam gave him a knowing smile. 

Why not just say you’re some kung fu master?  

Pointing a loaded gun at his own forehead, pulling the trigger, failing to stop the bullet with his fingers—but miraculously surviving because of some invisible force?  

Now that would be a great story.  

“You don’t believe me?”  

Linden got anxious. “It was an accident! You don’t think I tried to kill myself, do you?”  

“Relax.”  

Adam reassured him. “I’m a doctor. My job is to remove the bullet from your head. The rest isn’t my concern. But the police will want to ask you about it.”  

“The police? Why do they need to be involved?”  

Linden became even more flustered.  

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“Any gunshot wound must be reported to the police. It’s the law.”  

Adam explained, “Even if it was accidental. The key is whether the police believe your story.”  

Linden fell silent for a moment, then muttered, “Everyone makes mistakes. I’m no exception. And now I’m paying the price for mine.”  

Adam glanced at him thoughtfully. “Mr. Linden, we need to do a CT scan first.”  

“Whatever.”  

Linden seemed disheartened.  

When the CT scan came back, Adam was amazed.  

The bullet had entered through his forehead but miraculously avoided all major brain structures and lodged itself inside.  

“Oh my God! Doctor, how’s my husband?”  

When Adam returned to the hospital room after calling Dr. Sheppard, a middle-aged woman was already standing by the bed, panicking.  

“He needs surgery, but the exact plan will be determined once Dr. Sheppard arrives.”  

Adam explained.  

Dr. Sheppard arrived shortly after.  

“Duncan, what’s your take?”  

“From the CT scan, we only need to clear out the necrotic tissue caused by the bullet’s path. We don’t have to take the risk of removing the bullet itself.”  

Adam said, “It’s the safest approach. The downside is that he won’t be able to undergo an MRI in the future, and airport security might be a hassle.”  

“Sounds good.”  

Dr. Sheppard nodded, then turned to the Lindens. “That’s the plan. Removing the bullet is risky. Leaving it means some inconveniences. Your decision?”  

“We’ll leave it in.”  

The couple answered in unison.  

“Alright.”  

Dr. Sheppard closed the file and instructed, “Duncan, schedule the OR and run pre-op tests. Let’s get this done soon.”  

“Yes, doctor.”  

As Adam returned from scheduling the surgery, he heard a heated argument inside the room.  

“I’ve loved you for 21 years! I forgave you!”  

“You cheated! Don’t act all magnanimous! You betrayed me!”  

“I have a bullet in my brain!”  

“That doesn’t make us even!”  

“You shot me!”  

“Oh, please. When you cheated, you should’ve seen this coming! We’ve been together for 21 years—do you just now realize what I’m like?”  

“…”  

Adam stood outside, half amused, half speechless.  

So there was more to the story.  

It really was an accidental shooting.  

But Linden accidentally shot himself first—then got shot for real by his wife.  

She must be from Texas, just like Adam.  

But Linden must really love his wife.  

Without some insane luck, he’d be dead.  

And his wife? She definitely meant to kill him—hence the direct headshot.  

As Linden was being wheeled into surgery, the police arrived to question his wife.  

Adam shook his head.  

With her fiery temper, even if Linden covered for her, unless the police decided to look the other way—like Adam—it’d be impossible to keep it under wraps. 

Chapter 434: Perfect Comprehension  

Medical Center 

Patient Room  

“Mr. Linden, you’re awake! How are you feeling?”  

Adam asked.  

“Where’s my wife?”  

Mr. Linden, with a white bandage wrapped around his forehead, opened his eyes and immediately looked around.  

“She was taken away by the police.”  

Adam explained.  

“What did you tell them?”  

Unlike before the surgery, Mr. Linden was much calmer now. He half-opened his eyes and asked in a tired voice.  

“We didn’t say anything.”  

Adam shook his head. “It was Mrs. Linden. She told them everything.”  

The officer questioning her wasn’t a rookie. With just a few words, they managed to provoke her fiery temper, and she spilled everything without holding back.  

“I won’t press charges against her.”  

Mr. Linden sighed with guilt. “This is my fault. I let her down. Getting shot by her… I had it coming.”  

Adam didn’t respond to that. Instead, he asked again, “Mr. Linden, how are you feeling? Any discomfort? I mean physically.”  

“No.”  

Mr. Linden then asked, “What’s going to happen to her?”  

“The police will charge her with first-degree assault.”  

Adam closed the patient’s file, signaling the end of the conversation. “Get some rest, Mr. Linden. If you need anything, let the nurses know.”  

Noon – Cafeteria  

“Adam, is it true? You got a patient who survived a gunshot to the head?”  

Christina asked, clearly envious.  

“It’s not as impressive as you think.”  

Adam knew exactly what she was excited about and explained, “All we did was remove the necrotic tissue in his forehead caused by the bullet. The bullet itself is still lodged in his brain.”  

“Oh.”  

Christina’s excitement faded immediately.  

That kind of surgery wasn’t challenging at all.  

The appeal disappeared just as quickly as it had come.  

“See? This is why you should never piss off a woman.”  

Meredith smirked.  

“Heh.”  

Adam glanced at her and chuckled. “Dr. Shepherd said the same thing.”  

“What did he say?”  

Meredith’s eyes sharpened instantly.  

“He said he understands Mrs. Linden. If he were in Mr. Linden’s shoes, he wouldn’t blame her either. Sometimes, if a bullet can bring back love, it’s worth it.”  

Adam repeated Shepherd’s words with a straight face.  

During the surgery, Dr. Shepherd had randomly brought up the topic, making dramatic statements. Who was he talking to?  

Anyone with half a brain could tell he wasn’t saying it for Adam’s benefit.  

“He really thinks choosing between me and her is harder than taking a bullet to the head, huh?”  

Meredith, being directly involved and, more importantly, a woman, immediately read between the lines.  

“So even though she and his best friend betrayed him, he still loves her more than he loves me.”  

“…”  

Adam twitched slightly.  

Dr. Shepherd, it’s not that I didn’t pass your message along—it’s just that Meredith’s comprehension skills are off the charts!  

But when you really think about it…  

One love fueled by passion, the other by betrayal and obsession, yet somehow, he was stuck between the two, unable to decide, even willing to take a bullet instead of choosing.  

Yeah… Meredith’s interpretation might not be wrong after all.  

“Adam, you better be careful.”  

Liz chimed in. “You never know when you might find yourself in a similar situation.”  

“Not happening.”  

Adam smiled confidently.  

For one, he wasn’t a liar.  

And even if he somehow found himself in a love triangle, as long as it wasn’t a full-blown battlefield, he could dodge a stray bullet or two thanks to his sharp reflexes.  

Unlike Mr. Linden, he wouldn’t have to rely on sheer dumb luck to survive.  

Besides, he had Juno.  

If he ever met an emotionally unstable “friend” struggling with their feelings, Juno could handle it.  

When it came to emotional manipulation, no one was better than her.  

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“Liz, how’s your patient doing?”  

Christina changed the topic.  

As much as she liked gossip, discussing medical cases was even more interesting to her.  

“Still no clue.”  

Liz frowned. “We can’t find anything wrong, but she keeps experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.”  

“Is this her medical file?”  

Christina grabbed the file from Liz and started flipping through it.  

“Intermittent syncope, irregular heartbeat, history of rheumatic heart disease, mitral valve stenosis… but her electrolytes are normal, no toxins in her urine, and her EKG looks fine…”  

“Everything seems normal, but she just randomly passes out. It’s terrifying.”  

Liz sighed. “She’s a pharmacology PhD, so if there was a problem, she’d probably have figured it out herself.”  

“Let me see.”  

Adam took the file, reading through it while casually commenting, “This sounds like a complex case. Why hasn’t she gone to see Dr. House?”  

“She never said.”  

Liz replied, “Dr. Burke wants to do a cardiac ultrasound first, but she’s pushing for a heart rate recovery test or even surgery. She’s even considering a pacemaker or an internal defibrillator.”  

“She wants major surgery without even knowing the cause?”  

Christina raised an eyebrow. “What kind of pharmacology PhD is she?”  

“Her problem might not be physical—it could be psychological.”  

Adam mused.  

“What do you mean?”  

Liz looked at him curiously.  

“She’s been to four different hospitals this year.”  

Adam pointed out. “She’s spent almost the entire year hospitalized, and her symptoms always appear around the time hospitals typically discharge patients.”  

“You think she’s faking it to stay in the hospital?”  

Christina caught on immediately.  

“What?”  

Liz was stunned. “Why would she do that?”  

“Her background.”  

Adam explained, “Her parents are missionaries overseas, and she has no close family. Maybe she enjoys the attention and care from hospital staff.”  

“Münchausen syndrome.”  

Christina concluded. “She’s pretending to be sick so she can play the role of a patient, imagining that we’re her family taking care of her.”  

“But she doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would lie. She’s so genuine and cheerful. The nurses love listening to her travel stories.”  

Liz hesitated.  

“How do you know she has a PhD in pharmacology?”  

Adam asked.  

“She told me…”  

Liz suddenly froze.  

“But there’s no ‘PhD’ listed in her medical records.”  

Adam pointed at the file.  

Doctors and PhDs, like aristocrats, usually make sure their titles are included in official documents to establish their status.  

Even Dr. Shepherd’s divorce papers were signed with "Derek Shepherd, M.D."  

Liz was completely speechless.  

“Everyone lies.”  

Adam smirked. “Check her purse. If she’s carrying medication that can induce palpitations or fainting, you’ll have your answer. If she refuses to let you check, well… that’s an answer too.”  

Ring, ring.  

Just then, Adam’s phone rang.  

Seeing the caller ID, he rolled his eyes before answering, “Ted, stop dreaming. I already told you—six months means six months… Fine, I’m on my way.”  

After hearing Ted’s frantic voice, Adam immediately got up and rushed toward the ER.  

(End of Chapter)