411-413

Chapter 411: "Now That You Mention It, I’m Not Sleepy Anymore" 

Medical Center. 

Seeing Meredith trembling and hiding there, peeking out, Adam’s first thought was that Mr. Harper had lost it. 

But then he heard a roar. 

“Don’t touch me!” 

“You incompetent quacks!” 

“How many times have I told you not to bother me while I’m working?!” 

Adam relaxed a little. 

It was a woman’s voice—and not a high-pitched, cutesy one either. 

So it probably wasn’t Mr. Harper going nuts. 

Hmm… 

Then again, he thought about the future—some eight-foot-tall dude sitting in an internet café, switching between a squeaky little-girl voice to climb the ranks with his buddies and a soft, gentle tone to chat with his girlfriend. Or that sleazy troll from The Big Bang Theory—the one who ruined Howard and Bernadette’s relationship by mercilessly clicking away under the Soul Bridge in World of Warcraft. In real life, that guy turned out to be just a gross old fat dude from Caltech’s equipment department, where Howard worked. 

So yeah, without seeing someone face-to-face, you can never be sure. 

To confirm, Adam quickly rounded the corner and took a look. 

There was a middle-aged woman sitting on a gurney, yelling her head off and thrashing around. 

Cristina, Izzie, George, and the others nearby looked like they’d just seen a ghost. 

“That’s Dr. Ellis Grey!” 

“Didn’t she go to the Mayo Clinic?” 

“I heard she was with the United Nations.” 

“Someone said she’s been traveling the world, gathering material for a groundbreaking medical book.” 

“How did she end up like this?” 

“Maybe she’s lost it. For someone as proud as her, it’s not shocking she’d fall this far.” 

“Yeah, genius and madness are just a hair’s breadth apart, right?” 

“Poor Dr. Meredith Grey, though. That’s Alzheimer’s.” 

“…” 

All sorts of hushed chatter reached Adam’s ears. 

He got the picture right away. 

This was Meredith’s mom—the idol of Cristina and Izzie, a legendary female doctor who’d pioneered a slew of famous surgical techniques and authored multiple textbooks. 

Ellis Grey! 

The Mayo Clinic’s widely regarded as the top medical center in the U.S. 

The UN’s World Health Organization? A globally renowned hub. 

Only the biggest names in medicine end up at places like those. 

And Ellis Grey? She’d been invited to both—repeatedly, with open arms. 

That alone spoke volumes about her status in the global medical community. 

But now, with all her achievements, she’d been struck by Alzheimer’s—a near-terminal disease—leaving her unable to remember who she was, where she was, or what she was doing. 

No wonder Meredith was trembling and hiding, too shaken to step forward. 

Back in the day, people saw Meredith as “the daughter of the legendary Grey.” It was mostly envy or jealousy. 

She’d always say—or at least hint—that she didn’t want to be the daughter of a legend. 

But deep down, she was proud of it. 

That sense of identity had been carved into her bones after med school. 

Not every med student has to buy textbooks written by their own mom, learn intricate techniques their mom invented, or hear classmates and professors constantly rave about how amazing their mom is. 

And now? She was just a pitiful figure others felt sorry for. 

The more dazzling her mom’s past, the sharper the contrast Meredith felt now. 

Adam shook his head and turned to leave. 

He still had three patients to check on—no time to deal with this mess. 

An hour later. 

After rounding on his three patients, Adam was about to head to the ER when George—looking like a headless chicken—stopped him. 

“Adam, help me out, man.” 

George’s face was a mix of desperation and despair. “I can’t handle Dr. Grey.” 

“Which Dr. Grey?” Adam asked, already knowing George had, as usual, gotten himself tangled in some drama. He couldn’t resist a little jab. 

“Ellis Grey—Meredith’s mom,” George clarified. “She’s got Alzheimer’s, and now she’s having intermittent cramps, pain, and diarrhea. Dr. Bailey told me to examine her, but she thinks I’m her husband. She’s treating me like we’re playing some doctor dress-up game. She won’t let me check her—she keeps telling me to stay out of her way because she’s ‘working.’” 

“Well, damn, George O’Malley!” Adam blinked, his expression turning sly. “I’ve gotta hand it to you. In novels, you’ve got fiancées cheating, fiancés mourning for a decade before marrying the daughter—that’s already wild enough. But your seamless, no-delay move here? That’s next-level, man. Makes the other stuff look amateur.” 

“What are you even talking about?!” George groaned, exasperated. “She’s just confused. I apparently look a little like her ex-husband.” 

“You look like Meredith’s dad?” Adam nearly burst out laughing. “Who told you that? Meredith?” 

“No,” George said, his face crumpling again. “The chief did. He’s old friends with Meredith’s mom.” 

“Oh, good,” Adam said, nodding. 

“What’s good?” George asked, confused. 

“Good that it’s the chief saying it,” Adam replied, barely holding back a grin. “If Meredith had thought you looked like her dad from the start, that time she broke down crying with you would’ve had a whole lot more layers to unpack.” 

“…” George’s head started throbbing. He was on the verge of tears. “Are you gonna help me or not?” 

Adam eased off the teasing—he didn’t want to push George over the edge. 

Time to focus. 

He’d been about to say no. 

He had plenty on his plate already. 

Plus, he liked to keep work and personal stuff separate—unless it was absolutely necessary, he wouldn’t mix the two. 

And honestly, if George couldn’t handle something this small, he’d be a total lost cause. 

But then something George said clicked, and Adam’s mind shifted. “Wait, you said she keeps talking about work? What stage is her Alzheimer’s at? Stage two, right? How long has she been in stage two?” 

With Alzheimer’s, by stage three, people can’t take care of themselves anymore. No way someone that far gone would be as lively as Ellis Grey was acting now. 

“Second year!” George answered instantly, having seen her chart. 

“Alright! I’ll come with you to check it out,” Adam said, his eyes lighting up. 

Stage two Alzheimer’s meant memory loss, sure, but not as severe as stage three. 

And for a legend like Ellis Grey, surgery was practically muscle memory. 

Hadn’t she been yelling about “you incompetent quacks” just a minute ago? 

There’s no official ranking for doctors, but in Adam’s mind, for cardiothoracic surgery, it went something like: regular attending, mildly notable Leonard, renowned Burke, big-hospital surgical chief Richard, and then the legendary Ellis Grey. 

Yup—Ellis Grey was a cardiothoracic surgeon. 

If Adam’s hunch was right, and Ellis had held onto her medical knowledge… 

Getting to talk face-to-face with a cardiothoracic legend like her? That’d be a rare treat—practically a once-in-a-lifetime thrill. 

The thought hit him, and suddenly, Adam was wide awake. 

Chapter 412: Adam in the Eyes of a Legendary Doctor 

The Hospital Room 

“Dr. Grey?” 

George pushed the door open and called out. 

“Damn it, Zack! I’m working here!” 

Alice Grey was “hard at work” when she heard the noise and immediately snapped, “I don’t have time to deal with you right now. If you want to watch cartoons, go do it yourself!” 

George instantly turned to Adam with a pitiful look. 

“Zack, you heard Dr. Grey. Go watch your cartoons,” Adam said with a grin. Then he turned to her. “Dr. Grey, I’m Adam Duncan, MD. It’s an honor to meet you. You’re an idol to all of us doctors.” 

“You familiar with the Grey Endoscopic Procedure?” Alice Grey perked up at this. She “set her work aside” and sized Adam up with a sharp gaze. 

“Of course,” Adam replied, still smiling. “I’ve studied all the Grey techniques you pioneered. I’ve got to say, those innovations are a godsend for both doctors and patients.” 

“Cut the obvious flattery,” Alice interrupted, her face stern as she switched into full-on mentor interrogation mode.  

She’d heard enough rainbow-colored praise in her career. Even now, with Alzheimer’s clouding her mind, her subconscious filtered it out, zeroing in on medicine instead. 

Adam’s heart skipped a beat with excitement as he answered her barrage of questions quickly and precisely. When it came to theory, he wasn’t afraid of anyone. 

The two went back and forth, question after answer, no hesitation. George, standing off to the side, was completely dumbfounded. 

“Shameless!” George muttered. He saw right through Adam’s “evil plan.” Adam wasn’t here to help him—he was using Alice Grey as a personal tutor to soak up knowledge. Worse, he wasn’t even including George in the fun. 

Tough luck for George, though. Alice asked fast, and Adam answered just as quickly. At first, George could kind of keep up, but as the topics got deeper and more obscure, his brain checked out. It took him a while to realize what was happening: he’d been silently dissed. 

Compared to Alice Grey and Adam, he really did feel like he should take after Alice’s ex-husband Zack and go watch cartoons. It was a double whammy to his IQ and his pride. 

And then there was the baggage—Zack and Alice’s messy past casting a dark shadow over his own future with Meredith. Man, did it sting! 

“Adam, we’re here to—” George started, his growing frustration spilling over onto his face. 

“Shut it, Zack!” Alice barked at him. 

“Ahem.” Adam noticed George’s face darken and realized he might’ve gone too far. He coughed lightly. “Dr. Grey, we need to do a quick check-up on you first. After that, I’d love to pick your brain some more. Sound good?” 

“Just promoted to attending?” Alice shifted her annoyed glare from George back to Adam, her eyes glinting with a knowing tease. “Doing a little exam yourself?” 

“What?!” George’s jaw dropped. “You’re saying he’s an attending?” 

“Isn’t he?” Alice said with certainty. “His theory’s top-notch—on par with any big-name doctor. But his grasp of surgical details? Total rookie attending vibes. What else could he be if not newly promoted?” 

“…” George didn’t even know how to respond. That wasn’t the point! 

He knew Adam was good. Everyone knew Adam was good. But not this good. Newly promoted attending? Theoretical skills to rival any famous doctor? She was really laying it on thick. 

Then it hit him—Alzheimer’s comes with hallucinations. Right. She wasn’t the legendary doctor right now; she was just a patient. Why trust a patient’s word? After all, in her eyes, George was still her husband. 

“Don’t get discouraged,” Alice said, mistaking Adam’s silence for something else. “You’re so young and already an attending. That’s better than I was at your age. Keep pushing like this, and your achievements won’t fall short of mine.” 

“I’ll keep at it,” Adam said, grinning wide.  

He was sure of it now—Alice Grey was a goldmine. Even with Alzheimer’s messing with her memory, making her forget her ex-husband and daughter, she could still rattle off complex medical theories and surgical details like it was nothing. 

No wonder Meredith didn’t get along with her, and her ex-husband had walked away. Like all the great doctors obsessed with their craft, she probably loved her family too—but medicine? That was her true love, etched into her bones, stamped on her soul. 

And honestly, without that kind of passion, she wouldn’t have created so many medical legends. 

“Good. Let’s not waste time—start the exam,” Alice said, pleased with Adam’s attitude. She turned around, undoing the back of her gown to let him check her. 

“Deep breath,” Adam said, grabbing a stethoscope and getting to work. 

Alice cooperated fully, while George watched, his mouth twitching. Why did she yell, curse, and snap at him, but treat Adam like this? The favoritism was unreal! 

“No wonder Zack cheated with one of his students,” George grumbled to himself. “With a temper like yours, I wouldn’t stick around either.” 

Alice’s fiery outburst earlier had let slip that juicy bit of gossip, and George had initially sided with her. But now, seeing the stark contrast with how she treated Adam, he couldn’t help but feel for Zack. That guy must’ve had it rough too. 

“How’s it looking?” Alice asked. 

“Probably diverticulitis,” Adam said straight-up, smiling. “But we’ll need a scan to confirm.” 

“Diverticulitis, huh. Guess I’m really getting old,” Alice said, shaking her head. 

Diverticula were a classic sign of aging. The older you got, the more likely they were to show up. Alice wasn’t even that old—barely in her sixties. Richard, a surgical chief from her intern days, had vision issues, got surgery, and still rushed back to the hospital battlefield. Sixty wasn’t old at all. 

This had to be like her Alzheimer’s—another condition that usually hit people over seventy, often called “old age dementia.” Her body must be aging faster than most. 

“Let’s go get that X-ray,” Alice directed. “The sooner we finish, the sooner we can operate.” 

“Sure thing,” Adam said, helping her out of bed and nodding at George to grab the wheelchair. 

“Damn it, Zack, hurry up! Stop wasting time!” Alice snapped the second George hesitated. “Can’t even handle something this simple? What can I count on you for? Get out! Get out of my house! Get out of my sight! Go mess around with that little tramp of a student and your pathetic research budget! My work matters most! I’m the one paying for this house! I’m the one supporting Meredith! I’m the one keeping you and your precious lifestyle afloat! Why don’t you just leave and let me handle this myself?!” 

Veins popped on Alice’s forehead. If Adam weren’t holding her back, she’d have lunged at George. Clearly, even with her medical memory intact, the slightest trigger could unleash some nasty Alzheimer’s symptoms. 

George froze, his chubby face crumpled like he was about to cry. Who had he pissed off to deserve this? 

Chapter 413: "You’d Better Be Thorough!" 

Ward. 

“Zac, you head out for a sec.” 

Adam held Ellis Grey, giving George a quick wink as he spoke. 

George sighed, helpless, and shuffled out. 

With the chaos defused, Adam’s targeted soothing worked like a charm. In no time, Ellis Grey calmed down, slipping back into the sharp, composed legendary doctor she once was. 

After escorting her for an X-ray, Adam’s brow furrowed. 

“So, what’s the deal?” George popped up again. 

Adam wasn’t surprised. 

Ellis Grey was, after all, assigned to George by Dr. Bailey. 

Not to mention, she was his goddess Meredith’s mom. 

No matter how harshly she’d chewed him out earlier, he had to suck it up. 

He couldn’t slack on caring for her—not even a little. 

“It’s definitely diverticulitis,” Adam said, frowning. “That’s not a big deal, but there’s an abnormal mass near her liver.” 

“No way!” George gasped. “Liver cancer?” 

Then he started aching for his goddess. “Poor Meredith. Isn’t it bad enough her mom’s got Alzheimer’s? Now she’s got to fight cancer too?” 

“It’s not confirmed as liver cancer yet,” Adam cut in. “It’s just an abnormal mass. Could be a benign tumor. We’ll need a biopsy to know for sure.” 

“I’ll go tell the chief,” George said. “He told me to take good care of her.” 

“Then I’ll find Meredith,” Adam nodded. “We need her authorization for the biopsy.” 

With Alzheimer’s, Ellis Grey no longer had the capacity to make her own decisions. 

Whether she got surgery was entirely up to her daughter, Meredith. 

It was a grim reality. 

At this point, you’ve lost your free will. 

Real freedom—not the overhyped, all-encompassing kind people brag about. 

“I’ll go talk to Meredith,” George said quickly, hesitating. 

He could already picture how heartbroken his goddess would be hearing this. He wanted to be the one by her side, comforting her. 

“Fine by me,” Adam shrugged. “I’ll go tell the chief then—get him to set up the OR and schedule the surgery ASAP.” 

“Got it.” George nodded, his face heavy as he went off to find Meredith. 

Surgical Chief’s Office. 

“Dr. Duncan, what’s up?” 

Chief of Surgery Richard, who’d barely been home a few days before rushing back to work, looked up at Adam with mild surprise. 

“Chief, it’s about Ellis Grey.” 

Adam laid out the situation. 

Chief Richard’s expression darkened, and he let out a small sigh. 

“Alright. I’ll do the surgery myself.” 

“Chief, your condition—” Adam blinked, startled. “I can handle this kind of procedure.” 

“I’m fine,” Chief Richard said, standing up. “No time for paperwork. I’ll get a verbal okay from Shepherd first.” 

“Dr. Shepherd won’t go for it,” Adam warned. “Your brain surgery was just a week ago. You’re not cleared to operate.” 

“I can do it!” Chief Richard shot Adam a glare. “I’m the Chief of Surgery! I call the shots!” 

“Okay,” Adam backed off. 

A biopsy was a minor procedure—any resident could handle it. 

And with the chief pulling rank like that, Adam wasn’t about to argue. 

“She’s Ellis Grey—my good friend,” Chief Richard added, softening his tone after realizing he’d come off harsh. “I have to give it everything I’ve got. I can’t risk any slip-ups. I know my body, and you all know my skills.” 

“True,” Adam nodded. 

To be the surgical chief at one of the top medical centers in the U.S.—in the economic and cultural hub of the Big Apple, no less—Richard’s medical prowess was undeniable. 

He was the real star of the hospital. 

“Come with me,” Chief Richard said, pleased with Adam’s response, and headed out. 

Adam hurried after him. 

Chief Richard went to Dr. Shepherd for verbal approval. 

Too bad Shepherd was still pissed at him and flat-out ignored his requests—and threats. 

No matter how big a deal you are, right now, you’re just my patient. 

If I say no, it’s a no. 

You’re the one who handed the interim chief gig to Burke, then invited my nightmare of an ex-wife here—blowing up my life before I could even explain to my girlfriend, Meredith. Now everything’s a mess. 

“Let’s find Burke,” Chief Richard stormed off, his face dark. 

“Chief, George went to get Meredith’s authorization,” Adam piped up. “No one’s with Dr. Grey right now. Should I head back and help with her pre-op prep?” 

He’d already seen the chief get shut down once. 

If Burke shot him down too, Richard might take it out on him. 

No doubt about it! 

Adam hadn’t done anything wrong, but that’s just how the world works. 

“Fine,” Chief Richard thought it over and nodded. 

After Shepherd’s pushback, he wasn’t as cocksure anymore. 

Sure, he was the chief, but big-name surgeons like Shepherd and Burke could easily overrule him in public if they had a solid reason. 

Outside the Ward. 

“How bad is it?” Meredith and George peeked at Ellis Grey from a distance. 

“What’s her bilirubin level?” she asked. 

“Four,” George replied, giving her a sympathetic look. “Not great, but not terrible either. Adam’s right—it might just be a benign tumor. No jaundice yet, at least.” 

Jaundice would’ve meant serious liver trouble. 

“I know,” Meredith mumbled, distracted. 

“What are you two doing out here?” Adam walked up. “Meredith, have you signed the authorization?” 

“Done,” George said, waving the consent form. 

“Alright. The chief’s getting Burke to do the diverticulitis surgery and handle the biopsy at the same time,” Adam reassured them. “You know Burke’s skill. It’ll be fine.” 

Then he turned to George. “George, pre-op for Dr. Grey—you going, or should I?” 

“…” George’s face darkened. 

He wanted to. 

But with Ellis Grey’s attitude toward him, he’d be useless. 

“You go,” George muttered, still sulking. 

“Hey! You’d better be thorough!” Adam shot back, unimpressed. “Who’s got the sour face now? You’re the one who begged me to help—not like I stole your surgery! It hasn’t even started. You can still take it, and I won’t say a word.” 

“George, Adam’s just trying to help,” Meredith said, shifting her gaze from her mom to them. She stepped in to mediate. 

She’d just accepted Adam’s offer, and honestly, she felt better with him handling her mom than George. Naturally, she took Adam’s side. 

“I know. Sorry,” George said, his chubby face flushing red, then white, his eyes brimming with frustration. 

Life was hard for him. 

(End of Chapter)