Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Everything Is Handled by Miss Vaughn
Isn’t he afraid that her inadvertence might bring Cyrus Hawthorne even greater harm?
Mark Joyce answered without any hesitation, "Because President Hawthorne trusts you."
Upon hearing this response, Ann Vaughn lowered her gaze and said nothing more.
In front of the operating room.
Laura Quinn stood there with a haggard expression, waiting as Jane Sheridan softly consoled her, "Please don’t worry, the poison was discovered in time, everything will be alright."
"He’s been in the operating room twice in such a short time, how can I be at ease?" Laura’s eyes were red, her makeup no longer as exquisite as usual. "What on earth is Mark Joyce doing, insisting on stopping you from going in!"
Laura was aware that Jane Sheridan was a renowned surgeon at Marinia Hospital before joining the research institute.
Despite the current tense moment making her apprehensive, she had utmost trust in Jane Sheridan.
"Special Assistant Joyce is also considering safety, please don’t blame him. Even if I don’t go in, handing over my antidote to another doctor to perform the surgery will achieve the same result."
What Jane Sheridan said was considerate and magnanimous, but Laura felt it was making the child concede too much.
"Thank goodness you stayed up all night creating the antidote. Although Cian hasn’t woken up yet, your feelings for him will surely not be unrequited by his mother."
If Laura had initially been six-tenths pleased with Jane Sheridan, it had now turned into nine-tenths satisfaction and affection.
Jane Sheridan smiled helplessly, "I just couldn’t bear to see you frowning day in and day out, just wanted to do my part, I didn’t think of anything else."
Laura’s heart was instantly consoled, she indeed hadn’t misjudged this person.
Having seen many women trying to ingratiate themselves with their family for power and status, Jane Sheridan’s graceful and indifferent attitude towards fame and fortune made her stand out.
Coupled with Jane Sheridan’s family background, which was already enough to make her the envy of all the nobles in The Imperial Capital, yet she still maintained such purity of heart, this further endeared her to Laura.
She was practically a daughter-in-law custom-made for her.
At this moment, Laura’s expression changed suddenly, pointing at the slender figure walking towards them, she shrieked uncontrollably, "How dare you appear before me?!"
Ann Vaughn did not even glance at Laura, lifted her medical box, and entered the operating room, leaving Mark Joyce to handle the rest.
Laura was about to step forward to block Ann Vaughn when Mark Joyce stopped her, his face expressionless and solemn, "Ma’am, if you want President Hawthorne to be safe, please do not interfere."
He was the most trusted aide by President Hawthorne’s side, knowing all of President Hawthorne’s decisions must prioritize Ann Vaughn’s opinions.
Even if it meant his own life.
Laura nearly exploded with anger, but no matter how she ranted, Mark Joyce stood firmly, refusing to budge, her words fell on deaf ears.
What did Ann Vaughn do to enchant them, captivating everyone to defend her!
When the attending doctors arrived, after Mark Joyce explained the circumstances to them, he placed bodyguards in front of the operating room, ensuring no one would leave.
The attending doctors nearly cursed Mark Joyce outright, barely restraining their anger, but their tone was still aggressive: "This is utter nonsense! If something happens to Mr. Hawthorne, who can bear this responsibility?!"
"Ridiculous, do you really think a single woman is better than all of us doctors?"
Mark Joyce stood there, neither humbly nor arrogantly, saying nothing but also refusing to move aside.
The entire floor was safeguarded meticulously, yet someone still found a loophole, all those present were suspect.
Until President Hawthorne awakened, he trusted no one except Ann Vaughn.
Standing behind them, Jane Sheridan’s beautiful face slightly darkened, then she walked to Mark Joyce with her case, smiling, "Special Assistant Joyce, we understand your difficulties and won’t make any demands, but I think Dr. Vaughn will need the medicine inside."
Laura immediately thought of something, her face cold as she commanded Mark Joyce: "Last time Cian escaped danger thanks to Jane’s antidote, hurry and let me through!"
"Sorry, Miss Vaughn has everything under control, no need to bother you."
Mark Joyce and the team of bodyguards beside him were like an impenetrable fortress, neither moved nor reacted, no matter what was said, completely unyielding.
Inside the operating room.
Ann Vaughn quickly reached the operating table, originally expecting based on Mark Joyce’s description that Cyrus Hawthorne’s condition might not be too bad, but unexpectedly —
His sickly pale skin was as if lava flowed through his veins, turning red and scorching, seemingly ready to burst at any moment.
Yet strangely, his body temperature was incredibly low, vastly different from what Ann Vaughn felt upon touch!
If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, Ann Vaughn would scarcely believe it.
After extracting blood from his arm, Ann Vaughn swiftly conducted tests, as expected, Cyrus Hawthorne was exactly the "infected person" Director Shaw mentioned.
She didn’t have time to think about anything else, stripped off his shirt, pulled out the Golden Needle from the needle set, gently twirling and inserting them into his chest, then onto his shoulders, waist, abdomen, and further down...
The cold air seeping from the Golden Needle’s tip almost froze Ann Vaughn’s fingers.
She found it unbearably cold, how did Cyrus Hawthorne endure such a thing for so many years?
Ann Vaughn tried to banish Shane Shaw’s words from her mind, yet they became increasingly vivid, her delicate fingers faintly trembling.
The Golden Needle formed an array, yin and yang intertwined, life and death exchanged.
Ann Vaughn’s inner peace gradually settled, the Golden Needles falling in an orderly manner until the very last one.
If outsiders were present, they would surely be stunned into silence by this scene.
A single glance would reveal a dense array of Golden Needles, so tightly packed that it made one’s scalp tingle.
Ann Vaughn then took a handful of moxa from the medical box and ignited it, gently letting it infuse over Cyrus Hawthorne’s entire body.
With eyes tightly closed, his handsome face blushing intensely, due to the virus, his typically cool aura replaced with a hint of wildness.
Coupled with the need for acupuncture, his body was nearly bare, resembling a vivid portrait, dazzlingly caught in Ann Vaughn’s eyes.
She hurriedly pulled back her thoughts, her slender finger lightly brushing over the Golden Needle, dispelling much of the coldness.
Cyrus Hawthorne’s surface seemed on the brink of bursting, the veins gradually returned to normal, the horrific protrusions reverted to their original form.
Ann Vaughn did not dare to relax her vigilance, after administering the antidote, she removed the Golden Needles from Cyrus Hawthorne and commenced the second round of acupuncture.
The second round required more precision and effort, differing from the first by needing to leave a length of needle above the surface, nearly embedding the whole needle, testing the doctor’s skill.
Time trickled by, so silent that even the sound of sweat dripping could be heard.
At the third needle application, Ann Vaughn’s lips had turned white, her pretty face drenched with fragrant sweat, constantly trickling into her eyes or neckline.
About an hour later.
The needle technique completed, all toxins were purged.