-Chapter 11-
(A\N: The chapters have been rearranged, so please start reading from the beginning. Apologies for the late update—I'll continue to post new chapters regularly. Thank you for your patience and support!)
When Yelena saw Lucas, she immediately smiled and greeted him. "Lucas, congratulations on getting engaged to Rose like you wanted."
She was smiling, but her eyes narrowed slightly.
This best friend of hers, Rose, was cunning. While she was away on business, Rose rushed into an engagement without giving her any chance to stop it. Now she could only accept it silently and offer congratulations to their faces.
Still, it was just an engagement, not a wedding. Everything was still up in the air.
To keep up his lovestruck act, Lucas smiled proudly. "Rose and I are a perfect match. We're meant to be together. Just wait for our wedding invitation."
[Congratulations, my foot. The plot's gone completely off the rails. Somehow, I've become the fiancé of one of the male lead's future harem members. That probably makes me his number one target now. Who knows how he'll deal with me? Congratulations, yeah right.]
Hearing his inner voice, Yelena lowered her head to stifle a laugh. "Did you come here just to take Rose out for dinner? I haven't eaten yet either. Mind if I join you?"
Rose raised an eyebrow. "You came to find me right when I got off work just to bum a meal, didn't you?"
"Of course not," Yelena replied sweetly. "As your closest friend, I just wanted to congratulate you in person."
Rose sneered. Sure you did.
The moment you saw Lucas, your eyes glued to him, and you smiled like a little fox. Don't think I don't know what you're up to.
She just didn't get it. Yelena always acted gentle and warm, but in reality, she was colder and more ruthless than anyone.
Rose had a cold face but a warm heart. Yelena, though, was all warmth on the outside and ice within.
Why would someone like that give Lucas special treatment?
As soon as Lucas realized he was about to eat dinner with two members of the male lead's future harem, he started to panic.
"Miss Miller, today's a special day for Rose and me. We wanted to celebrate just the two of us. Maybe we can all have dinner together another time?"
[Please go. You're the heroine of a different storyline. I have nothing to do with you. If I remember right, your family's pharmaceutical company is about to get into big trouble. Your cousin is trying to steal control and laced the meds with poison. It's all going to blow up in a couple of days.]
[You should head home and deal with your own problems. Wait for the male lead to show up and save you. Don't drag me into this.]
What? Poisoned medicine?
Yelena stiffened and stared in disbelief.
So her cousin really was trying to frame her and take control of the company. He'd go as far as poisoning the products?
"Alright then, I'll let you two have your date tonight. I'll invite you out another day."
Leaving those words behind, Yelena hurried away.
This trip wasn't for nothing. Seeing Lucas was always rewarding.
Lucas let out a breath of relief as she walked off and cheerfully opened the car door for Rose.
Rose was very pleased with how he'd handled Yelena.
After all, Yelena was one of the four great beauties of Su City, unmatched in looks and charm. Countless men saw her as their dream wife.
For Lucas to resist her allure showed he had impressive self-control.
At the restaurant, Lucas and Rose sat down for a romantic candlelight dinner.
With a beauty by his side, even the food tasted better.
Lucas suddenly thought, if he weren't a villain, if there weren't the threat of the male lead, maybe staying in this world and living a pampered life with Su City's top beauty wouldn't be so bad.
Just as he was enjoying that thought, a commotion broke out nearby.
"Quack doctor! I trusted you and left my precious son in your hands, and now look at him. How are you going to make this right? I'm going to sue you and your hospital. You'll never practice medicine again!"
What was going on?
Since coming to this world, Lucas had been focused on staying in character as the villain. He hadn't had the chance to watch any real drama.
Hearing the shouting, his curiosity got the better of him. He took Rose by the wrist and quietly approached the crowd.
And froze.
David. Again.
He stood tall and relaxed in casual wear. Beside him was a refined beauty, wearing a high-neck sweater, long skirt, and gold-rimmed glasses, exuding scholarly charm.
The woman shouting and rolling on the ground clung to the refined woman's skirt.
"You killed my son. I want an explanation right now!"
[Wait a minute. Isn't that beauty Catherine Hart, one of David's harem members? She's a medical genius who won the Nobel Prize at nineteen, the youngest recipient ever.]
[But she's a total homebody and usually keeps a low profile. No one knew she was a stunning beauty until David discovered her and introduced her to the world.]
[But right after her rise to fame, he added her to his harem and made her his personal physician. From then on, she gave up everything to be the little woman behind him.]
Seeing Catherine triggered a wave of memories in Lucas. He couldn't help but rant inwardly.
[She was supposed to be a legendary doctor, saving lives and earning worldwide admiration.]
[But the moment she met David, she threw all that away just to be his follower. Isn't that just blind infatuation?]
What?
Catherine trembled. She turned and scanned the area.
Who was that?
Who just insulted her?
How could she be infatuated? She had never even been in love. There was no way she'd abandon her life's goals for a man.
Who was spouting this nonsense?
"You're still pretending? You ruined my son's life! He's gone because of you. Give him back to me! Oh, my poor boy, gone at just eight years old. Taken by a quack doctor like you. Don't worry, sweetheart. Even if I die, I'll drag her down with me so she can pay with her life!"
The woman on the ground sobbed louder, holding the boy's limp body. His face was purple, looking very much like he'd been poisoned.
The surrounding crowd began whispering.
"She's way too young to be a doctor. No wonder something like this happened."
"Yeah, that poor family. She should definitely be held accountable."
"What hospital does she work at? I need to make sure I never go there."
Snapping out of her daze, Catherine knelt beside the boy. "Ma'am, please stop crying. Your son isn't dead. This is clearly an allergic reaction caused by food and medication interaction. Didn't I warn you not to feed him anything else during recovery?"
The woman flushed with guilt but shouted louder. "I didn't give him anything! This is all your fault. You're just trying to dodge responsibility. I won't let you get away with this!"
The hysterical woman suddenly lunged at Catherine.
But before she could lay a hand on her, David kicked her away.
"Get near her again and I won't be so polite."
"Ah!" The woman screamed, wailing louder than before. "Murder! You two heartless dogs killed my son and now you're trying to silence me! Everyone look, this disgusting couple deserves to go to hell!"
Whoa, now that was seriously harsh.
Lucas clicked his tongue.
[Dragon King novels are completely illogical. Her son is dying, and she still has the energy to curse like this? This whole thing is just a setup to push Catherine into a corner, so David can swoop in and play the hero.]
[And Catherine isn't much better. She's supposed to be a Nobel Prize winner, and yet she can't even tell that the boy choked on a peanut and had an allergic reaction to crab.]
[Sigh. I used to think the dumbest female lead in this novel was Rose. Turns out she's only second place. Catherine wins the gold medal in idiocy.]
"Ow!"
Before he could finish ranting, someone pinched his waist.
Lucas winced and turned his head, only to see Rose staring coldly at him with a raised brow.
"W-What is it?"
Rose snorted. "You just got engaged to me and you're already ogling other women. What's your excuse?"
Little bastard. Still cursing her in his head.
She had already turned down David's proposal and chosen him instead. And yet he still thought she was brainless? How infuriating.
Once they were married, she'd make sure he paid for that.
"Women? What women? There's only one woman here as far as I'm concerned, and that's you."
Lucas quickly poured on the charm.
"Sorry, but in my eyes, the whole world is split into two categories: Rose, and everyone else. As for who that 'everyone else' includes, I couldn't care less. Heh."
Rose smirked.
Sweet-talking little liar.
While the two of them bantered, neither noticed the drastic change in Catherine's expression.
She adjusted her glasses and looked around again.
Who had just spoken?
Someone not only knew the boy was choking on a peanut, but also pinpointed crab as the allergen. That kind of medical insight far surpassed even her master.
Just then, David stepped forward. "Let me take a look."
[Right, here it comes. The plot is about to move forward. Time for the male lead to shine and earn a big favor from Catherine.]
[According to the plot, David steps in to save the boy. The crowd, including the hysterical mother, yells at him and accuses him of making things worse. But he insists, performs a miracle, and everyone does a complete 180, praising him to the skies.]
[Sigh. Same old routine: the Dragon King male lead makes a dramatic comeback and slaps faces left and right. So boring.]
"Wait."
Just as David was about to kneel down and help, Catherine stopped him.
Her gaze was firm. "I'll do it."
Now that she knew the boy had food poisoning from crab, she knew exactly what to do.
He was her patient. She had to see this through to the end. She couldn't let him die.
Catherine held the boy and first used the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the object in his throat. Then, just like the voice had said, she pressed on his chest at the Tanzhong acupoint.
With a loud retch, the boy threw up a large mass of gunk.
He came to and, terrified, threw himself into his mother's arms. "Mommy, mommy, sob..."
"My son!"
The woman hugged the boy tightly, crying hysterically.
Catherine stared at the vomit, completely stunned.
That mysterious voice hadn't lied.
Inside the mess was, without a doubt, crab.
David stood frozen.
He had also figured out the boy's condition at first glance, but he kept silent. He had wanted the woman to keep yelling at Catherine until she broke. Then he'd step in to rescue her and earn her gratitude.
That way, she'd owe him a huge favor and have no choice but to join his camp.
But before he could act, Catherine had already solved the problem herself.
Now, from start to finish, his presence didn't matter at all.
He had completely failed.
The crowd saw everything and instantly changed their tune.
"She really is a miracle doctor. One move and the kid's saved!"
"Amazing. She practically brought him back from the dead."
"She looks young, but she's got real skills. What hospital does she work for? I want my cousin to see her."
Hearing all the praise, Catherine let out a quiet breath of relief.
At least she hadn't embarrassed herself or dragged the hospital down with her.
In the crowd, Lucas's jaw nearly hit the floor.
[What is happening? The plot just fell apart again! Wasn't David supposed to save the day here and help the female lead? How did it become the female lead solving everything while David faded into the background?]
[Don't tell me Catherine's character arc is collapsing too… But thank goodness she has nothing to do with me. My only mission tonight is to be Rose's loyal little lapdog.]
Huh?
Rose's lapdog?
Catherine's eyes lit up.
She knew Rose, Su City's number one beauty. She'd heard that White had gotten engaged earlier today, and her fiancé was a notorious rich playboy who had chased her for years.
Could this voice be Lucas's?
She immediately looked into the crowd. She didn't recognize Lucas, but she instantly spotted the bright presence of Rose.
At the moment, Rose was leaning slightly on a man's arm.
That man was staring directly at her, lips closed, but the exact same voice echoed from him as before.
[What the heck? Why is Catherine staring at me? Stop staring! Seriously, stop! Your male lead is right next to you. Look at David, not me!]
[You're one of David's love interests. You're about to be wowed by his amazing medical skills and fall for him. Quit looking at me… Seriously, stop! Fine, I'm leaving!]
Seeing Catherine staring at him nonstop, Lucas finally got creeped out. He grabbed Rose's wrist and left.
But that only confirmed Catherine's suspicion. The voice was definitely his.
And it wasn't his speaking voice. It was his inner voice.
Catherine narrowed her eyes, deep in thought. Dragon King male lead? Dramatic reversals?
What did all of that mean?
It seemed like she had a lot to think about once she got home. This Lucas… seemed to know far more than he should.
"Catherine, Catherine!"
David's voice snapped her out of it.
She looked over. "Hmm? What is it?"
"Nothing. Now that it's over, let's go eat."
"Oh." Catherine blinked, then replied coolly, "Sorry. I just remembered something I need to handle. Rain check?"
-End of Chapter 11-