Chapter 207

Her voice was laced with urgency, sharp enough to cut through the tension in the corridor, but the boy didn’t back down. "Miss, I need to go in there and apologize. Just let me through—I swear I’ll be quick. I won’t cause any trouble."

Before Evelyn could react, he sidestepped her, lunging for the door.

Panic surged through her. She grabbed the handle and yanked it shut with a deafening bang that reverberated down the hallway. Now, both of them stood locked outside.

Inside the auditorium, the abrupt slam sent a ripple of murmurs through the gathered medical staff.

"This is bad," someone whispered, their voice tight with alarm. "The virtual surgery room is locked, and the instrument nurse doesn’t have fingerprint access. Unless Evelyn opens it herself, the nurse can’t get in. But she’s mid-surgery—she can’t just stop!"

"Dr. Black is in surgery too—he can’t help."

"Then it’s over. The nurse is stuck outside!"

"Who is that kid? Why is he so desperate to get in there? Do you think this was planned?"

"Without the nurse, how is Evelyn supposed to finish? No one can handle a surgery like this alone."

Uneasy glances darted between the crowd, the tension thickening like a storm cloud. One thing was clear: Evelyn was set up to fail.

The frantic whispers, transmitted through the nurse’s phone, reached Nathan and Alexander.

Alexander’s jaw clenched. "That wasn’t an accident. Someone sent him to sabotage her."

Nathan’s piercing gaze darkened, his expression unreadable. He said nothing, but his mind raced with one burning question: Could Evelyn hold her nerve and pull this off?

In the auditorium, unnoticed by most, Dominic Pierce’s lips curled into a smirk. He leaned toward Sebastian Holloway beside him, voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Mr. Holloway, at this rate, it seems Dr. Hartley doesn’t stand a chance."

Sebastian remained impassive. "The surgery isn’t over yet, Dr. Pierce. Let’s not jump to conclusions."

Dominic chuckled but didn’t argue. In his mind, Evelyn was already finished.

Behind them, Dylan Reeves exchanged a knowing glance with Serena Cole, their shared satisfaction barely concealed before they turned back to the screen.

The room fell silent, every eye locked on the live feed.

Inside the simulation room, Evelyn’s hands were steady as steel. Not a single tremor betrayed the pressure bearing down on her. Her focus was absolute, her movements precise as she corrected her earlier mistake—almost done.

"Look at her composure," someone murmured in awe. "To stay this calm under these circumstances…"

"Her hands haven’t faltered once," another agreed. "She’s handling this like a pro."