"I'm so sorry, but this flight is oversold. Here is a two-hundred-dollar voucher. You need to deplane immediately!" The lead flight attendant had a death grip on my carry-on roller bag. I looked at him coldly, then shifted my gaze to the woman standing next to him. She had just been escorted onto the plane, dripping in head-to-toe designer gear. "Why does she get to board late, while I, holding a full-fare ticket, am being kicked off?" I demanded. The flight attendant sneered, leaning in close to whisper sarcastically, "Because she is Chloe Sterling, of the Sterling Medical Group family. She’s rushing to New York to beg 'The Miracle Surgeon'—the one no one can ever find—to save her life." "You think whatever emergency you have matters compared to a life-and-death situation? If you delay Ms. Sterling, you couldn't repay that debt in ten lifetimes. Now, get lost!" I was dragged off the plane by several beefy security guards. I watched through the terminal window as the cabin door closed. I started laughing from sheer anger. The "Ms. Sterling" he was talking about has a terminal illness. And what he didn't know was that I am that "Miracle Surgeon." Her family had spent three months begging on their knees before I finally agreed to fly to New York today to perform her operation. Since they kicked me off, I’m not doing the surgery. Good luck, Sterling. You’re going to need it. Chapter 1 I dragged my suitcase, step by heavy step, over to the gate agent's counter. "I need to cancel and refund my ticket." I slammed my ID onto the laminate countertop, my voice thick with resentment. The agent glanced at the screen, looked me up and down, and actually rolled her eyes. "So sorry, but since you 'chose' not to board, this is considered a voluntary cancellation. You only get back the taxes and facility fees. That’s sixty bucks. No full refund." I was so angry I laughed. "Voluntary?" "Your airline oversold the flight and had security drag a full-fare passenger off the plane. You call that voluntary on my part?" The agent's fingers flew across the keyboard, clacking loudly. She looked incredibly impatient. "Look, you were causing a scene in the jet bridge, disrupting order. Breaking federal regulations." "Honestly, you should be happy you're getting sixty bucks back. Don’t push your luck." Just then, the sound of expensive leather shoes echoed from the terminal floor. That same lead flight attendant from before was walking over, head held high, holding his phone up, recording me. "Look at this loser, trying to scam the airline for cash after getting booted. Totally broke and desperate!" "You just want a bigger compensation voucher, don't you? Why act so high and mighty?" The flight attendant crossed his arms, his face twisted in mockery. "Is two hundred not enough for a peasant like you?" "Maybe I should post this video online so everyone can see how pathetic you are. Who knows? Some nice person might start a GoFundMe for you. A charity case!" I stared at his insufferable face, fighting to keep my rage under control. "You are going to regret everything you did today." The flight attendant reacted as if he’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. He laughed so hard tears almost came out. "Regret? Me? Regret something concerning a piece of trash like you who can't even afford Economy Plus, let alone First Class?" "Ms. Sterling chartered the entire First Class cabin. Even her bodyguards are in Business. Her security detail is worth more than your life." "Who do you think you are, making me regret something?" He spun around, shouting at the top of his lungs to the passengers milling around the concourse. "Everyone, look at this guy!" "He’s the one who refused to cooperate during an overbooking situation and tried to blackmail the airline! Now he’s harassing the gate agents, delaying everyone. He’s a menace!" The surrounding passengers were instantly drawn in. Whispers and judging looks began to fly. "He looks decent, how can he be such a scumbag?" "Exactly. The airline offered compensation, and he still made a scene. He’s crazy for money!" "Just get out of here, stop embarrassing yourself!" I ignored the onlookers and turned back to the gate agent. "Fine. Cancel it." "But you are going to write down, in black and white, on the receipt, that this was an Involuntary Denial of Boarding due to airline overbooking." I needed a paper trail. When the Sterling family inevitably came looking for me, I wasn't going to let them think I broke the contract voluntarily. I was not taking the fall for this. The flight attendant's face darkened. He slammed his hand on the counter. "In your dreams!" "We offered you a solution, and you refused it. Now you want to slander the airline?" "Where is security? Are they deaf? Drag this lunatic out of here!" Several airport police officers immediately rushed over, grabbing my arms from both sides in a vice grip. "Let go of me!" I struggled desperately, but the cops didn't listen. They began dragging me toward the airport exit. As they dragged me past the flight attendant, I couldn't help but issue a final warning. "You better remember my face today. And remember every word that just came out of your mouth." "Very soon, you’ll be on your knees begging me." He wasn't intimidated in the slightest. Instead, he kicked my rolling suitcase over. The already damaged suitcase split completely open. Clothes and specialized, custom-compounded medications spilled across the dirty floor. The flight attendant stomped on one of the glass vials, crushing it instantly. The specialized formula inside turned to powder under his heel. It was over. That was the specialized medication I had compounded specifically for Chloe Sterling. It was the only dose in the world! Without those meds, Chloe Sterling would never survive the post-operative recovery period! "Oh my, I am so sorry," the flight attendant mocked with fake sympathy. Countless phone cameras were aimed at me. A barrage of mockery overwhelmed me. I was thrown out of the departure terminal, landing hard on the concrete sidewalk. The flight attendant tossed my suitcase—broken and open—onto me like he was throwing out trash. "Take your garbage and get lost! You make trouble again, and we're locking you up for disturbing the peace!" Just then, my phone began vibrating like crazy in my pocket. The second I answered, a barrage of furious questions blasted through the speaker. "What is wrong with you!" "The plane took off ages ago. I just checked the flight manifest, and your name isn't even on it!" It was the Sterling family’s chief of staff. His tone was arrogant, demanding answers. "The Sterling family put so much effort into hiring you. We wired you a massive retainer, and you decide to play diva at the last second?" "Who do you think you are, making the Sterlings wait?" "If it weren't for the fact that you're supposed to be the best surgeon for this, you think you’d be worthy of treating our Ms. Chloe?" I tried to explain it was the airline's fault, but he wouldn't listen. "I’m warning you. Our daughter’s illness cannot wait. If you are not in the operating room at New York-Presbyterian before sundown today, don’t blame the Sterlings for getting nasty!" "You took Sterling money, you better deliver. Believe me, I can make sure you never practice medicine in this country again!" The call slammed shut. The dial tone droned in my ear. My heart was bursting with fury. I dialed the number back. The second it connected, the chief of staff’s impatient voice snapped, "What else could you possibly have to say? Figure it out and charter a private plane if you have to!" "Don't bother," I said, my voice cold. "If you want to know why I’m not on that plane, go ask the lead flight attendant of Chloe’s flight." "What does that mean?" "Exactly what I said." I hung up immediately. I opened my mobile banking app, found the three-million-dollar retainers—the "good faith payment"—the Sterlings had sent, and hit 'Return to Sender.' I added a four-word note: Find Someone Else. Three million might be a fortune to some, but to me, it wasn't worth the humiliation I endured today. I blocked every Sterling family contact number. Total blackout. Looking at the crushed specialized medication scattered on the pavement, I let out a cold laugh. Chloe Sterling, your life is out of my hands. I hailed a cab and went straight back to the hospital. I had just sat down in my office when my phone started vibrating like crazy again. It was Dr. Evans, the hospital President. He was screaming the moment I answered. "Ethan Vance! What in God's name is going on!" "The Sterling family just called me! They said you were causing a riot at the airport and tried to attack Ms. Sterling!" "The flight attendant was apparently forced to remove you from the flight to protect Ms. Sterling. Instead of being remorseful, you had the audacity to return their retainer?" I was stunned. Once it clicked, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. That flight attendant's ability to twist the truth was world-class. To cover up the airline's overselling mistake, he concocted a lie like that. And the hilarious part was that the Sterling family actually believed that total garbage without checking for two seconds. "Old Mrs. Sterling herself gave the order. You are to get on the next flight to New York, get on your knees, beg Chloe Sterling for forgiveness, and perform the surgery immediately!" "If you dare refuse, consider yourself fired!" I ignored the screaming through the phone. I pulled out a blank sheet of paper and quickly scrawled my letter of resignation. I walked upstairs and pushed open the President's office door. Dr. Evans was still holding his phone, looking surprised to see me. Slap! I slammed the resignation letter hard onto his desk. "Don't bother firing me. I resign." Dr. Evans stared at the paper, his eyes wide. "Are you insane? You think resigning lets you off the hook with the Sterlings?" I leaned over his desk, looking down at him. "Dr. Evans, I’m burned out. I’m taking a very long vacation out of state." "If the Sterlings have the power to revoke my medical license, let them try. If they want to blacklist me, let them." I turned and walked out. "Wait!" "You come back here!" Dr. Evans was screaming behind me in useless rage. I didn't look back. I walked right out of the building. I did the math in my head. It was about time. Chloe Sterling’s terminal illness was being held at bay solely by that specialized medication I compounded. Now the meds were gone, and she was at thirty thousand feet. It was time for the symptoms to flare up. When I got home, I turned off my phone, drew the curtains, and slept like the dead. Early the next morning, the moment I turned on my phone, it was flooded with missed calls from the Sterling family. Immediately, an unknown number with a local area code called. I answered, and a familiar voice came through. "Dr. Vance! Please, you have to get to the airport right now! Ms. Sterling started vomiting blood on the flight and collapsed into a coma!" "The airline has authorized a complimentary Business Class seat to fly you specifically to New York on a private charter!" It was the lead flight attendant from yesterday. I let out a cold sneer and exposed him immediately. "Complimentary Business Class? Didn't you say yesterday I was a broke loser who only deserved to be dragged off the plane?" "Shut up!" He was panicked, but his tone was still demanding and arrogant. "The Sterling family is putting immense pressure on the airline. If I lose my job because of you, I’m coming for you! Get your ass down here now!" I hung up immediately. I blocked that number too. Less than half an hour later, a thunderous pounding erupted at my front door. Boom! Boom! Boom! Along with a strong, pungent chemical smell. "Ethan Vance! You murderous quack! Get out here!" I ripped the door open. A bucket of red paint had been thrown over my outer security door, dripping down the crevices. The flight attendant, flanked by several beefy airline security guards, stood aggressively at my doorstep. Neighbors were already gathering in the hallway, peeking out and whispering. "What a shame. He seemed like such a nice young man, but turns out he’s a corrupt doctor." "Exactly. They're throwing paint on his door. He must have done something truly awful!" Hearing the gossip, the flight attendant got even more smug. "Look at this quack, everyone!" "He took a patient’s money and didn't do his job. He intentionally delayed treatment, causing the patient to be in critical condition!" "Now he’s hiding in his apartment playing dead. A corrupt doctor like this belongs in prison!" His face was contorted in fury. He was clearly being pushed to the brink by the Sterling family and was trying to use me as a scapegoat to save himself. "You think hiding works? Today, you are getting to New York even if I have to drag your corpse there!" I looked at the red paint on the floor and was about to call the police when a heavy set of footsteps echoed from the stairs. Several bodyguards in black suits roughly pushed the spectating neighbors aside. Sterling's chief of staff walked up, looking down at me with supreme arrogance. The flight attendant immediately fawned over him. "Chief, look, I found him! This won't delay Ms. Sterling's treatment!" The chief of staff didn't even give him a glance. He walked straight up to me. "Dr. Vance, are you done with your tantrum?" He pulled out a check and waved it between his fingertips. "Six million. Double the original retainer." "Come with me right now, and the Sterlings will let bygones be bygones." I didn't even look at the check. I coldly spit out two words. "Not interested." "Don’t push your luck, kid!" The chief of staff’s face instantly darkened, the polite mask slipping. "You really think you can afford to offend the Sterling family?" He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping low, filled with an icy chill. "You don't want to go? Fine. Today, I am kidnapping you. I will strap you to that operating table myself." "You don't want to pick up the scalpel? The Sterlings have plenty of ways to make you." "I heard... Dr. Vance’s father currently resides at the Cornwall Assisted Living Facility?" My entire body shuddered. They were despicable enough to track down my father’s whereabouts. "You dare touch my father, and you’re dead!" I gritted my teeth, staring at him with pure hatred. "To cure our daughter, the Sterlings will do whatever it takes." The chief of staff sneered repeatedly, supreme arrogance on his face. "You better smarten up. Go pack your things now." "Otherwise, I guarantee your father will be thrown out of that facility today, left on the street!" The surrounding bodyguards immediately stepped forward, restraining me. The flight attendant gloated from the sidelines. "Did you hear that? Still trying to act tough in front of the Sterlings? You really won't give up until you see the coffin, will you?" Looking at their ugly faces, I suddenly started to laugh. The chief of staff’s brow furrowed, extremely impatient. "What are you laughing at!" "I’m laughing at how stupid you are." I stopped smiling and looked at the flight attendant, who was still looking triumphant. "You really think I’m refusing to save Chloe Sterling because of a grudge?" "Even if I went right now, she’s already dead." The chief of staff’s face changed dramatically. She grabbed my collar. "What do you mean!"
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