Chapter 5 You'll Be Buried Right Alongside Her

Near the doorway, Simon could barely contain his rage. He had already pronounced Jane dead, and now Allison dared to claim otherwise, challenging his authority outright.

From every corner of the room, the unconvinced Evans family members sent Allison dark, venomous looks.

In their minds, she was nothing more than a schemer from a questionable background, using Jane's death as a platform to grab attention.

Everyone expected Derek or Glenn to put an immediate stop to her antics. Yet the two men stayed silent, their faces giving nothing away.

Michael, seething with anger, pointed a trembling finger at Allison and blurted out, "This is the Evans family! We won't stand for some outsider making a fool of us. Somebody, throw her out!"

Before anyone could react, Derek rose sharply from his seat. In one swift move, he pulled Allison behind him, shielding her with the full strength of his body.

"Let's see who's foolish enough to touch her," he said, his voice a cold, dangerous threat that hung heavy in the room.

For the very first time, he had stepped forward to defend her in public.

Behind him, Allison stared at his broad back, feeling something fierce and unfamiliar claw its way into her chest. She shoved it down before it could rise further.

Derek turned to her and looked her in the eye. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, "Allison, if you mess this up, you'll be buried right alongside my grandma."

Though his tone stayed low, the deadly warning laced through his words was impossible to miss.

When Allison lifted her gaze, she locked eyes with him. His bloodshot stare was a swirling storm of emotions, fierce and unreadable.

Without a word, Derek grasped her hand and guided her toward the bed, reaching out to steady Glenn as the old man struggled to his feet.

Tears poured freely down Glenn's cheeks. "Allie, I trust you. Please save her."

Once the unshakable leader of the Evans family, Glenn now stood broken and desperate, lowering himself before a young woman in search of a miracle.

Witnessing this humbling moment, several family members clenched their jaws in silent fury, their resentment toward Allison burning even hotter.

Crossing to the bedside, Allison bent down and began inspecting Jane's condition. Her movements, though careful, lacked the polished efficiency of a trained physician, coming across almost like a carefully rehearsed act.

The Evans family knew little about Allison. Her origins were a mystery, her story barely whispered among them.

In three years of marriage, she had been a rare sight-seen only a few times at best.

She seldom showed up at family events or interacted with the family members. Tucked away at Derek's private villa, she kept to herself, visiting Glenn and Jane only on rare, fleeting occasions.

When Glenn arranged Derek's marriage, there was no ceremony to speak of. No exchanging of vows, no festive gathering-just a marriage certificate that ended with a woman quietly added to his life.

At the time, few believed Derek would ever open his eyes again. His recovery, when it came, was brushed off as nothing more than sheer luck.

Now this woman had the audacity to act like she could drag someone back from death itself?

Every pair of eyes in the room stayed locked on her, poised to pounce the moment she failed.

Hostile glares pierced her from all sides, yet Allison stayed steady. After completing her careful examination, she straightened, her expression unshaken.

Tucked deep within the estate was a private medical facility-lavish, sterile, and fully equipped for emergencies involving the aging heads of the family.

"Immediate surgery is the only chance," said Allison, her tone cutting through the tension like a blade.

After surveying the roomful of skeptical faces, she added with crisp authority, "Everyone must leave."

From the doorway, the voice of Eric, who had just withdrawn himself from his duties, echoed through the room. "Have you lost your mind? You do not even have a medical license. How can you talk about operating on someone?"

A shadow passed over Allison's face as her fists clenched tightly. She could not deny it-she had no official certification.

Across the room, Renee let out a shocked gasp and slapped her hand over her mouth. "Good Lord-an unlicensed surgery? Allison, are you treating Jane's body like some practice dummy?"

"I'm serious about this!" Allison retorted, her voice cutting clean through the rising panic.

Michael's jaw tightened, his glare full of contempt. "You're a fraud! A useless liar! Get out of here!"

The instant he got the call, Eric had rushed back without hesitation.

Every step he took carried the heavy authority of a man hardened by military life. His dark expression only deepened as he shouted, "Mom is already gone, and all of you are just standing around-letting some outsider run wild? Where are your principles? Instead of preparing for her funeral, you're wasting time chasing childish fantasies about bringing the dead back to life!"

In the Evans family, no one ranked closer to Glenn in authority than Eric. At his outburst, the entire room fell silent, heads bowing under the weight of his rebuke.

Without wasting a second, Eric spun around and fixed his eyes on Allison. His memory of her was faint-a distant image from a long-ago holiday, a quiet girl who had barely made a ripple.

Yet here she was, stirring chaos in the wake of Jane's death.

"Listen carefully, Allison," Eric said, his words short and sharp. "I don't care what your motives are, but you will not turn the dead into a tool for your ambitions."

His steely gaze drifted to the still figure lying in the bed. Against his will, a painful sting flared in his nose and blurred his vision.

Without hesitation, he sank to his knees beside his mother's bedside, the thud of his weight heavy with regret. "Mom, I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough."

Planting herself firmly, Allison spoke up, her voice steady and strong. "The doctor has given up. What harm is there in letting me try? I swear-things cannot possibly get any worse."

A shadow fell over Eric's face as he shot Allison a glare sharp enough to cut. "Absolutely not-"

"That's enough!" Derek's voice exploded through the room, commanding instant silence. An overwhelming force rolled off his body as he took a step forward, his tone dropping to a cold chill. "Uncle Eric, Grandpa and I already agreed. Licensed or not, she gets her chance. Our word stands."

The muscles in Eric's jaw tightened as fury twisted his features. "You're really willing to throw away Grandma's dignity for the sake of an outsider?"