Chapter 2 Particular Taste

Chloe looked confident-way too confident. She knew Levi wouldn't dare accuse Evander of being ungrateful in public. After all, the Westvale family was in the middle of acquiring two international companies. Even a tiny scandal could mess up the deals and tank their stock. That's why she was so bold about pushing her luck.

"I suggest you call Mr. Westvale before you speak again, Assistant Levi," she said smugly.

Levi glanced at her-cool, calm, not impressed. He pulled out his phone and dialed without a word.

"Mr. Westvale," he said, "your fiancée might need to be replaced."

Chloe froze.

Did he just say that... out loud?

This guy had guts.

Before Chloe could even react, Levi ended the call and gave her a small, polite bow.

"Mr. Westvale says: fiancées chosen by family don't just get swapped out by anyone."

Chloe lit up like she'd just won a prize. "See? That's what I've been saying. The Westvale family knows loyalty-they're not ungrateful."

But she didn't see the next line coming.

Levi didn't even blink.

"Exactly. When Esther Davenier turned eighteen, the Davenier family formally proposed a marriage alliance. Mr. Westvale is loyal. Cheating's not in his character."

Boom!

Chloe looked like she'd just been struck by lightning.

And Levi wasn't finished.

"Judging by your face, Miss Davenier, you didn't know? Let me remind you-being unaware doesn't make it okay to try and steal someone else's fiancé. Especially when that someone's your own sister. Esther's still very much alive. Trying to marry her fiancé? Not a good look."

Esther froze.

Engaged... to Evander? Since when?

She stared at Levi, still processing everything he'd just said. Why would Evander-this cold, untouchable, legendary figure-suddenly have his assistant show up at this mess of a banquet? Was this some kind of game?

Her mind raced, and without meaning to, it drifted back to twelve hours earlier.

"Code blue, Director! We've lost the patient's heartbeat!"

"No pulse for ten minutes!"

"No pulse for twenty!"

"No pulse for thirty... Director, resuscitation failed. Time of death is-"

"Shut up!" Adrian snapped, panic rising in his voice. His hands trembled as he checked his watch and fumbled for his phone. "Where the hell are you, my little savior? This is Evander's mother-the matriarch of the most powerful family in the capital! If she dies in my hospital, I might as well drop dead with her..."

BANG!

The OR doors burst open, slamming against the walls. A woman in full surgical gear stormed in like a force of nature.

Esther.

"Move," she ordered, already snapping on gloves.

"Scalpel team, stand by. I want three IV lines-blood, saline, adrenaline."

"Yes, Doctor!"

"Get ready for thoracotomy!"

"Yes, Doctor!"

"Scalpel. Forceps. Scissors!"

She worked fast-ribs opened, pericardium exposed, her hands steady as she began direct cardiac massage. Every movement was clean, precise. The surgical team could only stare, frozen.

Then-beep.

"We've got a heartbeat!"

Gasps echoed around the room. All eyes were on her. Esther had cracked open a chest, restarted a heart, and dragged someone back from death. It was nothing short of a miracle.

She checked the vitals-stable.

"Flush the chest cavity. Get ready to close."

Once everything was under control, she stepped back, peeled off her gloves, and left the rest to the attending surgeon. Outside, she pulled off her mask and goggles-her long chestnut hair spilling out around her shoulders.

"Thank you, thank you-sweetheart, you saved us all-"

"Save it," Esther cut in, voice cool. "No one can know I was here today."

Before Adrian could respond, she was already throwing on her trench coat and slipping on her mask.

"As for the people inside-shut them up. Or clean them up. I've got somewhere to be."

And just like that, she was gone.

Snapping back to the present, Esther swallowed hard.

Could Evander know?

That couldn't be. Her identity had been kept strictly confidential. She hadn't left a single trace.

Unless... he found out anyway.

And now his assistant was here, staring her down in front of the entire ballroom.

Things were starting to feel a little too personal.

'All right, enough excitement. I'm out of here!'

But just as Esther turned to leave, her wrist was suddenly grabbed. Before she could even react, a strong pull yanked her backward. As she blinked open her eyes, she saw it was Chloe pulling her-and the beret on her head was knocked off. Her chin was grabbed, and that palm-sized, rose-shaped red burn scar on her cheek suddenly came into full view of the crowd.

Esther gasped sharply.

Chloe's mocking voice rang over her head. "Assistant Levi, see this? This is Esther. With a face like that, are you really sure Mr. Westvale wants to marry her?"

"As long as her last name's Davenier, and she's a Davenier family daughter, that's enough."

Levi barely glanced at Esther's face before blurting out, his mind still on what Evander had said over the phone moments ago. Then he paused, looked properly at the face before him, and a corner of his mouth twitched awkwardly.

"My Boss has a very particular taste. He likes girls just like Miss Esther Davenier!"

Chloe was speechless.

It was like she'd just been slapped hard across the face. No doubt about it-the amused, sneaky smiles all around were enough to beat down the reputation of the Davenier family's newly revealed heiress.

Damn Esther! On her first day out in the public eye, she'd already humiliated her!

Chloe's eyes burned with fury. She clenched her fists and hissed through gritted teeth, "Esther, just wait. You're nothing but a freak. You really think you can fight me over a man? Keep dreaming."

...

One hour later, at Rexpark Villa, Building 8.

The helicopter landed with a thud.

Levi respectfully stood before Evander's plane.

"Boss, the Old Madam has been stabilized. She's now in ICU at Hospital A..."

"Buy the hospital."

Before Levi could finish his report, the sharply dressed man cut him off coldly.

"Also, arrange for me to meet the doctor who dared to operate on my mother's chest!"

***