No Strings Attached

Upon hearing these words, Brodie felt the tension that had been coiled tight within him ease slightly. His voice was urgent as he asked, "Who is it?"

"It's Mr. Hayes. Can you believe it? His liver is a near-perfect match for your mother, and they have the same blood type. You can rest easy now. The surgery should go off without a hitch."

Brodie's brow furrowed with concern. "But the man's just been through a burn injury, not fully recovered. Can he handle it?"

The doctor clapped him on the shoulder, with a gesture of reassurance. "Don't worry. It'll be fine. Mr. Hayes insisted I tell you that he's willing to endure anything if it means saving your mother. I'll start prepping for the surgery immediately. You just wait here."

Before long, lan was discreetly wheeled into the operating room.

For fear of any leaks, lan was registered under an alias. His head was swathed in bandages.

Only the chief surgeon was in the know.

Two hours later, the doors to the OR swung open.

The doctor appeared, looking weary yet with a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "The surgery was a success. The patient should wake up by tomorrow."

An emotional Brodie clenched his fist, then asked, "And what about him? How's Mr. Hayes?"

there, either. He'll come around once the anesthesia wears

sake, Katherine was placed in the room next to

mother's pallid face, Brodie's heart ached

gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her

emotion. "Mom, we've

couldn't recall how many close calls

on the run had started from the time he was a mere whisper of

them and erased their tracks

those tumultuous years, Brodie watched over his mother with

will find the person behind all this, and I'll make sure you live

Teo

you can't go on like this." Brodie

Clara's with him. That kid's tough; a little surgery like this is

go check

that, Brodie rose from his chair and headed out

so was his need

didn't know how to face Teo

Teo had indeed been attentive to his

Teo had pulled out all the stops to