Chapter 53

At that moment, inside Helena’s room, Barney finished his examination, his already grim expression deepening.

“Dr. Gibson, how is Helena?” Edward asked, his voice laced with tension. The thought that Rosalie was responsible made his blood boil; rage and murderous intent surged within him. Edward thought, That wretch, Bella, has been dead for years, and yet she still haunts me. She left behind that scourge, Rosalie, who nearly cost Helena her life. One day, I swear, I’ll send that brat to hell to rot alongside her mother. His eyes darkened with unconcealed malice and murderous rage, as if the girl he cursed were a sworn enemy.

Barney’s unhurried voice broke the silence. “Ms. Graham’s condition is far from optimistic. Aside from continuing her current medication, a heart transplant is our only real option. Even with surgery, she’ll need anti-rejection drugs for life.”

Claudia, who had been standing quietly, let out a soft sob. Tears streamed down her face as she wept helplessly. She had no solutions, no power to change Helena’s fate. If Edward hadn’t married into the Talley family and taken control of Talley Group, she would never have been able to afford Helena’s treatments.

But finding a matching donor for the transplant was difficult. Helena had been on the waiting list for a long time, and the right heart had never appeared. Through her sobs, Claudia choked out a trembling question. “If there’s no donor, does that mean Helena has no choice but to wait for death?”

Barney hesitated. “Not necessarily. Recently, Dr. Rotello published a paper on cardiac surgery proposing a new theoretical approach. Instead of a traditional transplant, this method could potentially replace the need for a donor by surgically restructuring the heart itself. If successful, it could correct congenital heart defects and eliminate the risk of transplant rejection.”

As soon as Barney finished, both Edward and Claudia’s eyes lit up with renewed hope.