On the second day of Wendy's wedding, she realized she had married the wrong person. The other party was indeed Dr. Sanders, but not the Dr. Sanders mentioned in the introduction. Having uncovered the truth, Wendy sent a message to the other party while on her way to a consultation. Just then, a phone beeped from behind her. Wendy turned her head and saw her new husband standing there with a large team of cardiac surgeons, conducting rounds. The collar of Sampson's white coat was slightly open, and the mole next to his Adam's apple stood out prominently. "Wendy," he said. Wendy's heart trembled, and she instinctively looked at the colleagues around her. "Director Sanders?" Sampson's expression paused slightly. Wendy gritted her teeth. "Director Sanders, you should call me Dr. Gates." "Okay," Sampson nodded. Then he suddenly leaned in. His slender fingers lifted Wendy's collar, and he chuckled softly, lowering his voice to remind her, "Dr. Gates, before changing your name tag? You're wearing mine." The news of Sampson's marriage exploded in the group chat. Colleagues said that although Sampson was handsome, he was too indifferent and not an ideal marriage partner. Seeing Sampson's expressionless face, Wendy retorted softly in her heart. Before getting married, Sampson had only one requirement for his partner: do not love him. He believed that marriage was troublesome, relationships were even more troublesome, and that his time belonged only to the operating table. But one day, he suddenly realized that he could balance his marriage and the operating table. He seemed to have fallen in love with his wife — and he wanted her to love him too.

Chapter 1“She wants a car, a house, stamina, and emotional support. What's next, the moon and the stars?”It was still early before the morning shift handover.Knowing Victor Vance was the only other person in the office, Riley Reed shamelessly scrolled through videos while eating a sandwich.The volume on her phone was on full blast.The door was wide open.Wendy Gates could hear the echoing audio all the way down the hall.She stepped inside.The moment the hem of Wendy's white coat flashed in the doorway, Riley panicked and slammed her phone face-down on the desk, creating a massive bang in the quiet room.Wendy glanced over. “Morning.”“Morning, Wendy. You scared the life out of me, I thought you were Dr. Franklin.” Riley clutched her chest, letting out a long sigh of relief.Wendy gave her an amused look, checking her watch. “Relax, Chairman Sutton is visiting the hospital today. The boss just went to the director's office.”“Hell yes.” Riley cheered out loud.She did the math in her head—even if Dr. Franklin rushed back, he wouldn't make it in time to chew them out at the morning meeting.Having dodged a bullet, Riley completely relaxed. She kicked her rolling chair back a couple of feet, bumping right into the back of Wendy's chair.“Wendy, haven't you been going on blind dates lately? You have to see this. The dating pool is an absolute swamp right now.”Tapping the screen, she replayed the video.It featured a guy ranting about a girl he'd recently met.The guy was twenty-seven, a mid-level government employee, and clearly thought he was God's gift to women.When he spoke about his date, his tone dripped with disdain. “Listen up, guys, I'm testing the waters for you. Avoid at all costs. Any girl with half a decent face is a gold digger these days. Their appetites are insane. First date, and she actually expected me to put down a down payment on a house for her.”“Ugh, these women only talk a big game online. Always screaming about being strong, independent women.”“If they really want equality, they shouldn't expect us to foot the bill for everything.”...The video had instantly sparked a wave of agreement from his male audience.In the comments, the guys unanimously agreed that with his ‘prime’ qualifications, the woman was ungrateful to expect a single dime from him.Riley couldn't help but curse as she watched. “So men expect to pay absolutely nothing, relying entirely on their job title to score a kid and a free maid? With long legs and a hot body, to boot.”“Please. He passed a civil service exam, he didn't make it to NASA. What is he so arrogant about?”“Has he looked in a mirror lately? He's completely delusional.”This amused Victor, the only guy in the room. “These guys are probably just throwing tantrums because they're either broke or ugly.”Spot on.Riley's anger immediately subsided. She walked over to Victor and patted his shoulder approvingly.“There aren't many self-aware men like you left in the world,” she praised.“Exactly. Flashing cash is just overcompensating for a lack of sex appeal. If an ugly guy wants to date a gorgeous girl, he has to pay up. It's the same logic for me—if I want to date a hot guy, I'm ready to spend some money.”“Right, Wendy?”Having scrubbed into three surgeries last night, Wendy rubbed her stiff neck and turned her head.Her skin was pale from staying up all night, but it only highlighted her natural, effortless beauty.“What did you say?”Riley paused, swallowed lightly, and shook her head. “Never mind. I forgot that stunning women like you don't have these problems.”Wendy looked at her, fighting back a smile.“Done scrolling? Because I have some news for you.”“What is it?” Smelling gossip, Riley's eyes lit up.Wendy watched her, the corners of her lips curling upward. She leaned over, opened a drawer, and pulled out the newly finalized schedule, handing it over.“Congratulations, Dr. Reed. You've won the lottery of eight night shifts this month.”“Eight?”That was a lethal dose. Riley gasped, immediately looking like her soul had left her body.Groaning, she slumped back into her chair, utterly defeated.“Chief Gates, save me.”“Can't be done.” Wendy offered a faint smile.Her eyes were bright, clear, and strikingly beautiful.As a fellow medical resident, Riley clicked her tongue, crying foul over the injustice.“Wendy, Chief Lawrence over in Cardiac Surgery became a chief resident a month after you, right?”The title of 'Chief Resident' meant exactly what it sounded like—you practically lived at the hospital.It was a brutal twenty-four-hour shift, six days a week, with only a single day off.And getting that one day off at a place like Capital Medical Center—the top heart center in the country—was purely a matter of luck.Not quite catching Riley's drift, Wendy looked over at her.Riley's tone was incredibly dramatic. “Did you know I ran into Leo yesterday in the hallway? He's so exhausted he's actually going bald.”“And yet here you are, my beautiful little rose. Pulling all-nighters every single day, and you still look flawless.”Wendy chuckled, reaching out to flick Riley's forehead.“Alright, enough with the flattery. Use this time to review your charts before Dr. Franklin does a spot check and chews you out again.”Dr. Franklin was notoriously vicious when he yelled.Aside from Wendy, every single person in the department had been reduced to tears by him at least once.A shiver of absolute terror ran down Riley's spine. She flinched, let out a pathetic whimper, and booted up her computer.While waiting for it to turn on, she belatedly remembered something and wheeled her chair back over to Wendy.“Wait a minute. I don't think it's time for Chairman Sutton's routine checkup yet, is it?”“Not even close.”Wendy shook her head and pierced the lid of her iced coffee with a straw.Looking at the system, she was scheduled for five surgeries today. This quick breakfast was the only peaceful meal she was going to get.Wendy said, “He's probably here for the foundation.”The Sutton Family was one of the wealthiest and most powerful dynasties in the capital.A few years ago, Chairman Sutton had suffered a massive heart attack in the middle of the night. At the critical moment, Dr. Franklin had personally operated on him and saved his life.As a token of gratitude, the older man had instructed his grandson to heavily fund the hospital's charity projects ever since he was discharged.Jeffery was probably meeting with the hospital director today to discuss the next round of charitable funding.Riley didn't buy that for a second.She shot Wendy a stealthy glance and lowered her voice. “I think Jeffery has an entirely different agenda.”Victor got up to throw out the trash, leaving the two of them alone in the office.No longer needing to whisper, Riley nudged Wendy's arm.She asked bluntly, “Wendy, what are you going to do about Jeffery?”“And don't you dare bring up the foundation again.”Riley went on, “It's just the two of us here. Be honest. There is no way you haven't noticed that he is totally into you.”“Do you think he heard you've been going on blind dates and panicked? Maybe that's why he showed up today.”Wendy didn't say anything.Riley eyed her carefully, her voice softening. “Actually, I've been meaning to ask you something for a while. He has liked you for years. Why are you even going on blind dates with other guys? I think he's a great catch—”“Riley.”Wendy cut her off. “I was actually just about to tell you. I'm married.”Riley stared at her, utterly dumbfounded.It took her a long moment to find her voice. “...When did that happen?”Wendy's tone was calm. “Yesterday.”She added, “Dr. Sanders is good-looking and his career perfectly aligns with my standards, so we just tied the knot.”“Tied the knot? Dr. Sanders?”Riley sprang up from her seat, her reaction explosive. “Which Dr. Sanders?”Wendy looked confused. “The one your mom set me up with.”Riley's voice was trembling. “...The doctor my mom introduced you to? You married him?”Unable to decipher Riley's bizarre reaction, Wendy asked, “What's wrong?”What was wrong?All the color instantly drained from Riley's face. “...But my mom told me this morning that he never showed up.”“Wendy, did you marry the wrong guy?”Marry the wrong guy?Riley's question left Wendy completely stunned.She turned her head, needing to clarify. “...Your mom said he never showed up?”Looking like she was on the verge of tears, Riley nodded.“Yes. She said he got called in for an emergency aortic dissection surgery yesterday afternoon. It took ten hours and didn't finish until midnight. He was apologizing profusely to my mom over text this morning.”After retiring, Riley's mother had opened a matchmaking agency.Wendy happened to have unavoidable reasons to get married as soon as possible.So, she had immediately thought of Riley's mother.Being a long-time family friend, the older woman patted her chest upon hearing the request, swearing she would find Wendy the absolute best match available.She had even asked Wendy for her list of requirements.Wendy hadn't had many. She only wanted someone with good character, who understood her demanding schedule, and who was willing to marry quickly.After all, being a female doctor wasn't exactly a highly sought-after trait in the dating market. Wanting to secure the marriage certificate as soon as possible, she had significantly lowered her standards.She trusted Riley's mother's judgment.And the woman hadn't let her down.By the very next day, she had found an incredibly suitable candidate.At least, that was how she had pitched him over the phone.“His last name is Sanders, he's four years older than you, and he's a cardiothoracic surgeon over at Central Hospital. You two are in the same field, so you'll have plenty to talk about.”“He's a local, owns a house and a car, and his parents are both college professors. A great family background and solid character.”“The best part is, he wants to settle down right away. Can you meet him this afternoon?”Riley's mom had explained that the doctor was about to leave on a business trip, which was why he was in such a rush.If Wendy was available, they could meet at the coffee shop next to the hospital at three o'clock.It just so happened that Wendy didn't have any surgeries scheduled for that time.The moment she hung up, she went straight to Dr. Franklin and requested an hour off.After that came the meeting, and then... the marriage certificate.If Riley hadn't just told her that her intended date never showed up, Wendy wouldn't have suspected a thing.She mentally reviewed all the information and asked, “What was the full name of the doctor your mom introduced me to?”“Silas Sanders.”Riley was on the verge of frantic tears. “Didn't I text you his name?”Seeing the blank look on Wendy's face, she pressed further.Riley asked, “...Did you not see it?”Hesitantly, Wendy dug her phone out of her bag.Yesterday at 2:30 PM.Riley: [Wendy, my mom forgot to mention it on the phone, but the guy's name is Silas Sanders.]Wendy furrowed her brow slightly. “I was busy coordinating beds for emergency patients right then. I didn't see it.”But that wasn't the main issue.Riley stomped her foot in panic. “The main issue is, who the hell did you marry?”“Wendy, please tell me you didn't get scammed into a fake marriage.”“No, I didn't,” Wendy replied firmly.“The man I married is... Sampson Sanders.”“Sampson Sanders? Why does that name sound so familiar?”“Whatever, forget about that for a second. Tell me how the two of you actually ended up married.”How did they get married?Wendy cast her mind back to yesterday afternoon.They were supposed to meet at the coffee shop at three.Due to a sudden emergency consult, she ended up twenty-five minutes late.By the time she arrived, the cafe was completely empty, save for a delivery guy waiting at the counter and Sampson Sanders.He was seated by the window, dressed in a black dress shirt and slacks, an iced Americano resting on the table in front of him.He was clearly waiting for someone.Riley's mom had actually set her up with Sampson Sanders? Wendy had been genuinely stunned.She had seen him two years ago.It was at a top-tier international summit for minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery.At the time, she had been shadowing her mentor, Dr. Franklin.She had watched Sampson deliver a keynote address as a full member of the AATS.The AATS was the most prestigious academic organization in the world of cardiothoracic surgery. It boasted only fifteen hundred members, comprising the absolute elite surgeons from across the globe.Dr. Franklin was a member as well.Whenever he mentioned Sampson, his tone was always filled with unconcealed admiration.“There are only twenty AATS members in our entire country. Someone as young as Sampson Sanders? He is the very first in history.”Listening to her mentor's praise, Wendy felt nothing but pure reverence for the man.So... even a man of his incredible caliber was forced into blind dates?Taking a deep breath, Wendy walked over and sat down, feeling the heavy weight of his predatory gaze scanning her.“I apologize, Dr. Sanders. I caught a last-minute emergency and got held up.”The man across from her froze for a fraction of a second.His slight frown made Wendy feel instantly out of her depth.She checked her watch. She only had thirty minutes of her approved leave remaining.Chapter 2“She wants a car, a house, stamina, and emotional support. What's next, the moon and the stars?”It was still early before the morning shift handover.Knowing Victor Vance was the only other person in the office, Riley Reed shamelessly scrolled through videos while eating a sandwich.The volume on her phone was on full blast.The door was wide open.Wendy Gates could hear the echoing audio all the way down the hall.She stepped inside.The moment the hem of Wendy's white coat flashed in the doorway, Riley panicked and slammed her phone face-down on the desk, creating a massive bang in the quiet room.Wendy glanced over. “Morning.”“Morning, Wendy. You scared the life out of me, I thought you were Dr. Franklin.” Riley clutched her chest, letting out a long sigh of relief.Wendy gave her an amused look, checking her watch. “Relax, Chairman Sutton is visiting the hospital today. The boss just went to the director's office.”“Hell yes.” Riley cheered out loud.She did the math in her head—even if Dr. Franklin rushed back, he wouldn't make it in time to chew them out at the morning meeting.Having dodged a bullet, Riley completely relaxed. She kicked her rolling chair back a couple of feet, bumping right into the back of Wendy's chair.“Wendy, haven't you been going on blind dates lately? You have to see this. The dating pool is an absolute swamp right now.”Tapping the screen, she replayed the video.It featured a guy ranting about a girl he'd recently met.The guy was twenty-seven, a mid-level government employee, and clearly thought he was God's gift to women.When he spoke about his date, his tone dripped with disdain. “Listen up, guys, I'm testing the waters for you. Avoid at all costs. Any girl with half a decent face is a gold digger these days. Their appetites are insane. First date, and she actually expected me to put down a down payment on a house for her.”“Ugh, these women only talk a big game online. Always screaming about being strong, independent women.”“If they really want equality, they shouldn't expect us to foot the bill for everything.”...The video had instantly sparked a wave of agreement from his male audience.In the comments, the guys unanimously agreed that with his ‘prime’ qualifications, the woman was ungrateful to expect a single dime from him.Riley couldn't help but curse as she watched. “So men expect to pay absolutely nothing, relying entirely on their job title to score a kid and a free maid? With long legs and a hot body, to boot.”“Please. He passed a civil service exam, he didn't make it to NASA. What is he so arrogant about?”“Has he looked in a mirror lately? He's completely delusional.”This amused Victor, the only guy in the room. “These guys are probably just throwing tantrums because they're either broke or ugly.”Spot on.Riley's anger immediately subsided. She walked over to Victor and patted his shoulder approvingly.“There aren't many self-aware men like you left in the world,” she praised.“Exactly. Flashing cash is just overcompensating for a lack of sex appeal. If an ugly guy wants to date a gorgeous girl, he has to pay up. It's the same logic for me—if I want to date a hot guy, I'm ready to spend some money.”“Right, Wendy?”Having scrubbed into three surgeries last night, Wendy rubbed her stiff neck and turned her head.Her skin was pale from staying up all night, but it only highlighted her natural, effortless beauty.“What did you say?”Riley paused, swallowed lightly, and shook her head. “Never mind. I forgot that stunning women like you don't have these problems.”Wendy looked at her, fighting back a smile.“Done scrolling? Because I have some news for you.”“What is it?” Smelling gossip, Riley's eyes lit up.Wendy watched her, the corners of her lips curling upward. She leaned over, opened a drawer, and pulled out the newly finalized schedule, handing it over.“Congratulations, Dr. Reed. You've won the lottery of eight night shifts this month.”“Eight?”That was a lethal dose. Riley gasped, immediately looking like her soul had left her body.Groaning, she slumped back into her chair, utterly defeated.“Chief Gates, save me.”“Can't be done.” Wendy offered a faint smile.Her eyes were bright, clear, and strikingly beautiful.As a fellow medical resident, Riley clicked her tongue, crying foul over the injustice.“Wendy, Chief Lawrence over in Cardiac Surgery became a chief resident a month after you, right?”The title of 'Chief Resident' meant exactly what it sounded like—you practically lived at the hospital.It was a brutal twenty-four-hour shift, six days a week, with only a single day off.And getting that one day off at a place like Capital Medical Center—the top heart center in the country—was purely a matter of luck.Not quite catching Riley's drift, Wendy looked over at her.Riley's tone was incredibly dramatic. “Did you know I ran into Leo yesterday in the hallway? He's so exhausted he's actually going bald.”“And yet here you are, my beautiful little rose. Pulling all-nighters every single day, and you still look flawless.”Wendy chuckled, reaching out to flick Riley's forehead.“Alright, enough with the flattery. Use this time to review your charts before Dr. Franklin does a spot check and chews you out again.”Dr. Franklin was notoriously vicious when he yelled.Aside from Wendy, every single person in the department had been reduced to tears by him at least once.A shiver of absolute terror ran down Riley's spine. She flinched, let out a pathetic whimper, and booted up her computer.While waiting for it to turn on, she belatedly remembered something and wheeled her chair back over to Wendy.“Wait a minute. I don't think it's time for Chairman Sutton's routine checkup yet, is it?”“Not even close.”Wendy shook her head and pierced the lid of her iced coffee with a straw.Looking at the system, she was scheduled for five surgeries today. This quick breakfast was the only peaceful meal she was going to get.Wendy said, “He's probably here for the foundation.”The Sutton Family was one of the wealthiest and most powerful dynasties in the capital.A few years ago, Chairman Sutton had suffered a massive heart attack in the middle of the night. At the critical moment, Dr. Franklin had personally operated on him and saved his life.As a token of gratitude, the older man had instructed his grandson to heavily fund the hospital's charity projects ever since he was discharged.Jeffery was probably meeting with the hospital director today to discuss the next round of charitable funding.Riley didn't buy that for a second.She shot Wendy a stealthy glance and lowered her voice. “I think Jeffery has an entirely different agenda.”Victor got up to throw out the trash, leaving the two of them alone in the office.No longer needing to whisper, Riley nudged Wendy's arm.She asked bluntly, “Wendy, what are you going to do about Jeffery?”“And don't you dare bring up the foundation again.”Riley went on, “It's just the two of us here. Be honest. There is no way you haven't noticed that he is totally into you.”“Do you think he heard you've been going on blind dates and panicked? Maybe that's why he showed up today.”Wendy didn't say anything.Riley eyed her carefully, her voice softening. “Actually, I've been meaning to ask you something for a while. He has liked you for years. Why are you even going on blind dates with other guys? I think he's a great catch—”“Riley.”Wendy cut her off. “I was actually just about to tell you. I'm married.”Riley stared at her, utterly dumbfounded.It took her a long moment to find her voice. “...When did that happen?”Wendy's tone was calm. “Yesterday.”She added, “Dr. Sanders is good-looking and his career perfectly aligns with my standards, so we just tied the knot.”“Tied the knot? Dr. Sanders?”Riley sprang up from her seat, her reaction explosive. “Which Dr. Sanders?”Wendy looked confused. “The one your mom set me up with.”Riley's voice was trembling. “...The doctor my mom introduced you to? You married him?”Unable to decipher Riley's bizarre reaction, Wendy asked, “What's wrong?”What was wrong?All the color instantly drained from Riley's face. “...But my mom told me this morning that he never showed up.”“Wendy, did you marry the wrong guy?”Marry the wrong guy?Riley's question left Wendy completely stunned.She turned her head, needing to clarify. “...Your mom said he never showed up?”Looking like she was on the verge of tears, Riley nodded.“Yes. She said he got called in for an emergency aortic dissection surgery yesterday afternoon. It took ten hours and didn't finish until midnight. He was apologizing profusely to my mom over text this morning.”After retiring, Riley's mother had opened a matchmaking agency.Wendy happened to have unavoidable reasons to get married as soon as possible.So, she had immediately thought of Riley's mother.Being a long-time family friend, the older woman patted her chest upon hearing the request, swearing she would find Wendy the absolute best match available.She had even asked Wendy for her list of requirements.Wendy hadn't had many. She only wanted someone with good character, who understood her demanding schedule, and who was willing to marry quickly.After all, being a female doctor wasn't exactly a highly sought-after trait in the dating market. Wanting to secure the marriage certificate as soon as possible, she had significantly lowered her standards.She trusted Riley's mother's judgment.And the woman hadn't let her down.By the very next day, she had found an incredibly suitable candidate.At least, that was how she had pitched him over the phone.“His last name is Sanders, he's four years older than you, and he's a cardiothoracic surgeon over at Central Hospital. You two are in the same field, so you'll have plenty to talk about.”“He's a local, owns a house and a car, and his parents are both college professors. A great family background and solid character.”“The best part is, he wants to settle down right away. Can you meet him this afternoon?”Riley's mom had explained that the doctor was about to leave on a business trip, which was why he was in such a rush.If Wendy was available, they could meet at the coffee shop next to the hospital at three o'clock.It just so happened that Wendy didn't have any surgeries scheduled for that time.The moment she hung up, she went straight to Dr. Franklin and requested an hour off.After that came the meeting, and then... the marriage certificate.If Riley hadn't just told her that her intended date never showed up, Wendy wouldn't have suspected a thing.She mentally reviewed all the information and asked, “What was the full name of the doctor your mom introduced me to?”“Silas Sanders.”Riley was on the verge of frantic tears. “Didn't I text you his name?”Seeing the blank look on Wendy's face, she pressed further.Riley asked, “...Did you not see it?”Hesitantly, Wendy dug her phone out of her bag.Yesterday at 2:30 PM.Riley: [Wendy, my mom forgot to mention it on the phone, but the guy's name is Silas Sanders.]Wendy furrowed her brow slightly. “I was busy coordinating beds for emergency patients right then. I didn't see it.”But that wasn't the main issue.Riley stomped her foot in panic. “The main issue is, who the hell did you marry?”“Wendy, please tell me you didn't get scammed into a fake marriage.”“No, I didn't,” Wendy replied firmly.“The man I married is... Sampson Sanders.”“Sampson Sanders? Why does that name sound so familiar?”“Whatever, forget about that for a second. Tell me how the two of you actually ended up married.”How did they get married?Wendy cast her mind back to yesterday afternoon.They were supposed to meet at the coffee shop at three.Due to a sudden emergency consult, she ended up twenty-five minutes late.By the time she arrived, the cafe was completely empty, save for a delivery guy waiting at the counter and Sampson Sanders.He was seated by the window, dressed in a black dress shirt and slacks, an iced Americano resting on the table in front of him.He was clearly waiting for someone.Riley's mom had actually set her up with Sampson Sanders? Wendy had been genuinely stunned.She had seen him two years ago.It was at a top-tier international summit for minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery.At the time, she had been shadowing her mentor, Dr. Franklin.She had watched Sampson deliver a keynote address as a full member of the AATS.The AATS was the most prestigious academic organization in the world of cardiothoracic surgery. It boasted only fifteen hundred members, comprising the absolute elite surgeons from across the globe.Dr. Franklin was a member as well.Whenever he mentioned Sampson, his tone was always filled with unconcealed admiration.“There are only twenty AATS members in our entire country. Someone as young as Sampson Sanders? He is the very first in history.”Listening to her mentor's praise, Wendy felt nothing but pure reverence for the man.So... even a man of his incredible caliber was forced into blind dates?Taking a deep breath, Wendy walked over and sat down, feeling the heavy weight of his predatory gaze scanning her.“I apologize, Dr. Sanders. I caught a last-minute emergency and got held up.”The man across from her froze for a fraction of a second.His slight frown made Wendy feel instantly out of her depth.She checked her watch. She only had thirty minutes of her approved leave remaining.Chapter 3“She wants a car, a house, stamina, and emotional support. What's next, the moon and the stars?”It was still early before the morning shift handover.Knowing Victor Vance was the only other person in the office, Riley Reed shamelessly scrolled through videos while eating a sandwich.The volume on her phone was on full blast.The door was wide open.Wendy Gates could hear the echoing audio all the way down the hall.She stepped inside.The moment the hem of Wendy's white coat flashed in the doorway, Riley panicked and slammed her phone face-down on the desk, creating a massive bang in the quiet room.Wendy glanced over. “Morning.”“Morning, Wendy. You scared the life out of me, I thought you were Dr. Franklin.” Riley clutched her chest, letting out a long sigh of relief.Wendy gave her an amused look, checking her watch. “Relax, Chairman Sutton is visiting the hospital today. The boss just went to the director's office.”“Hell yes.” Riley cheered out loud.She did the math in her head—even if Dr. Franklin rushed back, he wouldn't make it in time to chew them out at the morning meeting.Having dodged a bullet, Riley completely relaxed. She kicked her rolling chair back a couple of feet, bumping right into the back of Wendy's chair.“Wendy, haven't you been going on blind dates lately? You have to see this. The dating pool is an absolute swamp right now.”Tapping the screen, she replayed the video.It featured a guy ranting about a girl he'd recently met.The guy was twenty-seven, a mid-level government employee, and clearly thought he was God's gift to women.When he spoke about his date, his tone dripped with disdain. “Listen up, guys, I'm testing the waters for you. Avoid at all costs. Any girl with half a decent face is a gold digger these days. Their appetites are insane. First date, and she actually expected me to put down a down payment on a house for her.”“Ugh, these women only talk a big game online. Always screaming about being strong, independent women.”“If they really want equality, they shouldn't expect us to foot the bill for everything.”...The video had instantly sparked a wave of agreement from his male audience.In the comments, the guys unanimously agreed that with his ‘prime’ qualifications, the woman was ungrateful to expect a single dime from him.Riley couldn't help but curse as she watched. “So men expect to pay absolutely nothing, relying entirely on their job title to score a kid and a free maid? With long legs and a hot body, to boot.”“Please. He passed a civil service exam, he didn't make it to NASA. What is he so arrogant about?”“Has he looked in a mirror lately? He's completely delusional.”This amused Victor, the only guy in the room. “These guys are probably just throwing tantrums because they're either broke or ugly.”Spot on.Riley's anger immediately subsided. She walked over to Victor and patted his shoulder approvingly.“There aren't many self-aware men like you left in the world,” she praised.“Exactly. Flashing cash is just overcompensating for a lack of sex appeal. If an ugly guy wants to date a gorgeous girl, he has to pay up. It's the same logic for me—if I want to date a hot guy, I'm ready to spend some money.”“Right, Wendy?”Having scrubbed into three surgeries last night, Wendy rubbed her stiff neck and turned her head.Her skin was pale from staying up all night, but it only highlighted her natural, effortless beauty.“What did you say?”Riley paused, swallowed lightly, and shook her head. “Never mind. I forgot that stunning women like you don't have these problems.”Wendy looked at her, fighting back a smile.“Done scrolling? Because I have some news for you.”“What is it?” Smelling gossip, Riley's eyes lit up.Wendy watched her, the corners of her lips curling upward. She leaned over, opened a drawer, and pulled out the newly finalized schedule, handing it over.“Congratulations, Dr. Reed. You've won the lottery of eight night shifts this month.”“Eight?”That was a lethal dose. Riley gasped, immediately looking like her soul had left her body.Groaning, she slumped back into her chair, utterly defeated.“Chief Gates, save me.”“Can't be done.” Wendy offered a faint smile.Her eyes were bright, clear, and strikingly beautiful.As a fellow medical resident, Riley clicked her tongue, crying foul over the injustice.“Wendy, Chief Lawrence over in Cardiac Surgery became a chief resident a month after you, right?”The title of 'Chief Resident' meant exactly what it sounded like—you practically lived at the hospital.It was a brutal twenty-four-hour shift, six days a week, with only a single day off.And getting that one day off at a place like Capital Medical Center—the top heart center in the country—was purely a matter of luck.Not quite catching Riley's drift, Wendy looked over at her.Riley's tone was incredibly dramatic. “Did you know I ran into Leo yesterday in the hallway? He's so exhausted he's actually going bald.”“And yet here you are, my beautiful little rose. Pulling all-nighters every single day, and you still look flawless.”Wendy chuckled, reaching out to flick Riley's forehead.“Alright, enough with the flattery. Use this time to review your charts before Dr. Franklin does a spot check and chews you out again.”Dr. Franklin was notoriously vicious when he yelled.Aside from Wendy, every single person in the department had been reduced to tears by him at least once.A shiver of absolute terror ran down Riley's spine. She flinched, let out a pathetic whimper, and booted up her computer.While waiting for it to turn on, she belatedly remembered something and wheeled her chair back over to Wendy.“Wait a minute. I don't think it's time for Chairman Sutton's routine checkup yet, is it?”“Not even close.”Wendy shook her head and pierced the lid of her iced coffee with a straw.Looking at the system, she was scheduled for five surgeries today. This quick breakfast was the only peaceful meal she was going to get.Wendy said, “He's probably here for the foundation.”The Sutton Family was one of the wealthiest and most powerful dynasties in the capital.A few years ago, Chairman Sutton had suffered a massive heart attack in the middle of the night. At the critical moment, Dr. Franklin had personally operated on him and saved his life.As a token of gratitude, the older man had instructed his grandson to heavily fund the hospital's charity projects ever since he was discharged.Jeffery was probably meeting with the hospital director today to discuss the next round of charitable funding.Riley didn't buy that for a second.She shot Wendy a stealthy glance and lowered her voice. “I think Jeffery has an entirely different agenda.”Victor got up to throw out the trash, leaving the two of them alone in the office.No longer needing to whisper, Riley nudged Wendy's arm.She asked bluntly, “Wendy, what are you going to do about Jeffery?”“And don't you dare bring up the foundation again.”Riley went on, “It's just the two of us here. Be honest. There is no way you haven't noticed that he is totally into you.”“Do you think he heard you've been going on blind dates and panicked? Maybe that's why he showed up today.”Wendy didn't say anything.Riley eyed her carefully, her voice softening. “Actually, I've been meaning to ask you something for a while. He has liked you for years. Why are you even going on blind dates with other guys? I think he's a great catch—”“Riley.”Wendy cut her off. “I was actually just about to tell you. I'm married.”Riley stared at her, utterly dumbfounded.It took her a long moment to find her voice. “...When did that happen?”Wendy's tone was calm. “Yesterday.”She added, “Dr. Sanders is good-looking and his career perfectly aligns with my standards, so we just tied the knot.”“Tied the knot? Dr. Sanders?”Riley sprang up from her seat, her reaction explosive. “Which Dr. Sanders?”Wendy looked confused. “The one your mom set me up with.”Riley's voice was trembling. “...The doctor my mom introduced you to? You married him?”Unable to decipher Riley's bizarre reaction, Wendy asked, “What's wrong?”What was wrong?All the color instantly drained from Riley's face. “...But my mom told me this morning that he never showed up.”“Wendy, did you marry the wrong guy?”Marry the wrong guy?Riley's question left Wendy completely stunned.She turned her head, needing to clarify. “...Your mom said he never showed up?”Looking like she was on the verge of tears, Riley nodded.“Yes. She said he got called in for an emergency aortic dissection surgery yesterday afternoon. It took ten hours and didn't finish until midnight. He was apologizing profusely to my mom over text this morning.”After retiring, Riley's mother had opened a matchmaking agency.Wendy happened to have unavoidable reasons to get married as soon as possible.So, she had immediately thought of Riley's mother.Being a long-time family friend, the older woman patted her chest upon hearing the request, swearing she would find Wendy the absolute best match available.She had even asked Wendy for her list of requirements.Wendy hadn't had many. She only wanted someone with good character, who understood her demanding schedule, and who was willing to marry quickly.After all, being a female doctor wasn't exactly a highly sought-after trait in the dating market. Wanting to secure the marriage certificate as soon as possible, she had significantly lowered her standards.She trusted Riley's mother's judgment.And the woman hadn't let her down.By the very next day, she had found an incredibly suitable candidate.At least, that was how she had pitched him over the phone.“His last name is Sanders, he's four years older than you, and he's a cardiothoracic surgeon over at Central Hospital. You two are in the same field, so you'll have plenty to talk about.”“He's a local, owns a house and a car, and his parents are both college professors. A great family background and solid character.”“The best part is, he wants to settle down right away. Can you meet him this afternoon?”Riley's mom had explained that the doctor was about to leave on a business trip, which was why he was in such a rush.If Wendy was available, they could meet at the coffee shop next to the hospital at three o'clock.It just so happened that Wendy didn't have any surgeries scheduled for that time.The moment she hung up, she went straight to Dr. Franklin and requested an hour off.After that came the meeting, and then... the marriage certificate.If Riley hadn't just told her that her intended date never showed up, Wendy wouldn't have suspected a thing.She mentally reviewed all the information and asked, “What was the full name of the doctor your mom introduced me to?”“Silas Sanders.”Riley was on the verge of frantic tears. “Didn't I text you his name?”Seeing the blank look on Wendy's face, she pressed further.Riley asked, “...Did you not see it?”Hesitantly, Wendy dug her phone out of her bag.Yesterday at 2:30 PM.Riley: [Wendy, my mom forgot to mention it on the phone, but the guy's name is Silas Sanders.]Wendy furrowed her brow slightly. “I was busy coordinating beds for emergency patients right then. I didn't see it.”But that wasn't the main issue.Riley stomped her foot in panic. “The main issue is, who the hell did you marry?”“Wendy, please tell me you didn't get scammed into a fake marriage.”“No, I didn't,” Wendy replied firmly.“The man I married is... Sampson Sanders.”“Sampson Sanders? Why does that name sound so familiar?”“Whatever, forget about that for a second. Tell me how the two of you actually ended up married.”How did they get married?Wendy cast her mind back to yesterday afternoon.They were supposed to meet at the coffee shop at three.Due to a sudden emergency consult, she ended up twenty-five minutes late.By the time she arrived, the cafe was completely empty, save for a delivery guy waiting at the counter and Sampson Sanders.He was seated by the window, dressed in a black dress shirt and slacks, an iced Americano resting on the table in front of him.He was clearly waiting for someone.Riley's mom had actually set her up with Sampson Sanders? Wendy had been genuinely stunned.She had seen him two years ago.It was at a top-tier international summit for minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery.At the time, she had been shadowing her mentor, Dr. Franklin.She had watched Sampson deliver a keynote address as a full member of the AATS.The AATS was the most prestigious academic organization in the world of cardiothoracic surgery. It boasted only fifteen hundred members, comprising the absolute elite surgeons from across the globe.Dr. Franklin was a member as well.Whenever he mentioned Sampson, his tone was always filled with unconcealed admiration.“There are only twenty AATS members in our entire country. Someone as young as Sampson Sanders? He is the very first in history.”Listening to her mentor's praise, Wendy felt nothing but pure reverence for the man.So... even a man of his incredible caliber was forced into blind dates?Taking a deep breath, Wendy walked over and sat down, feeling the heavy weight of his predatory gaze scanning her.“I apologize, Dr. Sanders. I caught a last-minute emergency and got held up.”The man across from her froze for a fraction of a second.His slight frown made Wendy feel instantly out of her depth.She checked her watch. She only had thirty minutes of her approved leave remaining.