Chapter 1464

Barbara was the only thread still holding Nalani together.

If anything happened to her, Nalani knew she would have no reason left to keep living.

Belinda inhaled sharply, her tone resolute as she stepped forward. “Just because Barbara is not in pain right now does not mean she is in a good condition.”

She paused for a moment before continuing, “I have reviewed every line of her medical history since the day she was diagnosed. This disease does not follow the usual rules. It does not creep forward slowly; it strikes hard and without warning. She is only sixteen, yet her condition has already escalated to a dangerous level. The aortic dilation is severe. Her left arm is weaker than her right. She cannot lift both arms evenly. These are not minor symptoms; they are red flags. I believe what we are seeing now is the onset of another sudden decline.”

Her voice was calm as she added, “She may not be crying out in pain, but this could still be an acute phase. Aortic dissection is not a condition that waits. It is a ticking time bomb. Type A dissections, in particular, can rupture at any moment, and when they do, they are often fatal.”

Turner scoffed. “Dr. Wright, all of that is pure speculation. You can say whatever you like, but it does not change the fact that you are not qualified to perform a total aortic replacement.”

“That is enough,” the director’s voice cut through the tension.

He turned to Belinda and Turner. “Let me make this clear—are both of you sticking to your proposed treatment plans without modification?”

“Yes,” Belinda replied, unwavering.

“Yes,” Turner echoed with smug confidence.

The director nodded, then shifted his attention to the family seated quietly across the room. “Mrs. Dury, both doctors have now laid out their positions. The final decision lies with you. You can choose who will serve as Barbara’s attending physician and lead her surgery now.”

The room seemed to hold its breath. All eyes landed on Nalani.

Nalani said, “I have made my decision. I want Dr. Ortiz to be my daughter’s attending physician.”

Turner’s lips curved into a slow, satisfied smile. The knot in his chest disappeared, and a quiet thrill of victory settled over him. Perfect.

He had known all along that he wouldn’t lose.

After all, he believed that as long as Nalani was in her right mind, she would never choose Belinda—especially after Belinda had dared to propose a total aortic replacement. That reckless suggestion alone had sealed her fate.

Belinda must have been out of her mind to suggest that.

For someone like Barbara, who was from an influential family, the safest route was the wisest choice.

Sure, valve replacement meant a lifetime of anticoagulants. He was well aware of that. But frankly, once the surgery was done, her long-term maintenance would not be her own problem. It would have nothing to do with him. Two separate surgeries instead of one? Not ideal, perhaps, but undeniably safer.

And yes, he knew a total aortic replacement might suit Barbara’s case better in theory. But the procedure was so complex that he couldn’t guarantee its success.

If anything went wrong—if Barbara died on the operating table—the consequences would be catastrophic for him. Her family would not let him off.