Hua Ling was desperate!

You could see it in her eyes—pure panic! She didn’t want Hua Ming Rong to make that call. Not at all!

But she was helpless.

Frozen.

Her father’s hand slipped into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"No! Dad, wait!!" she screamed.

Her voice was too high. Too frantic. Too wild.

But Hua Ming Rong didn’t stop!

He dialed swiftly—cold fingers, cold heart.

The phone rang.

Once...

Twice...

Three times...

Then—click!

The call connected.

Dr. Zhang, on the other side, blinked in confusion.

He hadn’t expected this.

Not from Hua Ming Rong.

The man had dumped his daughter here like some forgotten package a year ago. And while he occasionally called to check in... he’d never sounded like he cared.

But this time felt different.

"Dr. Zhang!" Hua Ming Rong barked, his voice tight. "I want to ask about my daughter. How is she doing?!"

The doctor flipped through the patient files on his desk, hurriedly scanning the names.

Hua Jing.

Still in a coma. Still no change.

She had gone into anaphylactic shock one year ago. Somehow, they had saved her life.

But after that?

Silence.

Her body healed—slowly. A few scars remained, but nothing that would threaten her stardom. Her beauty had survived.

Still, why this call now?

"Mr. Hua..." Dr. Zhang tried to sound calm. Professional. The man on the phone was a major donor. He had to tread carefully. "Please give me a moment... I’ll check."

He opened the digital chart.

And froze.

The word on the screen sent ice through his spine.

DISCHARGED.

What?!

Dr. Zhang wiped the sweat from his brow.

When?!

Who approved this?!

Why didn’t he know?!

He swallowed hard and scrambled to save himself.

"Ah, yes—give me a moment! I’ll go check on her in person. It’s time for my rounds anyway!" he lied quickly.

Before Hua Ming Rong could respond, he hung up!

He bolted out of his office, sprinting toward Hua Jing’s room.

When he got there...

Empty.

The bed was neatly made.

No IV. No machines. No patient.

Nothing!!

His chest tightened in horror.

She was gone.

He stormed down the hall to the nurse’s station, slamming his hand against the counter.

"Who the HELL discharged Hua Jing?!!"

Nurses jumped back in fear.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble we’re in?! Her family is asking for her!! This is serious!!"

One nurse—shaking, wide-eyed—stepped forward. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

She had been paid off. Paid well. By Hua Ling.

But now?

Now, panic was settling in.

She swallowed and said, "Her family came to discharge her, sir. Her sister. Miss Hua Ling."

It was the exact script she had been given.

Say it was her family. Say it was authorized.

But the weight of those words hit the station like a thunderbolt.

Dr. Zhang stared at her.

That couldn’t be right.

No records. No documentation. Nothing in the system.

And now?

Now the family wanted her back?

What was worse... she had been gone for hours—and he had no idea!!

This was a disaster!

A disaster in the making!

How could the attending doctor not know his patient was missing?!

It said everything.It said how little they valued her and how easy she was to erase.

Just gone.

Like a shadow.

And now?

The consequences were coming for them all. Fast!

...

The air in the Hua mansion was stiff with tension.

Hua Ming Rong held his phone like it was made of glass. His eyes flickered nervously toward Fu Jing Rong, who stood motionless, his dark gaze as sharp as a blade.

"The hospital director is going to check on her," Hua Ming Rong muttered. "He... he’ll call me back shortly."

Fu Jing Rong didn’t blink.

He simply raised one brow.

But he said nothing.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Not a single soul dared to breathe too loudly.

Then—

RING!

Everyone jumped.

Hua Ming Rong fumbled to accept the call. His palms were sweaty.

"H-Hello?" he answered quickly.

"Mr. Hua!" came the frantic voice of Dr. Zhang. "I... I just got to the room—your daughter is not here!"

The words felt like thunder in Hua Ming Rong’s ear.

"Not there?!" he barked. "What do you mean she’s not there?!"

"I—I mean she’s been discharged. Hours ago! We just checked the records—someone already took her."

"Who?!" Hua Ming Rong’s voice cracked.

The doctor hesitated for a beat. "Your other daughter... Miss Hua Ling."

Silence.

Pure, brutal silence.

Hua Ming Rong’s lips parted, but no sound came out.

"She presented paperwork," Dr. Zhang rushed to explain. "She had a signed document that listed her as the new primary guardian. We verified the signature. It matched hospital records."

"That’s impossible!!" Hua Ming Rong exploded. "I never signed anything!!"

"Sir, with all due respect," Dr. Zhang replied quickly, "I believe the documents were forged."

Hua Ming Rong swayed slightly.

The room spun.

"She... she forged it?" he whispered.

Dr. Zhang’s voice softened. "We didn’t know. I am so sorry, Mr. Hua. She’s gone. She was wheeled out hours ago. I don’t know where they took her."

Click.

The call ended.

The phone nearly slipped from his hand.

He turned slowly... and stared at his daughter.

"You..." His voice shook.

Hua Ling’s face had lost all its color.

"You took her?" Chen Li whispered, horrified.

"You forged my signature?!" Hua Ming Rong’s voice was a storm.

But Hua Ling couldn’t speak.

Her mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again.

She was like a dead fish that was trying to struggle after just being taken out of the water.

Hua Ming Rong pretended to be angry right now just because Fu Jing Rong was here.

Had the other man not been here he would not have cared even if Hua Ling had taken Hua Jing away!

He had never cared much for that daughter of his so why would he care even if his sister took her away?

After all, Hua Ling must have wanted to teach Hua Jing a lesson!

It was not that bad but ...

A cold voice disrupted his thoughts,

"Where is she?"