"What did Mr. Lopez just say?"
After a brief silence, Sophia turned to her grandfather and asked, "Grandpa, what did you mean?"
John also looked confused. As Sophia had said earlier, he was only here because the Long family had always taken good care of Anita. He didn't expect any reward—much less make any demands.
He couldn't even remember asking for anything.
"You two really are forgetful," said Arno, his voice still weak but laced with amusement. "Even though I couldn't move or speak before, my ears were working just fine. I clearly heard you say you were getting married."
"Getting married?" both John and Sophia exclaimed in unison.
Sophia's face instantly turned crimson, her delicate earlobes burning red.
"Grandpa, you misunderstood," she said quickly. "Mr. Lopez was just joking earlier!"
John gave a sheepish smile. "Yes, Mr. Long. I only said that because Miss Long was very nervous. I wanted to ease the tension with a little joke."
"Really?" Arno sounded skeptical.
John nodded. "It's just like in an operating room. The lead surgeon often chats with the assistants during procedures—about dinner plans, jokes, anything to lighten the mood."
It was true. In most operating rooms, the casual banter was less a sign of carelessness and more a tactic to keep nerves in check. Without it, the tension would be unbearable.
In fact, the eeriest, most stressful operations were those conducted in total silence—only the sound of tools changing hands echoing through the sterile room.
Hearing this explanation, Arno sighed. "Ah… I really thought it was true. What a pity."
As Perry Moreno's disciple—and his own savior—John was the kind of person any family would be happy to marry into. Arno had been genuinely pleased at the thought of uniting him with Sophia.
But alas...
Still unwilling to let the idea go, Arno suddenly glanced at John and asked, "Mr. Lopez, is there someone you like?"
He figured—why not take the joke seriously? As long as neither John nor Sophia was married, there was always a chance.
At the same time, Sophia glanced up at John as well. Whether out of curiosity or something else, even she wasn't sure.
John let out a bitter smile. "I already have someone I like."
Actually, several.
"At least seven," he thought inwardly.
"Oh, I see..." Arno sighed again.
Sophia said nothing, but a strange, indescribable feeling swelled in her chest.
She hadn't known John long. At first, she found him rude, shameless, and entirely unlikable. Falling for him was the last thing on her mind.
So why did his answer leave her feeling so... disappointed?
She didn't understand it herself.
John, unaware of her inner turmoil, turned and pulled out a pen and a sheet of paper. He began writing a prescription tailored to Arno's condition—specifically designed to cleanse the lingering toxins near his heart.
As Sophia was about to call her father and deliver the good news, Arno raised a hand to stop her.
"Don't tell them just yet."
"Why not?" she asked, confused.
It was good news—shouldn't they celebrate?
Arno's gaze turned thoughtful. "If the Long family puts all its hope on me, we won't last long."
Sophia frowned, puzzled. "What do you mean, Grandpa?"
He shook his head and said nothing more.
But John chuckled softly. "Your grandfather wants to see how the Long family handles Houston's problems without relying on him."
Arno gave John an approving look. If only Sophia could marry this man...
Sophia looked between the two of them, utterly lost. She had no idea what they were planning.
At that moment, John suddenly walked over to Arno. A spark of vital energy pulsed at his fingertips as he pressed against Arno's chest, right near the heart.
"If you want to act, I'll help make it look real," he said with a grin.
The instant his hand withdrew, Arno shut his eyes and leaned back against the bed, motionless.
Sophia's eyes widened. "Mr. Lopez, what are you doing?"
"You'll understand soon," John replied cryptically as he walked to the door and opened it.
—
Outside the room, Buck Long and several others were waiting anxiously.
They didn't dare interrupt John's treatment, no matter how long it was taking.
One man, a few years younger than Buck, muttered, "Brother, it's been a long time. Why hasn't Mr. Lopez said anything? Are you sure he's reliable?"
It was Brooke, Sophia's uncle.
Unlike Buck, Brooke had been skeptical from the beginning. John seemed too young to be such a skilled doctor.
Buck frowned. "Don't be disrespectful to Mr. Lopez. I understand your doubts, but think about it—Perry Moreno is a legend. Would his disciple be just an ordinary person?"
John's youth didn't bother Buck one bit. If anything, his relationship with Perry Moreno explained his skill.
Hearing this, Brooke bit his tongue and waited silently, hoping the results would speak for themselves.
Finally—
After what felt like an eternity, the door opened.
Everyone looked up in unison as John stepped out.
Brooke rushed forward. "Mr. Lopez, how is my father? Is he okay?"
John didn't answer immediately. His expression was unreadable.
With a glance over his shoulder into the room, he said flatly, "You can go in and see for yourselves."
Because when the pillar of a family falls...
There are always those who can't wait to take his place.