Love on the Fast Track (Derek and Norah)

Chapter 165:

Norah had made arrangements via email and set the appointment for ten in the morning.

If everything went smoothly with the checkup, she could proceed with the surgery that very afternoon.

With Alice behind the wheel, Norah arrived at the castle gates well before the appointed hour.

They had to go through a series of security checks before they were granted permission to enter the castle

grounds.

As Norah's medical assistant, Alice was permitted to enter as well.

The butler who ushered them around was a man in his fifties.

Despite being a servant, he treated them with the utmost courtesy, and there was an undeniable elegance to

him. He briefed them on the princess’s condition as they made their way inside.

“We are grateful to you, Supernatural Doctor, for agreeing to help her. The royal family has prepared a generous

reward in return for your service.”

Norah remained calm throughout.

The fact that her patient was royalty didn’t faze her.

She didn’t pander to the patient’s family, nor did she make any move that suggested subservience.

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Naturally, Alice did the same.

They were both trained to maintain their composure, even when standing under a hail of bullets.

They couldn't be flustered by something as trivial as attending to people with titles.

Alice stood at the door while Norah examined the patient. Back when Norah was still active in the organization,

she had been their go-to physician.

She treated everyone who got injured or contracted a disease during missions and had yet to lose a patient.

No matter how severe their wounds were or how hopeless their condition seemed, the agents knew they would

be safe as long as they made it back to headquarters.

Norah's medical skills were nothing short of miraculous; Alice had personally witnessed her bringing a patient

back from the brink of death.

From then on, Alice decided to dedicate herself to Norah and becher closest friend. After all, with a friend

like Norah, one’s life was basically guaranteed to be long and healthy.

When Norah walked out of the room, her expression was cold.

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Alice approached her and asked, “How is it?”

“No big deal. Just a walk in the park.” Based on her assessment, Norah had figured that only a basic craniotomy

was required.

It was a procedure she could perform with her eyes closed.

As one would expect from the Supernatural Doctor, Norah could easily save or take a life with her surgical knife.

She was always weighing life against death in her mind, and the only thing that remained constant was her

steady hand in between.

“Then it’s as good as settled. Why don’t we have lunch first? If you need anything for the surgery, now is the

tto let the butler know.”

The family had a special infirmary built within the castle walls. It was equipped with the most advanced

instruments and technological tools, and it was staffed by a group of medical experts. Needless to say, their sole

purpose was to monitor and take care of the princess's health.

The operating room had already been prepared beforehand.

Really, they had only been waiting for the Supernatural Doctor's arrival.

As the butler led them to the dining hall, Norah gave him slast-minute instructions.

He assured her that everything would be ready as soon as they finished their meal.

They entered the dining hall to find that half of the long table was filled with the princess’s parents and a host of

distant relatives.

“Is this the Supernatural Doctor? Why all the secrecy? Why would she want to hide what she looks like?”

“Is she really the Supernatural Doctor? What if she’s a fraud? How can she perform the surgery for Alice?”

“Both of these women look too young to be medical professionals. Have you thoroughly looked into their

backgrounds?”

“If anything happens to the princess, you will only have yourselves to blame.”

Members of the royal family were usually direct with their speech.

They had no reason to fear speaking their minds.

As Norah and Alice drew closer, they overheard the animated discussion, not that the royal family made any

effort to hide it from them.

The butler pulled two chairs back for Norah and Alice and stood behind their seats to wait for orders.

Impeccable, as expected.

The Queen had a stern face and a domineering aura, and even when she greeted Norah, her words were cold

and devoid of any emotion.

“Hello, Supernatural Doctor.”

Norah had never been in the presence of so many members of the royal family before. Most of the people at the

table were Otland’s nobility. Sitting across from her was Prince Antrel, whom she had met the night before.

“Your Majesty,” Norah nodded politely.

To be seated at the stable as the Queen of Otland was something a sensible commoner wouldn't even dare

to dream of, yet here they were.

“How is her condition?”

“Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Everything is under control.” Norah kept her tone neutral, neither arrogant

nor submissive.

It was also worth noting that she remained unfazed under the heavy pressure that the Queen seemed to be

directing toward her.

“I heard from the butler that you will perform the surgery this afternoon. | hope for your sake that you do not

fail.”

“I will not fail,” Norah's words rang out through the hall, causing the rest of the party to perk up.

Norah spoke with confidence in the face of the Queen's absolute authority. In the eyes of the nobility, it was a

testament to her mental fortitude.

At the back of their minds, they began to think that perhaps this young woman was indeed the real deal.

The dishes were served shortly after, filling the hall with their tempting aroma.

The Queen said a few words and then invited everyone to start eating.

Throughout the entire meal, other guests studied Norah and Alice.

But Norah and Alice were experienced enough to be subtle about it.

They ate slowly and carried on with mundane conversations.

Antoni himself was eyeing the two women opposite him as he brought a forkful of food to his mouth. They were

both dressed in black, with wide-brimmed black hats and black masks to complete their rather macabre outfits.

Although he couldn't see any of their features, he couldn't shake the sense of familiarity that he felt toward

them. He racked his mind to see who they might be, but to no avail. He wondered whether he was mistaken.

The Queen retired to her chambers after lunch. Antoni, on the other hand, followed Norah and Alice to the

operating room.

“Id like to remind you that should the operation fail, the wrath of the Otland royalty will descend upon you. And |

can guarantee that it isn’t something you would want to endure.”

Whether it was his words or his tone, Antoni always carried an air of threat about him.

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Norah had already noticed it in the VIP lounge yesterday. Unfortunately for him, she was not one to be

intimidated.

“Then let us wait for the results of the surgery, shall we, Prince Antoni?”

He felt his heart skip at Norah's voice.

That nagging suspicion that he knew her reared its head, but he dismissed it by telling himself that women

tended to sound similar anyway.

Worried about his sister, Antoni opted out of Cristiano’s invitation to race and decided to stand vigil outside the

operating room.

Norah stopped just outside the door and turned to the butler.

“Have you prepared everything | asked for?”

The butler offered her a small bow.

“Yes, Supernatural Doctor.”

“Do you have any other questions?”

“No one is to cin and disturb us until the procedure is over, Aileen. You will cwith me.”

Norah and Alice always used aliases whenever they were out and about in public.

Antoni watched the two women disappear through the door of the operating room. About five minutes later,

Alice was wheeled inside.

Antoni sat on the bench on the opposite side of the hall and prayed that this would be over soon.

“Alice, passthe scalpel.”

Norah calmly walked to the side of the table. She mapped out the process in her mind as she donned her gloves.

“Here you go.”

Norah had saved lives under ideal circumstances before.

The organization wasn’t exactly equipped with all the resources necessary for most of the surgical procedures

she had to perform.

Over time, Alice learned everything she needed to as Norah's medical assistant.

Apart from performing surgeries herself, Alice was more qualified than most professionals in the field.

Alice now stood by the side, ready for whatever Norah would require of her.

All was still and silent inside the operating room, except for Norah, who was moving with swift and calculated

precision, and the muted beeping of the medical equipment that monitored Alice's vitals in real-time.