Chapter 317

Dominic shot up from his chair.

Sophia was at the hospital?!

Who arranged her admission?

Why wasn't he notified before the procedure?

"Who brought Sophia to St. Elizabeth? Which department is she in?" Dominic's grip tightened around his phone as he stormed out of the security office.

"I'm afraid I don't have all the details. We're at St. Elizabeth Medical Center," the woman replied before ending the call.

St. Elizabeth again!

Zoe had specifically planned to perform Sophia's surgery at Metropolitan General.

This meant Zoe knew Sophia had been taken to St. Elizabeth and rushed there immediately.

Who could have orchestrated this?

Evelyn?

But Sophia wasn't at Evelyn's residence when Dominic visited last night.

Though strong-willed, Sophia always behaved impeccably around Dominic.

She would never ignore his voice if she heard it.

Dominic's thoughts swirled chaotically.

The priority was Sophia's safety.

Two hours later, Dominic finally saw his sister in the recovery room at St. Elizabeth.

Her head was swathed in thick bandages, eyes closed in peaceful slumber.

"How is she?" Dominic demanded urgently.

Zoe offered a reassuring smile. "The procedure went perfectly. I maintained verbal contact throughout - she remained completely lucid."

While Zoe's confident expression eased Dominic's worries, something about the situation felt off.

"Why wasn't I informed immediately, Zoe?"

"My apologies! We had to urgently transfer equipment from Metropolitan General. By the time I realized, we were already prepping for surgery," Zoe explained with innocent sincerity.

Noticing the bloodstains on her scrubs, Dominic restrained further questioning.

"Thank you, Zoe," he said hoarsely.

"Of course. As your girlfriend, it's my duty," Zoe replied before excusing herself to change.

Approaching the private room, Dominic found momentary relief seeing Mrs. Whitaker and the security detail inside.

Stepping aside, he dialed Wesley Ashford's number.

He needed answers.

Why did Sophia always end up at St. Elizabeth during emergencies?

The pattern was too consistent to ignore.

"Mr. Blackwood? How may I assist you?" Wesley's calm voice answered.

"Dr. Ashford, isn't your father the chief administrator here?"

"May I ask why that's relevant?"

"I need to review today's security footage. I want to know who brought my sister here," Dominic said through clenched teeth.

"You'll need to visit our security office directly. I'm merely a physician here," Wesley responded evenly.

"Understood," Dominic snapped, terminating the call as he marched toward surveillance.

Several monitors in the security room displayed only static.

"Why are these screens offline?" Dominic demanded.

"Those cameras malfunctioned last night. Technicians are scheduled for repairs," a staff member explained.

"Which areas are affected?"

"Main entrance, ward access points, and the south parking structure..."

The timing and locations were too convenient. Genuine malfunction, or deliberate obstruction?

Evelyn's face flashed through Dominic's mind.

Where had she gone after leaving the underground garage at 10:30 p.m. yesterday?

Dominic dialed Evelyn's number.

"The number you have dialed is currently unavailable..." The automated message deepened the ice in Dominic's piercing gaze.