Chapter 142

Verena was momentarily speechless.

The audacity it took for Katelyn to make such a bold declaration in front of Danica was almost shocking.During their last meeting, Katelyn had always skirted the truth, hinting at who she was but never saying it out loud.

Katelyn's sudden bold move clearly came from feeling cornered after her offer to treat lsaac was turned down.

A smirk tugged at the corners of Verena's mouth.'"SO,, Danica, are you truly convinced that Katelyn is Evelyn?"

She pushed right ahead, not pausing for Danica's reply. "But in the end, whether she's Evelyn or not isn't really the point. I already promised to give Isaac my all, and I'm confident about his chances. The truth is,Isaac's sex function has been making incredible progress lately. Just yesterday, he was doing almost everything he could before. So I see no need to change doctors now, and I won't agree to it."

Danica heard those words and something clicked. Her hands reached for Verena's arm as she blurted out,"Wait,do you mean Isaac is regaihing his potency? Are you serious?"

Back when Verena last shared an update, Danica thought Isaac was still far from healthy. Now, the idea that he might be close to a full recovery left her speechless.

Verena did her best to ignore the pain in her arm. She nodded, steady and calm."It's true. He's back to normal in terms of sex function. The only thing left is to confirm that his fertility is back as well."

When she heard the answer repeated, Danica's joy washed over her, bringing a rush of color to her face as her eyes welled up with tears.

A heavy weight seemed to lift from her shoulders as the news sank in.

Her smile lingered, and she found herself thanking Verena again and again. "Verena, it's amazing that you were able to help Isaac heal. I always believed my faith in you was justified."

Suddenly, another worry came to mind. Danica turned quickly, voice hopeful and anxious. "If his sex function is restored, what's happening with his legs now? How much longer before he's able to stand?"

Doctors once thought there was no chance Isaac's legs would ever recover.

Rapid-fire questions tumbled out of Danica's mouth, leaving Verena unsure where to begin.

The hope shining in Danica's expression pushed Verena to be honest. "I'm giving Isaac's legs my all, but the progress has been slow," she admitted.

That answer drained the excitement from Danica's face. "So you're saying there hasn't been much improvement yet?"

Verena exhaled and nodded. "It's true that things are moving slowly, but we're on the right track. The goal is to get his condition stable enough for surgery. Once we reach that point, you'll see real change."

A wave of disappointment settled over Danica as she listened.

Verena had managed to resolve Isaac's other health issues, but when it came to his legs, there were still no guarantees.

A long pause followed before Danica spoke again. "Verena, I do appreciate everything you're doing for Isaac. Still, I plan to move forward with what I decided."

Verena met her gaze, and Danica continued, "Katelyn already mentioned having a talk with you. I know you're worried about how close she and Isaac once were, and that's why you'd rather keep her away.I get it.But not everything is about that. I have no intention of coming between you and Isaac. All I want is for Katelyn to be his doctor-nothing more. You're the one he's married to, the person he'll spend his life with.I know you want to see him recover as soon as possible."

Taking Verena's hand, Danica tried to appeal to both her heart and her head. "You know the name Evelyn Rowe-she's practically a legend in the medical field. Katelyn's skills are top-notch, and letting her treat Isaac is the best move for him. I'm hoping you'll put aside any doubts about Katelyn and let her help. Maybe you could even convince Isaac to accept her treatment." After listening to Danica, Verena couldn't help but admire Katelyn's silver tongue.

Verena slowly pulled her hand back. "Danica, no one wants isaac to recover more than I do. But you're wrong about Katelyn. She isn't who she claims to be. There are things I can't share yet, but one thing I know for certain-Katelyn is not Evelyn."

Her words had barely left her mouth when Danica retorted, "That's nonsense!"

Danica's expression hardened. "Professor Wendell Branson worked side by side with Evelyn in Clokron. He personally confirmed Katelyn is her. Verena, I understand you don't want Katelyn near Isaac, but accusing her of lies only hurts your credibility. I've known that girl since childhood. She has her flaws, but she wouldn't risk inventing something so easily disproven."

Wendell Branson's name stopped Verena cold. Why would he vouch for Katelyn of all people?

Wendell's reputation was built on honesty. A man like him would never cover for Katelyn unless... she had backed him into a corner and forced him to lie.

The realization sank in, and Verena understood just how dangerous Katelyn really was.

Her voice steadied as she faced Danica again. "I have no reason to slander her. If you choose to believe Katelyn instead of me, that's your decision. But Isaac's condition is too serious to gamble on. Another failed attempt will make things worse for him. I will never allow her to treat him. If you want to convince lsaac otherwise, then speak with him directly, because I won't help you sway him."

Danica stared at her as though she didn't recognize her anymore. "What are you saying?"

Her frustration boiled over. "You're being unbelievably stubborn! Precisely because Isaac can't afford another failure, I want someone more dependable to take over. Andyet you cling to this out of jealousy. Fine,if you won't listen, I'll talk to Isaac myself. I won't waste another word on you."

She spun on her heel and stormed off, the sweep of her dress tailing behind her like a final word unspoken.

Left behind, Verena sat still, her mind circling back to the troubling matter.

Wendell had publicly vouched for Katelyn, calling her Evelyn. That thought tightened Verena's eyes as suspicion stirred within her.

She reached for the phone resting on the table and dialed quickly.

At that moment, Wendell was leaving the lecture hall, papers tucked under his arm, heading toward his office.His phone buzzed in his pocket.

The caller ID showed no name, just an unknown number.

With little hesitation, he accepted the call.

"Hello? Who's calling?"

A smooth, unmistakable female voice drifted through the line. "Professor Branson, it's been a long time."

The sound stopped Wendell mid-step, so abruptly that a passing student nearly collided with him.

The student offered a quick greeting, and Wendell returned a distracted nod before veering into a quieter corridor.

His voice wavered with disbelief. "Evelyn... is that really you?"

A soft reply confirmed it."Yes. It's me."

Wendell's hand grew damp around the phone. From the moment he allowed Katelyn to use Evelyn's name and backed her with his false testimony, he had dreaded the day he might be confronted by Evelyn herself.

He never imagined the real Evelyn would seek him out this quickly.

Evelyn had never relied on a fixed number, and he should have recognized that from the start.

Yet the call was already live, and hanging up now would only make things worse.

Even through the static of the line, Wendell's chest tightened with guilt, the weight of shame pressing down harder than he cared to admit.

His thoughts scattered until Verena's calm voice cut through. "Professor Branson, let's meet this afternoon -same place as always." The simple request made his stomach twist, and his first instinct was to back out.

"Evelyn, I... this afternoon I'm supposed to be at the school," he stammered.

Her reply came smoothly, leaving him no room to hide. "I already checked. You're free."

Wendell froze, realizing once again how easily Evelyn uncovered the smallest details.

For a stretch of silence, he said nothing, until her voice returned, lighter this time. "Good. Then we'll meet.See you later."

Defeated, Wendell forced himself to agree. "Alright. I'll be there."