"Fuck. Lucas is back?" Lewis indignantly turned to Lily and asked, "Do you know about this?"

"Is Lucas really back, Lily?" Lily's mother also asked in shock. All her brothers, except for Liam, asked the same thing.

Lily helplessly looked at Liam, and seeing her brother wasn't going to spill either, she chose a safer answer and said, "No. This is the first time I have heard of this."

"I'm going to kill him!" Lewis declared.

"I second that!" Kristoff, another brother of Lily, said the same thing.

"Wait!" The doctor called everyone's attention. He suggested, "You know, Doctor Lucas Thompson?"

"Yes!" All four of Lily's brothers said.

"Then." The doctor pursed his lips and suggested, "Perhaps you can kill him after he operates on your father?"

"That's a good point," Lewis said. "but after the surgery, I'm going to do whatever I want with him!"

"Me too!"

"Count me in!"

Lily’s brothers were getting rowdy, so she called everyone's attention, "Okay, stop! Before you think about what you want to do, let's say Lucas agrees; remember that our father will still need postoperative care."

Seeing everyone in her family was listening to her, Lily suggested, "I'll talk to Lucas. You all stay here with Mom and Dad."

***

Hours later, Lily was back in Rose Hills, standing before the Thompson Group of Companies Headquarters. She sighed because she had never expected to be back.

Lily did not have to introduce herself. She did not know why or how, but the security guard around the building knew her. She had clearance to go to Lucas's office without any hassle.

When Lily entered Lucas' office, he was already expecting her.

"Lily, what brings you back?" Lucas calmly asked while leaning back in his seat.

"How did you get your medical license?" Lily asked outright.

Lucas frowned. He cleared his throat and replied, "I don't know how you knew that -"

"A doctor from Braeton slipped," Lily explained.

"I see," Lucas casually responded. "He should not have done that, but what does it have to do with your visit?"

Lily gasped profoundly before looking at Lucas with pleading eyes. She revealed, "Dad, he - he underwent an aortic stent graft procedure last year, and earlier today, it collapsed. Apparently, there was an endoleak, and even after the stent was replaced, there was still an endoleak."

"It looked like he will need an operation in the end. We want to ensure that whoever operates on him is the best. Are you the best one out there?" Lily asked.

"I am. I may not have practiced it here in the country, but I have performed many of the same procedures abroad," Lucas confirmed. He got up from his seat and asked, "What kind of condition does Uncle Kaleb have?"

"Ascending aortic aneurysm. Dad had an infection that caused a blood clot, and it traveled to his heart. This happened last year," Lily explained.

"Hmmm." Lucas calmly said while walking towards Lily. He asked, "Do you want me to operate on Uncle Kaleb?"

"Can you promise that you won't make mistakes?" Lily asked.

"I won't make mistakes," Lucas replied.

"Then, can you?" Lily asked. It seemed to her that Lucas was open about it. Asking him wasn't that hard after all.

"I will operate on Uncle Kaleb in exchange for one thing," Lucas suggested.

In a trembling voice, Lily inquired, "What is it?"

Lucas' dark-colored eyes seriously looked straight into her blue orbs and said, "Marry me, tomorrow."

'Wait, what?' Lily could not believe it. Days ago, Lucas said he wanted her back. 'How did it escalate to marriage now?'