Chapter 1 Unconditional Obedience

The surgical light above shone starkly white.

"We've got the bleeding under control!"

The nurse's tense voice echoed as Zoey King finally straightened up. Her back was drenched in sweat, and the protective mask had left deep red marks on her face. Even her fingers, gripping the hemostat, were trembling slightly.

An assistant quickly wiped the sweat from Zoey's temple.

"Dr. King, this partial hepatectomy was flawless. The liver resection was handled perfectly!"

Zoey managed a tired smile, set down her instruments, and turned to leave the operating room.

This was Zoey's third complex liver surgery of the day, spanning a total of five hours. With only the suturing left, Zoey could leave it to her assistant. She was utterly exhausted.

Zoey trudged heavily into the changing room. Her phone buzzed in the locker. Seeing "Ella" on the screen, her heart skipped a beat. She reluctantly pressed the answer button.

Ella Anderson's cold voice came through the receiver.

"Zoey, get home right now. Don't make me repeat myself."

Before Zoey could respond, the call ended abruptly.

The smell of disinfectant was pungent, but Ella's emotionless voice made Zoey's breathing quicken.

She knew that any command from Ella had to be obeyed unconditionally, as it had been for over a decade.

Zoey clutched her phone, standing at the hospital enterance. The image of the patient bleeding profusely during surgery five hours ago flashed in her mind. The sound of brakes interrupted her thoughts—a car sent by Ella had already arrived. Clearly, Ella had someone waiting for her.

The driver rolled down the window and nodded at Zoey. This silent urging made Zoey quicken her pace. She was smart enough to guess why Ella was in such a hurry to see her.

The car drove smoothly down the wide street. The leather seats did nothing to alleviate Zoey's fatigue. She closed her eyes, but memories flooded in: from joining the Anderson family as a teenager to marrying the heir, Andrew Anderson, three years ago, countless moments of rejection had cast shadows over her life, but she had swallowed her grievances silently.

The driver's eyes in the rearview mirror seemed to want to warn her of the impending storm, but he remained silent, speeding towards the outskirts with Zoey.

Zoey closed her eyes, leaning back for a nap.

But soon, the buzzing of her phone woke her. She opened her eyes to see "Alice Baker" on the screen.

"Hello..."

"Zoey, congratulations!"

Alice's cheerful voice confused Zoey.

"Alice, what are you talking about?"

"Your husband is coming back today. You won't have to be alone anymore!"

Alice's voice was full of joy. But Zoey didn't react much, lazily saying, "Andrew is coming back? What a joke. He's been making waves on the other side of the world, probably long forgotten about home..."

"Zoey! This has been the top news all day. You didn't know?"

Alice raised her voice, and Zoey felt a bit annoyed.

"I did three surgeries today, and I'm exhausted. I haven't had time to check the news."

"He... Andrew didn't tell you?"

Alice was momentarily speechless, trying to comfort Zoey but struggling to find the right words. After a few seconds, she said, "Maybe he wants to surprise you..."

Alice knew the chances of Andrew surprising Zoey were slim, and her voice lowered. Zoey didn't believe Andrew would try to surprise her either. But if Andrew was indeed back, Ella's order for her to return to the Anderson Villa today made more sense.

Zoey was about to say something when she noticed the driver's eyes in the rearview mirror, pretending not to glance at her. The reflection made his expression blurry, but she could sense his silent observation.

Zoey immediately became alert, her fingertips cold: "Alice, I'm a bit tired. I'll call you later."

Without waiting for a response, Zoey hurriedly hung up and put her phone in her bag.

The car returned to silence, with only the sound of tires on the road.

Zoey watched the passing scenery outside, quickly connecting the dots in her mind. Ella's urgent call, the waiting car... It all made sense. She exhaled softly, with a hint of bitter understanding... Ella was eager to bring her back to the Anderson Villa. It seemed the inevitable had arrived.

Zoey leaned back again, seemingly resting, but Andrew's face flashed repeatedly in her mind: handsome, gentle, indifferent...

As the car slowed to a stop, it was already in front of the Anderson Villa.

Zoey looked up at the building through the glass, took a deep breath, and slowly got out of the car.

The sound of the iron gate closing echoed in the corridor. Zoey walked through the screen-lined hallway, hearing the clinking of porcelain as Ella made tea in the living room.

Opening the door, Veda's navy blue uniform stung her eyes. This servant, whom she had fired for stealing jewelry, was now standing respectfully behind Ella.

"Mrs. Anderson is back."

Veda approached with a mocking smile, reaching for Zoey's bag.

Zoey watched Veda warily, stepping back without a word.

Veda, knowing she was unwelcome, retreated to Ella's side.

Ella held a teacup, her gold-rimmed glasses sliding to the tip of her nose, her gaze sharp as a scalpel.

"Explain why you fired Veda."

Zoey's fingers tightened, the leather strap of her bag digging painfully into her palm. She had expected the topic to be about Andrew's return, but Ella's first question was about Veda.

Veda smugly flicked her hair, revealing the pearl earrings she wore—Zoey's missing pair.

They were a gift from Andrew on her first birthday after their marriage. Not a luxury brand, but the only gift Andrew had ever given her—engraved with the initials of her name inside.

"Mrs. Anderson accused me of stealing her things."

Veda's tone was deliberately drawn out, her eyes full of provocation.

Zoey coldly stared at Veda, feeling a deep sense of injustice. She had known Veda had Ella's backing, but facing Ella's blatant favoritism was bitter.

The hum of the central air conditioning suddenly became piercing. Zoey walked up to Veda, her expression icy.

"Last month, the household expenses tripled. You reported cheap goods as imported vegetables, even cracked my safe. Can you deny touching my things, including that document?"

Ella swirled her teacup, her voice soft but heavy with meaning. "Where's the evidence?"

Veda sniffed at just the right moment, pulling a silk handkerchief from her pocket to dab at her eyes. "Mrs. Ella Anderson, you gotta stand up for me. I've been with the Anderson family for almost twenty years. Everyone knows how loyal I am."

She suddenly lifted her head, a hint of malice flashing in her eyes. "But some people stay out all night. Who knows what they're up to..."

Zoey's head throbbed, the calm she usually maintained in the operating room nearly shattered. Veda was talking about her, out all night saving critically ill patients at the hospital!

Zoey's heart sank into a cold abyss. She spoke earnestly, "Ella, you had Veda serve me closely just to monitor my every move. There's really no need for that."

The mahogany coffee table let out a dull thud as Ella forcefully set down her teacup. "How dare you! With Andrew not home, I arranged for someone to watch over you for your own good, to prevent you from disgracing the Anderson family."

Ella stood up and walked over to Zoey. "Veda will return to your apartment tomorrow to serve you. Report to me immediately if anything happens."

Though Ella's gaze was fixed on Zoey, her words were meant for Veda. "Yes, ma'am," Veda immediately put on a fawning smile and reached out to support Ella.

Zoey's emotions transformed into strength in her fingers, as she tightly gripped her purse strap. She looked directly at Ella. "Ella, I'm Andrew's wife and a doctor. The so-called nights out are spent saving lives at the hospital. You were once a doctor yourself; surely you understand this?"

Ella let out a cold laugh. "Zoey, don't forget, if it weren't for us taking you in after your parents died and supporting your education, how would you have the comfortable life you have today?"

Ella placed a sharp hand on Zoey's shoulder. "Moreover, marrying Andrew is your blessing. The Anderson family doesn't need you to work or make money. As long as you're Andrew's wife, you should be at home learning flower arranging, etiquette, and taking care of the household, fulfilling your duties."

Indeed, without the Anderson family taking her in, Zoey might have had a harder life. But if it weren't for that calculated move back then, she wouldn't have lost her parents and become an orphan living under someone else's roof. Facing this "home" she had lived in for over a decade, Zoey didn't want to stay a second longer, let alone fulfill duties.

Zoey abruptly turned, her high heels screeching against the marble floor. As she opened the carved wooden door, she collided with a solid chest.

The faint scent of cedar cologne filled her nose, the familiar scent Andrew always used. But this familiar fragrance now felt like needles piercing her heart. She hurriedly stepped back, her cheeks instantly burning, even her ears turning red—she hadn't been this close to him in so long, she was at a loss.

Zoey slowly lifted her head. Andrew's shoulders were straight, his jawline sharp as ever. Above that were those eyes, gentle yet cold in her memory, now looking at her with a hint of a fake smile.

Andrew! He was really back.

Andrew sidestepped her like she was something dirty, brushing off the wrinkles on his suit jacket. His tone was indifferent, as if he were discussing the weather. "What's the rush? What's going on here?"

Zoey looked at Andrew, noticing he was thinner than the photos in the headlines. Was it the foreign food not agreeing with him, or was he too busy to care for his health?

"Andrew! I've missed you so much!" Ella's voice instantly softened, losing its previous harshness. She quickly stepped forward, pushing Zoey aside, and grabbed Andrew's arm, looking him over.

Veda seized the moment, her voice dripping with feigned grievance. "Mr. Andrew Anderson, you're back! Mrs. Zoey Anderson accused me of stealing her jewelry and fired me!"

Andrew's gaze flicked to the pearl earrings on Veda's earlobes. He recognized the name inscribed inside, a birthday gift he had casually picked for Zoey. But he merely glanced at them before turning to Zoey, his tone cold. "It's just a small matter. If Veda likes them, let her have the earrings."

Zoey's head shot up, staring at him in disbelief. The earrings might be a trinket to Andrew, but to Zoey, they were the only gift he had ever given her! "Andrew, you gave those to me..."

Her voice trembled slightly, trying to evoke even a shred of his concern. "Just an earring."

Andrew cut her off, his impatience clear. "Zoey, you're my wife. If you can't even show this much generosity, people will laugh at you."

Tears welled up in Zoey's eyes. She instinctively stepped back, accidentally hitting the antique shelf behind her. A porcelain vase fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

"That vase was Mr. Anderson's most treasured item!" Veda exclaimed.

Andrew interrupted her. "This doesn't concern you. Leave."

He walked straight to the sofa and sat down. Veda, sensing the mood, quickly cleaned up the broken porcelain and retreated.

Seeing Andrew sit down, Ella also returned to the sofa, eagerly offering him freshly brewed tea. "Andrew, are you staying for good this time?"

Andrew took the teacup, his fingers rubbing the warm cup wall, his gaze once again falling on Zoey. "I'm planning to settle down here."

Zoey froze, doubting her ears. "What did you say?"

She recalled Alice's words about "success in both career and love." She hadn't read the overwhelming news, but the rumors in their circle were plenty. Andrew was thriving on the other side of the world, never lacking female company. And shortly after Andrew left, his favored woman, Emily Johnson, followed him abroad. How could he bear to come back now?

Ella set down her teacup, seemingly speaking to Zoey but also to Andrew. "My Andrew is capable. His investment company has not only expanded overseas but also entered the domestic market. My only wish now is for him to marry a truly suitable wife and expand the family line..."

Zoey finally understood. Looking at the two people before her, she felt a deep, bone-chilling cold. Her scalpel could mend a ruptured liver, but it couldn't fix this marriage, already riddled with holes. She could perform miracles on the operating table, but in this prison called the Anderson family, she didn't even have the right to speak for herself.