Chapter 322

"Lie down, let me have a listen," Nate said, slipping the stethoscope from around his neck.

We all stood there, watching nervously. Even Hayden—who usually had this calm, unshakable vibe—was visibly tense. But it was just a routine check-up, not the surgery itself.

I could feel how much Hayden cherished Yuna in that moment, so I reached for his hand. He glanced at me, and I gave him a reassuring nod.

Yuna, though, was frozen, staring at Nate like she'd been turned to stone.

Noticing, Lena walked over and leaned in slightly. "Lie down and let Prof. Neumann check your heartbeat. It won't hurt," she said gently.

Yuna had already bonded with Lena earlier, so it didn't take much. After a second, she blinked, then finally lay down like an obedient kid.

I couldn't help but notice Yuna's cheeks were flushed. There was this tightness in my chest as I saw the way her eyes sparkled—brighter than I'd ever seen.

I glanced over at Nate, fully absorbed in his task, pressing the stethoscope to