Alexander raised an eyebrow at the doctor. "What's the matter with you?"

"Thank you so much for saving my family!" the man exclaimed, tears welling in his eyes. Edward hadn't expected such an outburst.

Alexander calmly prepared his tea. "The ship couldn't have gone far yet. I can still ask Edward to have it turn back."

The doctor, bewildered, stammered. Edward intervened, "Get a hold of yourself. Mr. Russell doesn't like people crying."

The doctor quickly composed himself, fearing he might offend Alexander and jeopardize his family's safety. He didn't want to risk Alexander bringing them back.

Alexander sipped his tea, then turned to the doctor. "Why didn't you leave?"

"You've been a great help, and I'd feel terrible leaving now. Besides, if I disappear, the organization might come looking for me and cause you more trouble," the doctor explained. "I can still help. I might not do much, but I can pass on messages."

Alexander considered this. He can help pass messages to Lily. I want to reach her safely, too. "But you'll put yourself in danger."

The doctor straightened. "I'm not afraid! I risked my life to save my family when the organization abducted them. Now that you've freed them and ensured their safety, I have nothing to worry about. I can't simply walk away after what you've done. I've been a doctor for years; I know right from wrong. And your wife must be miserable after giving birth with no one to relay messages."

Alexander eagerly asked, "You said Lily had a C-section. Is she fit for major surgery in the coming days?"

The doctor blinked, confused. "Major surgery? Of course not! She needs time to recover. She should be resting more, but..." He hesitated. "Don't worry. Though she's captive, she's well cared for, as far as I can tell."

Alexander anticipated this. Since they need Lily's body for the experiment's final stage, they wouldn't mistreat her physically.

"There's no way Lily will undergo major surgery now, right?" Alexander pressed, seeking reassurance.

Puzzled, the doctor replied, "Of course not! Her delivery was smooth, no health issues requiring surgery. Why? Should they perform surgery on your wife?"

Seeing the doctor's confusion, Alexander realized he knew nothing of the organization's plans. "No, that's not what I meant. I was just checking on Lily."

"Well, the C-section weakened her," the doctor sighed, relieved. "Childbirth is demanding, but Ms. Christian has coped remarkably well; she's already getting out of bed. She wants to recover quickly, so rest assured I'll do all I can when I return." He patted his chest reassuringly.

Alexander shook his head. "No, I want you to slow her recovery."

The doctor was stunned.