Chapter 2

The moment we entered the hospital, we bumped into Sandra and Kian.

Kian had a bandage casually wrapped around his hand, even tied into a ridiculous bow.

Sandra was gently blowing on it, her face full of concern like a newlywed wife fussing over her husband.

When she looked up and saw me, a trace of panic flashed in her eyes, then it quickly turned into disgust.

"Jack Lou! Why did you bring Annie to the hospital again?!" Sandra bellowed at me without even looking at her groggy daughter.

"I've told you that children don't need treatment for minor issues. It's to help her boost her immune system! You keep bringing her to places full of germs like this. What if you ruin her health?"

Before I could even respond, she turned to the nurse and barked, "Throw this man out at once! I am the mother of that child. Only I can decide how to care for my daughter."

The nurse that she called out to came up to me at once. I had previously met that nurse among Sandra's group of friends.

They were college mates, often going to beauty spas together.

A professional smile hung on her face, completely different from a real doctor's concern.

"Sir, Ms. Wren is the only registered guardian in our system. You do not have visitation rights. Please leave the room immediately."

I did not move. I spread my arms, shielding Annie, who was shivering in my embrace.

"I am her father!" I enunciated while glaring at the nurse.

Kian, who had been silent the entire time, snickered and walked over impatiently.

Seeing Sandra turn away in annoyance, he did not hesitate and shoved me hard with his bandaged hand.

All my attention was on Annie. Caught off guard, I slammed into the IV stand behind me. My head hit the metal frame of a chair.

Blood instantly started pouring down.

Kian looked down on me condescendingly. He then leaned in close and spoke in a voice filled with contempt that only I could hear.

"Tsk, you don't even have the right to accompany your daughter to the hospital. Jack Lou, you're such a loser of a father."

I hugged Annie tight, looking at him with hatred in my eyes.

Suddenly, several uniformed security guards surrounded us.

Even the onlookers were driven away.

The lead guard, looking fierce, did not bother asking anything. He reached straight for my arm.

"Don't you dare touch my child, or I'm calling the police!" I exclaimed.

His hand froze midair, hesitating a little. He looked at the nurse before looking at Sandra.

Sandra, who had been witnessing everything from the side, suddenly walked over.

A pathetic sliver of hope rose in my heart. I thought that Sandra had finally remembered that she was a mother, that she was going to come and comfort the terrified Annie.

However, I was wrong.

She walked over straight to Kian without even looking at us.

Taking out a tissue, she carefully wiped a few drops of IV fluid that had splashed onto his bandaged arm, her voice anxious and tender.

"Is your hand okay? If the fluid contaminates your hand, I'll never forgive him!"

My heart sank completely.

In Sandra's eyes, the blood running down my head and our daughter lying unconscious were worth less than a few drops of liquid on her lover's bandage.

Kian looked at how nervous Sandra was and flashed a smug smile. He held her hand and looked at me provocatively before putting on a pitiful victim's act.

"Sandra, Jack really hates me. If I hadn't moved away quickly, the IV stand was going to hit my head. For our safety, you and I should split up."

The nurse instantly chimed in, nodding fervently, "Yes, Ms. Wren. That man was really agitated earlier. We couldn't stop him at all!"

Sandra turned to look at me. Those eyes, which used to be full of love, had nothing but resentment and contempt in them.

"Jack, can you stop being such an immature child? Kian is a patient right now! If you hurt him, you won't be able to afford the compensation!"

I looked at her as if I were looking at a stranger. Was that woman, who was yelling at me, all because her lover had a few drops of IV drip splashed on him, really the wife that I had loved for so many years?

Not getting a response from me, she looked even more annoyed.

"Another thing, that IV stand incident just now? You owe Kian for that. I'd suggest that you be smart and give me some money, and we'll part ways peacefully!"