Chapter 1

I stared at Zoe Anderson expressionlessly. “Of course, I’m very understanding.”

I turned around and left the hospital. Then, I called the number that I had not answered for many times.

On the other end of the call, the daughter of the hospital CEO, Lily Johnson, questioned me with a shaking voice. She had been pursuing me for the past five years.

“What’s up? Aren’t you supposed to be preparing for your wedding?”

I took a deep breath and answered softly.

“I’m no longer marrying Zoe.

“Lily, if you’re still willing to marry me, bring your ID tomorrow and meet me at the city hall.”

...

Lily did not answer for a few seconds.

Then, her shock immediately turned into excitement as she stammered.

“Ethan, is this a joke? Are you really not going to marry Zoe?”

Her voice sounded hoarse as she kept questioning me, as if she was afraid that I would go against my words in the next second.

“I’ll get a wedding dress immediately! Tomorrow at nine in the morning, let’s get married at the city hall!

“I’ll see you there!”

I ended the call.

I heard the beeps from my phone and distanced myself from the disgust Zoe had brought me.

My ten-year relationship was over at that very moment.

I quickly walked toward the elevator. When I had just reached the basement parking lot, the resident doctor reporting to me, Ben Smith, called me urgently.

“Ethan, bad news!

“Dr. Anderson brought Jack to your independent lab, and they’re starting up your computer! It’s the one that contains all of your core research data!”

My heart immediately dropped.

I ignored my exhaustion from consecutive operations as I quickly went back to the department of cardiothoracic surgery.

It was bright when I opened the door to my lab.

Zoe was projecting my confidential medical research data on the big screen.

She bent down and guided Jack Reid as he typed his name on my research paper.

“Zoe, if I put my name as the first author, would Dr. Scott be mad at me?”

Jack pretended to sound worried, yet I could hear the hint of glee in his voice.

Zoe simply answered, “He’s a very close-minded man. Once I’m married to him, whatever is his will be mine.

“It’s just a name only, how bad could that be? He won’t dare to say anything about it.”

I stood at the entrance motionlessly.

I watched as they trampled on my research, which I had spent countless all-nighters and exhausted days on.

In order to reassure Jack, Zoe was abandoning her morals.

Zoe heard me coming in, so she turned around and saw me.

Her expression immediately changed.

However, not only did she not look guilty, but she frowned in annoyance.

“Where have you been?

“Just now the wedding officiate called me and asked if the bride is still the same. What tantrum are you throwing now?”

She crossed her arms and sounded very arrogant.

“Stop looking at me like that. I’ll still make you a part of the Anderson family tomorrow.

“You don’t have to be so calculative. This is most unsightly of you.”

I ignored her words and walked over.

I pushed Jack aside and ejected the pen drive from the computer.

Then, I locked the pen drive in the safe and took the keys with me.

“I don’t have the habit of viewing others’ trash as my treasure,” my voice was very cold.

Zoe was furious.

She pointed at me and yelled, “Ethan, what are you talking about? The wedding will still go on tomorrow. You better know where you stand!”

I laughed in anger as I glared at them coldly.

“I don’t care about any of your disgusting affairs.

“But don’t touch my things. I find you disgusting.”

Both of them had not expected such a strong attitude from me.

Zoe was furious as she glared at me with gritted teeth.

“I dare you to say that again!”

I stared into her eyes and asked coldly, “Don’t you understand English?

“This lab belongs to me. Both of you, get out now!”

Upon seeing that, Jack immediately hid behind Zoe.

His eyes were filled with fear as he grabbed Zoe’s white coat tightly.

“Zoe, did Dr. Scott misunderstand us?

“I’ll leave now. Please don’t fight because of me.”

Zoe grabbed him and stared at me viciously.

“Ethan, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?

“Jack’s just here to look at the data. Why did you overreact like that?”

I sneered.

“Did he need to bury his head against your neck to read the data?

“Did he also need to put his hands under your clothes for that?”

Zoe was exposed, so her eyes flickered subconsciously.

However, very quickly, she sounded confident again.

“I’ve explained it to you earlier in the on-call room. Jack’s depressed!

“He threatened to kill himself with a scalpel. I’m just taking care of him as a patient!”

I stared at her poor acting and felt like I wanted to throw up.

I was extremely disgusted.