Chapter 4

Three days before my scheduled departure, I got a message from Dr. Henry Lloyd, the hospital director at Centrum Hospital. I had previously sought his help to get in touch with Dr. Elliott Vance, a medical expert.

Dr. Lloyd informed me that Dr. Vance was currently in the country for a conference. It was possible to arrange for Dr. Vance to check on Fred's condition.

Fred suffered from coronary heart disease, and it had been giving him trouble all along. A few years ago, he even had to be taken to the hospital for emergency treatment.

During my year abroad, I asked my colleagues to help gather information about similar medical cases.

Regardless of everything, I still felt sentimental about the times we previously shared as a family. I figured that this was the last thing I would do for them. Once this was over, neither one of us owed the other anything.

However, when Fred heard me say that I wanted to take him to the hospital, his expression clouded over at once.

"Why should I go to the hospital when I'm perfectly fine? Are you trying to jinx me? My bypass surgery was a success, so why would I need to get another checkup?"

"A top cardiology expert is in town today. You should get a consultation with him. Perhaps it can help prevent any future—"

Before I could finish speaking, Fred cut me off by throwing a mug at me.

"You sure know how to make yourself look good. As if a jobless loser like you can get an appointment with a top cardiology expert! All you're good at is bragging.

"Meanwhile, where were you when Toby stayed up all night just to help me get an appointment with one of the best doctors available, huh?"

Judging from the way Fred kept comparing me to Toby, it was clear what his attitude was. Nothing I did was going to be right. No matter what I did, I would never be better than Toby.

Once I realized that, I simply smiled bitterly and said, "Since you refuse to go, we can just forget about it."

I'd just chalk it up to me sticking my nose where it didn't belong. I'd brought the humiliation upon myself.

…

Soon, the sip and see party for the baby arrived.

I showed up late and was a little dazed when I saw the event hall filled with Ivy's relatives, most of whom I didn't even know the names of. This was an even grander affair than our wedding had been.

Right at the entrance of the hall was the family portrait that the five of them had taken.

At the end of the day, I was nothing more than a joke.

When the guests in attendance saw me, they immediately began whispering among themselves. I didn't have to overhear them to figure out what they had to be saying.

Soon, Bertha Norris, one of Ivy's aunts, took my arm and said, "Abel! When did you come back? Ivy never said a word. I heard once you return after your training, you'll be promoted to attending physician at Centrum Hospital! You've got such a bright future ahead of you."

I simply nodded politely without replying. I could see the scorn and derision in the eyes of all these relatives. It was impossible to miss.

As it was, I wasn't even included in the family portrait, and I wasn't the one standing beside Ivy throughout the event.

Someone who had no qualms about stirring up drama pointed at Toby, who was feeding Ivy a piece of cake, and asked, "Who's that, Abel? I didn't know either one of you had a younger brother."

Smirking, I replied, "That's Ivy's new husband."

Everyone around me had their ears perked. Thus, after hearing what I said, they immediately widened their eyes and started gossiping away.

Since Ivy and her family didn't care, why should I bother hiding the truth on their behalf?

At that moment, Ivy went up on stage and picked up the microphone. "I'm so happy that all of you have joined me to celebrate the birth of my son. Before this, I never thought about becoming a mother. I always felt like I wouldn't be able to be a good one.

"However, when I was lying in the delivery room and heard him cry for the first time, it finally hit me just how noble a mother's love could be."

She spoke with such earnest emotion, almost as if she would tear up from hearing her own moving words at any moment now.

Bertha, who was standing beside me, called out, "Let's have the baby's father say a few words, too! Where is he?"

Instantly, the atmosphere in the hall turned awkward. Everyone began glancing between Toby and me. The answer was obvious, but Bertha seemed to have asked the question to force Ivy to admit the truth herself.

Meeting Ivy's gaze, I slowly made my way up the stage. She was still frozen when I took the microphone away from her.

"What are you doing? I'm warning you! You'd better watch what you say, or else, I'll make you pay."

Her eyes were flickering with panic as she gripped my sleeve to threaten me, but I pulled myself away with a straight face. Only those with a guilty conscience had something to fear.

I began my speech.

"First of all, thank you to everyone who came all this way to attend this celebration. All of you here today witnessed the day Ivy and I got married. Even after the wedding, I always remembered the well wishes you gave us.

"Nevertheless, you have all seen the family portrait by the entrance when you came in earlier."

Ivy's expression darkened at once. She marched at me and tried to snatch the microphone out of my hand, but I swiftly dodged her.

Gripping the microphone tightly, I continued, "To be honest, I was shocked when I saw it. However, I was even more shocked when I came home after spending a year abroad to hone my medical skills.

"I came back to find that my wife, who always said she didn't want to have children, was eight months pregnant. I refuse to just swallow this humiliation, and I'm not going to be saddled with this responsibility, either!

"Ivy, let's get a divorce."