Chapter 1

On the other end of the surveillance video, there was a momentary silence. A second later, shrill laughter reached my ears.

"Dr. Sonnet, didn't you say Henry Jenner is completely obedient when it comes to you? If you ask me, he seems rather cocky, no?"

"Maybe you should submit to him. Then we can send people in to untie him right now. What do you say?"

Samantha Sonnet curled her fingers into fists as her jaw tightened. Ignoring the others' mockery, she leaned close to the microphone and spoke to me.

"Submit to him? Henry, have you ever looked in the mirror? You live off my money, yet you think I should submit to you? You? Know your place! I allowed your surgical atlas to be published simply because I thought you could do it! What makes you think you have any right to negotiate with me?"

Countless cameras dotted the operating theater, their feed connected to a massive screen that gave everyone a 360-degree view of me.

"Oh my god! They're a hate-driven couple? How interesting!"

"Let me get this straight. The husband felt his knowledge was tainted because someone else touched it, and the wife decided to make him undergo an organ transplant because of that, right?"

"That's right. Look at him acting all high and mighty. As if anything in this world is truly clean!"

"In reply to the poster above me, you're nothing but trash! Just because you're impure, you think everything else is tainted too, huh?"

Comments from people watching the live stream scrolled relentlessly across the screen.

At that moment, the "surgeon" in charge of the operation finished preparing and approached me, wearing protective goggles. As he pressed the scalpel against my skin, the cold sensation made me shiver.

My heart throbbed in pain, and I thought I was suffocating.

Just because I refused to pave the way for the new intern, she was doing this to me.

Back then, it was Samantha who suggested I publish a surgical atlas. Because of that, I spent countless sleepless nights working on it, hoping it would stabilize her standing in the medical field while also making a name for myself.

I never would've expected that all my hard work would end up helping someone else gild themselves.

When Samantha noticed my terrified expression, she mocked me.

"Henry, don't tell me you genuinely think I'm doing this only because you refused to credit Nicholas in the surgical atlas?

"I'll be honest with you. If it weren't for your greedy ambitions leading you to get close to me, would you really have the status and achievements you do today?

"Just because Nicholas wanted to be credited in the book, you burned the draft. Isn't it all because you feared he would surpass you? As long as you hand over the backup copy, I'll let you go immediately!"

Her words left me thoroughly dumbfounded.

So, that was how she had always thought of me?

Even more comments sped across the live stream screen.

"No way! Do all people who live off others do it so publicly nowadays?"

"I heard Nicholas' career was almost ruined because of this incident. Looks like Henry is just reaping what he sowed."

"I agree. It's just crediting an extra person. Is there really a need to be so petty?"

Similarly, mocking or envious comments continued to pour in from the dark web.

Just then, Nicholas Spark's voice drifted over the speakers.

"Samantha, it's only natural that Henry doesn't think too highly of me. He's always had a discerning eye and is able to see your strengths."

The aggrieved tone in which he spoke those self-deprecating words instantly had Samantha jumping to his defense.

"Nicholas, you came from an impoverished background, yet you put in so much effort and worked hard to make it in the world. Unlike some despicable people, who think they're all that but actually ride on others' coattails to throw their weight around."

He worked hard? Did she mean the way he was always thinking of new ways to please her?

More than once, Samantha had praised Nicholas for being capable straight to my face.

However, when I showed her the mistakes Nicholas had made in his diagnostic plan, she flipped and berated me harshly.

"Henry Jenner, not only are you a lousy employee, but your attitude is truly horrible, especially your jealousy!"

She refused to even look at the obvious mistakes I had pointed out.

Every time Nicholas came to our house, the two of them would hole up in the study for hours.

Samantha was well aware that I was incredibly bothered by this. I had told her many times that I hated it when Nicholas came to our home. Whatever business they had to discuss, they could've done it in her office at the hospital. Why did they have to bring it into our house?

Nonetheless, Samantha never once took my words to heart, even increasing the frequency of these meetings to spite me.

Ever since Nicholas intruded into the study, I never stepped foot in there again.

Back in the present, as I lay on the icy surgical table, I faced one of the cameras and said, "Samantha Sonnet, you're utterly filthy. In fact, you had been tainted long ago. I hate dirty things, so I'm divorcing you!"

The netizens on the dark web seemed to think things weren't serious enough and gleefully added fuel to the fire.

"Dr. Sonnet, this man is scorning you for being impure and even had the audacity to bring up divorce!"