Chapter 2

Celine claimed I had only gone into medicine to get close to a so-called genius from our university. "That guy is the university heartthrob. Since the two of them are always together, maybe she has already fallen for him."

Galen believed every word of it. No matter how much I explained, he brushed it all aside as excuses, picking fights with me day after day.

"What hereditary disease are you talking about? Those are just rumors people spread!

"If nothing's going on between you, then why did he drive you home?"

At that time, I had the chance to study abroad. I had heard there were cases in South Anrium. The slots were limited, and I didn't have time to argue with him. I left him a note and followed my senior overseas.

Three years later, when I returned, Galen acted as if none of it had ever happened. He proposed the moment we saw each other again.

I thought he had let go of our old fights. I was overjoyed and threw myself into preparing for the wedding.

However, I was wrong. It was revenge. Even now, he still believed I had betrayed him.

Yet, just moments ago, I noticed his bloodshot eyes. That was the first sign of the disease taking hold.

The jeers of the crowd still rang in my ears when the bodyguards dragged me, bloodied and battered, into the basement.

One of them pulled out a phone, turning on a livestream and forcing me to watch. "You can't be there in person, but you can still witness it. These are orders straight from Mr. Shaw," one of them sneered.

On the screen, Galen slid the ring onto Celine's finger. It was the same ring he had once designed for me. My chest tightened with pain.

I tried to look away, but a guard clamped my head still and pried my eyelids open. "Mr. Shaw said you're not to miss a single second. Don't even think about closing your eyes!"

"Galen, must you humiliate me like this?" I thought.

The wedding march played as my tears spilled over. Through the blur, I noticed his eyes again, which were more bloodshot than before.

I had sworn I would leave him, but as a doctor, I couldn't ignore what I saw. Saving lives was my duty.

Swallowing my grief, I forced myself to speak. "Galen's hereditary disease is already showing symptoms. If he doesn't get treated, it'll only speed up the onset. You'd better tell him to get a full examination immediately!"

The bodyguards froze, then burst into laughter. "Still trying to trick us? I've worked for the Shaw family for years, and I've never heard of any genetic disease. Maybe you fooled Mr. Shaw, but you won't fool us."

Pain shot through my crushed fingers, but I gritted my teeth and warned them anyway. "With his temper, if you delay his treatment and he finds out, none of you will walk away alive!"

The guards faltered. Unease flashed across their faces. Just as one was about to run off, the door swung open.

"Nobody leaves this room! If anyone ruins this wedding, I'll make them pay!" Albert Swift, Galen's assistant, stormed in. His expression was dark. The bodyguards shrank back immediately.

"Mr. Shaw and your niece make the perfect couple. Who'd dare to ruin the wedding?" one flatterer chimed in.

His words made me freeze. "Albert, is Celine your niece?"

The truth hit me like a blow. When I had gone abroad, Galen had been too angry to answer my calls. He had blocked every way I had to reach him. Desperate, I had written a letter and entrusted it to the man he trusted most, Albert.

Little did I know, he was Celine's uncle!

The realization must have shown on my face, because Albert's expression twisted. He lashed out with a vicious kick to my stomach. "If it weren't for you, Celine would've married into money years ago! That department manager's position should've been mine!"

His features contorted with rage as he stomped down hard on my already mangled hand. "This is all your fault! You ruined everything for me!"

The pain was so blinding that I almost fainted.

I heard the sharp crack of breaking bones. My heart seized with terror. My hands were the most precious thing I had.