Chapter 2

"Viola, stop talking. You need rest. I've postponed all my work at the company. I'll stay by your side at all times during this period."

What a happy family! It was so heartwarming that it hurt my eyes. I clenched my hands tightly until my fingertips turned white. I was barely keeping my composure.

Viola had just undergone surgery, and I was just transferred to a tertiary hospital. This was not the right time or place to bring the truth out into the open.

As soon as I returned to the duty room, my phone in my pocket started vibrating.

I slid to answer it, and Nathan's voice came through. "Jaime, there's an emergency at the company. I might not be able to come back for a while."

I was filled with rage and questions, but the devastation I felt mentally and physically drained me of any desire to speak.

The silence made Nathan misunderstand. He thought that I was throwing a tantrum, so he continued, "Be good. When I'm done here, I will make time for our honeymoon..."

"Nathan..."

Before he could finish speaking, Viola called for him, and the baby began crying too.

"That's all for now!" Nathan scrambled to hang up.

Today was so eventful. A profound sense of absurdity made my stomach churn, and I vomited violently in the washroom.

While my mind was in a daze, I made a phone call. "Send me the marriage certificate from the study cabinet. And remember to tell my dad that Nathan cheated on me. I want him to withdraw all funding to Nathan from now on."

According to my schedule, I was in charge of the next ward rounds. I forced myself to pick up the record sheet.

Standing in the doorway through the glass, I saw Nathan and Viola squeezed onto a small single bed. He held Viola in his arms, gently patting her back with one hand. He had dark circles beneath his eyes from staying up all night.

Even though I had completely given up on him, seeing this still brought a pang of bitterness to my heart.

Nathan immediately opened his eyes when he heard the knock on the door.

I put on my mask and pushed the door open.

Although it was a hospital ward, it was decorated warmly. The table was overflowing with maternity and baby supplies. Big or small, every necessity had been thoughtfully prepared. Every single item was something I had wholeheartedly recommended.

The night before leaving on his 'business trip', Nathan had suddenly shaken me awake. "Jaime, you're an obstetrician. Could you tell me what I need to prepare for childbirth?"

I squinted, a little confused. "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

Nathan stammered, saying his colleague was about to deliver a baby and had put in a favor to get him to ask me.

Having just finished a 36-hour shift, I was so tired that I was practically delirious.

However, Nathan sat up, turned on all the lights in the house, and dragged me out of bed.

"Jaime, write it all down quickly." He forcefully shoved a pen into my hand and pinched the softest part of my inner arm.

The overwhelming pain instantly woke me up, and I worked on that list until it was broad daylight.

Before leaving, Nathan carefully tucked it into a hidden pocket in his clothes, turning away without even a thank you.

Back in the present moment, I suppressed my emotions and went to the bedside, where I began asking the routine questions. "How are you feeling today?"

Viola held Nathan's hand, her voice soft.