Chapter 2

Jordan's POV

The living room was so quiet I could hear a pin drop.

Sharon froze for a moment before throwing her arms around me. "I'll explain everything to you. Go back first. We can talk after you've calmed down."

I was about to be pushed out the door when Dad suddenly raised his voice. "What right do you have to ask for a divorce?"

Sharon tried to stop Dad, but he continued angrily, "You're always busy at the hospital. Xavier was the one taking care of me. He was the one looking after your wife for you! You, on the other hand, have done nothing to fulfill your responsibilities!"

I felt a painful pang in my heart. It was so excruciating that it left me struggling to breathe through the agony.

My own father had publicly accused me of being a terrible son just to defend the illegitimate child who had driven Mom to her death.

Steven spoke up next. "When the debt collectors came after me, Xavier stepped up to help. You were in the operating room at the time and wouldn't even answer your phone. It's thanks to him that I made it through that time. So, you have no right to be upset at him."

The friend who mattered most to me in this world was no longer taking my side either.

Greta grabbed my arm and chimed in, "Xavier has been taking care of all of us for years in your place. Can't you just turn a blind eye and let this go?"

I found the whole thing absurd. So this was what it felt like to be betrayed by the people I loved most.

"That's enough, everyone!" Sharon exclaimed.

She gripped my shoulders tightly, her eyes bloodshot. "Don't divorce me. Stop saying things like that. We only did this because we wanted to keep this family together."

A bitter, self-deprecating laugh escaped my lips. The only people who had become a happy family were them and the person I hated most. I wasn't part of it.

Sharon continued trying to persuade me. "Now that you know the truth, why don't you make peace with Xavier? Then we can all be together openly from now on."

I backed away while staring at her as though she were a complete stranger.

Years ago, when Dad had brought his mistress, Kendra Alcock, and Xavier home, Mom had been so devastated that she jumped from the roof and died.

Sharon had sworn over and over that she'd help me get revenge. She had even promised she would never become the kind of person Dad was.

Dad and Greta had knelt before Mom's coffin, crying until there were no tears left to cry. They had confessed their guilt until dawn.

So it had all been an act.

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. "You can all make peace with him. Just leave me out of it!"

With that, I didn't spare them another glance and turned toward the door.

"Jordan! Let me explain!" Sharon chased after me and reached out to grab my arm.

Suddenly, a cry came from inside the living room. "Xavier's blood sugar is dropping again!"

Sharon's hand jerked back immediately, and she rushed inside. Her sudden retraction sent me stumbling down two flights of stairs. My knee slammed against the edge of the stairs, splitting the skin.

Blood streamed down my leg onto the floor, but no one came out to check on me.

I limped to my feet and made my way back to the bus station. Then, I got on a bus back to the hospital, which is located in the suburb on the other side of the city.

I walked straight into the HR office and said, "Ms. Swift, I've decided to join the overseas training program. Please help me with the paperwork."

Melanie Swift looked surprised to hear that.

She teased me, saying, "Are you really sure you want to leave your wife behind? She loves you so much. Everyone at the hospital has heard all about your love story."

I smiled bitterly in response. The irony wasn't lost on me.

As she filled out my paperwork, she chatted casually. "To be honest, if that contract hadn't expired yet, things would've been complicated."

My heart sank as I asked, "What contract?"

Melanie replied, "Your wife asked the hospital director to keep you here. She even got you double the usual benefits. The only condition was that you weren't allowed to transfer to another hospital. If the contract hadn't expired, you wouldn't have been able to leave even if you wanted to."