Chapter 4

My mother rushed to my bedside, raising her cane as if she intended to strike me. "You heartless wretch!"

Nolan hurried over and shielded me with his body. "Grandma, Dad must have his reasons. Please don't blame him."

My mother seemed to make up her mind about something. She turned toward me and declared, "If you insist on cutting ties with him, then I'll consider you no son of mine!"

I leaned against the hospital bed and started scrolling through my phone. "Mom, do whatever you want."

My attitude pushed Julianna over the edge. She stared at me in a daze for several seconds before suddenly letting out a cold laugh. "Fine. Let me make this perfectly clear. If you dare to cut Nolan out of your life today, I'm divorcing you!"

We'd been married for more than twenty years. In everyone's eyes, we'd always been a loving couple who treated each other with mutual respect.

She was probably convinced that I would never throw away our marriage just to get rid of Nolan.

"If you want a divorce, I agree." I leaned against the headboard, my voice calm.

Julianna took half a step backward, looking at me as though she were seeing me for the first time. "Landon, are you insane?"

"I'm perfectly clearheaded."

"You're willing to throw me away, too, just to get rid of Nolan?"

Nolan's face turned deathly pale. He walked to my bedside and dropped to his knees. "Dad, this is all my fault. I'll agree to cut ties with you. Please, don't divorce Mom."

He dropped to his knees so abruptly that he clearly aggravated the wound in his abdomen. Cold sweat ran down his forehead. His cheeks twitched slightly from the pain, but he still refused to get up.

Watching the grandson she had doted on since childhood suffer like this, my mother couldn't hold back her tears.

"My poor grandson. What a terrible fate, to have such a heartless father!"

Julianna wrapped her arms around Nolan's shoulders and burst into tears. "Nolan, why do you keep putting yourself through this?"

Nolan gently tried to comfort her. "Mom, I'm not suffering. As long as you and Dad are okay, it doesn't matter what happens to me."

Quite a few relatives had gathered outside the room. Some were recording the scene on their phones. Others whispered among themselves.

"Do you think he's having an affair?"

"His son's wounds haven't even healed, and he's already on his knees begging his own father."

"Does that man have a heart of stone?"

I paid none of them any attention.

A little over ten minutes later, Robert arrived with the paperwork to formalize my decision to disown Nolan.

Nolan spoke softly, "Dad, I've never expected you to repay me for saving your life. I'll sign the agreement."

Julianna's eyes were red as she looked at me. "Landon, did you hear him? Even now, Nolan is still defending you.

"He lost a kidney to save your life, and you're forcing him out of his own family. What more could you possibly be dissatisfied with?"

Everyone stared at me. They were waiting for me to back down. They were also waiting for me to pay the price for my ingratitude over the past few days.

I raised my head and slowly asked, "Do all of you really believe Nolan was the one who donated a kidney to me?"

My mother grew even angrier. "You ungrateful son! Are you trying to deny the debt you owe him for saving your life, too?"

Julianna stood up. "Landon, there is no limit to how shameless a person can be!"

But Nolan caught her by the arm. "Mom, please stop."

He looked at me, his eyes filled with hurt.

I turned to Robert. "If everyone wants to know the reason, I'll give them what they want. Robert, take it out."

Robert opened his briefcase and removed a document.

Julianna snatched it from him and glanced at the contents. The color gradually drained from her face, and her lips began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Impossible! This can't be!"