Chapter 1

Three days before our wedding, I brought supper for my fiancee, Zoe Anderson, at the hospital.

I opened the door of the on-call room and heard moaning sounds.

Under the dim lights, the intern, Jack Reid, buried his head against Zoe’s fair shoulder. His hand slipped beneath her open white coat.

After Zoe saw me, she pushed him away and tidied her clothes. She looked very calm.

“Jack’s pursuing me. He’s infatuated with me, and when he found out that we’re getting married, he threatened to kill himself with a scalpel.

“I was worried he’d hurt himself, so I comforted him this way. Our wedding will still go on three days later.

“You’ve always been very kind. I believe you won’t mind me saving a life this way, right?”

Chapter 1

I stared at Zoe Anderson expressionlessly. “Of course, I’m very understanding.”

I turned around and left the hospital. Then, I called the number that I had not answered for many times.

On the other end of the call, the daughter of the hospital CEO, Lily Johnson, questioned me with a shaking voice. She had been pursuing me for the past five years.

“What’s up? Aren’t you supposed to be preparing for your wedding?”

I took a deep breath and answered softly.

“I’m no longer marrying Zoe.

“Lily, if you’re still willing to marry me, bring your ID tomorrow and meet me at the city hall.”

...

Lily did not answer for a few seconds.

Then, her shock immediately turned into excitement as she stammered.

“Ethan, is this a joke? Are you really not going to marry Zoe?”

Her voice sounded hoarse as she kept questioning me, as if she was afraid that I would go against my words in the next second.

“I’ll get a wedding dress immediately! Tomorrow at nine in the morning, let’s get married at the city hall!

“I’ll see you there!”

I ended the call.

I heard the beeps from my phone and distanced myself from the disgust Zoe had brought me.

My ten-year relationship was over at that very moment.

I quickly walked toward the elevator. When I had just reached the basement parking lot, the resident doctor reporting to me, Ben Smith, called me urgently.

“Ethan, bad news!

“Dr. Anderson brought Jack to your independent lab, and they’re starting up your computer! It’s the one that contains all of your core research data!”

My heart immediately dropped.

I ignored my exhaustion from consecutive operations as I quickly went back to the department of cardiothoracic surgery.

It was bright when I opened the door to my lab.

Zoe was projecting my confidential medical research data on the big screen.

She bent down and guided Jack Reid as he typed his name on my research paper.

“Zoe, if I put my name as the first author, would Dr. Scott be mad at me?”

Jack pretended to sound worried, yet I could hear the hint of glee in his voice.

Zoe simply answered, “He’s a very close-minded man. Once I’m married to him, whatever is his will be mine.

“It’s just a name only, how bad could that be? He won’t dare to say anything about it.”

I stood at the entrance motionlessly.

I watched as they trampled on my research, which I had spent countless all-nighters and exhausted days on.

In order to reassure Jack, Zoe was abandoning her morals.

Zoe heard me coming in, so she turned around and saw me.

Her expression immediately changed.

However, not only did she not look guilty, but she frowned in annoyance.

“Where have you been?

“Just now the wedding officiate called me and asked if the bride is still the same. What tantrum are you throwing now?”

She crossed her arms and sounded very arrogant.

“Stop looking at me like that. I’ll still make you a part of the Anderson family tomorrow.

“You don’t have to be so calculative. This is most unsightly of you.”

I ignored her words and walked over.

I pushed Jack aside and ejected the pen drive from the computer.

Then, I locked the pen drive in the safe and took the keys with me.

“I don’t have the habit of viewing others’ trash as my treasure,” my voice was very cold.

Zoe was furious.

She pointed at me and yelled, “Ethan, what are you talking about? The wedding will still go on tomorrow. You better know where you stand!”

I laughed in anger as I glared at them coldly.

“I don’t care about any of your disgusting affairs.

“But don’t touch my things. I find you disgusting.”

Both of them had not expected such a strong attitude from me.

Zoe was furious as she glared at me with gritted teeth.

“I dare you to say that again!”

I stared into her eyes and asked coldly, “Don’t you understand English?

“This lab belongs to me. Both of you, get out now!”

Upon seeing that, Jack immediately hid behind Zoe.

His eyes were filled with fear as he grabbed Zoe’s white coat tightly.

“Zoe, did Dr. Scott misunderstand us?

“I’ll leave now. Please don’t fight because of me.”

Zoe grabbed him and stared at me viciously.

“Ethan, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?

“Jack’s just here to look at the data. Why did you overreact like that?”

I sneered.

“Did he need to bury his head against your neck to read the data?

“Did he also need to put his hands under your clothes for that?”

Zoe was exposed, so her eyes flickered subconsciously.

However, very quickly, she sounded confident again.

“I’ve explained it to you earlier in the on-call room. Jack’s depressed!

“He threatened to kill himself with a scalpel. I’m just taking care of him as a patient!”

I stared at her poor acting and felt like I wanted to throw up.

I was extremely disgusted.

Chapter 2

Jack’s eyes teared up pitifully.

“Dr. Scott, please don’t be mad at me. I can’t help my feelings for Zoe. I can apologize to you!”

He lifted his hand as though he wanted to slap himself, but he was secretly sizing me up.

I said coldly, “You didn’t manage to kill yourself with the scalpel earlier, so are you looking for a good angle to hit yourself?

“If you’re planning to slap yourself, do it loudly to make that apology count!”

After I said that, blood immediately drained out of Jack’s face as he froze.

Zoe was furious. She shielded Jack behind her.

She yelled angrily, “Ethan, you’re insane! Jack’s severely depressed! Do you really want an orphan to die before you’re happy about it?”

I was stunned by her nonsense.

Zoe lifted her chin arrogantly as she shouted at me.

“Every successful doctor has affairs outside of their marriages!

“I’m already making you my lawful husband. What else do you want from me?”

She was absurd as she spoke arrogantly.

“Since you’ve made Jack upset, you’ll have to give up your spot for the international healthcare conference next month to him.

“You must also put him as the first author for your research paper to make it up to the emotional damage that you caused him for not being able to show up at our wedding.”

I felt suffocated from my anger.

These were the fruits of my labor, and she was offering them to her affair partner to add to his CV!

I spat through clenched teeth, “I’ve worked hard for all of these. I won’t give them to him!

“I’d rather destroy the data than to let him have it!”

Zoe was completely enraged. Her expression was dark.

“Ethan, know your place!

“Without connections from my family, do you think you’d have been able to find your footing in the city hospital?”

She was aggressive as she almost poked her finger at my nose.

“I’m the one who brought you to this height, and I can get rid of you from this hospital!

“If you dare to take the spot back, I’ll call off the wedding tomorrow!”

Jack cried, “Zoe, don’t fight! Dr. Scott cares about his reputation too much.

“He doesn’t care about you. This is all my fault.”

Zoe’s vicious curses and Jack’s act made me nauseated.

I did not even look up when I coldly asked them to leave.

“Get out of my lab with your lover.”

Zoe’s face was flushed red as she swung the door open and left.

She spat furiously, “Ethan, just you wait and see!

“You’ll come back begging to me!”

She slammed the door shut and her roars echoed in the hallway.

I stood motionlessly as I panted.

I felt upset and angry at the same time as I clenched my fists.

Zoe was impossible. I was shocked by her lack of values.

Before Jack left, he turned around and looked at me tauntingly.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down.

The farce had to end.

I walked toward my desk and threw all of my photos with Zoe away.

When I stared at the shards of glass in the trash can, I felt nothing but coldness.

My ten-year relationship had been a waste of my time.

It took two to tango if she wanted to play this game.

Chapter 3

The lab was completely silent as I collapsed on my chair.

My stomach was twisting in pain, and I recalled the sadness I had endured over the past ten years.

In order to help Zoe get her promotion to chief physician, I gave up the opportunities to further my studies overseas. I even suffered from gastritis from exhaustion.

Every surgery that I did back-to-back, and every paper that I wrote had her name on them.

I finally came to a realization. She only loved me for my papers and my capabilities.

I had been wasting my effort on an ingrate.

My phone suddenly buzzed and snapped me out of my thoughts.

Lily sent me a photo of her in a wedding dress.

She also attached a very detailed guide on marriage registration. I could feel her love in between the lines.

I had been a little upset, but I finally relaxed a little.

After I thanked her for her hard work, I had completely let Zoe go.

When I was just about to stand up, Zoe’s father, Peter Anderson, called me.

He was the former CEO of the hospital. Peter instructed with a fierce voice, “Come back for dinner tonight. Let’s discuss the wedding tomorrow.”

It did not sound like an invitation. Instead, it sounded like a command.

At night, I sat before the huge dining table at the Anderson family house. The atmosphere was tense.

Zoe’s mother, Bonnie Anderson, served me some food with fake pleasantry.

“Ethan, you’re a man. You have to be generous toward Jack. Zoe only did that to save his life.”

Jack put on a fawning smile.

He said shamelessly, “It’s good for Zoe to have someone else to support her in her career.”

The previous night, I had barely been able to keep my dinner down.

Peter had a stoic expression as he announced his decision.

“Let Jack have the lead surgeon spot and the research.

“It’s the hospital tradition for senior doctors to lead the junior ones. We’re a family anyway.”

Bonnie nodded and smiled happily.

“Let Jack attend the wedding tomorrow as our godson.

“As the healthcare professional of the next generation, it will be great for him to stand beside both of you.”

I felt extremely insulted.

They were basically sucking me bone-dry.

I put down my fork and stared at the hypocritical family before me.

“What a great scheme you’ve got there.”

Zoe frowned and interrupted me impatiently.

“Ethan, don’t speak like that.

“My parents have already taken a step back and agreed for us to get married. What else do you want?”

Jack immediately agreed as he said with a sweet voice, “Dr. Scott, I’ll do my best and bring honor to the Anderson family.”

I looked at his face and tried not to laugh.

“So, doing your best in seducing another man’s fiancee?”

With a loud bang, Peter slammed his fist against the table.

“How dare you? This isn’t the place for you to speak like that!

“I’ve made my decision. The wedding tomorrow will go on!”

Bonnie stopped smiling as her expression darkened.

“Ethan, you must be more self-aware of your place. Don’t push your luck.”

I felt suffocated in that environment. I did not want to stay a second longer.

Chapter 4

I slowly placed my fork down.

“Since Jack wants my spot and my research, just take them.”

The few of them were momentarily stunned, but they were quickly replaced by pleased looks.

Zoe cocked an eyebrow smugly.

“Good that you know your place. From now on, we’re a family.”

I took out the document that I had prepared from my bag and tossed it on the dining table.

“This is my resignation letter as well as the withdrawal application for my research.”

Peter and Bonnie were both stunned.

Zoe’s expression froze before she yelled anxiously, “Ethan, you’re insane! Why are you ruining your own future?”

I ridiculed, “Jack’s not afraid of killing himself with a scalpel. Why does he need someone else to do his job?

“Let him handle all these complex cardiovascular surgeries. His achievements would be well-deserved.”

Jack looked anxious. His eyes darted around frantically.

He desperately pleaded, “Dr. Scott, I shouldn’t have asked for that. Please, don’t resign!”

Actually, he was afraid that no one would help him write his thesis and do his surgery for him.

Zoe protected Jack as she roared at me.

“Ethan, I’m warning you, without the Anderson family’s connection, you will never survive in the healthcare industry!”

I sneered and interrupted her fiercely.

“You’re not the only woman who can be my bride.”

After I said that, I left the suffocating Anderson family house without any hesitation.

It was chaos after I slammed the doors shut. Inside, they cursed and yelled.

At 9 a.m. the next day, the sun was shining brightly on the city hall.

I arrived there on time. Lily was wearing a white dress as she stood on the stairs with loving eyes.

She was holding her ID tightly while shaking in excitement.

“Ethan, I’ve waited for so long for you,” she said through tears.

After our marriage certificate was stamped, we were married.

I left the hall with our new marriage certificate and I finally felt a little relieved.

Ten minutes later, Lily sent a photo of our marriage certificate into the hospital group chat that had two thousand employees.

She added a smug caption: First day of marriage with Dr. Scott.

Everyone was shocked by the news. The group chat kept buzzing.

[Oh my God! Dr. Scott’s married, and the bride isn’t Dr. Anderson!]

[You’re awesome, Dr. Johnson! Happy marriage to you!]

Within two minutes, my phone was buzzing violently.

Zoe broke down as she kept sending me angry voice messages.

[Ethan, how dare you marry someone else?! Get back here!]