Chapter 2

I forcefully suppressed my emotions and took a long drag on my cigarette. “Doctor Claire, the medicine Julian used was bought by me. It cost $1.2 million. When are you going to pay me back?”

Claire stared at me in disbelief. “Ethan, you’re talking to me about money? Now I understand. Money matters more to you than I do!”

I kept smoking and staring at her.

Claire’s eyes finally reddened. “Honey, I admit I was wrong this time. I’m sorry, okay?”

In all the years we had been married, this was the first time Claire had ever apologized to me.

In the past, whenever I saw her cry, my heart would twist in pain. I would have done anything to comfort her.

But this time, I felt nothing at all.

Claire tried to take my arm.

When she saw that I did not pull away, the corners of her lips lifted slightly. “Honey, listen to me. My parents were always busy when I was growing up and never had time to look after me. I spent a lot of time eating at Julian’s house. His family treated me so well. Wasn’t I supposed to repay them somehow?”

Repay them?

With my mother’s life?

I let out a cold laugh. “So you two are childhood sweethearts? Why don’t you just get together?”

I never expected Claire to actually sigh. “You know how busy doctors are. He never has time for a family. Besides, his mother never approved of me.”

Her complaint made it feel as if my internal organs were burning.

Claire was busy with work, so my mother had come from out of state and taken care of her without complaint.

Sometimes I took photography jobs at home. My mother did not know how to drive, so she would take the subway and then a bus just to deliver Claire’s meals.

If even one household chore was not done to Claire’s liking, she would lose her temper.

My mother would even advise me, “Claire is exhausted from work. It’s normal for her to be irritable. We should be more understanding.”

Remembering all of that, I could not stop my tears from falling again.

When Claire saw me crying, she looked at me with a self-satisfied tenderness. “Honey, next month I’ll apply to transfer to a less demanding department. Then we can have a baby.”

I tossed my cigarette onto the floor and crushed it beneath my shoe.

With a mocking edge to my voice, I said, “Since you won’t be so busy anymore, Julian’s mother should be able to accept you. When that happens, you and he can go have your baby.”

Claire looked as if she had been deeply wronged. “Ethan, how can you say something like that? I’m hurting too because your mother died! Do you have to blame everything on me? If I really leave, you’ll never be able to win me back!”

I had no intention of responding to her.

I simply said, “Remember to pay me back,” then put on my coat and walked out of the house.