Chapter 3

"Claire!" Lucas cried out, instinctively reaching out to support me.

I reflexively grabbed his hand, my face pale and cold sweat dripping down my forehead.

Amber quickly pushed Lucas aside, "Dr. Chen, don't worry. I've trained in first aid. Let me take a look at you."

She put on a show of examining me: "It's nothing serious, just a bit of heat exhaustion. You'll be fine after some rest."

Then, feigning weakness, she furrowed her brow and suddenly swayed, falling into Lucas's arms.

Lucas caught her in a panic, asking anxiously, "Amber, what's wrong? Don't scare me!"

"I... my heart doesn't feel right..." Amber's voice was weak and fragile, as if she might fade away at any moment.

"I'll take you to the hospital right away!"

Without another word, Lucas scooped Amber up in his arms.

Before leaving, he glanced back at me, his eyes full of conflict, but he didn't stop.

I watched their retreating figures, tears finally sliding down my cheeks.

So this was the man I had loved for thirty years, this was the marriage I had given everything to protect.

How laughable, truly laughable!

I used my last bit of strength to call 911, then lost consciousness.

When I came to, I was lying numbly in a hospital bed.

The doctor said I had suffered from acute stress reaction.

Indeed, at my age, I shouldn't get so emotionally worked up, especially not over such a man.

After finishing the IV, I stumbled home on shaky legs.

Seeing the clothes still hanging on the balcony, I reflexively took them down and folded them neatly, only realizing what I was doing when I opened the closet.

In the closet, Lucas's clothes were all ironed crisp and neat, giving off a faint scent of laundry detergent.

My clothes, on the other hand, were pitifully few, mostly just white lab coats.

All these years, I had been like a spinning top, shuttling between home and the hospital, living as nothing more than an appendage.

At this moment, I could no longer hold back. I broke down and cried my heart out.

I tore up the photos of Lucas and me from when we were dating, along with the diary entries I had written back then:

"Today Lucas gave me a ring. He said he made it himself and hopes I'll wear it forever..."

"Lucas proposed to me today. He said he would love me and take care of me for life..."

"Today Lucas told me he wants a spiritual relationship and doesn't want children. But that's okay, all the newborns will be my children from now on."

Once, I thought I had chosen love. In the end, I realized I had only chosen loneliness.

Thirty years of feelings, thirty years of dedication, all turned out to be a joke.

The next day, Lucas came back.

He brought a bunch of breakfast, unprecedented, and even prepared warm water for me to take my medicine.

"Claire, Amber had a heart attack yesterday, I was just taking her to the hospital. You know, it's our duty as doctors," he said.

Seeing no reaction from me, he moved closer, trying to butter me up.

"There's an important symposium at the hospital today, so..."

Perhaps only when Lucas needed something from me would he lower himself like this.

All these years, I had participated in countless symposiums for the hospital, winning awards big and small, all to secure Lucas's position as director.

But now, I'm tired.

"I'm retiring. I don't want to join this circus anymore."

"A doctor's duty is to heal, Claire. Just think of it as for the hospital, for the patients! I promise this is the last time!"

A doctor's duty to heal - this was my father's teaching.

I remained silent for a long while, eventually softening and agreeing.