Upon hearing this, Jayden’s heart skipped a beat.
After dealing with Paul’s matter, James brought the conversation back around, clearly intending to hold him accountable for this issue.
Jayden turned around to face James and couldn’t help but shiver when his gaze met those sharp eyes.
“I don’t know the full extent of your affairs, so I won’t comment. Mr. Evans knows what’s in his own heart.”
“Is that so?”
The smile on James’ lips carried a chilling and intimidating aura.
“I heard that Eva took Jayden to the capital to meet Ryan a while ago?”
Jayden didn’t understand the meaning behind James’ question and didn’t dare to speak out of turn, so he simply nodded.
It turns out that this whole discussion was just a way for comes to force him to apologize, using Ryan as a pretext..
While Jayden was thinking this, james, who was not playing by the rules, took out his phone and found a picture of Ryan. He then raised his slender finger and lightly tapped the screen.
“Ryan is here. Bow down to him and apologize. That will settle this matter.”
Andrew, who was standing nearby, couldn’t help but laugh.
Hearing Andrew’s laughter, Jayden suddenly felt at a loss.
“Mr. Evans, I was only using Ryan as a metaphor. There’s no need to take it to this extent, is there?”
“It is necessary.”
James put his hands in his pockets, looked down from the photo with arrogance, and glanced at Jayden indifferently.
“Some people should not be casually used as metaphors. By doing this, I’m also trying to teach you a lesson.”
Jayden’s face darkened.
“Mr. Evans, are you really willing to disregard Eva just to force me to bow down?”
“Using Eva to morally blackmail me is not wise. If I were you, I would continue to choose to be flexible.”
James counterattacked with his proud way of doing things, which infuriated Jayden to no end.
Jayden clenched his fists, seething with anger, while James showed no signs of backing down, coolly observing him.
This time, James didn’t give Jayden any other choice. It seemed that he had zero tolerance when others crossed the line in terms of matters concerning Amelia. At this point, Jayden started regretting challenging james boundaries with Ryan and Amelia when he had the chance.
“If I don’t kneel down today, does that mean I can’t leave here?”
“Yeah.”
James lightly raised an eyebrow, exerting his power to the fullest. Jayden looked up at James, feeling a bit of hatred inside. But compared to being able to safely leave here, kneeling down didn’t seem like much.
He glanced at Stella and Andrew and gritted his teeth, asking, “Can they leave first?”
James looked at the two of them, and Stella and Andrew quickly left the director’s office.
Next, Jayden knelt in front of James, enduring the shame and saying, “I’m sorry.”
After staring at him for a while, James slightly bent over, squatting in front of Jayden, coldly staring into his eyes.
“Mr. Sherwood, remember, don’t say things you shouldn’t say, or else you’ll pay the price.”
He left these words behind, stood up, took his phone, and left quickly.
Jayden turned his head, staring at that cold and proud figure, clenching his teeth fightly.
Just before the door closed, James stopped and turned around, raising his chin like a ruler with the power of life and death.
“Don’t forget to apologize to my brother—”
Eva quickly found out about James coming to settle the score with Jayden. Amelia asked if she should go and plead for him, but Eva refused.
She said that Jayden brought this trouble upon himself and he should bear the consequences. James did nothing wrong.
Eva was still clear in her mind, but Jayden was her fiancé, so this relationship had to continue.
Amelia was more worried about Eva’s second marriage. If the second marriage didn’t turn out well, Eva might never dare to get married again.
Eva said Paul wasn’t a good choice either. Jayden had some behavioral issues, but Paul was unfaithful, which was a bigger problem.
Amelia thought there was some truth to what Eva said, but..
“Paul shed tears for you.”
Eva paused for a moment and then smiled as if she remembered something.
“He accidentally stepped on a mouse in my small apartment one night and ended up crying.”
“Really?””
Upon hearing this explosive news, Amelia’s eyes lit up.
“A grown man can be scared to tears by a mouse?”
“Yeah.”
Eva placed a piece of cut steak on Amelia’s plate.
“So, he’s just a spoiled kid. His tear doesn’t mean anything.”
Amelia wanted to say something for Paul while Stella rushed over in a hurry.
After sitting down, Stella explained everything that had happened in the director’s office to both of them.
James didn’t kick her out of the office; it was clear he wanted to use her to tell Eva what kind of person Jayden is.
His intention was quite clear – he wanted her to make a better choice after understanding Jayden’s true character.
It’s not necessarily about choosing Paul, but whether or not to marry Jayden was something that needed to be carefully considered, as marriage involved major life decisions.
So, even if it involved Ryan, Stella told them everything.
After listening, Eva’s face gradually darkened. She didn’t expect Jayden to bring up Ryan in order to retaliate against James.
Ryan and Amelia were her relative. Their issues were in the past, and James never played any manipulative tricks in front of Ryan. Even when James pursued Amelia back then, it was openly done, though a bit aggressive, but he never harmed Ryan in private.
After James and Ryan went through many things, they understood each other and eventually both left Amelia. It was only after both sides had left that Amelia and James rekindled their relationship. It’s completely different from the situation with Jayden and Paul.
Now, Jayden comparing Ryan to Paul in order to provoke James was a denial of Ryan’s character and a lack of respect for Amelia,
Eva could forgive Jayden for using these methods against Paul because Paul was the one who harassed her first, and Jayden’s way of keeping his girlfriend was understandable. But Amelia and Ryan were her closest people, so she couldn’t allow others to use Ryan and Amelia as weapons for retaliation.
“Mr. Evans made himself very clear – he wants to punish the person who bullied Paul. As for you and Jayden, he doesn’t want to interfere. Jayden just needs to apologize for provoking Paul, but he’s not happy about it. That’s why he used Ryan to anger Mr. Evans.”
“If you think about the things Jayden said about Ryan, it actually reflects that even if he knows Ryan is your relative, he won’t show much respect or care because, in moments of anger, the first thing he thinks of is using Ryan, who can provoke Mr. Evans, to protect himself…”
After Stella succinctly summarized the main points, she reached out and patted Eva’s hand.
“Since you and Jayden were introduced by Henry and me, I naturally wanted you to be together, but what he said to Mr. Evans today has made me change my mind.”
Jayden had recently rehumed from overseas and had not been at the hospital for a long time. However, he always treated his colleagues and patients with utmost gentlemanliness, speaking in a gentle manner and never showing any harshness.
It’s not that he intentionally went too for in provoking Paul, but his methods were not fair. And when James wanted to resolve a problem Jayden chose avoid taking responsibility. In other words, he dared not face the consequences of his actions and instead made excuses to try and convince James.
Really his excuse was Eva. Twice he used Eva as a shield to avoid trouble, hoping that James would spare him because of Eva. But why did James will respect Eva?
It’s because of Amelia. If it weren’t for Eva being important to Amelia, would James simply demand an apology if someone else hod bullied the Evans family? But Jayden mentioned Ryan, and Ryan’s past with James involved Amelia. Didn’t Jayden consider that saying such things would hurt Amelia?
Stella thought about it, and so did Eva. She felt guilty and embarrassed.
“Amelia, I’m sorry, I didn’t expect jayden to provoke James using Ryan. If I had known, I wouldn’t have taken him to visit Ryan,” Stella said.
Originally, Stella had taken Jayden to meet Ryan, who had severe depression, in order to tell him that she had been through a failed marriage but managed to move on.
She wanted Ryan to see her in a new light and to inspire him to overcome his depression, as well as to introduce Jayden to Ryan.
Little did she know that it would become a weapon for Jayden to use against James.
Ryan was still a sensitive topic for Amelia, and her friends never brought him up in front of her, Amelia couldn’t express how she felt about Jayden using Ryan to provoke James, so she just waved her hand at Eva.
“It’s okay. It’s been a while since all of that happened. Don’t blame yourself because of Jayden. Besides, you took him to see Ryan to let Ryan meet your future husband and to reassure him. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Eva said, sighing deeply.
After a moment Eva suddenly looked at Stella, her eyes widening.
“Did Jayden say anything else besides this?”
Jayden was aware of Ryan’s severe depression. If this matter was brought up, Amelia would surely feel extremely guilty, and her happy days with James would be disrupted.
“I told you everything he said,” Stella said, capturing Eva’s worried look.
“Are you afraid Mr. Sherwood will say something more to Mr. Evans?” Eva shook her head uneasily.
Not wanting to push further when Eva didn’t want to talk about it, Stella took out her phone and showed Eva a surveillance video.
“When I came, I went to the hospital and checked the surveillance footage from Paul’s room. Take a look…”
Eva was surprised that Stella had checked the surveillance, but she quickly took the phone.
The video clarified two things.
First, Paul and Elsie didn’t get back together, so Paul confessed his feelings while being single.
The second thing, as Eva watched the video, stunned her.
Jayden’s words to Paul froze her.
“I just wanted to let you know, in places you couldn’t see, Eva and I have kissed many times.”
“Do you want to hear more about the intimate moments between Eva and me?”
“By the way, let me tell you something else. Eva didn’t want to come today, I dragged her here, and she reluctantly followed.”
These words seemed to be provoking Paul, but in reality, they were insulting Eva. How could their private moments be used to taunt a rival?
It was disrespectful to her, and what Jayden said was completely untrue. The key was after Jayden provoked Paul, he came to confess her with an innocent look.
Eva didn’t want to speculate if Jayden was acting. She didn’t want to think of him as too sinister and cut off her thoughts.
Seeing Eva uncomfortably close the video, Stella and Amelia exchanged glances.
“Eva, why don’t you reconsider?” Stella was always straightforward, and Eva knew she had her best interests at heart. After pondering for a moment, Eva spoke up.
“Well, I’ll think about it. If I find out he’s really not suitable for me, then I’ll stay single for the rest of my life. When I’m old, I’ll invest my money in a retirement home to ensure a comfortable life in my later years, even though it might be a bit lonely.”
It’s just that she had never experienced what a family was like, and there would be a slight regret.
Everything else would be fine. She didn’t necessarily need a man to live on.
Jayden walked into Paul’s hospital room to apologize.
Paul was lying on the bed and glanced at Jayden briefly before shifting his gaze to the window.
Jayden thought Paul would react like last time, getting so angry that he would want to stand up and hit him. But this time, Paul appeared calm, indicating that Eva must have explained everything to him and he had probably given up.
Jayden approached him and said, “I’m sorry.”
He didn’t specify what he was apologizing for, but Paul understood.
With an expressionless and indifferent look, he glanced at Jayden. “If I were you, even if you broke my legs, I wouldn’t come to apologize.”
Once something was done, it’s done. Why apologized and made people look down on you?
“In the face of authority, the wise submit. I am not you, and no matter what mess you make, your brother James will clean it up for you.” Jayden’s sarcastic remarks made Paul laugh coldly.
“You’re Eva’s boyfriend. Even if you don’t give in, James won’t really do anything to you. You should know that, right?”
Jayden’s face changed slightly. Paul was right, James wouldn’t do anything to him because of Eva, he just wanted to force him to apologize in person.
But at that time, when he saw James, relying on his position as a CEO, seeking justice for Paul, he felt a bit envious and jealous. So, he foolishly provoked and taunted James, using Ryan as a weapon.
Now, thinking about it, if he hadn’t mentioned Ryan and just focused on Paul’s harassment of Eva, James wouldn’t have had a reason to pressure him to apologize.
But… As Jayden met Paul’s disdainful gaze, his feelings of regret faded away, and he began to feel that this was all Paul’s fault.
If it wasn’t for Paul, he wouldn’t have said those things to deliberately provoke him, he wouldn’t have pretended to be pitiful in front of Eva, and there would be no need to kneel in front of James. Paul was the root cause of him being looked down upon!
“If you hadn’t pestered Eva, I wouldn’t have accused you wrongly, and Mr. Evans wouldn’t have come after me. Why would I come to apologize to you?”
Paul’s eyelashes slowly fell as he said, “Even when you two weren’t together, I was constantly trying to reconcile with her. I got used to it…”
“Later, when she agreed to be with you at the blind date, it was also because of her anger towards me.”
“I thought she still had feelings for me, so I deliberately used you to provoke her, hoping to win her back.”
“But after this incident, I realized that she never had feelings for me. I misunderstood.”
Paul finished speaking calmly and looked at Jayden with indifference. “I’m sorry for bothering your girlfriend twice and making you uncomfortable. But rest assured, I won’t bother her again…”
Jayden seemed surprised that Paul would directly admit to what he had done and that someone of his status would apologize to him.
In reality, Paul knew very well that James knew how much he disliked Jayden and still made Jayden apologize. James probably thought Paul was in the wrong too, considering he couldn’t control his emotions and thought Eva still had feelings for him. That’s why he continued to pursue her even though she had a boyfriend.
Knowing he was in the wrong, Paul followed James’ suggestion and apologized.
As for his initial thoughts of beat Jayden up, after Eva talked to him, Paul dismissed that idea. He didn’t think it was necessary anymore. He and Eva were completely over, and it had nothing to do with him how she and Jayden would move forward.
But… Paul couldn’t help but give one last piece of advice. “Mr. Sherwood, she’s been married before and betrayed. She’s wary of marriage. If she’s willing to marry you, it means she trusts you a lot. Treat her well in the future.”
After finishing his instructions, Paul picked up a paper bag from the bedside cabinet and handed it to Jayden.
“She bought these candies to talk things out with me. You can take them back for her. I don’t need them anymore…”
Eva bought so many candies to remind him to completely sever ties, and him returning the candies symbolized the end.
Jayden didn’t understand the significance of it, but he reached out and took the paper bag, calmly examining Paul’s pale face.
“The fact that you ended up in the emergency room that day because of me shows that you still care about Eva. Why did you give up so quickly?”
Jayden felt that Paul was playing a strategic retreat, attempting to gain the upper hand.
“If she loved me, I wouldn’t give up.” The implication was that Paul had realized Eva no longer loved him, which made him regain his sanity.
“You’re right. If she loved you, she wouldn’t be with me. It’s better for you to give up early. It’s a relief for you, after all…”, he stood there hands in his pockets, looking down on Paul from a higher position, raising an eyebrow.
“Someone like you, with a strong background and good looks, only the title of a playboy suits you best.”
Jayden’s sarcastic tone was so strong that even people standing outside the door couldn’t bear it.
“Paul may be a bit of a player, but he’s always loyal to each girlfriend and never cheats on them or betrays them.”
Anthony pushed past his friends and confidently walked in.
Jayden glanced back at him, then looked away with disdain, looking at Paul.
“But he is indeed a player, having so many girlfriends.”
Upon hearing this, Paul couldn’t hold back his anger and tried to get up, but Anthony raised his hand to stop him.
“He’s just fooling around, passing the time, he doesn’t casually sleep around with women.”
After Anthony explained, he took a step forward, getting closer to Jayden.
“But there’s one thing, Paul still can’t compare to you…”
Jayden’s face darkened.
“What do you mean?”
Anthony smirked, showing a faint smile.
“Mr. Sherwood, you immigrated abroad after graduating from high school. Not so many know what you did abroad. But it wouldn’t be difficult to find out about your past with some money. So maybe you shouldn’t stand on a moral high ground and criticize others.”
Jayden clenched his fist but didn’t respond to Anthony’s comment to ‘go ahead and investigate if you dare’.
And he simply said, “I had a crush on Eva since high school, and even after going abroad, she was the only one on my mind. Mr. Clark, I’m not like Paul.”
Anthony didn’t argue, but rather acknowledged it with a nod.
“You do have a point with that, but…”
He stared at Jayden, giving him a once-over.
“You said you had a crush on Miss Miller since high school?”
Jayden didn’t know what he was getting at and simply nodded firmly.
Anthony’s lips curved into a half-smile, and his crescent-shaped eyes filled with suspicion.
“To have a crush on someone for so long shows that you really love her. So if you love her so much, why didn’t you immediately go find her after returning to the country, instead of waiting until Stella’s blind date event to get close to her? It doesn’t make sense. You had already been back in the country for a long time, and if you loved Miss Miller so much, you should have bravely pursued her as soon as you returned.”
Jayden wanted to explain, but Anthony raised his hand to interrupt him.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t know that Miss Miller had already divorced by then and was single. Don’t tell me you were afraid of bothering her. If you had said when you were in high school, I might have believed it, but as a doctor which is an honorable profession and having completed your studies, it’s hard to accept that you wouldn’t go after the person you love when you had the chance.”
After a brief pause, Anthony raised two slender fingers.
“So, these two points, for a normal person, sound a lot like excuses…”
Jayden’s face became increasingly grim.
“That’s because I’ve been too busy…”
“It’s not because you’re busy, it’s because when you don’t see her, you can’t remember her. But when you do see her, you think she’s not bad, and that stirs up the feelings of our younger days.”
In reality, Jayden’s love for Eva may not be as strong as Paul’s, but Anthony couldn’t say that out loud. After all, Eva was now Jayden’s girlfriend. If Eva and Jayden had a falling out, Jayden could use this against her, causing Eva unnecessary trouble.
Anthony’s criticism left Jayden speechless.
“You’re a lawyer, I can’t argue with you.”
Jayden said this and walked away. After leaving the hospital, he looked at the candy in his hand for a while, then threw it in the trash.
Once he got in the car, he called Eva on his phone.
No matter what Paul’s friends said about him, he didn’t care.
But he needed to explain the incident with Ryan provoking James to Eva as soon as possible.
At least before Eva found out everything, he needed to be proactive so that she would believe him.
Eva, who was absent-mindedly eating her meal, heard his call but didn’t really want to answer. However, he kept calling several times in a row, so she had no choice but to answer.
Jayden asked her where she was, and she said she was eating out. Jayden wanted to go see her, but Eva said Stella and Amelia were with her, and if there was anything he wanted to talk about, he should wait until she gets back.
When Jayden heard Stella’s name, he seemed to have already guessed what she would say. His eyes flickered, but he didn’t say much, just reminded Eva to eat well.
After hanging up the phone, Jayden drove straight to Eva’s villa and sat in the garden waiting for her. He waited for a long time, until it was dark, before Eva finally came back in her car.
As soon as Eva entered the house, she noticed that Jayden seemed nervous, standing up as if he had done something terribly wrong, looking completely lost.
“Eva, did Stella explain everything that happened today to you?”
Eva thought he would act as if nothing had happened, but she didn’t expect him to bring it up first.
“Yeah.”
She nodded and walked towards Jayden.
“You’re waiting for me here, is there something you want to talk to me about?”
Eva wanted to hear Jayden’s explanation.
Jayden didn’t explain much, just said, “Everything Stella said is true. I provoked James with Ryan.”
Seeing him like this, Eva stayed silent for a long time before speaking up, “James coming to find you wasn’t about getting involved in our business. It was because his brother was wrongly accused and ended up in the emergency room. He made it clear from the beginning. He even let you come up with a solution on your own. He did all this just to get you to apologize to Paul. But instead, you used Ryan as a weapon to retaliate against James.”
Jayden lowered his gaze and asked, “Paul was the one who started bothering you first. He should be the one apologizing, not me. Why should I apologize to James?”
Eva looked up at him and said, “Yes, you’re right. Paul was in the wrong initially, but you could have stood your ground. When James asked for a solution, you could have used that opportunity to demand an apology from Paul first. I believe James is not unreasonable. Even if he is, he would agree for my sake. But you chose to provoke James with Ryan. Do you think that’s going to convince James to stop seeking justice for his wrongly accused brother? And you still want to stand on a moral high ground and condemn the three of them for their past actions!”
Jayden opened his mouth but couldn’t find words to refute. He really did want to condemn James from a moral high ground.
Seeing him silent, Eva calmed down and said, “Senior, do you know that Ryan and Amelia are the only family I have in this world? We’ve spent many years together, but because of misunderstandings, we missed out on each other for a long time. It’s indeed a regret. But now that Amelia and James are married, it means their situation has reached a conclusion. Yet you still mock Amelia’s husband using Ryan. Have you ever considered how difficult it is for me being caught in the middle?”
At this point, doubt appeared in Eva’s eyes. “Senior, do you really love me?”
If he truly loved her, he would have stood up for her when his friends spoke ill of her, right?
If he truly loved her, wouldn’t he consider her feelings before doing or saying anything?
But… Jayden seemed to have never done that. He had always been at odds with Paul.
Upon hearing her questioning tone, Jayden’s heart skipped
a beat. He quickly grabbed Eva’s shoulders and said, “Eva, I really love you. Don’t doubt my feelings for you because of this. I admit that my actions were selfish, driven by a desire to challenge authority. But I never considered the difficulties it would cause you, or how you would feel. It was my mistake.”
He took Eva’s hand and placed it on his cheek. “How about this? You can slap me a few times to vent your anger.”
Last time, Eva forgave him after he showed weakness. But this time, Eva remained indifferent. “Senior, how did you know that Paul was harassing me?”
Except for that time in the capital, when Paul mistakenly thought they were in a hotel room and barged in, causing a scene, he hadn’t come to find her again. This time, they encountered each other at the golf course and Paul went crazy after seeing Eva and Jayden kissing. But Jayden wasn’t there this time. How did he know?
When Eva asked this question, Jayden awkwardly avoided her gaze. The kiss at the golf course was intentional. He knew Paul wouldn’t have left, so he kissed Eva to prove himself and anticipated that Paul would cause trouble afterwards.
Sure enough, Paul got into a car accident the next day. Jayden felt jealous of Eva’s concern for him, but he had to show magnanimity and urged Eva to go visit Paul at the hospital. Jayden followed closely behind, wanting to provoke Paul. After all, when they were in the capital, Paul made it difficult for Jayden to find him in court. They already had a grudge, so Jayden knew Paul wouldn’t let him off easily.
But how could he explain these thoughts to Eva? Jayden found a random excuse, saying, “I accidentally saw it…”
Eva persistently asked, “Where did you see it?”
Jayden couldn’t come up with an answer, so he quickly changed the subject. “Paul loves you so much, he must be bothering you all the time. Even without seeing it, I can guess.”
Eva’s eyes, filled with complex emotions, gradually took on a disappointed hue. “Since being with you, there have only been two occasions. Once in the capital, and now. Otherwise, Paul has always kept his promise, avoiding me whenever he sees me. But you speculate that he is constantly bothering me, which means that in your heart, you also see me as someone who can’t settle down, is that what you mean, senior?”
The word “senior” sounded heavy, hitting Jayden’s heart and making him feel guilty instinctively. “It’s not like that. I trust you and I know that you have always rejected Paul. It’s Paul’s own fault for persistently pursuing you even when you have a boyfriend. I also made a mistake by speculating about you. I’m sorry, I spoke out of line and disappointed you.”
Eva stared at him quietly for a while, then calmly spoke, “Senior, I’ve realized… you’re not suitable for me. Let’s break up.”
Upon hearing these words, Jayden panicked. “Eva, don’t say that. My parents know that you’re the girl I’ve had a secret crush on since high school. They value you a lot, which is why they postponed everything and took a long vacation to come see you. Please don’t break up with me because of your ex-boyfriend’s actions. I can’t bear it, and neither can my parents.”
Orphans like Eva hold great respect for their parents. It’s because of their involvement that Eva feels guilty about breaking up with Jayden, especially when he traveled a long distance just to see her…
While Eva was struggling, Jayden grabbed her hand and suddenly it started bleeding. The bright red blood soaked through the bandage, staining his own hand and dropping onto Eva’s hand.
Jayden released her hand, then lifted the blood-stained hand and presented it to Eva. “Eva, do you know that I’ve never kneeled down to anyone before? But James forced me to kneel to help his brother. Faced with such tyranny, I could only resist him with Ryan…”
Even though James didn’t say anything, it was Jayden who provoked Ryan first. It wasn’t just once, but twice, that James forced him to kneel. It had nothing to do with helping Paul. Jayden just wanted to twist the facts. If Stella were here, she would definitely expose his true intentions.
But Stella wasn’t there, and Eva didn’t know the exact sequence of events. She only knew what Jayden said, and now, Jayden’s words made it difficult for Eva to respond.
Noticing that she was silent, Jayden said in a voice tinged with a hint of grievance, “Eva, my wound on my hand started bleeding again. It was when James forced me to kneel down and I used my hand to support myself on the ground. To be honest, I have already paid a painful price for falsely accusing Paul. It’s enough, so… please don’t punish me anymore by breaking up with me. It’s too cruel for me…”
Eva looked at his bloody hand and for a moment, she didn’t know who was right or wrong. In the midst of her chaotic thoughts, Jayden pleaded with her, begging her to forgive him one more time for the sake of their parents.
After staring at his hand for a while, Eva didn’t say anything about forgiveness. She simply asked Mandy to bring the first aid kit and help him stop the bleeding and change the dressing.
After wrapping the bandage, Eva used the excuse that it was too late and told Jayden to go back first. She wanted to think things through before having a conversation with him the next time. Jayden had no choice but to leave with heavy steps.
Jayden didn’t sleep well that night. He believed that it was Stella meddling in their affairs that led Eva to break up with him, so he shifted all his resentment to Stella.
The next day, Jayden came to the hospital feeling listless. As soon as he sat down in his office, he saw Henry carrying a stack of documents, excitedly approaching him.
“Mr. Sherwood, the drug I developed is a success!”
Upon hearing this, Jayden felt that the gloom he had the previous night suddenly dissipated. He quickly reached out and took the documents that Henry handed to him.
“These have received high praise from international experts!”
“I’m not surprised. Even our hospital will give recognition.”
Jayden was extremely excited. His hand holding the documents was trembling.
“So, does this mean that with this drug, we can win the Nobel Prize in Medicine?!”
Henry nodded, then waved his hand nonchalantly.
“That’s not important. What matters is that these drugs can help patients alleviate their pain and cure them.”
Henry believed that saving lives and healing patients was the fundamental goal of being a doctor, and personal honors were not that important. However, Jayden didn’t share the same view.
“Saving lives and personal honors are equally important.”
Henry didn’t argue with him. Everyone pursued different things, so there would naturally be some differences in thinking among different people. And it didn’t cause harm.
As the two of them happily flipped through the documents, the department head walked in with a smile and patted Henry’s shoulder.
“Mr. Simpson, well done. This time, the Nobel Prize in Medicine is definitely yours!”
Henry scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
“It’s all thanks to the team. Mr. Sherwood has also been a great help.”
The department head glanced at Jayden and smiled.
“He only assisted from the side. When the award comes, you will be the one to receive it.”
After speaking, the director patted Jayden’s shoulder again.
“Mr. Sherwood, you are also excellent. I believe that soon, you will have great achievements just like Mr. Simpson.”
Jayden gripped the papers in his hand, exerting some force, but not showing any sign of pride on the surface.
“I will work hard.”
After sitting in the office all morning, Jayden stood up and went to find Henry.
“Mr. Simpson, are you working on your thesis?”
Henry shifted his gaze away from the computer screen and smiled at him.
“The experiment was successful. The deputy director told me to finish the thesis quickly, as it will determine whether we can win on award!”
After nodding, Jayden looked at Henry, who had already returned his attention to typing on the keyboard.
“Mr. Simpson, I have a surgery in the afternoon, but my hand is injured and I’m afraid I can’t perform it. The patient can’t wait, so how about you help me?”
Henry hesitated a bit.
“I can assist you in the surgery, but I’m not familiar with your patient”
“Don’t worry, I’ll go into the operating room with you and guide you.”
Upon hearing Jayden say this, Henry, who was usually kind-hearted, nodded without hesitation.
“Okay
At two o’clock in the afternoon, Henry took the lead in the surgery with Jayden assisting. However, a major accident occurred.
The patient died on the operating table, and the hospital leaders, including the hospital director Stella, rushed over.
The deceased patient was an international medical expert. Although he was old and retired, he still held a lofty position in the medical field worldwide.
A surgery that should have been a sure success resulted in the patient’s death due to the mistake of the lead surgeon, Henry. Hundreds of family members of the patient gathered at the hospital entrance.
Henry leaned against the wall, his eyes fixed on the dripping blood from the sterile surgical gown. He couldn’t understand why such a simple surgery would turn into a medical accident…
A group of doctors and nurses walked to the handwashing sink in the hallway, removing their gloves and sterilizing their hands with soap, chatting with each other.
“Mr. Simpson is so unlucky. He helped Mr. Sherwood with the surgery and ended up causing an accident. Who is responsible for this?”
“Who else but Mr. Simpson? It wasn’t Mr. Sherwood who performed the surgery…”
“That’s true, but Mr. Sherwood should still bear some responsibility.”
One of the head nurses glanced at the doctor who responded, “It doesn’t matter who takes responsibility now. What’s important is that the family of the deceased unanimously believes it was intentional on Mr. Simpson’s part.”
The doctor’s hand-washing motion paused, and he looked up to ask the head nurse, “What are you saying?”
After glancing around, the head nurse lowered her voice and whispered in the doctor’s ear, “The deceased was a renowned medical expert intemationally. He had previously had some disagreements with Mr. Simpson in terms of medical philosophy. They argued in the consultation room, and the expert was quite angry. After leaving, he cursed Mr. Simpson, calling him an inflexible and mediocre doctor.”
The doctor nodded and said, “So, it seems that the deceased and Mr. Simpson had some conflict. No wonder the family is accusing Mr. Simpson of intentional harm.”
Another doctor nearby didn’t like hearing this and said, “Mr. Simpson is not that petty. How could he intentionally harm a patient over such a small matter? Maybe he even forgot about it. Otherwise, when Mr. Sherwood asked him for help, he would have definitely refused. How could he be generous enough to perform surgery for the patient…”
The doctor at the front turned and scanned the others, saying, “It’s useless to talk about this now. The deceased’s family is firmly suspecting him. Even if Mr. Simpson had ten mouths, he wouldn’t be able to explain.”
The head nurse asked, “What do the hospital leaders say?”
The doctor replied, “They’re still in a meeting. I don’t know how they will resolve it,”
The doctor who previously mentioned that Henry had a conflict with the deceased spoke again, “In my opinion, Mr. Simpson will bear the brunt of this. It’s clear that the patient was specifically targeting him. The hospital leaders don’t need to push another excellent doctor into taking responsibility. The impact is already significant enough. Sacrificing one doctor for the sake of the hospital’s image is the most prudent solution…”
These conversations among the doctors and nurses reached Henry’s ears.
He leaned against another sink, his whole body blocked by the sink, and no one noticed he was there.
Jayden pushed open the door to the operating room corridor and saw Henry huddled in a corner, looking lost.
“Mr. Simpson.”
Jayden’s voice startled the doctors and nurses, who didn’t expect the person involved to be there. They quickly left.
Jayden glanced at them, then shifted his gaze back to Henry.
“Mr. Simpson, I didn’t know something would go wrong with this surgery, otherwise I wouldn’t have asked for your help. I’m really sorry for putting you in this situation.”
Henry didn’t say anything, his eyes lowered, still deep in thought about where the problem might lie.
Observing this, Jayden slowly sat down on the floor next to Henry.
“Mr. Simpson, the patient was old, and there are inherent risks with this type of surgery. Don’t blame yourself too much.”
Only then did Henry raise his eyes and look sideways at Jayden, who was sitting next to him.
“Mr. Sherwood, besides cardiovascular disease, does the patient have any other hidden illnesses that were not detected during routine screenings?”
Jayden lowered his head and thought for a moment before shaking his head gently.
“What did the forensic doctor say about the autopsy?”
“The forensic doctor said everything was fine..”
Henry couldn’t believe his eyes as he looked at his blood-covered hands.
“Could it really be my mistake in judgment…”
Seeing Henry starting to doubt himself, Jayden quickly reached out and patted his shoulder.
“Mr. Simpson, it’s not your fault. It’s just that the patient was too old.”
Henry shook his head.
“The surgery failed. How can I blame the patient? It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have ignored your advice and operated on the major blood vessels…”
He had intended to clean the wound thoroughly, so that the patient would no longer suffer from the disease. Who would have thought such an accident would happen?
Seeing him filled with self-blame, Jayden felt a sense of guilt and patted his shoulder again.
“Mr. Simpson, he was originally my patient, and you were just helping with the surgery. The responsibility lies with me, not you.”
After saying that, Jayden took a deep breath and made a solemn promise.
“Don’t worry, I will go explain everything to the hospital leadership and the patient’s family.”
He was about to leave when Henry stopped him.
“The family has already concluded that I intentionally sought revenge. Even if you take responsibility now, it will only drag you down, and it won’t make any difference. Besides, what I care about is that my mistake caused someone’s death…..”
Jayden wanted to say something, but Henry raised his hand to interrupt him.
“Mr. Sherwood, you’re excellent and will have a bright future ahead. Don’t let this incident affect you. Let me face it alone.”
Henry’s medical ethics and character made Jayden felt ashamed.
But Mr. Simpson, the Nobel Prize in Medicine is important to me, so I’m sorry.
In the hospital conference room, Stella
interrogated everyone involved in the surgery. Everyone unanimously agreed that it was Mr. Simpson’s mistake that led to the accident.
Stella suspected that Jayden intentionally hid the patient’s condition, so she personally reviewed the preoperative examination reports and found no problems. She also reviewed the surveillance footage and saw Jayden trying to stop Henry from operating on the major blood vessels. Looking at the autopsy report, she confirmed that the patient died due to a mistake in repairing the major blood vessels.
Without evidence, even if Stella had doubts, she couldn’t directly blame Jayden. She could only step in to resolve the medical dispute, compensate the family for the huge expenses, promise to dismiss Henry, and impose severe disciplinary action.
The students of the deceased patient were the most outstanding talents in the medical field from all over the world. They all went to the hospital to intervene and firmly refused to allow Henry to participate in drug development again.
These medical professionals thought that Henry was seeking revenge and had questionable ethics, so he did not deserve the Nobel Prize in Medicine. If he were to receive the award, they would unite with other hospitals, including the field of medical equipment, to strike back against his hospital.
Upon hearing this, Stella immediately said she didn’t want this honor and wanted to protect Henry’s reputation as the developer of the drug.
However, the other leaders in the hospital argued that the research was approved by the hospital and that it was the hospital’s decision to have Henry conduct the development. They emphasized that Henry was just a key member of the team and that the success of the research was a collective effort. They insisted that the award must be won as it was a matter of hospital prestige.
In order to gain international recognition for the hospital through this drug, the leaders unanimously decided to have Jayden, who had assisted the team, replace Henry and complete the paper. This meant that Jayden would take credit for Henry’s hard work.
Stella disagreed and wanted to find James, but the hospital leaders responded, “It’s normal for hospitals to have medical accidents. We can’t just go to the investors every time something goes wrong. Investors only care about profits, not hospital management. When something happens, it’s up to the hospital leaders and management to handle it. We can’t always rely on investors.”
Stella was so angry that she slammed the table and said, “It’s precisely because we couldn’t reach a consensus through discussions that I wanted to involve the investors.”
One of the hospital leaders sarcastically remarked, “It’s only your opinion that is not in line with everyone else’s. The rest of us have unanimously made a decision.”
Henry quickly spoke up to stop Stella from continuing the argument and said, “This is my mistake, and I am willing to take full responsibility. Let’s make the decision by voting according to the hospital’s rules.”
By saying this, Henry essentially cut off his own future.
Stella stared at him in disbelief, suddenly losing the strength to continue arguing.
The other management members of the hospital began
voting, all in favor, except for Stella’s opposing vote.
In the face of the rules, even though Stella was the hospital director, she couldn’t save Henry.
Seeing that the vote was overwhelmingly in favor, the hospital leaders made the final decision.
As the crowded room dispersed, Stella lifted her clear eyes and looked at Henry sitting below.
Coincidentally, he was looking back at her with a calm smile.
After a long gaze, Henry spoke up.
“I know you want me to accept the award and feel like it’s an honor that belongs to me, but I don’t really care about these things. As long as the patients recover using the medicine I developed, that’s all that matters.”
“But…”
Stella wanted to say something, but Henry interrupted her with a smile. “I have a great talent for drug research. Even if I don’t win the award this time, I will definitely win it next time as long as I don’t give up on medical research in my lifetime…”
At that moment, the afternoon sunlight streamed through the gla*s windows and cast a faint golden glow on Henry, making him shine brightly.
Looking at Henry like this, Stella nodded proudly. “I believe you will be able to develop other medicines, but what about your reputation…”
He saw her regret, but Henry reassured her, “As long as you believe in me, that’s all that matters. Reputation is just something people talk about, it’s not important at all.”
After saying that, Henry spoke to Stella again, “The medical system is quite complicated, involving too many people and interests. Don’t drag Mr. Evans into this, and don’t compete with the expert’s student for my sake. I’m afraid if it continues, doctors might lose their licenses. Let me stay here and do research at the pharmaceutical company. After all, I’m more suited for studying drugs than performing surgery. What do you think…”
Stella could actually tell that Henry still liked performing surgery, but what he said made sense. Given the current situation, they could only let Henry endure for a while.
“Henry, don’t worry, I will find evidence to prove your innocence. Then you can return to this hospital with your head held high.”
Henry smiled and nodded. Afterwards, as Stella watched, he returned to his office. When he packed his things, the doctors from the same department avoided him, not saying a word. Only after Henry left did they gather together and gossip.
Out of sight, out of mind. Henry understood this principle and didn’t let it bother him. Carrying a cardboard box, he left the hospital. When he sat in his car and looked up, he happened to see Stella, dressed in a white coat, standing in the scorching sun, gazing at him from a distance.
Henry’s eyes welled up with tears, but he didn’t roll down the car window. He waved goodbye to Stella. At this stage, because of Erin’s presence, they could only be considered colleagues. Until they put Erin in jail, every approach and reluctant farewell from Henry would only hurt Stella.
He always knew how to restrain himself, how to respect, how to protect. However, the result he got was losing Stella. But does Henry regret it? He definitely doesn’t regret it. After all, from the moment he caught a glimpse of her during the lecture, he was destined to give his heart and soul to her.
James received the news about what happened at the hospital, but a bit late. The hospital publicly announced the outcome to dismiss the patient’s student in order to resolve the matter. James doesn’t interfere with hospital affairs, as all managers have the right to vote and decide what to do, even the dean can’t intervene.
Once James understood the situation, he privately sent Andrew to investigate, and the results matched Stella’s findings. However, they both suspected Jayden was behind it because it seemed too coincidental. But they only had speculation and no evidence, so they couldn’t do anything to Jayden. They could only send someone to get close to Jayden and secretly investigate.
After arranging everything, James called Henry and arranged for him to join the Evans’ pharmaceutical company. He asked Henry to focus on developing medicine and promised to uncover the truth and clear his name. Henry thanked James for his trust and vowed to develop medicine in other fields to bring glory to the Evans’ pharmaceutical company.
After James hung up the phone, Stella thanked him, and he advised her not to tell Eva and Amelia about this matter yet, to avoid alerting anyone. Stella nodded in understanding.
After handling this matter, James was called to the hospital by Paul’s parents.
Paul had caused Jonny’s bone fracture, and his parents had been trying to mediate the situation. But Jonny was stubborn and insisted on having Paul sent to jail.
When James entered Jonny’s hospital room with his team, he saw Jonny sitting cross-legged on the bed, playing cards with Zack, Gigi, and Herb…
Zack quickly stood up and respectfully greeted James, while Jonny leaned against the bed, looking down on him with a raised chin.
“Zack, did the northwest wind blow today? It blew your boss over here…”
Zack endured his sarcasm and pretended not to understand, scratching the back of his head.
“Did the northwest wind blow? I didn’t feel it. Let me go open the window and feel the northwest wind…”
As he said that, he was about to go open the window to feel the northwest wind but was fiercely glared at by Jonny. He then pretended to be timid and sat back down.
Seeing Zack being scared, Gigi also glared at Jonny and said, “Brother, stop staring at Zack, it hurts my heart.”
After that, she held onto Zack’s arm and comforted him, “Zack, my brother has a bad temper like this, don’t mind him, okay?”
Zack took the opportunity to hug Gigi and kissed her on the cheek, saying, “Don’t worry, baby, I won’t let it bother me.”
Others: …
Jonny felt like his eyes were about to go blind and shouted, “Enough, you two!”
Zack and Gigi let go of each other and obediently sat next to each other, heads down playing cards, occasionally giggling.
Jonny: …
He turned to James and asked, “What are you here for?”
James withdrew his gaze from Zack and raised his chin at Jonny. “Why don’t you find a psychiatrist to examine them?”
Zack was perfectly fine before, but after had a girlfriend, he suddenly went all weird. It must be a mental problem, otherwise his behavior wouldn’t be so abnormal.
Hearing this, Andrew couldn’t help but laugh. “Zack, you do seem a bit off. Maybe you should listen to Mr. Evans and get your brain checked.”
Before Zack could reply, Gigi rushed out and stood in front of him protectively. “Zack’s perfectly fine, he doesn’t need any examination!”
Finally finding an opportunity to strike back at Gigi, Herb quickly chimed in, “Then it must be you who has a problem. You should go get checked…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Gigi punched him. “Do you not understand the concept of allies?!”
Holding his arm and wincing in pain, Herb yelled, “I don’t want an ally like you, I want to defect!”
Gigi gave him a few more punches, turning the hospital room into a chaotic scene. Jonny was getting annoyed. “Everyone shut up!”
After the room quieted down, Jonny asked James again why he was there.
James pulled out a chair and sat down in front of the bed, calmly stating his purpose. “Tell me, what do I have to do to save Paul?”
Fearless, Jonny replied, “I mentioned my condition before. If you don’t agree to have your wife take care of me, then there’s nothing to discuss.”
James’s eyes flashed with coldness that struck at the heart.
“Why do you insist on involving her? Do you like my wife?”
The room fell silent, and everyone’s eyes turned to Jonny in shock.
Liking a married woman was not something to be proud of. Jonny couldn’t possibly be that desperate, right?
Jonny’s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly concealed it. “My eyes are not blind.”
He glanced at James with a hint of disdain in his expression, as if Amelia was some kind of ferocious beast.
James stared at Jonny’s eyes, trying to find something in them, but all he saw was disdain and contempt.
“Then why do you insist on having her take care of you?”
Jonny nonchalantly crossed his arms and raised his chin as he continued speaking.
“My grandfather’s family owes a debt to her mother. I feel guilty on behalf of my elders and want her to come take care of me to improve our relationship and make it up to her.”
At this point, Jonny glanced at James, whether to hide something or reassure him, he made it clear.
“Even though it was later confirmed that her mother is not part of the Clark family, she still grew up in the Clark family. I still consider ourselves as cousins.”
James’ cold gaze never left Jonny, as if he could see through him and understand his true intentions. Jonny didn’t avoid his gaze, letting him stare openly, even though his heart was racing, he didn’t dare to easily look away.
After a while, James withdrew his cold gaze and calmly spoke. “It’s best if you have no other intentions, otherwise I’ll break your legs!”
Seeing the doubt in James’ eyes gradually fade, Jonny felt a slight relief in his heart, but then he wondered why he felt relieved. He didn’t like Amelia, he just remembered what she looked like, so why did he have this guilty feeling in front of James?
This feeling annoyed Jonny, “Do you think your wife is a fairy? Everyone would be attracted to her like you?”
James extended his slender hand and flicked his sleeve. “The most beautiful fairy in this world still can’t compare to my wife. You just envy me.”
Upon hearing this, Jonny exploded in anger, “Why would I envy you? I am the rightful heir of the Brook family, why would I envy you?!”
James didn’t pay any attention to him, still nonchalantly, he tugged at the corner of his attractive lips. “Who knows.”
Jonny’s face turned red with anger, “In terms of family background, I’m not much different from you, and in terms of looks, I’m not inferior to you. Do I need to envy you?”
James’ eyes revealed a hint of amusement, “I have a wife, you don’t.”
Jonny, who had been compared to him since childhood, clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. “One day, I will marry a woman better than your wife. Let’s see what you have to compare with me then!”
James sneered, not bothering to argue with him. “Let’s get back to the topic. It’s impossible for my wife to come take care of you. You should consider another condition.”
Jonny turned his head away, “Didn’t I just tell you? There’s no room for negotiation in this matter.”
James’ icy gaze once again focused on him. “You insist on my wife taking care of you?”
Jonny raised his eyebrow lightly and said, “Maybe, you can take care of me.”
At the door of the ward, Paul’s parents exchanged a worried look, their faces filled with concern.
James lowered his thick eyelashes, paused for two seconds, and then lifted his gaze, scanning Jonny.
“I’ll give you the North American project back, that’s my condition. If you can’t handle it, then just wait and see.”
With these words, the man walked away, his arrogant figure making Jonny’s face darken.
“James, you dare to threaten me even when you’re the one begging me?!”
James halted, hands in his pockets, turned to the side, and smirked down at him.
“Whether you dare or not, I’m the one in charge. Think it over and remember to call me.”
The man left with big strides, and the people in the ward finally withdrew their gaze and looked at Jonny, who was visibly angered.
“Bro, it seems like you really can’t beat him…”
As soon as Herb finished speaking, Jonny’s palm came whistling towards him, but luckily Herb swiftly dodged it.
“Bro, I’m on your side, why are you hitting me?”
“Because you let others trample on our dignity! You deserve it!”
Jonny clenched his fist in anger, especially when he saw Paul’s parents outside the door, his expression turned even worse.
“I’m telling you, I won’t let Paul go. Let him prepare to rot in jail!”
Paul’s parents, seeing that Jonny wasn’t reasonable, didn’t say much and left with James.
After returning home, Paul’s mother Kate thought for a moment and decided to call the driver to go to Blue Bay Island.
At the moment, James was busy with work at the Evans Group, and only Amelia was at home.
She was working on a design drawing when she heard Frank say that Paul’s parents had arrived. She quickly put down her pen.
As she made her way downstairs to the living room, she couldn’t help but wonder why Paul’s parents, who had no connection with her, suddenly came to find her.
Kate came from a good background which couldn’t be underestimated. She was also good-looking, exuding an air of elegance and intelligence. Even though she was getting older, she still had a graceful and sophisticated charm. Her speech was gentle and there was no hint of a domineering upper-class woman.
When she saw Amelia, she smiled and praised her for her good looks and tasteful dressing. She even said that the interior design on Blue Bay Island was even better than famous international designers. As she spoke, she even offered Amelia a business opportunity, saying that her brother had a mansion that needed to be renovated and asked Amelia to design it.
Amelia sensed that Kate had a favor to ask of her, so she responded accordingly: “Well, thank you for the introduction. I’ll take on your brother’s estate design project. But I’m guessing you didn’t come to me just to introduce the project, right? Is there something else you want to talk to me about?”
“There is indeed something I need your help with.”
After chatting for a while and having several cups of coffee, Kate finally mustered up the courage to get to the point: “Amelia, how about talking to Jonny for me?”
Upon hearing this request, Amelia was taken aback. “Kate, I’m not very close with Jonny. It wouldn’t be appropriate or effective for me to talk to him.”
She instinctively declined, but Kate stood up, sat next to her, and gently held her hand, patting the back of it.
“I know it’s not appropriate for you to talk to him, but Jonny wants you to take care of him. He feels guilty that the Clark family treated your mother poorly and wants to make it up to you. So, I thought maybe asking you to talk to him could work?”
After finishing her sentence, Kate added, “Of course, if you’re not willing, it’s okay. We’ll think of another solution.”
The Evans family was aware of Amelia’s true identity, which Jonny had revealed, but they chose to keep silent and not spread it to others.
They did this to protect her, and Amelia was grateful for it.
Now, Paul’s mother was suggesting it in a gentle way, without forcing her.
Since marrying into the Evans family, apart from Dominic initially disagreeing, the rest of the Evans family has treated her well. With this in mind, she nodded.
“Okay, I’ll give it a try, but there’s no guarantee it will work.”
“It’s alright. I’m out of options too.”
If Amelia could convince Jonny, then there would be no need to return the North American projects to James.
After agreeing, Amelia felt it would be inappropriate for her to go alone, so she called Edith and asked her to accompany her.
Jonny’s hospital room was upstairs from Paul’s, not too far away. Amelia and Edith first went to visit Paul.
Paul was leaning on the hospital bed, holding a laptop and typing away diligently, completely absorbed in his work.
Amelia and Edith didn’t disturb him much. After leaving some gifts and giving a few instructions, they walked out of the room.