Chapter 1

My mother, Elizabeth Parker, had a severe illness. My childhood friend, Benjamin Harris, wanted to become a doctor and vowed to cure Elizabeth's rheumatoid arthritis.

Later, I became Benjamin's wife. Benjamin became Elizabeth's attending physician.

But when Elizabeth had a heart attack in the hospital, she struggled to press the emergency bell all night. But Benjamin, who said he studied medicine for Elizabeth, didn't come.

When I arrived at the hospital with the croissant Elizabeth loved, her fingers clutching the call button were already stiff.

The following day, Benjamin came late. He was holding a nurse in his arms, Olivia Smith. Benjamin said to Olivia, "If your mother is ill in the future, I will be there whenever she calls. My purpose of studying medicine is to protect our families."

I took away all of Elizabeth's belongings and gave Benjamin a divorce agreement.

Benjamin and Olivia stopped me.

When I returned to the ward and dealt with Elizabeth's belongings, it was already dawn.

I fell to the ground and looked at the half-open duty room. There was still no one inside.

My eyes were tearful. I saw their names on the duty roster.

I thought, "When did they start? I have no idea. Elizabeth was seriously ill. I paid all my attention to her. Even though I noticed the unusual relationship between Benjamin and Olivia, I don't have the energy. Elizabeth's chronic illness still needed Benjamin's treatment. Now, all my reasons to compromise and endure are gone."

I could hear the sound of their laughing from the end of the corridor.

"If your mother is ill in the future, I will be there whenever she calls. My purpose of studying medicine is to protect our families." A doting male voice came from far away.

It was my husband, Benjamin. We've been married for five years.

Olivia held his arm and came towards this side happily.

Olivia wore light makeup and had her hair tied up like a princess. She was wearing a custom-made nurse's uniform with a bow brooch hidden under the collar and delicate patterns embroidered on the cuffs.

I wondered, "She's so delicate. Not like me. I am so messy." I looked down at the patches on my T-shirt and the holes in my jeans.

"Amelia, why are you sitting on the ground? It's so cold." Olivia recognized me.

She avoided making eye contact with me. Olivia guiltily pulled away her arm.

Benjamin angrily turned his hands behind his back and hooked Olivia's little finger.

He didn't smile at me and kicked my calf impatiently. "Amelia, why don't you stay by Elizabeth's side?"

I was surprisingly calm and spoke coldly, "You were the doctor on duty last night. You have all these inpatients. But you went on a date."

Olivia bit her lip with injustice. She looked innocent and explained with a crying voice, "Amelia, you misunderstood us. My mother sprained her ankle yesterday. I asked Dr. Harris to come home with me to see her."

I stood up and met her provocative eyes. "You have your duties. Buy you left your patients and left without permission. Do you have any medical ethics?"

I turned to look at Benjamin. I couldn't suppress my emotions anymore. I felt the resentment and hatred in my heart. I gritted my teeth and said, "I want to divorce you. I hope you both will be happy together."

The lost love turned into a sharp blade and pierced my heart.

I thought, "Benjamin was the one who said he wanted to save my mother. But he was also the one who let her die. Benjamin once knelt in front of my mother's hospital bed and vowed that he would become an excellent orthopedic surgeon in the future to help her stand up again. But last night, my mother pressed the emergency bell over and over again. No one answered.

Benjamin is an excellent attending physician and my husband. But he betrayed me for a nurse whom he had only known for a few days. He abandoned the oath and the basic medical ethics as a doctor."

Benjamin responded disapprovingly. "I haven't slept all night. I'm very tired. Don't make trouble. If you have anything to say, let's talk about it when we get home."

Someone interrupted our conversation.

"Benjamin, Olivia, was there anything special last night?" It was Matthew Johnson, the chief of the orthopedics department.

Benjamin looked towards Elizabeth's ward and hesitated for a moment. He nodded firmly. "No. What could possibly happen in the orthopedic inpatient department? Besides, there are only ten patients in total."

"We can't let our guard down." Matthew handed Benjamin Elizabeth's medical records. "Yesterday I told Olivia that this patient had chest pain and shortness of breath. I suspected it was rheumatic heart disease. I asked you to arrange a cardiology consultation immediately. The results should be out by now."