Chapter 2
I remembered that every time I cooked for her, she would hug me from behind and whisper in my ear, “My baby, you’ve worked hard.” It seemed warm, but in the past five years, she had never even poured a cup of hot water for me. She was the youngest professor of cardiac surgery in the top medical school in Hanta. She always said, “My hands are for surgery, so I must protect them at all times.” Even when she held my hand, she was very careful. But now, she made an exception and cooked for Russ. Edie saw me, snorted and laughed and made an expression of “I knew it”. Russ greeted me enthusiastically, “Lionel, you’re back! Do you want to eat together?” I silently passed him and went straight to the bedroom. “Stop!” Edie stood up suddenly, her face terribly gloomy. “Russ is talking to you, why don’t you respond? Don’t you even have the most basic manners?” I turned around slowly and sneered, “How do you want me to respond? Thank him for making my fiancée pregnant and letting me become a father? Or rush up and punch him a few times, calling him a cheap mistress and get out of my house?” “You!” Edie was choked and couldn’t speak. “Ugh…” She suddenly covered her mouth and retched, tears coming. Russ asked in panic, “Edie, what happened? Are you uncomfortable?” “I’m fine…” Russ trembled and hugged Edie, but his eyes were red at me. “Lionel, it’s all my fault. I don’t want to live in your house, but I really can’t let go of Edie and the baby. I’ll leave as soon as the baby is born and I won’t bother you and Edie again.” As he said this, he suddenly stroked Edie’s belly and choked. “I’m sorry, baby. Dad doesn’t want to abandon you, but Dad did something bad, so he must accept the punishment… I’m sorry…” Edie retched violently and collapsed in Russ’s arms. She looked at me with hatred, as if I had committed some heinous crime. “Are you satisfied now?” I curled my lips and turned away. My attitude completely angered Edie. She grabbed the glass on the table and threw it at me. There was a sharp pain in the back of my head and with the sound of glass breaking, I fell heavily on the stairs. The sharp pain made me sweat instantly and I couldn’t stand up for a while. “Why are you pretending? Get up quickly!” Edie scolded impatiently behind me. Russ came over hypocritically. “Lionel, you should be okay, right? I saw the cup just lightly rubbed your shoulder…” “Shut up!” I gritted my teeth to interrupt him and stood up with all my strength. Seeing my bad attitude toward Russ, Edie’s eyes suddenly turned cold. “Russ has no appetite. You go and cook him your best crucian carp and tofu soup. Remember not to put onions. He doesn’t like it.” “No,” I refused without hesitation. “This is an order!” Edie’s face was terribly gloomy. “Lionel, do you think you have a choice?” I clenched my fists and looked straight into her eyes. “I just don’t do it. What can you do?” Edie’s eyes flashed with cold light. She strode forward and roughly grabbed my arm and pushed me into the kitchen fiercely. The door was shut heavily. “Don’t think about coming out until the soup is ready!” “Edie, you’re crazy!” I slapped the door hard, shouting “Let me out” at the top of my lungs, but there was only a dead silence. My palms were swollen and hot. Finally, I slid down to the ground and leaned against the cold door.