Chapter 6

Leroy waved in dismissal. "I'm fine. Let's go." Yvonne was filled with worry. "You're not fine at all. Look at all the cold sweat. Come on. Let's go." With that, she swiftly halted a cab and then sent him to the hospital. Since it was a recurring illness, Leroy's colleague did a simple checkup on him and began the treatment. The pale-looking Leroy told Yvonne, "You should head back, Yvonne. I'll be fine alone." However, she stubbornly shook her head. "No can do. I won't leave you by yourself. Let me accompany you. I'm free now anyway." Unable to break through her persistence, he had no choice but to give in and agree. Thus, she stayed with him throughout the treatment and bought him some liquid food to ease his pain. "Leroy, you should start having more meals but in smaller amounts." "I got it. Thank you." He couldn't help but mock himself, thinking, "I took care of Scarlett for seven whole years, yet she hasn't once done this for me. How… devastating." After the treatment was completed, Leroy sat in the corridor. His pale face finally regained some colors. Suddenly, Yvonne held his hands with the tenderest gaze. "Promise me, Leroy, that you will never drink again. You know how harmful it is to your body as a doctor." He nodded lightly. "I do." At that moment, his colleague in a white coat ran over, looking frantic. "Dr. Olson, Mr. Black Senior's condition has worsened and requires immediate surgery. The dean has specifically assigned you to be the attending physician." Arthur Black, the founder of Black Group, was the business mogul known across Ashbourne for many decades. Later, he devoted his life to charity work, helping many out of poverty. Undoubtedly, he was a well-respected figure in the city. Leroy rose weakly to his feet. "Alright. I'll be there." However, Yvonne quickly pulled him back down. "Leroy, you can't do it in this condition! You need rest!" The colleague similarly noticed something off with Leroy. "Dr. Olson, are you alright? Why don't I inform the dean about it and—" "It's okay. I can handle it." Leroy interrupted him, continuing, "I've been following up with Mr. Black Senior's case, and I know his condition best. It has to be me." He turned around to look at Yvonne. "I'll be fine. You should head back. We'll hang out soon." He swiftly wore the white coat passed over by his colleague and left, leaving her behind. Her gaze lingered on his retreating figure and slowly lost focus. In the meantime, the Black Group members gathered outside the operating theatre, most of them being veteran employees. Some had even appeared on television before. Among them, one man with a determined expression was Samuel Black, the eldest son of Arthur and the current leader of Black Group. When he saw Leroy, he hurriedly went up to him. "Dr. Olson, you're here. You must save my dad. We're relying on you!" Leroy shot him a confident look. "Rest assured that I'll try my best." However, Samuel noticed something off with him. "Dr. Olson, are you feeling unwell? Why do you look so pale? Can you still perform the surgery?" His gaze was full of doubt. Everyone knew that performing surgery required not only precision, skill, and technical expertise, but also stamina and the attending physician's unwavering focus. One tiny mishap and a tragedy might occur. Leroy smiled. "Don't worry. I know what I can handle." "I know I shouldn't pry into your private life, but if anything happens to my dad, I'll make you and the hospital pay!" The atmosphere suddenly became tense. That was a blatant threat! Leroy shook his head with a smile and entered the operating theatre. The entire procedure was full of thrill, and he drank a few bottles of glucose drinks to replenish his energy throughout. Ultimately, the surgery was a great success. However, Leroy's condition had worsened, as evident from the endless pouring of sweat from his forehead. Samuel lowered his head in apology. "I was crass earlier, Dr. Olson. Please forgive my impudence." Leroy waved in dismissal. "It's fine. I understand how you felt." Then, Samuel passed him a business card. "Thank you, Dr. Olson, for saving my dad's life. If you need anything in the future, feel free to seek me out." The card didn't ignite much emotion within Leroy. However, to avoid embarrassing Samuel, he gladly accepted it. "Sure." As he prepared to take a rest, a familiar, mocking voice sounded in the corridor. "Hey, if it isn't the workaholic, Dr. Olson. Look at you, working diligently after a date with your girlfriend." Leroy turned around and expectedly saw Cedric. His arm wrapped around Scarlett's as usual, creating an intimate scene. Leroy's brows knitted ever-so-slightly as the looming pain in his chest returned. Yet, Cedric didn't seem satisfied with his continuous provocation of Leroy. "To ensure Lettie is fine, I decided to bring her here for a checkup. Who knew if somebody had made a mistake and secretly caused her legs to have a hidden condition? That won't be great, will it?" His words couldn't be easier to understand. He was obviously talking about Leroy. However, Scarlett wasn't paying attention to that at all. Instead, she had been staring at Leroy's pale face. His forehead was covered in sweat, and his face was devoid of colors. Before she could inquire about his condition, she subconsciously glanced at Cedric. To avoid arising unnecessary suspicion, she eventually swallowed her words. Leroy let out a faint cough, concluding, "Sure. Go ahead." However, Cedric wasn't going to let him go. "Hold on. You've been looking after Lettie all this time. You should be the one who does the checkup. "Besides, I only trust your medical abilities. I need to ensure everything is fine with her before we get married." An invisible knife slashed across Leroy's heart when he heard his words. Despite showing no signs of emotions, he was unbearably hurt deep down. Cedric seemed to enjoy that feeling, adding, "You know Lettie's condition the best. If anything happens during the checkup, it's much more convenient for us to communicate." In this case, communicating meant condemning Leroy's work. At that point, Scarlett couldn't bear to see his frail expression anymore. "Cedric, let's not trouble him. We'll just see another doctor." Cedric shrugged in response. "Fine. I won't pressure him then, given how reluctant he is. I guess we should give him a break considering he's looked after you for years. "Anyway, we'll see you at our wedding, Dr. Olson!" Every sentence of his revolved around Leroy's years of caring for Scarlett and their upcoming marriage, each word filled with ulterior motives. Besides, they were currently in the corridor where plenty of people gathered. One had to know that Leroy and Scarlett's relationship had always been the talk of the hospital. Many even saw him as the perfect husband. Now that he had been dumped, the hospital would undoubtedly have a field day with the new gossip—something Cedric precisely wanted.