Chapter 11 Regretting So Soon

Uncle Benjamin didn't say a word. I wasn't ready to give up, so I called him again. But he turned his back on me, clearly unwilling to talk. I didn't push further. It wasn't like I was good at expressing emotions or mending family ties. Instead, I simply said, "The doctor mentioned your heart condition is serious. You need a full check-up soon and surgery as soon as possible. Don't delay it." I grabbed the water bottle and headed to the water station. The hospital's water station was right next to the doctors' lounge, and as I filled the water bottle, I overheard a conversation from the adjacent room. "I've booked the ticket for next Monday. Don't worry. I'll take care of myself once I'm abroad." Upon hearing that, I instinctively turned to look. There he was—the man standing tall in his white coat with a calm, refined demeanor. It was Yvette's prince charming. From the sound of it, he was leaving the country soon. I froze. Memories of my past life came flooding back. Yvette realized she couldn't live without him right after he left the country. That was when she finally decided—there was no turning back. She left me, divorced me, and flew across the ocean to chase after him. What was funny was that she was the one who helped orchestrate his opportunity to study abroad. She even attended business dinners to smooth things over for him. I still remember one night when she came home complaining of stomach pain from all the drinking. And me? I stayed up all night taking care of her. Yvette and I weren't so different after all. We were both pathetic, hopelessly devoted fools chasing after people who didn't care about us. I was still in a daze when I heard him acknowledge softly, and the call ended abruptly. He turned, and when he saw me, his expression changed drastically. "Watch out!" Before I could process what was happening, a scalding pain jolted through my hand. The water bottle had overflowed, spilling boiling water onto my skin. He reacted immediately, grabbing my hand and running it under cold water. His brows furrowed as he muttered, "You're lucky it's not serious, but you shouldn't let your mind wander when handling hot water." Still in a daze, I looked at him. His voice was steady and professional, and I could feel the genuine care beneath it. "Come to my office. I have some ointment you should use." I looked down at his nametag—Randall Caldwell. Yvette loved this man wholeheartedly for her entire life, doing everything she could to help him. A scene from my past life flashed in my mind. It was the moment they got engaged. She happily hugged Randall's slender waist, and he gently looked down at her. Though the journey was difficult, they eventually ended up together. "Alright, you need to apply this ointment a few times daily. You'll likely feel a slight burning sensation at night, so bear with it." He handed me the ointment and gave me a few instructions. I stared at him, grateful. "Thank you, doctor." I turned with the water bottle in hand and left his office. In a sense, we were rivals, but I had no desire to compete with him in my past life. I didn't even bother to learn his name back then, only remembering that cold, refined face. This time, I had no intention of getting involved with him. The best strategy was to stay away from him and Yvette. Back in the ward, Uncle Benjamin was as silent as before. I set the water bottle down and poured him a glass of water. "Uncle Benjamin, have some warm water." His face was buried in a thick beard, his gaze empty and lifeless. It was like he had already given up on everything. Seeing this, I sighed. "I've saved my number in your phone. If anything comes up, call me immediately. As for the hospital bills, you don't need to worry. I'll take care of them." I didn't know much about his life now, but judging by his patched-up clothes and how worn out he looked, he was clearly struggling. Maybe my grandfather had cast him out, just like my mom. As I turned to leave, I suddenly felt a hand grab my wrist. I looked back, surprised to see Uncle Benjamin holding an emerald pendant. His thumb brushed over the smooth surface several times before placing it firmly in my palm. "A gift for you." I was stunned for a moment, then glanced at Uncle Benjamin. He closed his eyes again, seemingly not wanting to say anything more to me. But I could still feel the emerald pendant in my hand, warm with his body heat. I could imagine that he'd been holding it for a long time, unable to figure out how to express himself. A wave of emotion hit me, and my nose tinged with sadness. I lowered my head and gazed at the emerald pendant in my hand. Its texture was smooth and warm, clearly a fine piece of craftsmanship. Throughout my life, aside from my mother, few people had ever truly cared for me. Yet, I could feel familial warmth in my silent, withdrawn, and seemingly worn-out uncle. Despite his life seeming even more challenging than mine, he had given me such a precious emerald pendant as a gift... … I returned to Kenny's house, sat on the sofa, and carefully considered the situation with money. Uncle Benjamin's heart disease was severe, yet no one was looking after him. Like my mom, I guessed he might have had a falling out with my grandfather. Learning about my mom's death had struck him hard; it was clear he cared for her, and he wasn't unkind to me either. I couldn't just stand by and watch him repeat the mistakes of the past, dying young like in my previous life. My dad, that miser, only knew how to ask me for money. He would never lend anything to my grandfather's family, especially considering how much disdain my grandfather showed him back then. Seeing Uncle Benjamin in this condition, my dad would just mock him. So, the only option left was to ask Yvette for money. It had been a year since I married her. I had been serving her like a housekeeper, enduring hardships without real reward. All I needed were the hospitalization and surgery fees—just a little from her would be enough. I was wondering how to approach her when I was startled by a mechanical female voice on the phone. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later…" Was Yvette in a meeting? I frowned. I knew Yvette well—her phone was always on and never set to silent except during meetings. Usually, I could reach her anytime, so why wasn't she answering this time? I called again, seven or eight times in a row, all unanswered. I began to doubt everything, cursing at the phone, "Why isn't she answering? Is she acting even worse than in my past life? Back then, she would just hang up on me, but now she ignored me completely. Damn woman!" Finally, on the tenth call, it was answered. I was so furious I could barely hold back my rage, only to hear her scoffing indifferently, her voice full of confidence. "Owen, regretting so soon?" She must think I was calling to apologize and beg her to reconcile, huh? I let out a cold, mocking laugh. "You're overthinking it. I'm calling to let you know that when we divorce, I expect two million as my settlement fee…"