“Listen, Adam,” Aaron’s voice suddenly sharpen, rising a pitch. “Do you realize you’re standing here, using your own family? You sound like Alicia’s brainwashed you!”
Adam’s face darkened, but Aaron didn’t stop. “It’s not that we don’t care about her-she’s the one who’s vicious,” he continued.
“You barelye home since you started working, so you don’t know. Ever since Tiffany came back, Alicia’s been trying to trip her up. How could we treat her like family?”
Adam froze at those words, but only for a second. His jaw clenched as a thought clicked into ce. “And before Tiffany came back? She never pulled anything like that. You just ignored her, and now you’re trying to use Tiffany as an excuse to cover up your own selfishness and hypocrisy.”
“Enough.” Hugh, who’d been silent until now, finally spoke. “Adam, I never imagined you’d bitten the hand that feeds you. If I’d known you’d turn out like this, I never would’ve lifted a finger to get you a foothold at the hospital.”
He red at Adam before continued. “And now you’re telling me the best room in this ce should go to a stranger instead of your sister? Alicia’s ward-was it your doing?”
Every head in the room turned toward him. Adam shook his head, pale but steady. “No. I only just found out she was admitted.”
“Don’t y dumb with me.” Hugh’s anger snapped like a whip. “Without you, she’d nevernd in a VIP room. She’s a penniless orphan-how the hell could she afford it?”
Adam had no answer. He only remembered what Harvey had said—Alicia had been sent here by someone else, but he didn’t know who was that. He opened his mouth to exin, but Hugh cut him off with a sneer.
“You’re nothing but a leech, Adam. You dare look down on us, but what about you?” said Hugh. “Your career was built on the Lawrence family’s blood and name. You wouldn’t even be a chief if it weren’t for us. And now you strut around acting holier-than-thou? You’re the biggest hypocrite of us all.”
Adam’s face went sheet-white. “Dad… what are you saying? I earned that promotion myself. What do you mean I relied on the family?”
“On your own? What a joke. You were stuck as an intern for years, couldn’t even make it to a resident. Then suddenly, you soared straight up thedder,” Hugh gave a harsh, bitterugh.
“Without me greasing the wheels, you’d still be fetching coffee. Don’t tter yourself. You want to throw stones at us? Fine. But don’t you dare do it while standing on the foundation we built for you.” <fn0478> For original chapters go to </fn0478>
Adam staggered back a step, his knees nearly buckling. His lips trembled, and a hollow whisper slipped out. “So… that’s the truth?”
A dry, brokenugh burst from him. “And here I thought I was capable. Turns out it was never me at all. So that’s it. That’s all it ever was.”
He felt like the punchline of a cruel joke.
All those years-his pride, his ambition, his fights with Harvey, his refusal to bow-were all jokes. He finally realized that he was nothing but a puppet propped up by the Lawrence’s strings.
The walls seemed to close in on him. He spun around and stumbled out of the room, half-running, half- falling.
Maria’s face pinched with worry. She turned on Hugh, voice sharp with me. “Honestly, Hugh, why would you say all that to him? What if he does something stupid?”
She then turned to Archie. “Archie, go check on Adam.”
Archie, still sore from being yanked to the floor earlier, scowled. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Maria looked to Andrew, but Andrew shook his head quickly. “Forget it. He’s lost his mind. I’m not poking that ho’s nest.”
Finally, Aaron sighed and pushed to his feet. “Fine. I’ll go after him. Someone has to make sure he doesn’t do anything rash.”
After Aaron left, the rest of the Lawrence family sat in the ward, trading uneasy nces. And then, the silence broke with Tiffany’s soft, pitiful sobs.
Maria’s heart lurched. She clutched Tiffany’s trembling hands. “Sweetheart, what is it? Why are you crying?”
“Mom, does Adam hate me? He’s standing up for Alicia because he thinks I stole everything from her?” Tiffany lowered hershes, tears dripping onto herp. Her voice quavered, fragile as ss. “It’s all my fault. Maybe I should just leave.”
She started to rise, but Maria pulled her into a fierce embrace. “Don’t talk nonsense! How could Adam ever hate you? This has nothing to do with you. It’s Alicia poisoning his mind.”
Archie jumped in quickly. “Exactly. It’s her fault. She’s brainwashed him.”
“So what about the ward now?” Andrew folded his arms. “What’s the n?”
Tiffany gave a weak shake of her head, her voice faint. “Forget it. I don’t want to stay here. That room was Alicia’s first, so I’ll just go home.”
“Nonsense,” Maria frowned, eyes shing. “You’re sick. What if something happens while you’re at home? Stay here. I’ll make Alicia give up that room.”
“But Mom… ” Tiffany reached as if to stop her, but her grip slipped loose, letting Maria march away.
Meanwhile, in Room 606, Brooke was chatting with Alicia.
“Miss Lawrence, I just came back from outside,” she leaned close to Alicia, whispering. “I heard the Lawrences in 602 arguing.”
Alicia didn’t even blink. Whatever fights they had weren’t her concern. She only cared about herself now.
“Sounded like Doctor Lawrence was quarreling with his family,” Brooke continued, lowering her voice further. “He was standing up for you-called them ‘selfish people.”
That made Alicia pause, her brows lifting.
In herst life, that had never happened. Adam had rarely returned home, and the few times he did, Tiffany always filled his ears with rumors.
Adam’s indifference had turned into dislike. He’d never hurled insults like the other Lawrences, but when she’d begged him for help, he would always reply with the same words.
“I want nothing to do with you,” those cruel words of Adam still lingered, seared into her memory. “You’re not my sister-you’d just reaped what you sowed.”
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