When Charlie arrived at Silverwing Hospital, he found Douglas lying on one of the ward beds, his body bruised and battered. A cast encased his right leg, and he appeared utterly dejected. Charlie felt a wave of sympathy wash over him. Here was a grown man, heartbroken and injured, having been betrayed in the most painful way.

As soon as Douglas noticed Charlie, his swollen eyes filled with tears, streaming down his cheeks like a rushing river.

“Charlie…” he sobbed, his voice breaking.

Charlie approached him gently, speaking in a soothing tone, “It’s alright. She’s just a b*tch; she isn’t worth your tears.”

Douglas continued, “I chased after her for three years, throwing away my dignity in the process! I feel like a pathetic dog, clinging to whatever scraps I could find. Now, I see that I never had anything to begin with…”

His tears choked him as he spoke. “That b*tch didn’t just leave me; she wanted to take everything! I’ve spent every penny I earned in the last few years, even dipping into my ten thousand dollars in savings at that restaurant, and now she refuses to pay me back! I was so blind—how could I have fallen for someone so cruel?”

Charlie offered comfort. “Douglas, as a man, you need to learn to let go. You can start fresh! Remember the painting I gave you? It’s worth at least 200 thousand dollars, enough to kickstart a small business.”

Douglas nodded, wiping his tears. “I have it with me. Thank you for reminding me; otherwise, she would have taken that from me too!”

Charlie sighed in relief. “Good. Now, you should rest and try to forget all this. I’ll grab you something to eat and take care of your hospital bills.”

Tears flowed down Douglas’s cheeks again. “Charlie, my dear brother! Thank you so much… I promise I’ll repay your kindness!”

“Yeah, yeah. We’re brothers; there’s no need for thanks,” Charlie replied gently as he stepped out of the ward.

In his rush to get to the hospital, Charlie hadn’t had the chance to buy anything, but seeing Douglas in such a state tugged at his heart. So, he decided to pick up some fruits and pay the ten thousand dollars for Douglas’s medical bills upfront.

When he returned to Douglas’s room, Charlie noticed the door was wide open. Upon entering, he saw Lily Lewis standing by Douglas’s bed, clinging to Jerome Hunt.

Douglas shouted at the sight of them. “What are you doing here? Come to mock me?”

Lily laughed mockingly. “Who has time for that?”

She spat on the floor in disdain and added, “I’m here for that painting! Where is it? Hand it over!”

Douglas shot back angrily, “Lily Lewis, that painting was a gift from my brother! Who do you think you are to take it from me?”

“A gift?” Lily scoffed. “Use that tiny brain of yours for once. Why would Charlie give you that painting? It was to celebrate the opening of the restaurant! And who owns that restaurant? Just a little reminder—my dad does!”

Douglas was taken aback by Lily’s audacity, his voice shaking with rage. “Lily Lewis, don’t you dare cross that line! I invested ten thousand dollars in that restaurant too, and you still haven’t paid me back! As for the painting, it was a gift from my brother. Do I need to repeat that? It was a gift!”