Ethan was outside the school. "Papa!" Eli, rushing towards his father.
Ethan swept him into a big hug and a kiss. "Okay, now I have a surprise for you, Eli!"
"Ah, what is it? What is it?" Eli jumped excitedly.
"Will you be my date?" Ethan teased.
"Ahhhh?!" Eli was confused.
"I mean, we are going out for dinner tonight!" Ethan explained.
"Ohhhhh! Outside! Outside!" Eli cheered, delighted.
Before Ethan could secure Eli in the car seat, a woman's voice cut through the air. "Hii, Dr. Ethan Stan!"
Ethan buckled Eli safely, closed the door, and turned. He saw a woman in a high-fashion, wealthy outfit, flanked by a secretary. He didn't recognize her.
"Haa, hi, Miss. I don't know who you are, but how do you know my name?" Ethan asked cautiously.
Selena laughed, a sound dripping with malice. "The city's popular Gynaecologist asking a girl how she knows his name? Very funny, right, Lele?" she said to her secretary.
Ethan was instantly on guard.
Selena dropped the pretense, her face contorting with rage. "Ahhhh, how dare you, you son of a bi**h, have an affair with my fiancé!"
"Your fiancé?" Ethan demanded, his eyes hardening. "First off all, hey, mind your tongue!"
"Hey! Shut up! You're beneath my foot!" Selena shrieked. "How dare you have an affair with my Lucas?! Take this blank cheque and get the hell out! Never come back, you dirty... you are all like a wh*re! You just sell your body for money! I know how cheap gutter h*m*se*uals you are!" ( Selena spat a hateful slur meant to tear him down.)
Ethan was shaking, his professional cool snapping. He swung his arm back and delivered a ringing, hard slap across Selena's face.
Selena gasped, momentarily stunned. "Y-You! How dare you!"
Ethan slapped her again, so hard that she stumbled backward and Lele had to grab her to prevent her from falling.
"Shut up! Just shut your fu**ing mouth!" Ethan roared, his voice trembling with fury. "As a Gynaecologist, I have seen and helped women of every kind, and I have never, ever seen a gutter woman like you! You are cheap! Just because you have money doesn't mean anyone has to lick your boots! I am a person who, if someone tries to drag my character, my life, or my family, will slap them with my boots!"
He pointed at her. "Mind your tongue! And as for Lucas, go and ask him, not me! I'm not the one who follows him always! He is!"
Ethan turned to get into his car, but spun back around, fire in his eyes. "Ahhh, if I ever leave my Lucas, it's so that disgusting, gutter people like you will never even try to touch him! Poor guy! Now I'm into it! I'm challenging you: If you have the guts, then try and take my Lucas away from me!"
Ethan got into his car and sped away, leaving Selena and Lele traumatized.
"No, no! You'll die! I want his dead body!" Selena screamed angrily at the receding taillights.
Meanwhile, Sefan was in her office, her face still arrogant as she answered her private line.
"Hello? Miss Sefan," the woman's smooth, confident voice said.
As soon as Sefan heard it, she froze. "Vic... Victoria?!" she asked, voice cracking with shock.
"Yes, my dear sister-in-law. Of course, I'm your Victoria," the voice confirmed with a sassy vibe.
"What... why are you calling me after all these years?" Sefan's voice cracked even further.
"Oh, shouldn't I call my sister-in-law? Or have you forgotten our deals?" Victoria asked, the question hitting Sefan like a physical blow.
"Let me refresh your memory," Victoria continued coolly. "Nine years ago, I married your brother, Damien, as soon as I fell in love with him, without telling my step-brother or my mother. When I married him and came home, you and your brother moved in with us. My mother and step-brother willingly gave up our mansion to you. Even though my mother is the daughter of the President of the country, she did nothing."
Victoria's voice turned icy. "You and your gutter brother trapped me into falling in love just to involve yourselves with my family! I'm the stupid one who didn't understand the deal's real purpose:I had to give all my shares to my husband before the marriage, and the agreement was only applicable for nine years. If I wanted a divorce, I would have to wait nine years to get all my shares back. I agreed because I thought I was going to live my whole life with him!"
"But I didn't know this was all planned for you both to get involved with my family! And the deal was structured because you two knew that if I found out the truth, I would definitely try to divorce your brother! You f***ing siblings trapped me, and as per your plan, you tried to enjoying all my family's properties!"
You literally acted as a mi*tress, using my step-brother and having an affair with him to get a baby, just to eat up his properties! And at what cost? I heard something happened right before my brother died! He did it perfectly, right?"
"Victoria!" Sefan screamed in absolute fury.
"Hey! Shut up, you f***ing mi*tress!" Victoria shot back. "How dare you raise your voice? I'm coming to your country in a couple of days! I know your poor son knows nothing. Let me tell him everything about his life, right?" Victoria laughed cruelly and hung up.
Sefan snatched the glass of water on her desk and spilled it down her face in frustration. Her hand was shaking violently. No, no! Why did she call now? What can I do next? Sefan was terrified.
It was morning. Lucas, looking happy and refreshed after his successful meeting with Ethan, was already dressed to leave for the office.
"Sir, for the medical camping, I already sent all the information and the donation to the city hospital, as you requested," Arlo informed him.
"Thank you, Arlo," Lucas said, his eyes bright with happiness.
Arlo noticed his elevated mood. "Sir, can I ask you one thing?"
"Yes, of course, Arlo, what is it?"
"You said you had personal errands yesterday. Could I know what they were about?"
Lucas sighed happily. "Arlo, I went to see my son, Eli!"
Arlo was shocked.
"Ah, actually, yesterday I also saw Ethan," Lucas added casually.
Arlo became even more worried for Ethan.
"now I have total hope of getting my love back and my son, too," Lucas said, shining with happiness.
"Heyy, Doctor! Good morning!" Cury said, rushing up to him.
"Good morning," Ethan replied.
"OMG, yesterday I ran, I ran so fast—more than I've ever run in my life—just to save myself!" Cury exclaimed.
"Dr. Ethan, what do you think? Who would those attackers be? Do you think they're from Sojuva's Mafia?" Satraus asked, joining them.
"Who knows, Satraus, but one thing is true," Ethan said, his face grave. "This truly has a bigger hand in this smuggling business. I'm thinking... who could the our business partner be who has joined them in corrupting our medicine supplements?"
Meanwhile, a car pulled up in front of a mysterious building. A woman walked straight inside.
"Hey, Sojuva! What's the deal? Why did you call me here? Is it urgent?" The woman demanded.
"Ahhh, Madam Rosy Sefan, how are you? It's been a year. Please sit down first," Sojuva said smoothly. "I called you because of this." He handed her a phone with a cracked screen. "Yesterday, while our boys were attacking those doctors, a guy tried to help them. That phone belonged to him."
Sefan took the phone and looked at the lock screen. She saw the familiar background. Her breath hitched.
"Lucas!?"