Marianne took a deep breath.
Their conversations always went in circles.
Natalia would somehow enter the conversation and inevitably, everything ended up revolving around Calin.
"Sergei, when are you going to understand that this has never been about other people?" Marianne said, meeting his gaze. "They're merely excuses to you. They may have played a part, but they're just another problem you use to avoid facing what's actually between us. You know that in your heart, but you just don't like the idea that someone who used to orbit around you suddenly stopped. Even now, you don't really love me. I may not even be one of your fallbacks."
"Why are you making me the bad person here?" Sergei asked, looking hurt. "I thought you were different. Nowadays, everyone seems to blame me, making me feel like I'm the culprit for things I didn't even do, simply because I once chose to compromise and tolerate my sister's actions."
"Again, don't use your sister as an excuse. I'm not accusing you or blaming you either. It's simply a matter of fact, because I've finally realized that my existence in your life was nothing more than convenience."
Marianne recalled her past actions.
"I was always the one who initiated contact. Whenever you were emotionally down or mentally drained, I couldn't wait to take that burden from you. I desperately wanted to get closer to you and be accepted by your family, so I made myself constantly available to you."
She gave a faint, bitter smile.
"Then again, I don't blame you. I did all of that of my own accord, and you never forced me. I was the one who made you believe I'd always be there whenever you turned around, but now, I simply stopped doing that."
Sergei was momentarily stunned, even more so by how calmly she said it.
A sense of dread curled inside him. He stepped closer and grabbed her shoulders.
"I understand. It was my fault for not valuing everything you've done for me. Give me a chance, okay? I'll change. We can have a fresh start. It may not be the same as before, considering the Riccis' current predicament, but I'm not exactly penniless. I still have my own mafia organization."
Marianne impatiently took a step back.
Feelings took time to fade, and she would be lying if she said she had no feelings for him anymore.
But they weren't the same as before. She would no longer love someone more than she loved herself.
"You're punishing me, aren't you?" Sergei said when he saw her reaction. "It's fine. After all, I took you for granted all these years."
"Just leave." Marianne felt exhausted. "It's not that you understand. You simply refuse to. Even now, what matters most to you is yourself. You're hurting. You think I'm being unfair. You think I'm unreasonable, and you can't accept that this isn't the outcome you expected."
Her voice remained calm, but every word landed heavily.
"Rather, you expected me to forgive you after you admitted your mistakes, and then we would simply act as though nothing had ever happened."
Sergei "..."
It was as though she had seen straight through his heart.
Marianne glanced at her watch and turned toward her car.
Before she could take another step, Sergei grabbed her from behind.
"What are you doing? Let go of me!"
"This isn't the right place for us to talk," Sergei insisted. "You're tired and angry. You're making decisions you don't really mean."
He began dragging her toward his car.
Marianne struggled, shocked and increasingly anxious that the man she thought she knew would resort to such an underhanded method.
"I've said everything I needed to say! I'm not going anywhere!"
Sergei ignored her.
With their difference in strength, it was easy for him to force her toward the vehicle.
Marianne began to panic as she desperately clung to the car door. "Sergei Ricci, this is illegal! What is wrong with you?!"
Just as he managed to push her toward the passenger seat, a voice suddenly echoed from behind them.
"What's going on here?"
Saeki stood there nonchalantly, wearing a mask.
"I thought you were some kidnapper, but it turns out to be you. Did you change jobs now that you're no longer a CEO?"
Sergei flinched but quickly recovered. "Arguments between couples are normal. Stay out of my affairs."
Saeki glanced toward the car and saw a woman rolling down the window.
Before he could get a proper look, Sergei stepped in front of her, blocking his view.
"Hmm... She looked familiar. Isn't she just your friend? I remember you introducing her to me at a banquet..." He paused, thinking. "I think it was Calin's engagement banquet?"
"We have nothing to do with each other! We already broke up long ago!" Marianne shouted from inside the car.
"Ah, I remember. Zoren mentioned you have a doctor girlfriend. Is it also her?" Saeki continued curiously. "So, is she your friend? Girlfriend? Ex-girlfriend?"
"Drop dead." Sergei snarled, and hurried toward the driver's seat.
"I don't mean to interfere," Saeki said, stepping in front of the driver's door, "but she clearly doesn't look well to me. Is this how you treat women?"
"What are you playing at, hero?" Sergei glared at him. "If you're sick, the hospital is right above us."
Saeki "..."
He was, in fact, at Neri Medical Hospital for a follow-up appointment after the injuries Shin had inflicted on him that night at the villa.
"Just a reminder that this is Neri Medical Hospital. Even this area is packed with surveillance cameras," Saeki said.
It must have provoked Sergei because he suddenly lunged at him, raising his fist.
Although Saeki couldn't defeat Shin, it was an entirely different matter when dealing with others. Besides, he was already bruised and battered from Shin's beating. How could he possibly let Sergei add to it?
The two immediately began brawling.
Inside the car, Marianne was shocked when the fight broke out. She quickly took the opportunity to crawl out through the window of the locked vehicle.
By the time the hospital security arrived, Sergei was lying on the ground in a sorry state.
He looked at Marianne as though expecting her to take pity on him and stand by his side.
Instead, she looked at him resolutely.
"Sergei Ricci, this will be the last time. Otherwise, I'll file a restraining order against you."
Sergei stared at her as though he couldn't believe she had actually said it.
In the end, the matter was settled, with both sides leaving the premises separately.
"Thank you," Marianne said to Saeki. "Do you need a ride? Or should I call you a driver?"
Saeki paused before laughing.
"You mean this?" He gestured toward his bruised face. "I didn't get injured because of that. But I could use some help with driving."
Marianne: "..."
Considering that he had helped her, she reluctantly nodded.
Saeki laughed again. "I'm just joking. You look exhausted. You should get going and get some rest."
After Marianne left, Saeki also got into his car, muttering to himself about how pretty Marianne was. Then again, doctors were probably the scariest people to anger, and there's also the fact that they were often far too busy to go on dates.
He sighed. "Too troublesome."
--
Meanwhile, when Calin returned to the hospital, she was once again sedated after the court hearing was adjourned until another scheduled date.
The following day, she returned to her usual dazed state, but she would occasionally have violent outbursts whenever she stared at the white ceiling for too long.
Marianne happened to pass by while Madam Ricci was there, and the latter immediately gave her an unpleasant look.
"Are you satisfied now? You were so quick to abandon my son the moment he started struggling! What the hell are you doing here? Do you think I'll let you treat my daughter? Stay away from us!"
Marianne frowned. "I work here. This hallway isn't private. Don't worry, I'm not the physician assigned to Calin Ricci."
Madam Ricci pointed at her, clearly preparing to escalate the argument.
Before she could say anything else, Calin suddenly woke up and screamed hysterically, thrashing against the bed.
"Snake! Snake!"
Madam Ricci's expression changed.
"This hospital is huge. You don't need to take this hallway unless you're deliberately gloating and wanted to see my daughter suffering! What kind of doctor is this malicious?"
Marianne simply ignored her and walked away.
Madam Ricci stomped her foot angrily before turning around and closing the door.
"Calin, what's the matter with you?" She hurried toward the bed. "Is it because of those little snakes in your hospital room before? The doctor already said it couldn't possibly have been a snake that did this to you. Not even an anaconda could have done that!"
Calin continued screaming and thrashing, her hands restrained against the bed.
When the nurses arrived to help calm her down, Madam Ricci finally lost her patience and left shortly afterward.
-
Later that night, Shin arrived, entered Calin's room and stayed for no more than a minute before quietly walking back out.
He was already at the elevator, waiting for it to take him to the parking area, when Zahn and Allen appeared around the corner, chatting.
Surprised, Zahn asked, "Shin? What are you doing here?"
"I was thinking of asking you if there's any progress regarding Yeri's constitution, or whether she still needs to take maintenance medication, but I couldn't find you," Shin said with a blank expression.
Zahn looked baffled. He pulled his phone from his pocket and checked it, but there were no messages from Shin.
"You could've told me you were coming."
Shin simply shrugged.
Allen, on the other hand, smiled and patted Shin on the shoulder.
"Shin, since you're here, there's actually something I'd like to consult you about."
"Schedule it."
"No, it's not about business. It's about my case against Calin."
Allen's expression became more serious.
"I'm not sure if you've heard about her current condition, but I've been thinking about withdrawing the case."
Shin's gaze immediately turned icy.
In the first place, the only reason Allen had woken up from his vegetative coma was because Shin had used his abilities on him, thinking Allen could be useful in bringing additional charges against Calin.
And now he was having second thoughts?
Why were humans so indecisive and hypocritical?
"For what reason?" Shin asked coldly. "Just because you're doing fine now?"
Allen fell silent.