Micah’s voice cracked with tears, anger, and accusation.

Ivy’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected to run into them here.

Peering through the gap in the potted plants, she saw Jamison, Micah, and Carla gathered together.

Micah looked shockingly thin – so much so that Ivy almost didn’t recognize him. The change stunned her.

Carla, too, seemed to have aged years in just a few days; deep lines now creased her face.

Jamison was dressed casually, not in his usual white coat. Clearly, he was here on personal business, not work.

“Micah,” Jamison said, still trying to reason with him, “even now you refuse to reflect on your own actions. You keep dodging blame and responsibility. Things didn’t work out with Ivy because you hurt her, because you moved on to someone else. Even if I hadn’t been involved, you two were never getting back together.”

But Micah was beyond reasoning. “How would you know?” he retorted, almost hysterical. “If I just kept holding on, if I just treated her well, she would’ve forgiven me – she would’ve come back to me!”

“Micah! How long are you going to keep deluding yourself?” Jamison’s patience was wearing thin, and he was already regretting coming to the hospital. He felt like he’d brought this misery on himself.

Behind the plants, Ivy silently swore she hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but with the conversation revolving around her, it was impossible to walk away.

Micah’s mind was twisted now, trapped in a spiral he couldn’t escape. Unable to admit he’d done anything wrong, he could only lash out and blame others. If only the Shepherd family had listened to Jamison’s advice and sent Micah abroad a while back, maybe today’s tragedy wouldn’t have happened.

Jamison’s low, heated voice carried a force that made Carla flinch. Eyes red, she finally spoke up, “Jamison, he’s sick – why are you still arguing with him? Let him say what he wants. He’s in pain, and this is how he vents. You’re his elder, and a doctor, you should understand…”

Jamison looked at his sister, disappointment clear in his eyes. Even now, they refused to see reality. They continued to coddle their wayward son, humoring him as if he were a child.

He managed a bitter, helpless smile. “Fine. You keep coddling him, keep understanding him. I’m the villain, so I’ll leave. From now on, don’t bother me with his problems again.”

With that, Jamison spun around and strode off, his steps brisk and determined.

Carla panicked and hurried after him, pleading, “Jamison, you can’t just walk away! You’re a renowned doctor, you know all the best specialists – you have to help Micah, I’m begging you-”

She rushed after her brother, but before she could catch up, Jamison rounded the greenery and came face-to-face with Ivy standing in the corridor.

They both froze, equally awkward.

Carla, trailing behind, saw Ivy and started in surprise, “What are you doing here…?”

Ivy blinked and gathered herself, then looked at Jamison with a gentle explanation. “…I came with Katrina to the hospital. After visiting your mother, I thought I’d see how you were doing since you were nearby…”

Jamison nodded, understanding that Ivy still worried about him. He stepped forward and took her hand. “Let’s go home. You shouldn’t be wandering around this ward – it’s not safe.”

The infectious diseases wing was in a separate building for a reason. All the patients here were contagious, so unnecessary contact was best avoided.

Ivy nodded and quietly agreed, letting him lead her away.

But just as they turned to go, Micah’s voice rang out behind them. “Ivy!”

Ivy froze. She hadn’t intended to engage, but knowing Micah was ill softened her resolve; she stopped and turned around.

She met Micah’s eyes, her expression calm.

Micah took a few hesitant steps forward, but then faltered, as if remembering he was “contaminated” and afraid of infecting anyone else.

He looked at Ivy, his face contorted with grief and guilt, jaw trembling like a chastised child. His eyes were bloodshot and full of unshed tears.

“Ivy, I… I have HIV. It’s karma. I should’ve listened to you – I never should’ve hurt you. God must have seen it all and decided to punish me with this…”

He sobbed between gasps, broken and full of regret.

Ivy said nothing, but her heart ached.

No matter how childish their old romance might seem now, they had grown up together, been each other’s first loves. Some part of her would always feel sorrow for what had become of them.