In the payment reference field, I just wrote: "Find someone else."

Three million dollars might be an astronomical sum to others, but to me, it wasn't enough to make up for the humiliation I'd suffered that day.

After doing all that, I blocked every contact from the Castille family, completely cutting off all ties with them.

Looking at the custom-made medicine that had been crushed into powder, I let out a cold scoff.

Kellie Castille… Your life is no longer my concern.

I hailed a taxi and went straight back to the hospital.

I'd just sat down in my office when my phone started vibrating frantically again. The moment I answered, Michael Rodan, the hospital director, roared at me.

"Darryl Bishop! What on earth are you doing? The Castilles called me directly! They said you caused trouble at the airport and even tried to attack Ms. Castille!

"The airline manager had no choice but to remove you from the flight to protect her. And not only are you unapologetic, you even returned their deposit?"

I froze for a second before snapping back to my senses. A laugh escaped me.

Barney's ability to twist the story was really something else. To shirk responsibility for overselling the flight, he even fabricated such a lie.

What was even more ridiculous was that the Castilles didn't even bother to verify anything before just buying into the whole nonsense.

"Mrs. Castille Senior has spoken. She wants you to get yourself to Jorleton immediately, beg Ms. Castille for forgiveness, and arrange the surgery at once!

"If you dare refuse, I'll fire you immediately!"

I ignored the shrieking on the other end. Pulling out a blank sheet of paper, I quickly wrote my resignation letter. Then, I headed upstairs and pushed open the door to the director's office.

Michael, still holding his phone, was startled to see me walk in.

I slapped the resignation letter loudly onto his desk.

"There's no need for you to fire me. I quit."

He stared at the resignation letter with wide eyes. "Have you lost your mind? Do you think resigning will get you out of this?"

I leaned forward, bracing both hands on the desk, and looked down at him.

"Dr. Rodan, I've been exhausted lately. I plan to go out of town for a long vacation. As for my medical license, if the Castilles have the power to revoke it, then they're welcome to try. And if they want to blacklist me, they can go ahead as well."

With that, I turned around and strode out.

"Stop right there! Come back!" Michael roared behind me, powerless to do anything else.

But I didn't look back and walked straight out of his office.

By my calculations, it was about time. Kellie had only been holding on because of the special medication I'd prepared for her. Now that there was no medication left, and she was 35 thousand feet up in the air, it was about time for her condition to flare up.

I went home, turned off my phone, drew the curtains, and went straight to sleep.

…

Early the next morning, I turned my phone back on to find it filled with missed calls from the Castille family.

Immediately after, a local number I didn't recognize came in. As soon as I answered, a familiar voice sounded.

"Dr. Bishop! Please hurry back to the airport! Ms. Castille started vomiting blood on the plane and lost consciousness! The airline has approved a complimentary business-class seat for you and will take you straight to Jorleton!"

It was Barney, the airline manager from yesterday.

I scoffed and called him out mercilessly.

"Complimentary business class? Didn't you say that I was a broke loser who only deserved to be kicked off the plane?"

"Cut the crap!" he snapped anxiously, his tone still as overbearing as before. "The Castilles are pressuring the airline now. If I lose my job because of you, I won't go easy on you! Get your ass over here right now!"

I hung up without saying another word and blocked the number while I was at it.

But less than half an hour later, a loud, frantic pounding suddenly sounded at my door, accompanied by a strong, pungent smell.

Someone yelled, "Darryl Bishop, you heartless quack! Get your ass out here!"

I yanked the door open.

A bucket of red paint was splashed across the door, dripping down along the cracks.

Barney stood outside with several aggressive-looking security guards in airline uniforms, blocking my entrance.

The hallway was already packed with curious neighbors, whispering and pointing.

"Unbelievable. He always seemed like such an honest young man. Who knew he'd turn out to be such a corrupt doctor?"

"Exactly. For them to come here and throw paint at his door, he must've done something awful!"

Barney grew even more smug when he heard the surrounding murmurs.

"Take a good look, everyone! That's the quack right there! He took the patient's money but refused to do his job, even deliberately delaying treatment until the patient ended up in critical condition!

"And now he's hiding at home playing dead. Heartless doctors like this should be locked up!"

His face was twisted with malice. Clearly, the Castilles had pushed him into a corner, and he wanted to turn me into the scapegoat so he could claim credit.

"You think hiding will save you? Even if you have to crawl, you're going to Jorleton today!"

I glanced at the paint all over the floor and was about to call the police when heavy footsteps echoed from the stairwell.

Several bodyguards in black suits roughly pushed the onlooking neighbors aside.

Louis walked into the hallway, looking down his nose at me.

Barney immediately rushed forward to greet him. "Mr. Pomeroy, look, I found him! Ms. Castille's treatment definitely won't be delayed any further!"

Louis didn't even spare him a glance. He walked straight up to me and asked, "Dr. Bishop, done with your tantrum?"

He pulled out a check, holding it between his fingers and waving it. "Six million dollars. Double the price. Come with me right now, and the Castilles will let bygones be bygones."

I didn't even look at the check.

"Not interested," I spat out coldly.

"Don't push it!" Louis snarled, his expression instantly turning dark as he dropped all pretense.

"Do you really think the Castille family is someone you can afford to get on the wrong side of?"

He leaned in slightly, his voice low but filled with bone-chilling coldness. "If you refuse to go, I'll drag you into the OR even if I have to tie you up. And if you refuse to pick up the scalpel, the Castilles have plenty of ways to make you do it.

"I heard that your father is currently staying at Resuvial Nursing Home."

My whole body trembled. They had sunk so low as to track down Dad's whereabouts!

"Try touching my dad and see what happens!" I snarled, clenching my teeth and staring him down.

"As long as it can save Ms. Castille, there's nothing the Castille family wouldn't do."

Louis sneered arrogantly. "You'd better be smart and start packing your things right now. Otherwise, I guarantee your father will be kicked out of the nursing home today and left to wander the streets."

The surrounding bodyguards stepped forward immediately, grabbing hold of me, while Barney chimed in gleefully from the side.

"Did you hear that? Still trying to put on airs in front of the Castilles? Guess you won't learn until it's too late."

Looking at their smug faces, I suddenly laughed.

Louis frowned, irritation flashing across his face. "What are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing at how stupid you all are."

I stopped smiling and turned to look at the still smug Barney.

"You think I don't want to save Kellie? Even if I go now, she still won't be able to make it."

Louis' expression instantly fell. He grabbed my collar and demanded, "What do you mean?"