When Emma saw me after such a long period of separation, her first reaction was not joy. Instead, she looked afraid like Stacy did.

Emma hid behind John and pointed at me while shouting, “Mom! Uncle John! Didn’t you say Dad was already dead? Why’s he here? Today’s my birthday, so did he come on purpose to ruin it?!”

She pouted and stared at me with resentment filling her eyes.

“You’re a bad dad! You’re not welcome here, so leave!”

My heart felt as if it were being battered. The pain made me think it would suddenly stop beating.

Had they spent the last few years telling my daughter that I was dead?

I forced back my tears and smiled stiffly.

I handed the strawberry cake I was holding to Stacy.

“I know it’s Emma’s birthday, and I just wanted to see her once more. I’ve seen her now, so I won’t stay any longer.”

After speaking, I straightened my back, which was close to hunching, and left without looking back.

I dragged my heavy body and went to the hospital again.

The attending doctor frowned deeply while looking at my latest test results.

“Mr. Wells, your condition isn’t very promising, and we can only try to slow the progression of your illness.”

I listened calmly, but inside, I was mostly numb.

Perhaps after pretending to be dead for three years, I had grown numb to death itself.

“I understand, doctor.”

When the company settled its final payment with me, I did not transfer every cent to Stacy like I used to.

Since she had deceived me, I wanted to keep this money for myself.

I would use it to buy myself a little more time to struggle on.

I was discussing a specific treatment plan with the doctor when someone suddenly kicked the ward door open.

Stacy stormed in angrily, and without a word, she grabbed me and dragged me into the hallway.

Her grip was shockingly strong, and my wrist throbbed with pain.

“Sam, how dare you show up at the hospital?!” she shouted while pointing at my face.

“If you hadn’t suddenly gone home, would Emma have been frightened into a flare-up?!”

“She’s running a high fever, and it won’t come down! The doctor said it’s very dangerous! Are you happy now?!”

My first thought was that my daughter was sick, and my heart clenched as I instinctively wanted to see her.

However, when I remembered the disgust and hatred in her eyes earlier and remembered her calling me a bad dad, I forced down my anxiety and concern.

I slowly raised my head and looked at Stacy coldly.

“Then let’s get a divorce. Since none of you want to see me again, wouldn’t you get exactly what you want if I disappeared?”

She froze for a moment as if she had not expected me to say that, and then a mocking smile spread across her face.

“Divorce? Sam, what trick are you playing this time? You’re tired of me, so you want to use divorce to threaten me and squeeze more money out of me?”

She paused as something seemed to occur to her.

She continued, “Why did you quit your job? What about Emma’s future treatment costs? Are you abandoning her?”

She actually had the nerve to bring this up.

I only felt that those words were incredibly ironic. The anguish I had buried for three years erupted completely in that moment.

“Stacy, stop pretending. I know you’re the chairwoman of the Morgan Group, Chairwoman Morgan. I know how you tested me for three years. You pretended to be poor with an ordinary person like me. That must’ve been exhausting, right?”

She was rendered speechless at my words. She instantly flew into a rage.

“You…” She pointed at me and could not speak for a long time.

“Since you already know who I am, do you still want a divorce?”

She steadied herself, and her gaze turned dark.

I nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, I want a divorce.”

She laughed suddenly, and the sound was full of disdain.

“Enough, Sam. Drop that whole push-and-pull act of yours.

“You pretended you didn’t care about my money, so I’d feel guilty and give you more, right?

“Your plan failed! Listen up. I’m divorcing you immediately, and you’re leaving with nothing!”

Hearing how badly she misunderstood me, I no longer had the strength to argue.

That was fine.

I did not want to say another word and calmly grabbed the divorce agreement I had prepared long ago from my bag.

I handed it to her.

“Sign it.”

The smile on Stacy’s face froze instantly as she stared at the black-and-white agreement. Her eyes widened.

“You’re serious?!”

“I’m serious.”

I replied calmly and handed her a pen as well.

Stacy recoiled as if she had been burned, and she stumbled back a step.

“Sam, stop messing around!” she said. Her voice softened with panic.

“I was joking earlier. I was just ranting because I was angry. Don’t take it too seriously.”

She was joking, but I was not.

John’s voice came from the end of the hallway, and he hurried over, looking worried.

“Stacy, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Emma’s been crying nonstop because she can’t find you, so she insisted I come out to look. I walked all over the hospital and didn’t expect you to be here.”

He stopped in front of us, and when he saw the divorce agreement in my hand, a flash of delight crossed his eyes.

“Sam, you’re here too? Are you sick?” he asked with feigned concern. Then he covered his mouth as if struck by a sudden realization.

“Oh wow! What a coincidence. Emma had an episode and was rushed to the hospital, and you’re already here.”

His words sounded casual, but every sentence stabbed straight at the heart.

I did not bother responding to his provocation and said coldly, “If you’re afraid Emma will get sick because of me, then I’ll leave.”

I turned to go, but Stacy stepped in front of me and grabbed my wrist tightly.

Her gaze landed on my worn face, and under the hospital’s stark white lights, she finally seemed to see the exhaustion and sickness I could no longer hide.

“Emma’s illness has nothing to do with you.”

Her voice was low, and it sounded like she was refuting John and convincing herself at the same time.

I suddenly wanted to laugh because she clearly had not thought that way earlier.

Her expression turned serious, and her eyes locked onto me with unease.

“Why did you come to the hospital? Are you sick? What exactly is wrong with you?”

I struggled to shake her hand off, but she only tightened her grip.

I could clearly feel her hand trembling against my wrist.

Seeing this, John immediately stepped forward and pretended to smooth things over.

“Stacy, you’re overthinking it. Sam looks fine, so how could he be sick?

“I heard from Mr. Green that he’s just been lying down too much during his livestreams, so his muscles are slightly weak. More exercise will fix that.

“He probably rushed over because he cares about Emma and wanted to see her.”

Stacy acted as if she had not heard a single word. All of her attention stayed on me.

When I still refused to speak, the anxiety and fear in her eyes grew stronger.

In the next moment, she yanked me along and rushed back into the consultation room I had just left.

The doctor had been organizing medical records and jumped in surprise when we barged back in.

Stacy shoved me in front of the doctor and demanded answers.

“What illness does my husband actually have?! Why does he look so bad and so weak? Is it just muscle atrophy that will get better with more exercise?”

The doctor’s expression turned awkward instantly, and he clearly did not know how to respond.

I had once specifically asked the doctor to say I suffered muscle atrophy from long-term inactivity if Stacy ever asked.

I did not want her to know the truth because I did not want her to worry. However, after thinking about it carefully, I realized she probably never cared.

The doctor’s gaze flicked back and forth between us. Then he finally took off his glasses with a weary sigh and rubbed his brow.

“Ms. Morgan, please calm down.”

He paused and still chose to tell the truth.

“Your husband does not have ordinary muscle atrophy. He has… amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.”