Lennon Shepard's first love, Jessie Sterling, has caused a medical malpractice incident due to an operational mishap. That night, Lennon cuts off the oxygen for Mabel Judson's mother to coerce her into taking the blame.

At the moment, he's sitting across from Mabel with a confession placed between them. Once she signs it, she will never be able to pick up a scalpel in this country for the rest of her life.

Lennon Shepard's first love, Jessie Sterling, caused a medical malpractice incident due to a surgical error. That same night, he cut off the oxygen for Mabel Judson's mother and forced her to take the fall.

He sat across from her, a confession laid out between them. One signature on that document, and Mabel would never hold a scalpel in Cresvane again.

On the hospital bed, Mabel's mother, Gisselle Quinn, breathed rapidly with her eyes closed.

Lennon toyed with her oxygen tube with his fingers. "Mabel, you've got two minutes. If you don't sign in two minutes, your mom will suffocate to death, and that will be entirely on you."

Mabel shook, her lips pale. "Lennon, you'll really kill my mom if I don't sign it? She's the most important person in my life."

Lennon smiled. "Mabel, Jessie is important to me too. I made you my wife, so I have to make it up to her in other ways."

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze locked on Gisselle on the bed. Her mouth opened with ragged gasps as the oxygen supply ran out.

Lennon watched with morbid fascination while counting aloud, "40, 41, 42, 43…"

Each count made Mabel's face paler. She had no idea how they'd ended up like this.

Their worlds were so different. She was just an ordinary surgeon, while Lennon was an heir to a fortune. Yet, he had kneeled in the rain for a day just to marry her.

The day they registered their marriage, he held her and cried like a child. "Mabel, I'll give you a grand wedding someday."

Two years after getting married, Mabel's wedding plans ended in failure twice.

The first time, Jessie tried to kill herself, and Mabel was left at the altar.

Before leaving, Lennon said, "Mabel, I love you. I'll be back once I calm her down. Wait for me."

She stood alone from noon to night, yet never saw him. The whole city laughed at her humiliation.

During the second wedding, just as Lennon picked up the ring, his phone rang. Jessie's cries came through.

He dropped the ring and left without looking back. Later, Mabel saw him gently holding Jessie at the hospital. Jessie's finger was bandaged.

Mabel realized then that a small scratch was enough for Lennon to abandon her.

He was the one who once begged for her hand in marriage, promising to cherish her for a lifetime. Yet now, he was the one who hurt her the most.

A single tear rolled down Mabel's cheek. Slowly, she picked up the pen and signed her name.

"I hate you, Lennon."

After signing, she tossed the paper aside and forcefully pushed Lennon away, quickly inserting the oxygen tube for Gisselle.

Lennon picked up the paper elegantly and replied calmly, "Love makes hate possible, Mabel. I know you love me. Don't worry. The position of Mrs. Shepard will always be yours. There's only one week until our wedding. This time, I'll make it spectacular."

With that, he left.

Mabel scoffed at the idea of a wedding. She pulled out her phone to call Alex Barrett, Gisselle's doctor and friend. "Alex, you said my mom could get treatment abroad. Can we arrange a transfer now?"

"Of course. If you're sure about this, she can fly on my private jet when I return to Mythara in three days."

Alex continued, "You can join us once you've finished handling things in Cresvane."

"Okay," Mabel replied. "I'll probably get there about four days after you do. See you in Mythara."

After hanging up, she gazed at Gisselle's face. "Mom, let's never come back here again. We'll stay far away, and no one will hurt you."

She kissed Gisselle's forehead gently, then left.

Mabel drew up a divorce agreement and went straight to Jessie.

Jessie worked at the same hospital but had risen to chief physician, while Mabel was only a deputy chief.

Seeing her, Jessie smirked. "Dr. Judson, thank you. I guess you won't be practicing medicine anymore."

Mabel ignored her and tossed the divorce agreement on the desk. "Have Lennon sign it. After that, whatever happens between you two is none of my business."

Jessie's eyes caught the words on the document immediately.

"Why should I help you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Mabel replied flatly, "If you don't, you'll always be the mistress."

Jessie paused for a moment, then said, "You don't know, do you? Your marriage certificate with Lennon is fake."

Mabel swayed, her pupils dilating in shock. "What?"

Jessie fiddled with her freshly done nails. Her eyes were full of disdain as she said, "You really thought you married into a wealthy family? That registration was just a scam. Given the Shepard family's influence, faking a certificate at City Hall would be easy. Don't believe me? Go check for yourself."

She watched Mabel's face turn pale and rubbed salt in the wound. "Lennon knows about it too."

What Jessie didn't say was that Lennon had only found out last month. But did it matter? He still hadn't done anything.

Mabel could still vividly recall the joy of registering their marriage back then. She remembered how Lennon had driven her up to the mountaintop to watch the stars, where they kissed under the romantic night sky and promised each other a lifetime together.

And now, it was all a lie.

She laughed until tears fell. Her body swayed like she might collapse.

Mabel stumbled back to the villa while laughing through her sobs. This place was the home they had shared ever since they registered their marriage.

Since she loved grapes, Lennon planted a grapevine in the yard and set up a swing so they could go on it together every summer.

Now, she raised a shovel and struck the trellis.

It collapsed with a crash, just like her love.

Mabel tore down the massive wedding photo in the living room and burned it, along with the love letters Lennon had written her.

Just as the flames died down, Lennon returned. He frowned at the fire pit. "What's that for?"

"It's an offering for the dead," Mabel replied.

"Don't do it here," he muttered.

At that moment, the maids carried in several boxes. Jessie followed right behind.

"These are for Jessie. She got scared and needs comforting," Lennon said before glancing apologetically at Mabel. "I know you never cared for this stuff, so I didn't get anything for you."

Then, he pulled a small paper rabbit from his pocket and placed it in front of Mabel like a magician. "For you. I love you."

Mabel stared at the paper rabbit, then at the pile of boxes across the room. A mocking smile tugged at her lips.

Millions of dollars in gifts for Jessie and a paper rabbit for her. How generous.

When she didn't take it, Lennon's expression darkened. "Mabel!"

She finally reached out and took the paper rabbit, then casually tossed it onto the table. "Thanks."

In the past, no matter what Lennon gave her, Mabel had always treasured it carefully. She had never thrown his gifts aside like this.

A flicker of irritation crossed Lennon's eyes. Before he could speak, Jessie stepped forward and handed Mabel a document envelope. "Mabel, thanks for today. This is my gift to you."

Lennon leaned in curiously, but she quickly grabbed his arm. "It's a ladies' secret. You're not allowed to look."

"Alright, alright. You're the boss." Lennon stopped looking and let Jessie pull him away to open the gift boxes.

Their lovey-dovey chatter drifted from across the room. Mabel felt a wave of nausea rise in her stomach.

Standing there, she opened the envelope expressionlessly. Inside were two photos.

In the first, a man and a woman stood in bathrobes before the hotel's huge floor-to-ceiling window, smiling boldly at the camera.

In the second, they lay naked in bed, kissing each other. Even the small glimpse captured in the frame made the heat and intimacy unmistakable.

Mabel's grip tightened around the photos, the veins rising along her temples.

"Ugh…" She couldn't hold it in anymore. She ran outside and vomited against the wall in the yard.

Through the glass door behind her, laughter drifted out. Inside, Lennon and Jessie stood shoulder to shoulder, leaning close as if they might kiss at any moment.

…

Since Mabel had decided to leave, the first thing she needed to do was resign. But after signing that confession, she didn't even need to. The hospital had already sent a notice that she was being fired.

Early the next morning, she went to the hospital to pack her things.

Even after years of working there, she had almost nothing at the office. The only thing that mattered was a medical notebook in which she had recorded important cases for future research.

Just as Mabel walked out of the hospital with her things, something hit her.

"You quack! You killed my dad! Pay with your life!"

"Heartless doctor! Murderer! Pay with your life!"

All kinds of trash flew toward her. One bottle struck her forehead before she could react, making her stumble.

Up ahead, Lennon had his arm around Jessie as she arrived for work. His tall, commanding frame completely shielded her in his embrace.

He stood at the edge of the crowd, watching everything coldly.

"It wasn't me." Mabel tried to explain, but an enraged family member shoved a notice in her face.

"The hospital already released the statement. Your mistake killed my dad!"

The notice had been issued by the hospital itself. It explained the medical malpractice incident and placed Mabel's photo beneath it, declaring she was responsible.

Jessie's name never once appeared in the statement.

Mabel clenched her fists. Across the angry crowd, she locked eyes with Lennon.

After a moment, he turned away and walked off with Jessie.

As they passed by, someone slapped Mabel, sending her crashing onto the ground. Through the gaps between people, she saw Lennon stride past them, looking straight ahead.