"I couldn't do anything to save Liya, brother, because those girls were from wealthy families, and their boyfriends were thugs. I got scared," said Coco.
Hearing this, Dane held his head in frustration, imagining how difficult it must have been for Liya to endure everything on her own.
"I thought they'd stop bullying Liya, so I didn't tell anyone either." Dane couldn't blame the boy for not stepping up.
How could he expect someone from outside their circle to take a stand? That responsibility was his. He should have asked his sister if everything was alright.
"Coco, leave now and never come before me again."
Hearing Dane's words, Coco lowered his head and walked away, guilt eating at him for not doing anything to help Liya.
After Coco left, Dane went inside to check on Liya and then headed straight to the doctor's office.
"So, doctor, who brought my sister to the hospital?" The doctor, busy with his laptop, paused upon hearing the question and looked up at Dane.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Liya's elder brother. I met you last night," Dane replied.
The doctor rolled his eyes and resumed working on his laptop. "So what if we met last night? I can't remember everyone I meet."
The doctor's tone and behavior were starkly different from the night before. He seemed unusually rude now, as if something had changed.
"Do you know who brought my sister to the hospital when she was injured? And did you inform the police about it?"
Dane asked calmly, keeping his composure despite his anger, knowing he couldn't shout, especially at a professional.
"I don't know who brought her here. Someone just dumped her in front of the hospital," the doctor replied with a look of disgust.
"Probably some girl with no sense of responsibility who ended up in a coma. That's why they say girls should be kept in check. Give them too much freedom, and they get out of hand,"
the doctor added thoughtlessly, before refocusing on his laptop.
Suddenly, Dane stood up from his chair and slammed his hands on the table, startling the doctor.
But when the doctor realized it was Dane, with his innocent face, he dismissed the incident.
Dane leaned forward, placing his hands on the table and locking eyes with the doctor.
The moment their gazes met, the doctor grew uneasy. Dane's eyes were red with anger, his face terrifying in its intensity.
"What kind of behavior is this towards a doctor? Step back, or I'll have you and your sister thrown out of this hospital," the doctor threatened.
But he didn't realize that the person in front of him was no longer Dane—it was Jeren, who never let anything slide.
"You've got some nerve, threatening to throw my sister out of this hospital. Looks like you're tired of living,"
Jeren said, his voice dripping with menace. The doctor was shocked by the sudden change in tone.
"How dare you threaten me?" the doctor shouted, trying to intimidate Jeren with his raised voice. But Jeren was unfazed.
He slapped the doctor, the sound echoing through the office and landing squarely in the doctor's ears, making him feel humiliated.
The doctor stood up angrily, ready to retaliate, but Jeren caught his hand mid-air.
"Don't even think about hitting me, or it won't end well for you," Jeren warned.
The doctor's anger flared, and he reached for the phone to call security. But Jeren knocked the phone to the ground with his other hand and shoved the doctor back into his chair.
As the doctor sat there in shock, Jeren calmly took a seat across from him.
"You're quite close to Nurse Miren, aren't you? Isn't it true that you never forget to call her to your office every night before leaving for home?"
The doctor's eyes widened in shock at Jeren's words.
"You two spend about half an hour in your office before you go home. What would happen if your wife found out about this affair of yours? Would she divorce you?" Jeren smirked.
"And what if she does? I've heard this hospital belongs to your wife's father. One move, and your entire career could come crashing down."
Jeren's lips curled into a satisfied smile as he saw the reactions on the doctor's face.
It was exactly what he had expected. The doctor's complexion paled, sweat trickling down his forehead.
"W-what you're saying isn't true... I don't have an affair with Miren," the doctor stammered, his nervous voice betraying the truth of Jeren's accusations.
The previous night, Jeren had returned to the hospital to treat his wounds and noticed Nurse Miren entering the doctor's office.
Curious, he stayed near the door and overheard muffled voices, which revealed enough.
Later, he overheard other nurses gossiping about the affair between the doctor and Miren and the fact that the hospital was owned by the doctor's father-in-law. Jeren found the information intriguing and decided to keep it in mind.
Now, Jeren brought his fingers to his lips, blew on his nails, and said,
"Doctor, you decide: either tell me the truth, or I'll go tell your wife everything."
The doctor panicked but then thought about how Jeren could possibly have any proof to present to his wife.
Just then, Jeren pulled out his phone, revealing a photo of the doctor kissing Nurse Miren on her forehead.
The doctor began trembling as he saw the photo.
"Delete that photo immediately, and I'll tell you who brought your sister to the hospital."
Jeren smirked. "Then start talking." At that moment, Jeren stepped back, and Dane took over. Dane listened attentively to the doctor's words.
"A man dropped your sister off at the hospital. I couldn't see his face because he was wearing a black mask, black sunglasses, a black hat, and black clothes. He left without saying anything. I thought he might be your sister's boyfriend."
The doctor finally revealed everything.
"Do you remember anything else, doctor? If you do, please tell me," Dane asked.
"I've told you everything I know. Stop pretending to be nice and delete that photo," the doctor snapped.
Dane was confused, having no idea what the doctor was referring to.
"What photo, doctor?"
"The one on your phone," the doctor replied.
Hearing this, Dane checked his phone and saw the photo of the doctor and Nurse Miren. Shocked, he quickly deleted it and stood up, bowing to the doctor.
"Forgive me, doctor. I have no idea how that photo got on my phone."
When the doctor tells Dane to leave, Dane begins to walk out but pauses, letting his eyes wander around the office.
The telephone lies on the floor, something that wasn't there when he first entered.
The doctor's cheek is red, which also wasn't the case earlier. All of this feels strange to Dane because he has no idea about his second personality, Jeren.
Dane feels unsettled—just moments ago, the doctor was threatening to throw him and his sister out of the hospital, yet suddenly, the man was ready to reveal the truth.
This sudden shift is beyond Dane's comprehension. He can't make sense of it, leaving him with a nagging feeling of unease.