Chapter 4

Samuel's POV

Changing out of my scrubs, I walk out of the changing room. Glancing at my watch, my eyebrows slightly shoot up in surprise as this will be in a long time that I am going home early.

"Sam."

Hearing my name, I stop near the reception area and wait for Mason as he quickly approaches me.

"What's up?" He asks, slapping my shoulder.

"Going home."

"I am also done with my shift." Removing the stethoscope from around his neck, he rubs his neck, trying to release some tension. "Let's go for some drinks."

"Nah, I have to go home, maybe some other time." Shaking my head, I decline his offer.

"Woah, some booty call waiting for you at home?" He lowers his voice and wiggles his eyebrows jokingly. "Because I have never seen you declining drinks to go home, well, in a long time."

His question takes me by surprise. I had nearly forgotten when was the last I was eager to go home, not because I was tired and wanted to sleep. But because I just wanted to be at home.

"It's okay, go home and take rest, man." He smiles and pats my arm as he notices my change in expression, "We can grab drinks some other time."

"See you later."

I watch him walk off, then turning around, I walk outside the hospital towards my car.

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Stirring the pot of tomato sauce, I replied to the messages which I have received today but didn't get a chance to respond to them. Adding boiled spaghetti to the sauce, I plate some as I walk into the living room.

When I have just finished having dinner, I hear some muffled voices like there is some sort of heated argument going on. Unmistakably, one voice belonged to Ariana and another to some woman.

Suddenly the voices become clear, probably because the front door of her apartment is opened.

"Please, leave. I don't want to hear anything." Ariana's hoarse but angry voice makes me frown because it sounds like she is crying.

"You are being stupid, and you are ruining your life after that boy who is not even your brother." The woman scoffs.

I know it is wrong to listen to their private conversation, but it is impossible not to hear them when this is happening just before my front door.

"I don't care what you think, but Justin is my brother, and nothing can change that," Ariana says in a sharp voice.

"Baby, you have your whole life ahead of you," The woman softly says, but honestly, I can't find any hint of affection in her words, "He is just a burden-"

"Enough!" Ariana yells, interrupting her, "You should leave before I forget that we have any relation."

"Watch your tone. I am still your mother," The woman who calls herself Ariana's mother says in a harsh tone.

"I think you had lost the right of being my mother when you chose your career over your family and walked away, leaving dad and me alone." Ariana takes a shuddering breath.

"You are my daughter, but you are nothing like me." Ariana's mother says, "You are just an emotional fool."

"When anyone says that I am nothing like my mother," Ariana slowly says, "I take that as a fucking compliment. Because God knows we don't need any other Amelia Sanders." Her voice is filled with hatred.

"I am leaving now. However, we will have this talk later. You may have forgotten that you are my daughter, but I haven't."

I feel sad for her, at the same time, somewhere I am proud of her for standing against her mother.