Chapter 3

Adora suddenly remembered that Eugene had an uncle who was only five years older than him, a child born unexpectedly to his grandparents when they were nearly fifty.

It was said that because he was a late-in-life child, he was spoiled beyond reason.

He grew up with a nasty temper—moody, unpredictable, impossible to please.

Eventually, he was sent abroad to fend for himself.

So, he had returned and become a doctor?

Adora was a little surprised.

Louis Walker stepped forward, towering over Eugene by more than half a head.

His gaze was indifferent as he looked down.

"What do you want?"

Eugene had always been wary of his uncle.

Despite being only five years older, Louis was calculating, sharp-tongued, and had a habit of pulling rank.

Growing up, Eugene was forced to take the blame for countless things, thanks to him.

Seeing Eugene hesitate, Ruby quickly stepped in, flashing a sweet smile. "Mr. Louis, could you do us a favor and check on my sister? That way, she won’t feel like we’re all accusing her unfairly."

Louis’ expression turned amused. "So, you’re afraid of dying, but you assume I’m not?”

Eugene finally mustered up the courage to speak.

"But you’re a doctor—this is your field. And don’t you always carry emergency antiviral meds with you?"

Louis was a renowned surgeon, and due to the nature of his work, he did indeed carry HIV post-exposure prophylaxis with him at all times.

Many surgeons did.

"Mr. Louis, please," Ruby coaxed again, her voice soft and syrupy.

But Louis didn’t even spare her a glance.

Instead, he followed the conversation to its natural conclusion and turned his attention toward the woman standing in the courtyard—Adora.

He vaguely remembered her from the past.

The radiant, untouchable socialite, the pride of the city’s elite.

And now, she had fallen so far.

Sold into human trafficking, gone without a trace for three years, only to return in a state like this.

Silence hung heavy in the air as Louis took a slow, measured step forward, descending the stairs at an unhurried pace.

Adora tensed, her brows furrowing as she watched him with wary eyes.

For some reason, the moment he approached, the suffocating summer heat seemed to dissipate, replaced by an unsettling chill.

It felt as if a storm cloud had rolled in overhead, pressing down on her with an invisible weight.

Weren’t doctors supposed to be compassionate?

This man—cold, detached, and utterly indifferent—seemed far better suited for something else.

A butcher, perhaps.

"Give me your hand."

Louis lifted his hand slightly, his lips parting to issue the command in a voice devoid of warmth.

Adora instinctively pulled her hand back, her brows knitting together.

Ruby’s eyes lit up at her reaction, seizing the opportunity.

"Sis, just let Dr. Walker check you. He’s the youngest medical professor in the country. His reputation is unmatched."

Adora glanced at the man’s outstretched hand.

His skin was pale, his fingers long and well-defined, exuding an air of precision.

At the sight of Adora’s hesitation, Ruby’s smile sweetened, her tone dripping with faux concern, laced with quiet provocation.

"Are you nervous? You don’t have to lie, you know. We’re family. No one here is looking down on you.

“But if you just tell the truth, we can at least take precautions. After all, we wouldn’t want the whole family—"

Before she could finish, Adora lifted her hand and extended it toward Louis.

Without hesitation, he wrapped his fingers around her slender wrist, his cold, impassive face showing no reaction as he examined her arm, checking her joints and skin.

Faint whip marks crisscrossed her forearm, some healed, others fresh, telling a silent story of past torment.

But her skin itself appeared healthy—no open sores, no lesions, no warts.

After finishing with her arm, Louis shifted his gaze to her neck.

"Have you had a fever recently?"

"No."

Louis didn’t respond.

Instead, he reached out with his free hand, fingers grazing her jaw before pressing lightly behind her ear.

He was checking for swollen lymph nodes—one of the key indicators of late-stage HIV.

The courtyard went completely silent.

Everyone stood frozen, watching as Louis conducted his impromptu examination, the tension thick enough to choke on.

Ruby’s grip tightened around Eugene’s hand.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she silently prayed, “Please, let him find something. Let him confirm she has it.”

But then, Louis straightened, turned to face the Matthews family, and spoke in that same indifferent tone.

"She’s fine. She has no illness."

What?

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

Theodore's eyes widened in shock. "How is that possible? When we went to the police station, we saw the report—it said she had a child, that she was infected with HIV…"

Louis’ expression darkened with irritation. "You asked me to check her, but now you don’t believe me? What, am I just here for your entertainment?"

Technically, he and Theodore were of the same generation, so he had no reason to be polite.

Theodore quickly backtracked, shaking his head. "No, no, Dr. Walker, that’s not what I meant."

Ruby, still unwilling to accept the truth, quickly added, "Maybe it just hasn’t shown symptoms yet? Even if she’s only a carrier, it’s still dangerous!"

Louis checked his watch, his tone completely disinterested. "Even if she did have HIV, you wouldn’t catch it from casual contact."

Adora, already irritated by the entire ordeal, snapped, "I don’t have HIV."

Louis turned his gaze on her, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement.

"Why are you yelling at me? I’m not the one doubting you—your family is."

With that, he turned back to Theodore. "Since the engagement’s off, I’ve got things to do. I’m leaving."

Theodore, worried he had somehow offended him, immediately tried to smooth things over. "Dr. Walker, since you’re already here, why not stay for a meal?"

Louis had already reached his Bentley.

Without so much as a backward glance, he got into the driver’s seat and shut the door.

"Not interested in your family’s mess."

Theodore’s smile stiffened, his face twisting with embarrassment.

Still, he forced himself to maintain his polite demeanor. "Take care, Dr. Walker, take care."

Adora had no fond feelings toward the man.

Seeing her father all but groveling to him only reinforced what she already suspected—someone from a family as powerful as the Walkers didn’t need to earn their reputation.

With enough influence, they could make people believe whatever they wanted.

After sending Louis off, Theodore turned back to the house, deciding to dismiss the few remaining guests altogether.

The last thing he needed was more people gossiping about their family drama.

Adora followed her family up the steps, preparing to enter the house only to be stopped again.

"Adora… wait a moment."

Lilian stopped in her tracks and called toward the house. "Mary, go prepare a room."

The housekeeper, Mary Smith, immediately acknowledged the order and hurried off.

Lilian turned back to her eldest daughter, clearly uneasy about letting her step inside just yet.

"Just wait a little, Adora. It’ll be ready soon."

With that, she pulled Ruby into the living room, the two whispering closely as if they were the only ones who mattered.

At this moment, Ruby didn’t seem to be in any stomach pain.

Adora remained at the doorstep, her face devoid of expression, standing like an abandoned child no one wanted.

Eugene stood off to the side, his dark eyes fixed on her, a mix of shock and pain flickering across his handsome face.

But from start to finish, Adora never once spared him a glance.

Before long, Mary returned, offering a polite smile. "Miss Adora, this way."

Adora followed her inside, assuming she was being taken upstairs to her old bedroom.

But instead of leading her up the grand staircase, Mary guided her through the living room, out the back door, and into the courtyard.

They stopped beneath the covered walkway, where she gestured toward a small structure tucked into the corner.

"Miss Adora, Mrs. Matthews said… you’ll have to make do with this for now."

Eugene, who had been trailing behind, froze.

His expression darkened as he turned sharply toward his mother-in-law.

"Madam Lilian, what is the meaning of this?"

Lilian pursed her lips, rising from the couch and walking over with an air of disinterest.

The barely concealed look of disgust on her face made it clear how she truly felt.

"Eugene, this has nothing to do with you."

The room they arranged for Adora wasn’t a room at all.

It was a doghouse.

A custom-built pet villa, crafted for the Matthews family's beloved dog.

It was about waist-high, with just over a hundred square feet of space—more luxurious than what most people lived in.

A classic case of a pet being treated better than a person.

Adora stared blankly at the structure before her.

Then, as if needing confirmation that she wasn’t imagining things, she turned back to her own mother.

"You’re telling me… to live with the dog?"

The words came out tight, caught between a bitter laugh and sheer disbelief.