Chapter 1855

Wilfred had been considering visiting Wendy’s home. After all, he was effectively one of her attending doctors now.
It wasn’t unusual for a doctor to visit a patient’s living environment, especially when their condition showed little improvement. But doing so without an invitation felt too forward, and he wasn’t comfortable overstepping that boundary. After hearing this, Karina nodded in agreement, then sighed again. “Forget it for now. At least she’s here for the time being. We’ll just have to keep a closer eye on her.”
Following that, Karina began visiting the rehabilitation center regularly. Each time she went, she would bring something for Wendy.
Over time, Wendy’s attitude toward her softened, even though she still often greeted Karina with sarcastic remarks. At least now, the hostility had eased somewhat.
*
One day, Karina set off for another visit, carrying a bag of fresh oranges that Wendy liked.
She had gone to great lengths to pick out the best ones-big, plump, and perfectly ripe. Thinking about Wendy’s possible reaction to the thoughtful gesture gave Karina a boost of energy, making her steps feel lighter. But as she approached Wendy’s room, she heard shouting from inside.
“You should be grateful your brother came to see you! Not only are you ungrateful, but you act like this? How many times have I told you to take good care of your brother? Everything I say just goes in one ear and out the other, doesn’t it?” The voice was sharp and filled with frustration, growing louder and harsher with each word.
Standing outside, Karina’s heart sank.
The tirade continued, the words cutting deeper and more viciously, until Karina couldn’t bear it any longer. She pushed the door open with a loud bang. “Enough!” she snapped.
The door slammed against the wall, silencing the room instantly.
A woman turned to face Karina, her expression shifting to one of annoyance. “Who are you? Barging in here without knocking-how rude!”
She brushed imaginary dust off her coat as she spoke.
Now that Karina was inside, she could finally see the woman clearly. Wendy’s mother was dressed like a picture-perfect corporate
powerhouse, with bold red lipstick, a sharp bob, and a camel-colored coat draped over her shoulders. Her face carried an air of arrogance mixed with impatience, as if she had been irritated even before Karina arrived.
It was hard to imagine anyone looking at their own child with such indifference. Karina’s opinion of the woman plummeted to rock bottom in an instant.
“Ma’am,” Karina said evenly, her tone polite but laced with firmness, “since you brought up manners, let me remind you: this is a rehabilitation center, a private space, not a public area. Even in public, there are places where quiet is required-so how is shouting at the top of your lungs here considered polite?”
The woman’s face flushed with anger. “Who do you think you are, speaking to me like that? I’m going to file a complaint against you!”
Karina didn’t flinch. Calmly, she introduced herself. “I’m Dr. Karina Norman from the internal medicine department at Central Hospital. Feel free to file a complaint anytime you’d like.”
Faced with Karina’s unshakable
confidence, the woman faltered,
realizing she was outmatched. With
a disgruntled huff, she grabbed the young boy at her side and left in a hurry, muttering under her breath.
*
Once they were gone, Karina let her icy demeanor drop. She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, turning her attention to Wendy, who was curled up and sobbing uncontrollably.
“Don’t cry,” Karina said gently, offering her a tissue. “You’ll make yourself look puffy and tired if you keep it up.”
Wendy took the tissue but was too choked up to respond. When she tried to speak, all that came out was a hiccup. “M-mind your own business!”
Karina couldn’t help but chuckle softly at her defiance.
Seeing that Wendy was still too upset to wipe her own tears, Karina took the tissue back and carefully dabbed her cheeks dry.