Your Regrets Fleeting as the Wind

This meant that Charlene had not even realized that I had moved out.

I picked up my passport before turning back to her. “We’re done, Charlene. Don’t you think I’ve done enough? I won’t do anything for him ever again.”

To get me to help Zachary, Charlene spent the next few days trying to butter me up. That surgery could help Zachary pass his residency program, so Charlene had to make sure that everything was settled.

For him, Charlene delayed the patient’s surgery several times.

I had been in charge of this patient ever since he was admitted. From what I had heard, his condition was getting worse. I could not help but feel pained because of this. Plus, the hospital director, Dr. Jeffrey Moore, kept begging me to help, so I caved in and went to the hospital.

However, I refused to be the lead surgeon. I would only act as a mentor, giving advice and guidance.

In the operating room, Zachary arrived all scrubbed up and stared at me in defiance.

“You used to be a renowned doctor, a professor! But now you don’t even have the credentials to do one measly surgery. I have to do it as a resident. Don’t you think it’s funny?”

I went through the patient’s chart meticulously before retorting, “I’m only here because this patient needs me. I’m not here for you.”

Zachary snickered. He took up a scalpel and started the surgery. Halfway through it, he paused his hands and looked at me.

“I think I’ll be able to ruin you completely this time, Isaac. Charlie will not want you back. I’ll make sure of it.”

I studied the patient’s status and said menacingly, “I don’t want to argue with you about this drivel. The patient is counting on us to survive. Continue the surgery now!”

What I did not expect was for Zachary to swipe the scalpel across the patient’s lungs a couple of times. The first cut dug in very deeply.

“I’m not a good person, Isaac!”

The patient already had lung problems, and with those few cuts, he started bleeding profusely. All the machines monitoring his condition began to beep insistently. I was immediately thrown into a panic. I snatched the scalpel from Zachary and did my best to save the patient.

But the patient died on the surgery table because of Zachary’s cuts.

When I walked out of the operating room and gave the patient’s family the news, I was slapped.

“How could a murderer like you be my father’s surgeon? Dr. Everett said you stole this surgery from the doctor to try and get your job back. You killed my father!”

My ears rang as I saw Zachary hiding and crying in Charlene’s embrace.

“He insisted on doing the surgery, Charlie. He said he wanted to undo his wrongs, but he cut words into the patient’s organs! He killed the patient!”

Charlene sent me a cold glare and said, “Get on your knees and apologize to the patient’s family!”

I did my best to defend myself with tears falling from my eyes. “It wasn’t me! Zachary was this patient’s surgeon! I grabbed the scalpel because he cut the patient. I was trying to save the patient!”

“Don’t the nurses have the records for this surgery? Let’s check it and find out!”

The nurse brought out her records, but they shockingly reported that I had stolen the scalpel from Zachary and caused the surgery to fail.

Charlene stepped in front of me and slapped me without hesitation.

“Why would Zach frame you for this? Isaac, your reputation is already dead. Who would believe you? Apologize to the patient’s family!”

When I saw the patient’s family members crying helplessly, I could not say a word to explain myself.

“I’m sorry. It was my fault.”

The patient’s family members threw themselves at me. Punching, kicking, and even spitting on me.

Once they were done venting their anger, Charlene eyed me with no pity.

“Where are your ethics, Isaac? You can deal with the compensation on your own. We’re done! We will meet at the courthouse once the cooling-off period is over!”

Charlene had, once again, tampered with evidence to help Zachary. I was at fault once more and became the person everyone cursed.

I paid the compensation money to the patient’s family out of guilt.

Days later, my and Charlene’s divorce could be officialized. I was finally free to proceed with my plans to study overseas. I called the friend I had met in medical school just before getting on the plane.

“Has everything been settled over there? Then you can let me handle the rest.”