The night in the city hung like a heavy piece of silk, pressing down over Shallow Water Bay.
Ethan and Assistant Ryan quickly passed through the ornate iron gate, bringing the completely drunk Andrew back home.
They helped Andrew onto the bed. Ethan stared at him and said, "Ryan, your boss is definitely hiding something from us. Did you hear the name he mumbled just now?"
"The one with something like 'Li' in it?"
Assistant Ryan instinctively avoided Ethan's gaze and slightly shook his head. "Mr. Ethan, I didn't hear it clearly. Maybe the boss wasn't saying a name."
His hands tightened slightly, trying to hide the unrest inside him.
Seeing Ryan's reaction, Ethan didn't press further. "Forget it. I'll ask him again tomorrow when he wakes up."
"Take good care of him. I'm heading back."
Ryan asked, "Mr. Ethan, should I drive you?"
Ethan waved his hand. "No need. Someone is already here to pick me up."
Ryan nodded. "Alright. Take care."
Once Ethan disappeared from view, Ryan turned around, his eyes full of helplessness. He took off Andrew's coat and muttered softly,
"Boss, what are you thinking?"
"You clearly care about Dr. Katherine, so why did you divorce her?"
"And now this… what's the point of torturing yourself like this?"
His voice echoed in the quiet room, but Andrew didn't respond.
Ryan continued, "Boss, if you really care about Dr. Katherine, you should help her with the trouble at the hospital."
"Maybe that would help your relationship."
…
The next morning, Katherine was woken by the sharp ringing of her phone as the soft light of dawn filtered through her room.
Her bedroom was simply but warmly decorated. The light blue curtains swayed gently in the breeze, whispering a quiet start to the day.
Still half-asleep, Katherine reached for her phone and answered with a lazy, sleepy voice, "Hello?"
A polite, formal voice came from the other end. "Miss Katherine? Someone wants to view your house. Would you be available today?"
Katherine paused for a second, now more awake.
"Uh, yes. What time are they coming?"
"In an hour. Would that work?"
"Yes. I'll be home. Just come over directly."
After ending the call, she looked around the room instinctively. Her gaze swept across the familiar items, and a wave of mixed feelings rose in her chest.
This house was where her dreams began. But since she no longer belonged here, there was no reason to stay.
Katherine got up and walked to the bathroom.
In the mirror, she saw her slightly tired yet still beautiful face. As she stared at herself, Andrew's image surfaced in her mind.
A faint, self-mocking smile curved her lips. It was as if she and Andrew didn't even have a single good memory.
All she could remember were the few unpleasant ones.
She turned on the faucet and let the cold water splash on her face, as if trying to wash away the mess of memories.
She knew her life had drifted off course, like a boat lost at sea, and now she needed to find a new direction.
Even with the pain and regret still in her heart, she was determined to face it all bravely.
An hour later, Katherine wore a light beige dress. Her makeup was simple and elegant. She sat on the living room sofa, waiting for the person who wanted to see the house.
Not long after, the doorbell rang.
Katherine quickly got up to answer it.
The moment the door opened, one of the men said, "Hello Miss Katherine, I'm from the real estate agency, and this is Mr. Lin, who came to view the apartment."
"Hello, please come in," Katherine stepped aside to let them in.
After closing the door, Katherine said, "Why don't I show you the layout first? If you like it, we can talk further."
"Thank you, that would be great," Mr. Lin replied.
Katherine took them around the apartment. "Although it's not very big, the lighting, layout, and location are all quite nice."
Mr. Lin nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, I really like it."
"If I may ask," he continued, "with such a nice apartment, why are you suddenly selling it?"
Katherine paused briefly, then replied, "For personal reasons. I don't plan to stay in the city anymore. There's no point in keeping it, so I'd rather sell it to someone who needs it."
"Alright then. I'll take it. When can we sign the official contract?"
Katherine thought about needing time to sort through her things. "Would next Wednesday morning work?"
"No problem. It's settled then. Please don't sell it to anyone else. I'll pay a deposit," the man said.
Katherine smiled. "Alright, no problem."
After seeing them off, she sat on the sofa. She hadn't expected the apartment to be sold so quickly.
Now that the moment had come, she still felt a strong sense of attachment.
But the decision was made, and she wouldn't waste time being sentimental.
There were still many things she had to handle.
Just then, the doorbell rang again.
Katherine thought the real estate agent had forgotten something and opened the door, only to see Nurse Sana.
"Katherine, have you had breakfast yet? I brought porridge and pancakes."
Seeing her, Katherine smiled warmly. "Not yet. Come in."
They sat down at the table to eat. Katherine said, "Sana, it's like you can read my mind. How did you know I was craving pancakes from that stand near the hospital?"
Sana smiled, "I've known for a while you like them, so I picked them up after my shift."
"Wait, you haven't slept yet?"
"It's fine. I'll head home and sleep after checking on you. I have the day off tomorrow, so there's no rush," Sana explained.
After a while, Sana asked, "Katherine, did you find the evidence?"
"Shanshan is leaving the country soon. If you find the evidence after she's gone, it won't have much impact on her."
Katherine looked calm and nodded slightly. "Yes, I've found it. But I'll need your help."
Her eyes were full of trust and expectation as she looked directly at Sana.
Without a moment of hesitation, without even asking what she had to do, Sana immediately said, "Katherine, whatever I can do, just say it."
"I just need you to switch the USB on the computer in the hospital conference room during the Monday meeting with the one I give you. I've been suspended, so I can't get in. I have to rely on you."
Katherine's tone was calm and steady as she laid out the plan.
Sana nodded quickly, like a woodpecker. "Okay. Will you be there on Monday?"
"Of course. I'll personally expose Shanshan's true face in front of everyone in the department."
"I'm also going to call the police. Shanshan has committed a crime."
Sana's eyes widened in shock. "What? Really?"
"Yes. Shanshan injected illegal drugs into Patient Chen's IV bottle, which caused his critical condition. She's already suspected of attempted murder."
Katherine's voice was cold and serious. Each word struck like a bomb in the small space, exploding not just in the air, but in Sana's heart.