---- Chapter 4. Three days before my scheduled departure, I got a message from Dr. Henry Lloyd, the hospital director at Centrum Hospital. I had previously sought his help to get in touch with Dr. Elliott Vance, a medical expert. Dr. Lloyd informed me that Dr. Vance was currently in the country for a conference. It was possible to arrange for Dr. Vance to check on Fred's condition. Fred suffered from coronary heart disease, and it had been giving him trouble all along. A few years ago, he even had to be taken to the hospital for emergency treatment. During my year abroad, I asked my colleagues to help gather information about similar medical cases. Regardless of everything, I still felt sentimental about the times we previously shared as a family. I figured that this was the last thing I would do for them. Once this was over, neither one of us owed ---- the other anything. However, when Fred heard me say that I wanted to take him to the hospital, his expression clouded over at once. "Why should I go to the hospital when I'm perfectly fine? Are you trying to jinx me? My bypass surgery was a success, so why would I need to get another checkup?" "A top cardiology expert is in town today. You should get a consultation with him. Perhaps it can help prevent any future-" Before I could finish speaking, Fred cut me off by throwing a mug at me. "You sure know how to make yourself look good. As if a jobless loser like you can get an appointment with a top cardiology expert! All you're good at is bragging. "Meanwhile, where were you when Toby stayed up all night just to help me get an appointment with one of the best doctors available, huh?" ---- Judging from the way Fred kept comparing me to Toby, it was clear what his attitude was. Nothing I did was going to be right. No matter what I did, I would never be better than Toby. Once I realized that, I simply smiled bitterly and said, "Since you refuse to go, we can just forget about it." I'd just chalk it up to me sticking my nose where it didn't belong. I'd brought the humiliation upon myself. Soon, the sip and see party for the baby arrived. I showed up late and was a little dazed when I saw the event hall filled with Ivy's relatives, most of whom I didn't even know the names of. This was an even grander affair than our wedding had been. Right at the entrance of the hall was the family portrait that the five of them had taken. At the end of the day, I was nothing more than a joke.