Tyrant In Love: The Doctor Wife's Dilemma

Outside the resuscitation room at Grace Hospital in Eleyrith, Keaton Gordon seized Joelle Lambert's neck and pushed her against the wall. "Why are you so ruthless? How could you harm Elsie?"

Joelle gasped for air, her eyes reflecting both pain and disillusionment. She fought to justify herself. "I didn't. Keaton, believe me. Miss Rowe came out of nowhere. I couldn't stop in time."

Disappointment etched on his face, Keaton retorted, "You're still lying! Eyewitnesses saw you hitting her. What more can you possibly claim?"

"They've been influenced. She framed me!" Joelle asserted in a tremulous voice.

"Absurd!" Keaton's gaze turned frigid and stern. "Why would Elsie jeopardize her life to frame you? How can you even compare yourself to her? Don't overestimate your importance!"

A pallor washed over Joelle's face, and her entire frame trembled.

Even though she was aware that, in Keaton's eyes, she paled in comparison to Elsie, his words still brought a sense of sadness to her.

Back then, while attending to her cancer-stricken father at the hospital, she encountered Archie Gordon, who was unwell and had fainted. After providing initial medical assistance, she escorted Archie for examination and treatment. Subsequently, Archie ended up sharing the same hospital ward with her father due to liver disease. It was only at this point that she crossed paths with Keaton again, a high school acquaintance who had graduated two years ahead of her.

Exhausting her savings in vain attempts to save her ailing father, Joelle found herself ousted from her home by her stepmother and her stepmother's paramour. It was on the roadside that she encountered Keaton.

Keaton expressed his desire to marry her, proposing the immediate registration for marriage if she consented.

Overwhelmed with joy, she agreed. In that moment, ecstasy enveloped her. This was the boy she had harbored feelings for since high school.

She assumed his desire to marry indicated he must harbor feelings for her as well.

However, after they got married in the city hall, he insisted that they keep their marriage a secret.

He said his father compelled him to marry her, though he harbored no genuine desire to do so and held affections for someone else. The only offer he could provide her was a life of affluence.

From that moment onward, all her aspirations for a future married life lay in ruins. She shouldn't have overlooked the fact that, in his eyes, she was, at best, a mere substitute.

Why would the emotions of a substitute hold any significance for him?

Six months ago, when Elsie Rowe returned, she understood that, being her replacement, she should depart.

She had no desire to linger, and Elsie didn't need to harm herself to frame her.

Keaton compelled her to kneel, commanding, "Just stay in this position. Only when she's out of danger can you stand up!"

Struggling to contain her tears, Joelle endured the pain as best she could.

On a previous occasion, Keaton dismissed her tears as valueless, claiming they nauseated him.

The door to the resuscitation room swung open, and the doctor emerged, wearing a grave expression.

Keaton promptly approached him, anxiety etched on his face as he inquired, "Doctor, how is she?"

The doctor examined him briefly before stating, "She's no longer in immediate danger, but her lower back sustained a severe injury, and there's a possibility of paralysis."

A shift in Keaton's expression occurred. Abruptly turning, he seized Joelle, who remained kneeling. His eyes glared with fury. "You've rendered Elsie incapable of standing. She's a dancer. Do you comprehend the cruelty of your actions?"

"No, I didn't harm her. I..." Joelle shook her head, fear evident in her eyes.

The doctor intervened, urging, "Sir, please compose yourself. The patient's paralysis is merely one of the possibilities. With a successful recovery, there's still a chance she may regain the ability to stand."

With a shake of his head, the doctor turned away and departed.

Clenching his teeth, Keaton cast Joelle onto the floor. Wearing a somber expression, he declared, "Starting today, your duty is to ensure her well-being until she makes a complete recovery. Should she fail to stand again, you'll forfeit the use of your legs!"

He then turned on his heel, poised to depart.

Quivering with despair, Joelle expressed her disappointment and calmly uttered, "Keaton, I want a divorce."

Keaton abruptly halted and turned around, sporting a somewhat fierce expression. "Repeat that! What did you just say?"

"I said I want a divorce." Leaning on the wall, Joelle rose, attempting to compose herself. "You never cared for me, and the one you truly love has returned. I don't wish to endure this any longer."

Their marriage had been a mistake from the start. It was time for it to conclude. She was genuinely weary and harbored no illusions about it anymore.

Fixing his gaze on Joelle, Keaton inquired, "Do you believe the decision is yours to make?"

He had consistently treated her with cold indifference, neglecting her emotions and preferring not to see her. However, a perplexing expression appeared in his eyes as he regarded her now.

"Why not?" With a pallid complexion, Joelle endeavored to suppress her tears. "No one is aware of our marriage. After divorce, you can pursue your path, and I will find mine. It won't have any repercussions for us. What's there to concern yourself with? Don't you desire a formal relationship with Miss Rowe? Do you want her perceived as the mistress in your life?"

A resounding slap echoed as Keaton struck Joelle across the face, leaving her disoriented.

Keaton sneered. "So, you intend to evade your responsibilities and depart? Not happening! I explicitly stated that you must attend to Elsie until her recovery."

He swiftly turned away and departed.

Leaning against the wall, Joelle collapsed to the floor, tears flowing freely.

He didn't love her and was unwilling to release her. What exactly did Keaton expect from her?

Did he desire for her to witness him loving someone else while still being his wife?

Following Elsie's emergence from the resuscitation room, Joelle rose and assisted the doctor in transporting her back to the ward. Elsie remained unconscious with a pale face, appearing fragile and pitiable.

Joelle, nonetheless, was aware of the true nature of this malicious and despicable woman.

This morning, as Joelle was preparing to head to work, Elsie intercepted her and delivered the most cutting words in the gentlest tone.

"Joelle, you're nothing more than an infertile woman. After three years of marriage and no pregnancy, you should release Keaton. Keaton harbors no affection for you, and he only loves me. Leave him immediately. You shameless woman!"

Joelle seethed with anger and desired to retaliate, yet she acknowledged the truth in some of Elsie's words. Silently, she entered the car without offering a response.

Unyielding, Elsie persisted in berating her. She wasn't as feeble, pure, and benevolent as her outward demeanor suggested.

Despite being abused, Joelle remained silent and drove out of the villa.

It was at that moment that Elsie hurried to the front of Joelle's car. Caught off guard, Joelle didn't have time to react and hit her.

As Elsie gradually regained consciousness, her vision remained blurry. Spotting a figure standing by the bed, she uttered in a raspy voice, "Keaton..."

Wearing a stoic expression, Joelle declared, "It's me. Keaton is handling the necessary procedures on your behalf."

"Oh," Elsie responded, maintaining a semblance of fragility and kindness. Expressing gratitude, she added, "Thank you, Joelle. I'm alright. You should rest."

She saw the slap mark on Joelle's face, clearly from Keaton. Well, Joelle had it coming. Keaton's love and trust were reserved for her alone. How could Joelle even attempt to compete with her?

Staring at her icily, Joelle asserted, "Keaton isn't present. There's no need to feign kindness. Miss Rowe, I didn't anticipate you being so ruthless with yourself. To frame me, you were willing to jeopardize your own life. Truly admirable!"

Elsie's eyes harbored malice. Under the quilt, she forcefully pinched her thigh, causing her eyes to redden from pain. Clutching Joelle's hand, she protested, "Why would you say such things, Joelle? If you hadn't deliberately hit me with your car, how would I be unable to feel my legs now? What have I done to incur your intense hatred?"

Joelle winced as Elsie's long nails dug into the back of her hand. Frowning, she shook her hand and retorted, "Can't you feel your legs? That's unbelievable! Ask the doctor to conduct another examination for you. Elsie, release your grip!"

As Elsie witnessed Keaton's entrance, a scheme flickered in her eyes. She let out a scream and deliberately collapsed to the floor.

"Elsie!" Anxiously, Keaton hurried over, supporting Elsie. "Are you alright? Were you injured?"

Joelle appeared uneasy. She had no intention of causing harm to Elsie. Her action was merely the instinctive reaction to the pain she endured.

"Keaton, am I paralyzed? Can't I stand up anymore? I don't want this." Elsie clutched Keaton's arm, tears streaming down her face.

Assisting her to lie down, Keaton reassured her patiently, "Don't overthink it. You'll be fine!"

"No, I'm disabled! Joelle informed me that my legs were injured and I couldn't stand up anymore." Elsie sobbed bitterly.

Wearing an angry expression, Keaton admonished, "Joelle, you know Elsie can't handle any stress right now. Why would you say that?"

Joelle covered her face, remaining silent.

She uttered those words out of intense anger, with no intention to upset Elsie.

Yet Elsie claimed she couldn't feel her legs. Was she genuinely paralyzed?

However, it dawned on Joelle that Elsie had purposely approached her car to concoct a scheme. It wasn't her fault at all.

Contemplating this, Joelle tightly bit her lower lip.

"Keaton, what am I supposed to do? I can't dance anymore. What's the point of living?" Elsie clung tightly to Keaton's sleeve, crying even louder.

"Don't worry. I'll find the best doctor to treat you!" Keaton consoled her, cradling her in his arms and gently patting her back.

Elsie simply wept, clutching Keaton's waist tightly, as if he were her only anchor.

Remaining silent, Joelle stood up and stumbled out.

Her heartache had reached a point of numbness.

Regardless of who held the mistress' position, she recognized her own lack of significance.

Staggering out of the room, her head pounding and her vision blurring, Joelle leaned against the wall. Despite her effort to resist, an overwhelming dizziness overcame her, causing her to collapse.

Someone rushed over and grabbed her just before everything went black.

Waking up, she realized that she was hooked up to an IV.

"Are you awake?" Tony Wall checked her forehead with the back of his hand. "Your fever has subsided. Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

Upon turning around and seeing Tony's caring expression, Joelle felt a lump in her throat, and her eyes welled up. She gratefully whispered, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. We were once neighbors, and now we're colleagues. It's only natural for me to do this."

After a brief pause, Tony inquired, "Joelle, is your husband mistreating you?"

Tony was Joelle's only trusted friend in the city. She didn't keep any secrets from him. He was well aware of her marital status and that her husband held the position of CEO at the Gordon Group.

It might sound remarkable, but in reality, Tony was well aware of how miserable her life had been in the past three years.

"It doesn't matter. We're heading for a divorce. His treatment doesn't concern me anymore," Joelle replied with a smile, wiping away her tears.

The moment she knew that Keaton didn't love her, she should have made the decision to divorce him, but she refrained from doing so.

Being married to someone she liked hadn't been easy. She had hoped to become a better wife and make Keaton fall in love with her.

However, her efforts were in vain.

It had cost her three years to know Keaton well enough. She just needed to cut her losses in time.

"Seriously?" Tony let out a sigh of relief. "It's great that you've thought it through! But... you're pregnant. Six weeks."