In my past life, after being recognized and brought back to the Williams family, I chose to study medicine to care for Wilson, the frail and sickly adopted heir. But he pretended his condition was worsening, accused me of refusing to save him, and tried to steal everything that was mine. My fiancée Patterson believed him and joined forces with Wilson to throw me out. Not long after, I contracted tuberculosis and died on the streets. When I woke again, I had returned to the day I was brought back to the Williams family at age five. Patterson blocked my parents' path, pointing at me and saying: "You've got the wrong person. This boy isn't your biological son at all." After my parents left in disappointment, she handed me a piece of candy. "One heir is enough for the Williams family. Don't even think about taking Wilson's place." Looking at the disgust on her face, I knew she had been reborn too. I clenched the candy tightly, its hard edges almost piercing my palm. Yes, in her eyes from my past life, I was nothing but a malicious, jealous person—a useless failure who couldn't cure Wilson. Since Wilson's condition still deteriorated because of me in the past life. Then in this new life, someone as calculating as me naturally had no need to be brought back to the Williams family. I smiled and held back my tears. I wiped my eyes hard, telling myself that Howard was dead. The one alive now was just me. I turned and walked back to my corner of the orphanage. Before long, a black sedan stopped at the entrance. The director led in an elderly man with white hair. All the children in the orphanage erupted with excitement, chattering like a flock of sparrows as they crowded around him, eagerly trying to show off. "Hello, sir!" "Sir, let me sing for you!" "Sir, look at my drawing!" Only I remained quietly in my inconspicuous corner, like an outsider. Mr. Johnson noticed me. He parted the crowd and walked toward me step by step, leaning on his cane. "Little one, why are you here all alone? Don't they like you?" I shook my head and lifted my small face, holding out the candy that had grown warm in my grip. "Sir, have some candy." I tried to display a composure and maturity beyond my years. He paused, clearly surprised. He took the candy, unwrapped it, and put it in his mouth, a contented smile spreading across his face. "Mm, very sweet." He looked at me deeply, then asked, "What's your name?" "My name is Holmes." "Holmes..." He repeated it, nodding. "Would you like to come home with me? To be my grandson." The room instantly fell silent. All the children's eyes focused on me, filled with envy. I didn't hesitate for a moment and nodded firmly. "I would." He burst into hearty laughter, his voice booming. "Good! Good! From today on, you'll be called Holmes Johnson." He took my hand, his palm warm and dry. "Holmes is a good name." "Child, I hope you will become a priceless treasure." I understood the value he placed on me and his expectations. In that moment, I gripped his hand tightly. I became the golden child of the Johnson family. Mr. Johnson treasured me like a precious jewel, personally teaching me to read and write and how to conduct myself in the world. Although his children were busy with work, they brought me various novel gifts every time they came home and genuinely cared about me. The one who doted on me most was my sister Jones, who was ten years older than me. When she first met me, her cool face broke into a gentle smile. "Nobody touches the Johnson family heir." That was her constant refrain. Surrounded by such love, I almost forgot the pain of my past life. I studied diligently. From elementary school through high school, I was always first in my class. Competition trophies and certificates filled my room. In college, I chose medicine without hesitation. Because I knew Wilson's illness was the eternal pain in the Williams family's and Patterson's hearts, and also a blade hanging over my head.
Twenty years later, I became one of the youngest and most renowned internal medicine doctors and medical researchers in the country. My days were peaceful and fulfilling. I thought the Williams family would disappear from my life forever. Until that day when my assistant knocked on my office door. "Dr. Holmes, there's a woman named Patterson outside who specifically asked to see you." "She says she wants you to examine her fiancé. She booked our most expensive specialist appointment." Hearing that name, my heart seized uncontrollably for a moment. I took a deep breath, suppressing my emotions, my voice calm and level. "Let her in." A woman with an aloof demeanor walked in. Her features had shed their youthful innocence, becoming more refined and sophisticated. The moment Patterson saw me, she froze. Those deep eyes filled with shock and disbelief. She never imagined that the medical expert she had searched so hard to find would be the very person she had abandoned twenty years ago. After a long pause, she finally found her voice, her tone full of doubt. "You... are Dr. Holmes?" I nodded. "Miss Patterson, please sit. Tell me about your fiancé's condition." But she acted as if she hadn't heard me, scrutinizing me instead. "You're really a doctor? How confident are you that you can cure my fiancé?" Her attitude made it seem like I was some charlatan. My assistant could barely stand listening and couldn't help but speak up. "Ma'am, Dr. Holmes is the most authoritative expert in our hospital. His time is very valuable..." I looked at Patterson, a faint smile playing at the corners of my mouth. "It seems Miss Patterson doesn't quite trust my professional abilities." "In that case, let's cancel this consultation." "Paul, show her out." Patterson's face instantly turned ugly. She bit her lip, but in the end said nothing and turned to storm out. My assistant stomped his foot in frustration. "Dr. Holmes, that woman is so rude! Who does she think she is?" I smiled indifferently. "It's fine, just an ordinary patient." To me, this was indeed just an insignificant little episode. Because my life had long since ceased to have anything to do with them. After work, Patterson suddenly appeared at the entrance to the laboratory building, blocking my way. Her face wore a complex, grim expression. I immediately frowned. "Can I help you?" She stared at me intently, remaining silent for a long time before squeezing out words through gritted teeth. "Howard, I'm warning you." "No matter what your status is now, don't even think about hurting Wilson." I almost laughed in anger. Twenty years ago, she had ruthlessly prevented my biological parents from bringing me back to the Williams family, and now she was calling me Howard again. Now she had sought me out herself, yet her first move was to warn me not to hurt Wilson? What made her think I would waste my time on someone like that? I looked at her like I was looking at an unreasonable lunatic. "Miss Patterson, my surname is Johnson. My name is Holmes Johnson. Please don't get it wrong." "Furthermore, I don't know you, and I certainly don't know your fiancé." "As a doctor, my duty is to save people, not harm them." "So why would I want to hurt a complete stranger I don't even know?" Patterson froze, a flash of bewilderment crossing her face. "You don't remember me?"
She seemed unable to accept this fact, her voice involuntarily rising. "Twenty years ago, at the orphanage entrance, I was the one who stopped your parents..." She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly cutting herself off, as if even she found that past behavior too shameful to mention. I watched her awkward expression, my heart utterly cold. Of course I remembered. I remembered every single look of disgust, every word of loathing. I remembered how she had personally pushed me away, severing all my illusions about love and family. But I would pretend not to remember. I pretended to think hard, then put on an expression of sudden realization. "Oh—" I deliberately drew out the sound. "So it was you." I looked at her with an innocent smile. "I'm really sorry, but that was twenty years ago. It's been too long—I forgot ages ago." "After all, I have so much important research to do every day. How could I have time to remember such trivial matters?" Patterson's face instantly turned ashen. Trivial matters? In her view, that had been the pivotal event that determined my fate. This hurt her more than outright insults would have. She gritted her teeth, saying unwillingly, "Stop playing dumb!" "Aren't you harboring a grudge against me because I prevented the Williams family from adopting you back then?" "Now you want to find an opportunity to get revenge on me and Wilson?" I finally couldn't hold back a scornful laugh. "Miss Patterson, aren't you being a bit too full of yourself?" I dropped my smile, my eyes turning cold. "Revenge on you? Are you worth it?" "Come to think of it, I should actually thank you. If you hadn't been so determined to stop them back then, how would I have had the chance to become Mr. Johnson's grandson?" "How would I have my current achievements?" "So I should be thanking you—how could I possibly hate you?" Every word I spoke was light and breezy, yet each one stabbed into Patterson's heart like a knife. She was left speechless, her face alternating between red and white. "Johnson? Stop spouting nonsense!" She immediately sneered. "You think just because your surname is Johnson, you're related to the Johnson family?" "Stop dreaming. Someone like you could never step through the Johnson family's door!" Just as she finished speaking, a black Bentley silently pulled up beside us. The door opened and an elegant, distinguished woman stepped out. She walked quickly to my side and naturally draped a coat over my shoulders. Without even glancing at Patterson, she gently ruffled my hair. "Holmes, why haven't you left yet? Grandpa's getting impatient." Only then did her gaze fall on Patterson. "Holmes, who's this?" I hooked my arm for Jones to take, smiling brightly. "Nothing, just a patient who came in today. We chatted for a bit." Patterson completely froze in place. She looked at me and Jones's intimate gestures in disbelief, then at the luxury car that proclaimed its owner's status. She wasn't stupid. She of course recognized Jones, the eldest princess of Johnson Corporation. She also of course knew that Jones had a younger brother who was treasured by the entire Johnson family. She just never dreamed that brother would be me. Images from her past life uncontrollably surfaced in her mind—that boy who always followed behind her, timidly calling her Patterson. And now, that boy was smiling radiantly as he offered his arm to another woman. While she stood there dazed, I had already gotten into Jones's car.
The next day, my assistant told me Patterson had reapplied for a consultation appointment with me. While helping me organize files, my assistant complained. "Dr. Holmes, does this Patterson woman have some kind of problem?" "Two days ago she acted like she didn't trust you, and today she's eagerly coming back." "I think she just saw you're the Johnson family heir and wants to curry favor with you!" I just smiled and said nothing. I signed my name on the appointment application. I wanted to see what game she was playing now. At three in the afternoon, the Williams family arrived at my examination room with Wilson right on time. After twenty years, Wilson still looked as frail as he had in my past life. Patterson's attitude was a hundred times better than last time. "Dr. Holmes, I was too impulsive last time. I'm sorry." Wilson's parents stood awkwardly to the side, looking at me with complicated expressions. I didn't bother with them, my gaze falling directly on Wilson. "The patient stays. Family members, please wait outside." The examination room door closed, blocking the view from outside. Only Wilson and I remained in the room. The frailty on his face instantly vanished without a trace. In its place was undisguised jealousy and malice. He looked me up and down, a mocking smile on his lips. "Howard—no, I should call you Holmes Johnson." "Never expected this. You really do have nine lives." "Kicked out by our family, yet you still managed to latch onto the Johnson family. What skills you have." I looked at him calmly, like watching a clown. "Start the examination. Take off your shirt." My indifference seemed to infuriate him. While slowly unbuttoning his shirt, he continued to provoke me with his sharp, venomous tone. "What? Think being a doctor makes you so great? Aren't you still here to examine me?" "Let me tell you, so what if you're the Johnson family heir now?" "In Patterson's heart, you'll never measure up to one of my fingers!" In my past life, he had been exactly like this—one face in public, another in private. In front of Patterson and the Williams parents, he was always the kind, sensible good younger brother. In private, he used the most vicious language to humiliate and trample me. He deliberately broke Mother's favorite vase, then cried and said I had pushed him into it. He secretly tore up Father's most important documents, then framed me for it. And I couldn't defend myself. Every time, all I received was deeper disgust from Patterson and harsher punishment from my parents. But none of that mattered anymore. Living a second life, I had long since stopped caring about these ridiculous tricks. I gave him a thorough series of examinations—auscultation, palpation—every step meticulous. I suppressed my rising anger and glared fiercely at Wilson. He was startled by my expression and immediately became defensive. After completing all the examinations, I had him get dressed. With a dark expression, I walked out of the examination room without a word. Outside, the Williams family and Patterson were waiting anxiously. Seeing me emerge, Patterson was the first to rush over. "Dr. Holmes, Wilson... how is he?" Wilson's mother, Brodie, even grabbed my arm, her eyes reddening. "Doctor, my son's illness—is there any hope?" I looked impatient and said directly to Patterson in front of everyone: "Your fiancé's illness is beyond what our hospital can treat!" The moment those words left my mouth, everyone's breathing hitched. My assistant looked at me in disbelief. She had never seen me so decisively make such a pronouncement about any patient. This was completely unlike my usual way of doing things. Wilson's father Yale and Brodie's faces instantly lost all color. Brodie's legs went weak and she nearly collapsed to the floor. "How can this be? How can it be untreatable? If even you can't treat it, then Wilson..." Patterson's face instantly filled with mockery. "Impossible! You're the top expert. How could you not be able to treat it!" "You're settling personal scores!" she shouted. Just then, Wilson also emerged from the examination room. Hearing my words, a flash of triumph crossed his eyes before he squeezed out a few tears. "Patterson, forget it. I knew my illness couldn't be cured. I don't blame Dr. Holmes..." I looked coldly at their family and dropped the other half of my statement. "Because Wilson—he's not sick at all!"
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