Chapter 2

After leaving home, I rushed to the hospital to take care of my mother without delay.

In the hospital ICU, she was covered in tubes.

The former head coach of the national swim team had been reduced to this state.

In truth, my mother's late-stage cancer had long since become too much for her to bear.

But to see me get married, she persevered time and time again.

Melody, however, turned the wedding into a farce.

I knelt by my mother's hospital bed, filled with regret and anguish.

Just then, my phone suddenly rang.

"Fintan, my stomach hurts so bad."

"Come back and make me some chicken noodle soup."

Melody's voice had a hint of alcohol, reminiscent of her playful whining when we were dating.

I instinctively wanted to hang up the phone.

Suddenly, I heard a man's sinister laughter on the other end.

"Don't touch me!"

"Get away!"

Melody's voice was filled with uncontrollable panic.

My fingers gripped the phone tightly, telling myself not to get involved in Melody's affairs anymore.

But seconds later, I stood up and quickly ran out of the hospital.

One last time!

I warned myself.

Panting, I ran to the private room Melody often frequented, gently massaging my overworked left calf.

I pushed open the door to the room. Imagining Melody being insulted and in tears didn't materialize.

Inside the private room, a group of men and women were mingling.

In the center, Melody was embracing Levi in a passionate kiss.

Seeing me enter, the group erupted in laughter.

"Melody's charm is truly powerful."

"This morning at the wedding, she made Fintan perform a water show, and with just one phone call tonight, he still comes crawling!"

"Melody, quick, tell us your dog-training methods!"

"She actually got the former swimming prodigy of the national team to set aside his pride for her."

Among the crowd, Melody's lips were slightly swollen. She squinted, her eyes filled with intense hatred.

"What method?"

"Of course, it's because he once left my brother to die. This is what he owes me!"

As soon as the words fell, the room went silent.

Three years ago, I went sailing with Melody's brother and Levi.

But her brother accidentally fell into the sea.

That day, I struggled desperately in the water until I lost consciousness, but couldn't save her brother.

However, later on, Levi claimed that I had ignored a person in peril.

He lied as the only witness.

Melody was devastated and hated me to the bone.

From that day on, I could never swim again.

I lowered my head to look at my calves. The once-proud left calf, now nothing more than a prosthetic limb.

The swimming prodigy the nation had pinned its hopes on, a future Olympic champion, now ruined.

I let out a soft laugh, turning to leave without lingering.

But someone blocked my path before I could go.

"Fintan, don't leave!"

"I heard swimmers are in good shape."

"Let us see the Olympic champion's body!"

I was surrounded by a group of people. I turned to look at Melody, only to find her staring down at her glass, swirling it, completely indifferent.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

Though I no longer loved Melody,

A familiar ache gnawed at my heart.

I coldly addressed the group.

"Get lost!"

But in the next moment, someone shut the door.

I was shoved to the ground.

"Come on, let us see!"

Several people pinned down my arms and legs, and someone forcefully ripped my t-shirt.

My shirt tore open, exposing my upper body to a rush of cool air.

"Wow!"

"He really is a swimming prodigy, an Olympic champion. What a body!"

That moment of leering gazes and mocking comments left me mortified.

I struggled hard, but to no avail.

By now, someone's hands were reaching for my pants.

"Enough!"

"Let him go!"

"I don't want to see him anymore. He makes me sick!" Melody stood up, pushed open the door, and walked out.

The remaining few people exchanged glances before following suit.

The private room suddenly fell silent.

I curled up, my consciousness seemingly returning to that period just after losing my left leg.

Confusion, pain, darkness, helplessness...

In an instant, my mind felt overwhelmed with dark emotions.

But then, my phone rang.

A woman's gentle, mature voice pulled me back to reality.

"Fintan, I've wrapped up the overseas business earlier than expected."

"I'll be back in the country by tomorrow afternoon at the latest."