Chapter 53
“Chade, do you remember when I told you to respect my authority as a doctor during counseling sessions?”
“Of course, I remember.”
Chade looked confused, as if wondering why I suddenly brought this up.
I took a deep breath before speaking.
“I didn’t say that because I just wanted respect. I said it because I want to keep some distance between us.”
“…Distance?” Chade lowered the hand propping up his chin and repeated the word with a puzzled look.
“You know why I suggested counseling to you, right?”
“…Because you were worried about me?”
“Yes. You seemed unstable and in pain, so I wanted to help you release your emotions.”
“…”
“But if our relationship becomes too close, feelings will get mixed in. And then I won’t be able to treat you objectively anymore.”
Of course, in therapy there is always empathy and some involvement. But that only works if the doctor and patient are not too close.
“That’s why I want to stay only as a counselor for you and Lily. While living here, I’ll visit when needed, like any other doctor making house calls.”
I looked at Chade, asking with my eyes if he understood. His face was unusually stiff.
“So, what you’re saying is—you’re not planning to return to the duke’s residence?”
“I didn’t mean I would never visit. Just that I’ll treat you like other patients, visiting separately.”
Chade’s expression turned strange, as though he was deeply thinking about something. Then, after a pause, he spoke slowly.
“If you’re too busy with other patients… then why don’t you just become the official doctor of the duke’s house? That way, you’d only focus on me and Lily.”
“…What?”
“I’ll give you the best treatment and support. Just be our personal doctor.”
“Wait—Chade, that’s not what I meant—”
Did he really not understand, or was he pretending not to?
“I mean, it would be a problem if our relationship affected your treatment—”
“If treating me is difficult, then just take care of Lily. Would that still be bad?”
“…”
I opened and closed my mouth, lost for words. There was no argument I could make. Chade looked deadly serious, giving me no room to push back.
I was desperately trying to think of what to say when—
Knock knock.
“Lord Chade, are you inside?”
A servant entered, holding two stiff envelopes. Seeing me, he quickly bowed and handed the letters to Chade.
“These are letters from the duke’s house.”
“…Thank you.”
After the servant left, Chade stared at the sender’s name with a grim expression.
‘What is it? Something important?’
Since we had just argued, I stayed quiet, watching him.
He opened the first letter with a knife and began to read. His face grew colder and colder. Then he picked up the second letter, and this time his brow furrowed sharply.
‘Don’t tell me something happened…’
Seeing his reaction, I too felt anxious—especially about Lily, whom we had left behind at the estate.
I had done everything I could before leaving, but still.
As I worried, Chade finally put the letters down and spoke heavily.
“Adelia.”
“Yes?” I answered nervously.
“Mabel has returned to the estate. As I feared, when she saw Lily, she tried to lock her back up in the annex.”
“Ah…” I let out a small sigh.
So, despite his orders to the staff, Mabel still defied him and tried to imprison Lily again. This only confirmed that Mabel had her own hidden agenda.
“So what happened? Is Lily safe?”
“Pon tried to stop her, but the real problem is…”
Chade pressed his temples before continuing.
“My uncle, Marquis Heres, also visited the estate. He’s extremely strict, and it seems he took Mabel’s side.”
“What?”
I looked at him, shocked.
“So what about Lily? What happened to her?”
“My men say Lily has been locked back in the annex. And Mabel is once again in charge of her care.”
“Unbelievable…”
“I also received a letter from my uncle. He demands I return immediately to explain everything—and that you should come as well.”
He held up the second letter, then began gathering his papers as if preparing to leave at once.
“For now, it’s better if you stay here. My uncle has a fiery temper, and he may drag you into trouble.”
While I was frozen in shock, Chade calmly prepared to depart.
“Wait, Chade!” I grabbed his arm.
“I’ll go too.”
“What?”
“I’m Lily’s doctor. This situation happened partly because I convinced you. That makes me responsible.”
Lily had just begun to smile again, to heal. I couldn’t let her suffer once more because of the adults around her.
Chade looked at me in silence for a moment, then said,
“I appreciate it, but I can’t let you risk yourself—”
“This isn’t something I’m saying lightly!” I cut him off firmly.
“You protect your sister. I’ll protect my patient.”
With more determination than ever, I told him. Then I hurried away to pack before he could leave.
In my mind, all I could see was Lily’s face.
‘I thought doctors were all liars, but you’re different!’
‘Thank you, big sister!’
‘Do you want me to give this to you?’
She was always so kind and loving, even though everyone judged her. She kept trying to keep her promise to her mother.
‘What did Lily ever do wrong to deserve this?’
I didn’t know if I was making the right choice. Maybe I was interfering too much in another family’s matters. Maybe I couldn’t even help.
But one thing was certain:
‘Right now, I’m the only one who can speak up for Lily.’
Biting my lip, I rushed to my father’s office.
***
“Verdick!”
I burst in. My father’s aide, Verdick, looked up in surprise.
“Lia? What is it this time—”
“I’m going to the duke’s house.”
“What?”
“Mother is recovering well. Just follow the treatment notes I left. Lucella will return to work tomorrow, so don’t worry.”
I was about to leave when Verdick quickly grabbed my shoulder.
“Wait! The duke’s house? Why would you go there again?”
“One of my patients… something happened. I need to check on them.”
“What happened exactly?”
“Let me go. This is urgent—”
“Not until you explain.”
He was more serious than usual, leaving me no choice. So I told him everything.
As expected, Verdick looked shocked.
“They called you for something like that? But is it really safe? What if you get hurt too?”
Hurt…
Yes, it would be dangerous. They could call me a fraud, accuse me of overstepping without a license, maybe even punish me.
But…
In this world where the mentally ill were treated carelessly, I was the only one who could truly protect and help Lily.
“Even if it’s dangerous, I have to go.”
Because only then would I be able to regain the right to treat Lily.
