Healing God's Heir: Abandoned Son-in-law

6. Run Down Wellness Center

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After she fell ill and he married into the Messi family, this house stood empty.

Aarav, juggling work at a clinic and duties as a live-in son-in-law, had no time for visits or upkeep.

The door creaked as they entered, a dusty silence enveloping them.

"Creak...!"

"Cough...Cough...!" Brother and sister, choked by dust, confronted the neglected space.

"Why's it so messy, brother? Look how dirty it's become!" Aria scolded, unaware of the burden on Aarav's shoulders.

"Haha! I didn't have time. Just wait, I'll take care of it." Aarav laughed awkwardly, concealing the weight of his dual life.

Setting Aria down, he closed the door, and entered the house.

"Broth-brother...you...!" Aria stood there, helpless, hearing the noise, realizing her brother was likely cleaning.

"Done, now you can come inside. Also, welcome home, sister!" Aarav opened the door, beckoning her in, his greeting masking the struggles he bore. Aria moved, teared up and embraced him.

"Okay...okay, let's go in!" Aarav, momentarily emotional, locked the door, seated Aria on the worn-out couch, and fetched warm water.

"Put your feet here. I'll wash them a little," Aarav said, tenderly cleansing her legs, a small gesture in a vast sea of challenges.

"Thank you, brother!" Aria, touched, expressed gratitude.

Night had fallen upon their worn-down home. With nothing for dinner, Aarav hurried out, and fetched food.

In the dim light, Aarav prepared a simple meal, the aroma of which mingled with the heaviness in the air.

Each bite was a bitter reminder of the limited resources at his disposal, a stark contrast to the lavish lifestyles he had encountered.

As Aria slept, Aarav sat alone in the quiet house, wrestling with his despair.

"Urgh... I don't have anything left in my pocket. Tomorrow, I have to go to the clinic, and I need to show my face at the Messi household, otherwise those people might make things difficult for me. I don't want to cause trouble for Elara, especially after she bothered to help me out!" Aarav sighed aloud, feeling the weight of his predicament, a silent symphony of desperation and humility playing in the quiet corners of his existence.

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The next day, Veridian House.

"Good morning, sleepyhead. Wake up and freshen up. I've already prepared your breakfast!" Aarav woke his sister, crafting a simple morning meal from the sparse leftovers in the kitchen.

"Hmm, Brother. Good morning!" Aria woke up, sat down, and rubbed her eyes, greeting him with a hint of weariness.

"Come downstairs, Aria!" Aarav informed her, rushing off to a day filled with overwhelming responsibilities.

A little while later, Aria descended, refreshed, but her brother was absent.

There, on the table, a letter and a hot, steaming breakfast awaited her.

"Take care, sister, and don't go out because it's not safe. Also, don't do anything reckless. Keep your health in mind. I'll be back soon!" Aria read the letter aloud, a sigh escaping her lips as she sat down to savor her brother's homemade creation.

"I missed this taste. My brother's homemade cooking is so much better than hospital food!" Aria muttered, quickly finishing her breakfast.

"Now, what should I do with my free time?" Aria mumbled, searching for ways to pass the time until her brother's return, the solitude echoing the silent struggles of Aarav, etched in every word of the note he left behind.

Meanwhile,

Aarav jogged to the small clinic where he worked.

"Bam...thud...!"

As Aarav walked, suddenly, in a narrow turn, someone appeared in front of him. Before he could react, they collided, and both fell to the ground.

"Ouch...ouch...!" Aarav heard an elderly person grunting in pain. He quickly got up and went to the person's side.

"I'm really sorry. I was in a hurry and accidentally made you fall. I apologize for my mistake," Aarav said, helping the elderly person stand up and bowing to express his remorse, though it wasn't entirely his fault.

"It's okay... It's okay. It wasn't entirely your fault. I also wasn't paying attention, and no harm was done. It's all right," the elderly man forgave in a compassionate tone.

"Oh no, you've hurt your hands. Let me take a look!" Aarav noticed the elderly man's scratched hands with some blood.

"Hmm, I'm really sorry for the inconvenience, but can you accompany me for a while so I can treat this wound to prevent infection?" Aarav suggested to the elderly man, realizing he wasn't far from his clinic.

"Haha! Young man, you're truly a kind person. Alright, I'll accompany you, since you insist so much!" The elderly man laughed, appreciating Aarav's concern, and followed him to his clinic.

It only took them five minutes to walk there, and they arrived at a small, run-down clinic.

Aarav sighed quietly as he worked in his rundown clinic, his eyes betraying the weariness of someone who'd faced endless challenges.

"Oh, so you work here. Are you a doctor, young man?" the elderly man innocently inquired, unaware of the judgments tied to the faded clinic signboard.

"Yeah, this is the Wellness Center," Aarav replied, his voice trying to mask the reality of the run-down two-story building.

"Please sit here; it won't take long," Aarav said as he helped the old man onto a stool and began treating the wounds on his hands.

"By the way, since you're already here, would you like me to give you a health check?" After tending to the wounds, Aarav hesitated before offering a health check. The old man, appreciative and unaware of Aarav's internal struggle, agreed.

"Alright, please lie down on the bed over there and relax. I'll be done in a minute," Aarav said as he assisted the elderly man to the nearby bed.

"Okay, let's try my healing powers first," Aarav mumbled to himself as he held his hand above the old man's forehead without making physical contact, channeling his energy.

As Aarav struggled to provide care, the atmosphere in the clinic echoed with the cruel remarks of those who questioned his competence.

"Look at this place, a real doctor wouldn't be caught dead working in such a dump," snickered a rival clinic doctor.

"Can you believe Aarav calls this a Wellness Center? More like a health hazard!" chimed in a colleague with a mocking tone.

Despite the whispered taunts, Aarav continued, his voice barely audible, "Just a little longer, sir. We're almost done here."

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