The Divine Physician System

Chapter 9

Eastbury was one of the oldest districts in Eastcliff.

The roads were narrow, the buildings were worn, and most of the apartments had seen better days. Unlike the luxurious neighborhoods where the truly wealthy families lived, Eastbury was filled with aging houses and cramped residences packed closely together.

This was where the Sterling family lived.

Three years ago, they had occupied a spacious villa in one of Eastcliff's most expensive districts.

Now, they were squeezed into a small three-bedroom apartment.

The reason was simple.

A family power struggle.

Richard Sterling had once been one of the strongest contenders to become the head of the Sterling family. Unfortunately, he had only two daughters.

His younger brother had used that weakness against him.

When their father became seriously ill, Richard's brother manipulated the family and eventually convinced the old master to reclaim most of the properties and businesses under Richard's name.

The Sterling family lost almost everything.

And Margaret had blamed Adrian ever since.

"If Evelyn hadn't married that useless man, she could have married into a wealthy family!"

That was the sentence Adrian had heard countless times during the past three years.

He had never defended himself.

Not because he agreed.

But because Lily needed him.

He had needed the Sterling family's money to pay for her treatment, so he swallowed every insult.

He cooked for them.

He cleaned their house.

He ran their errands.

He washed their clothes.

Even the salary he earned from the hospital had been taken from him.

Yet when Lily needed help, the Sterling family hadn't given him a single cent.

They had even refused to let her enter their home.

And Adrian had endured it all.

Until yesterday.

Yesterday, Lily had died.

Yesterday, he had awakened the Divine Physician inheritance.

Yesterday, he had learned that he was no longer powerless.

As Adrian walked toward the Sterling residence, his expression remained calm.

But his eyes were different.

He no longer felt the same fear he once had.

When he reached the staircase, two familiar figures appeared above him.

Richard and Margaret.

Margaret's expression immediately darkened.

"Adrian!"

Her voice echoed through the stairwell.

"Where the hell have you been all day?"

Adrian stopped.

Margaret stormed down the stairs.

"You didn't cook, you didn't clean, and you didn't even come home last night! What exactly are you planning?"

Adrian's brows furrowed.

He wanted to tell her exactly what he had been doing.

He wanted to tell her that her daughter had been with another man.

He wanted to ask why Evelyn had ignored more than a hundred calls from him but answered another man's call without hesitation.

But he stopped himself.

Not yet.

He needed to know the truth first.

"I was taking care of Lily."

Margaret rolled her eyes.

"Don't use your sister as an excuse!"

Richard remained silent.

He simply looked away.

Adrian clenched his fists.

Three years.

Three years of this.

Yet he still forced himself to remain calm.

"I'll clean everything when I return."

"Save it!" Margaret snapped. "Evelyn is coming back today. We're going to the airport to pick her up."

Adrian looked at her.

"I know."

"Then don't make us late."

Margaret walked past him before suddenly turning around.

"Where's the car I told you to borrow?"

Adrian frowned.

"I have a car."

Margaret stared at him.

"What car?"

Before Adrian could answer, she immediately began complaining.

"Don't tell me you rented another cheap car. How many times do I have to tell you? Evelyn is a senior executive! Every time she comes back from a business trip, you pick her up in some cheap rental car. Do you know how embarrassing that is?"

Adrian said nothing.

Margaret continued.

"Can't you think about Evelyn for once? You're her husband! At least make her look respectable!"

Richard finally spoke.

"Margaret, let's just go."

"I'm not finished!"

Margaret glared at Adrian.

"You're the most useless man I've ever seen. Three years of marriage and you haven't accomplished anything!"

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

But he remained silent.

Margaret suddenly smiled.

"Fortunately, I've already called Liam."

A car horn sounded outside.

A Honda Accord slowly drove into the street.

Margaret's face brightened.

"Liam is here."

The car stopped.

A buzz-cut man stepped out.

Victor Honeywell.

He was married to Evelyn's younger sister, but he had always behaved as though he were superior to Adrian.

Liam walked over with a smug smile.

"Mom."

"Liam!"

Margaret immediately greeted him warmly.

"I'm so sorry to trouble you again."

"What are you talking about?" Liam laughed. "We're family."

Then his gaze shifted toward Adrian.

"Adrian, you could have called me yourself if you needed a car."

Adrian didn't respond.

Liam smiled smugly.

"There's no need to be embarrassed. You know I'm always willing to help."

Margaret nodded approvingly.

"See? Liam understands how to take care of his family."

Liam patted his Accord.

"You can borrow this anytime."

Adrian finally looked at him.

"I don't need it."

Margaret's expression changed.

"What?"

"I said I have a car."

Liam laughed.

"What kind of car could you possibly have?"

Before Adrian could answer, Richard's gaze suddenly moved toward the street.

His expression changed.

"Wait."

Everyone turned.

A black luxury sedan was slowly approaching.

The vehicle was enormous.

Its sleek body reflected the morning sunlight, while the distinctive emblem on its hood immediately caught their attention.

Richard's eyes widened.

"That's a Maybach."

Margaret stared.

"A Maybach?"

Richard nodded slowly.

"Not just any Maybach."

He studied the vehicle carefully.

"That's a high-end model. It costs several million."

Liam's smile disappeared.

"Several million?"

Richard nodded.

"And it looks modified."

He swallowed.

"That car could easily be worth five million."

Margaret stared at the vehicle in disbelief.

"Who would drive something like that around here?"

Liam looked at his own Accord.

For the first time, he suddenly felt embarrassed by it.

The Maybach rolled past them.

Liam quickly moved his Accord aside.

"Be careful," he muttered. "If I scratch that car, I won't be able to afford the repair."

Margaret laughed nervously.

"I never thought someone that wealthy would come to this neighborhood."

Richard narrowed his eyes.

"It probably belongs to someone visiting."

He paused.

"But whoever owns it isn't ordinary."

The Maybach stopped.

Everyone stared.

Liam straightened his clothes.

Perhaps the owner was some wealthy businessman.

Perhaps he could make a useful connection.

Margaret also looked curious.

Then the driver's door opened.

Adrian walked toward it.

The three of them froze.

Liam's mouth fell open.

"Where is he going?"

Adrian reached the Maybach.

He pulled out the key.

Click.

The car unlocked.

Silence.

Margaret's eyes widened.

Adrian opened the driver's door.

Liam stared at him.

"Adrian..."

His voice was filled with disbelief.

"You... you know the owner?"

Adrian didn't answer.

He simply got inside.

Margaret hurried forward.

"Wait!"

Adrian lowered the window.

Margaret stared at him.

"Where did you get this car?"

Adrian calmly looked at her.

"I'm going to the airport."

Margaret was speechless.

Liam's face had turned ugly.

"You can't be serious."

Adrian glanced at him.

"You said I needed at least two or three hundred thousand to buy a car."

His voice remained calm.

"Apparently, you were wrong."

Liam's expression stiffened.

Margaret couldn't speak.

Adrian started the engine.

The Maybach's powerful engine hummed quietly.

He looked toward Margaret.

"Mom, it's better if I go."

Margaret stood frozen.

For three years, Adrian had always lowered his head when they spoke to him.

He had always apologized.

He had always obeyed.

But today...

He wasn't even waiting for permission.

The Maybach slowly pulled away.

Margaret watched it disappear down the road.

"How..."

She couldn't finish the sentence.

Richard remained silent.

His eyes were fixed on the empty street.

Liam's hands tightened around the keys to his Accord.

For the first time, none of them knew what to say.

Inside the Maybach, Adrian glanced at the rearview mirror.

He could still see the three of them standing there.

He smiled faintly.

Not because of the car.

The car meant nothing to him.

What mattered was the look in their eyes.

Shock.

For three years, they had looked at him with contempt.

Today, they had finally looked at him with uncertainty.

Adrian's smile disappeared.

His thoughts returned to Evelyn.

The man's voice.

The bedroom.

The shower.

His wife's unanswered calls.

His grip tightened around the steering wheel.

"Evelyn..."

He stared ahead.

"Today, I'll find out the truth."

The airport was getting closer.

And for the first time in three years, Adrian wasn't going there as a worthless husband waiting for his wife's approval.

He was going there as a man who had finally begun to discover his own worth.