Chapter 18 Chapter 18
“Why did I do what?” Oliver repeated.
He had just reached his car when he turned around fully to face Kai. The yellow light from the car park lamps fell across his face, showing the irritation already building in his eyes.
Immediately Dr. Kai stopped in front of him, breathing hard, his pride still badly wounded from everything that had happened inside.
“Why did you do that?” Kai demanded. “Why did you vouch for her? What’s that name again? Megan.” He said her name with contempt, like it tasted bitter in his mouth. “Why did you stand up for that woman after she tried to disgrace me and humiliate me in front of everybody?”
His voice rose with every word.
“Why? Don’t you know she was lying? Don’t you know I was the one telling the truth?” he snapped. “She was just pretending. Acting like she knew what she was doing. I was handling the situation, Oliver. You should have allowed me handle it.”
Then he took another step closer, eyes burning.
“I never expected that from you. Never. You were supposed to stand by me, not by her. But what did you do? You turned everything upside down. You betrayed the friendship, the brotherly trust I have in you. You just threw it away.”
For a moment, Oliver only stared at him.
Then he slowly shook his head.
Not in confusion.
In disappointment.
The kind that comes when someone has truly disgusted you.
“If not for the fact that I’m doing everything in my power not to punch the living hell out of your face right now,” Oliver said, his voice low and dangerous, “I would have done it already.”
Hearing Oliver words towards him Kai froze.
Oliver stepped closer, his eyes hard now, his tone no longer carrying any patience.
“Do you want to put me into trouble?” he asked. “Do you? You think just because she let this go, you can open your mouth, say rubbish, and still walk away freely?”
Immediately his jaw tightened.
“Do you even know who you are messing with?”
The question landed heavy between them.
However Oliver didn’t wait for an answer.
“I’m not going to repeat myself,” he said. “And I’m not going to say this twice. You better mind the way you speak. And you better stay away from anything that has to do with her.”
He pointed a finger straight at Kai’s chest.
“Because if you don’t, I can assure you, it will not end well for you.”
His voice dropped even lower.
“And no, that is not a threat. I’m warning you. Only because of the little love I still have for you, I’m warning you.”
Kai’s face changed.
For the first time since this whole thing started, something close to unease passed through his eyes.
But Oliver was not done.
He looked at him like he was seeing him clearly for the first time and did not like what he saw.
“As for this friendship,” Oliver said, each word sharp and final, “it ends today.”
Kai’s lips parted slightly, but no sound came out.
“You and I are no longer friends,” Oliver continued. “Don’t talk to me. Don’t look for me. Don’t involve yourself in anything that has to do with me again.”
At that moment, hearing the words Oliver had just said, Dr. Kai could not believe his ears.
He stood there for a second, stunned, like the ground beneath him had shifted without warning. His face tightened, then twisted with disbelief.
“Don’t tell me you’re serious,” he said. “You can’t be serious.”
His voice rose again, louder now, rough with shock and anger.
“Just because of one woman, you’re ready to throw away twenty years of friendship?” he demanded. “Twenty years, Oliver. For what? Because she managed to heal you? Or maybe she just got lucky once, and now you want to act like she’s some kind of miracle?”
He laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“So this is what it has come to? You’re throwing everything away because of a stranger?”
His eyes narrowed.
“I’m disappointed in you,” he said bitterly. “Very disappointed.”
Then his expression changed again, harder this time, more suspicious.
“And now I’m convinced,” he added. “That woman did something to you. It’s obvious. Very obvious. You are not thinking straight. You’re under something. She has manipulated you somehow, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”
He pointed at Oliver like he was making a vow.
“Whether you like it or not, I will get to the root of this.”
Oliver looked at him for a long second.
Then he gave a dry, tired shake of the head.
“Well,” he said, “I’m not stopping you from getting to the root of anything, because I already know you won’t find what you’re looking for.”
At that moment his voice stayed calm, but the warning inside it was impossible to miss.
“What I do know is this, if you keep pushing, if you cross the line, you will destroy yourself.”
Immediately Kai’s brows pulled together, but Oliver continued.
“So I’m telling you this now, only because of old times’ sake. Only because of the friendship we once had. Don’t go looking for trouble.”
He paused.
Then said it again.
“Don’t.”
His eyes held Kai’s fully now, cold and steady.
“I know why I’m saying it.”
The night air felt heavier.
Oliver stepped closer, not enough to touch him, but enough for the words to land properly.
“And I’m repeating it again. Do not go looking for trouble. Because if you do… if you mistakenly cross the line, and she decides to take it seriously, if you offend her and push too far…”
He let the warning hang for a second.
“Just know this, not only you, your career, your name, everything that has to do with you will go down with it.”
Kai stared at him, but Oliver did not blink.
“Take that as the last piece of advice I will ever give you,” he said. “Take it as the last respect from the friendship we once shared.”
Then his face hardened fully.
“I don’t want to talk to you again. We are no longer friends. So have a nice day.”
With that, Oliver turned and began walking away.
At once, Dr. Kai called after him.
“Oliver!”
His voice echoed through the car park.
“Come back here!” he shouted. “What is wrong with you? What the hell is wrong with you? Come back here!”
But Oliver did not stop.
Kai’s anger burst wider.
“So you’re really choosing a woman over your friend?” he yelled. “That’s what you’re doing now? Fine!”
His face burned with rage and humiliation.
“What did she promise you? Tell me! Did she promise you marriage?” he spat bitterly. “That dirty thing? Did you even see the way she looked? she smells so badly. And you want to throw away twenty years because of that?”
His voice got rougher as he kept shouting.
“What exactly did she promise you that made you turn your back on me like this?”
However, Oliver said nothing.
He kept walking toward his car without looking back.
Then he entered the car, the driver shut the door after him, and the car drove away.