Medical Center
Adam had called Monica—and then he called Tool Man #3. By that time, everyone had already eaten. So Adam had Tool Man #3 order that French gourmet dinner—scant portions but outrageously expensive. Since Monica's cousin was coming too, of course there'd be a serving for her as well.
He hung up the phone and headed to the locker room to change. Once dressed, he walked toward the elevator, ready to leave the hospital. But before he got there, he suddenly overheard an intense conversation.
> "You really are a devil—you know it, don't you?"
>
> Dr. Shept's voice, laced with anger, responded, "If Satan ever showed up, he'd look just like you. Why don't you hop on a broom and fly back to Boston?"
>
> "Don't be so narrow-minded," came a casual retort from Dr. Montgomery, Shept's wife.
>
> "Then stop acting like a damn bitch!" Dr. Shept snapped coldly.
"
> "You'll eventually forgive me, won't you? I mean, we used to be the best of friends. Even though love hit a crisis, you can't just throw away such deep friendship, can you?"
>
> "I once thought you were the love of my life," Dr. Shept added in a chilly tone. "But plans don't always go as expected. When you shamelessly got intimate with my best friend Mark—in our marital bed, flaunting our wedding photo—everything changed."
At that moment, it all suddenly made sense to Adam. No wonder earlier, when Alex was caught in that real shooting incident, Dr. Shept (like all the other doctors) had initially shown concern for him. But as more details emerged—especially the scandal about Alex and the shooter's wife getting frisky on the shooter's wedding bed while posing with his wedding photo—Dr. Shept's attitude had shifted dramatically. He couldn't hide his revulsion for Alex. The truth was finally laid bare: Dr. Shept truly felt the betrayal, and what made it even worse was that the one who cuckolded him was none other than his best friend.
Adam stopped in his tracks, not wanting to get any closer, yet he wasn't about to leave.
"Divorce papers?"
After a few seconds of stunned silence, Dr. Shept's surprised voice broke through. Clearly, he hadn't expected that after clinging on as if her life depended on it, Dr. Montgomery would now lay everything on the table—and proactively present the divorce papers.
"Your lawyer said it's all fine," Dr. Montgomery said calmly. "I haven't signed yet; the decision is yours. If you sign, I'll sign. Once that's done, I'll catch the fastest flight out of New York."
"I'll sign right away. I want you to leave immediately," Dr. Shept replied coolly.
"Derek, have you ever thought about something?" Dr. Montgomery laughed. "Even if I were Satan—even if I cheated on you with your best friend—I might still be the love of your life!"
Dr. Shept fell silent. Adam was speechless. That classic line—"I smoke, I drink, I have tattoos, but I know I'm a good girl"—pales in comparison to Dr. Montgomery's zinger. Who does she think she is? The Black Widow? Dr. Shept, what are you waiting for? Get up there and give her a piece of your mind!
In his shock, Adam couldn't help but root for Dr. Shept—not just as a man, but as a fellow human being. His emotions were so intense that even the usually composed Adam stepped out from the corner. Merely eavesdropping wasn't enough to satisfy his ever-growing craving for gossip; he had to witness live as Dr. Shept delivered that classic insult: "I've never seen such a shameless bastard!"
But then something even more shocking happened. Dr. Shept stood there, dumbfounded, watching as Dr. Montgomery—sporting a slight smile—stepped into the elevator and left, divorce papers clutched in her hand. The hand that was poised to sign froze mid-air.
"No way?" Adam muttered, his lips twitching. "You're not really going to change your mind, are you? Is Dr. Montgomery's mouth really that persuasive?"
Dr. Shept lingered with the divorce papers for a long moment before looking up at the sky with a soft sigh. He lowered his pen and, with the papers still in hand, pressed the elevator's down button.
Adam walked over.
"Dr. Shept."
"Dr. Duncan."
They exchanged brief greetings as the elevator arrived. Stepping inside, the elevator began its descent, and a brief silence fell over them.
Unable to contain himself, Adam blurted out, "Dr. Shept, if anything like that night ever happens again, I can watch over Meredith for you."
There was a pause. Dr. Shept looked puzzled but still nodded and said, "Thank you."
According to the latest gossip posted on 69 Book, that night, his wife had suddenly shown up and his mistress, Meredith, had fled—leaving him no chance to chase after her. So he'd asked Adam to take care of Meredith. It was, after all, a personal favor.
Adam smiled. At first, he'd been reluctant—after all, Meredith had an uncanny knack for, well, dropping her pants when she was drunk. If things went wrong, not only would the favor go unearned, but it could also land him in a huge mess. And as it turned out, even with all the tight security that night, Meredith still ended up hooking up with George. Emmm—strictly speaking, it was only a half affair. It started with a bang but fizzled out. Still, in the end, Dr. Shept got cuckolded.
Adam had been a bit worried before, but now it seemed completely unnecessary. Even if Dr. Shept knew what happened between Meredith and George, it wouldn't be a big deal. He even seemed ready to forgive his beloved wife and his best friend for cheating—especially since he was the one who'd initially wronged Meredith. After all, she was just lashing out in drunken heartbreak. Of course, he was 100% going to forgive her. This was an utterly risk-free favor—too good to pass up. If you're not taking it, you lose.
---
520 Apartment
Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in."
Adam knocked, and upon hearing Monica's voice, he opened the door and stepped inside.
"What's going on?"
The moment he walked in, Adam sensed something was off. Rachel and Phoebe were sitting on the couch, all eyes fixed on the door. Ross was slumped in an armchair, looking awkward, while Monica stood there nervously wringing her hands—practically buzzing with anticipation. Chandler hovered behind her with a helpless look, and Joey still hadn't shown up. On the table, an exquisitely arranged set of plates lay covered by a beautiful cloche. Clearly, the French gourmet dinner that Adam had ordered via Tool Man #3 had already been delivered—because when money talks, efficiency is off the charts.
"Hold on a minute," Monica motioned to Adam, then called out to the bathroom, "Casey, are you done yet?"
"Almost," came a young female voice from inside.
"What's going on?" Adam muttered, a bit confused.
Casey—Monica's cousin—stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a bathrobe, tossing her long, flowing hair as she did. The three women all fixed their gaze on Adam, while Ross and Chandler's expressions turned blank.