Medical Center.
Emergency Room.
"Adam!"
Ted stood by the hospital bed and waved as soon as he saw Adam approaching.
When Adam reached him, Ted quickly introduced, "This is my mom and dad. Today's my birthday, so they flew in to celebrate with me. But suddenly, my mom fainted, and I have no idea why."
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Mosby," Adam greeted with a warm smile.
"Hello, Adam," Ted's father nodded politely.
Lying on the hospital bed, Ted's mother smiled weakly. "Sorry to trouble you, Adam."
"No need to be so formal. Ted and I are good friends," Adam reassured her with a friendly smile while flipping through the medical records. "Has this ever happened before?"
"This is the first time," Ted's mother replied.
"But she does feel chest pain around this time every year," Ted's father added.
"What?" Ted exclaimed, looking shocked. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"It only started in recent years, and it was just a dull pain," his mother said with a forced smile. "It wasn't anything serious. It always went away on its own after a few days. The doctors said it was nothing, so I didn't want your father to worry you."
Adam sighed internally.
Ah, the selfless love of parents.
They always try to bear their pain alone, unwilling to burden their children unless absolutely necessary.
Adam had experienced this himself in his past life.
During his college years, every phone call home was the same—his parents always assured him everything was fine.
But when he returned for the holidays, he'd find evidence to the contrary—his father's hand showing scars from a firecracker accident, or his mother's foot bearing the mark of a centipede bite.
And when he asked, they would just smile and say, It healed a long time ago, nothing to worry about.
"Mrs. Mosby, let's start with an ECG and see what's going on," Adam said, bringing himself back to the present.
"Alright."
Ted's mother nodded with a gentle smile.
"How is it?"
Ted watched nervously as Adam conducted the ECG.
"There are some abnormalities," Adam admitted, then quickly added, "Let's run a blood test and do an echocardiogram to be sure."
"Okay," Ted's mother said calmly.
She noticed Ted throwing Adam desperate looks, clearly wanting a private conversation. But before he could say anything, she cut in with a smile, "There's no need to hide anything from me. Whatever it is, you can say it directly."
"That's right," Ted's father agreed. "We're not children. Whatever the situation, we can handle it."
Adam looked at Ted for confirmation.
"...Alright," Ted finally relented. "Go ahead, Adam."
"The ECG results suggest Mrs. Mosby might have a myocardial infarction," Adam said seriously. "In other words, a heart attack."
"Oh my God!" Ted's father shook his head.
"No!" Ted shouted, unwilling to accept it.
"It's not confirmed yet," Adam reassured him. "There's still a chance it's something else."
"It has to be something else!" Ted insisted.
Adam ordered a blood test, then personally took Mrs. Mosby for an echocardiogram.
"How is it?" Ted asked anxiously after the tests.
"The echocardiogram and blood test both came back normal," Adam reported. "It probably isn't a heart attack."
"That's great!" Ted cheered. But then he noticed that Adam's expression was still serious. His excitement faded. "Wait… That is good news, right?"
"Yes and no," Adam replied in a low voice. "While it doesn't seem to be a sudden heart attack, the ECG still shows some heart issues. We need to figure out exactly what's wrong before we can treat it properly and eliminate any risks."
The unknown is always the scariest part.
"So what do we do now?" Ted asked urgently.
"Mrs. Mosby needs a cardiac catheterization for further examination," Adam explained.
"Then let's do it," Ted's mother said, still smiling. "Ted, don't worry. I'll be fine."
Adam narrowed his eyes and studied her carefully.
He wasn't a mind-reader like Juno, but something about her attitude was off.
Was she just overly optimistic?
Or was she trying to comfort her son?
Or… did she already know something?
In the examination room, Adam made sure to leave Ted and his father outside.
"Mrs. Mosby, is there something you need to tell me?" Adam asked gently. "As your doctor, I am bound by doctor-patient confidentiality. Anything you don't want your family to know, I legally cannot share. So if there's something you're aware of, please tell me. Heart issues are not something to take lightly."
"...There's nothing," she said softly, avoiding his gaze. "I really don't know why this is happening."
"What happened seven years ago today?" Adam asked, his tone calm but firm.
"W-what?"
Ted's mother's eyes flickered with panic.
"Your medical records show that every year on this exact day, you experience these symptoms," Adam pointed out. "It always went away on its own, but this year, it got worse, and you fainted. Something must have triggered this. Seven years ago, today—what happened?"
"...Please don't tell Ted," she whispered, gripping Adam's hand with a desperate look.
Adam sighed.
"Alright." Then, after a pause, he raised an eyebrow. "Just Ted?"
She smiled bitterly. "His father and I… we've been emotionally distant for a long time."
Her voice trembled as she continued, "I just didn't want Ted to be hurt. I've kept up the act for his sake. But… my heart? I gave that away 29 years ago. And seven years ago, on this very day, it shattered completely when he passed away. He was my true soulmate. We truly loved each other."
Adam didn't even need to ask—he was their neighbor and good friend, also named Ted.
"So… just a soulmate?" Adam asked carefully. "Then Ted… who's his real father?"
Ted's mother wiped away a tear but didn't answer.
Adam understood the look in her eyes.
She might not even know for sure herself.
But deep down, she hoped Ted was his son.
What a mess.
"This is exactly why I'm against all these chaotic relationship entanglements!" Adam internally ranted.
"Mrs. Mosby, you're suffering from stress-induced cardiomyopathy," Adam explained. "Every year, around this time, your body reacts to the emotional distress. Your adrenaline spikes, your blood pressure rises, and your chest tightens. Your heart literally pauses for a brief moment—grieving for him."
"My heart… mourning for him?"
Ted's mother let out a bittersweet laugh, tears glistening in her eyes.
Adam remained silent.
A forbidden love that ran so deep… yet felt heartbreakingly sincere.
At least now, Adam finally knew—Ted's extreme romanticism?
Definitely inherited.
The King of Romance…
His last name was ****.
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