Chapter 117 How to Repay What’s Owed to Her
After all his adventures abroad, Dewitt had no idea about the storms of drama that had raged at home. When his sister Sylvia playfully chided him for being too engrossed in his work to take her feelings into account, Dewitt was taken aback, his cheeks turning a shade of red.
“Sylvia, honey, I swear I’m back this time to set things right. They’ve crossed the line,” he firmly told his sister, who couldn’t help but laugh at his earnestness.
“Now, Dewitt, don’t sweat it! You’ve been super busy, and the surgery was practically a charity act for their family–it’s no biggie,” Sylvia said, brushing off the incident with her characteristic grace.
But Dewitt couldn’t let it go. “Charity? That implies there’s something in return. We got nothing but grief from them, and I’m not letting them off the hook this easily. Trust your big brother; I’ve got this covered.”
Everyone else exchanged wary glances. They trust just about anyone over Dewitt–he’s the type to go to lengths when wronged. Bruce felt compelled to remind him, “You’re representing the Ivans family and your sister here, man. Try not to go overboard.”
Dewitt brushed off the concern. “I can handle this, really. Just sit back and leave it to me.”
His insistence only raised their anxiety. Letting Dewitt loose was often asking for trouble, but holding him
back might be worse.
Meanwhile, Cyril, having just been hung up on, sat in a daze outside the hospital room without the will to step in. He was overwhelmed, trying to wrap his head around Sylvia’s casual dismissal of the situation and the fact that Dewitt, the renowned scientist, was her brother.
Jonathan joined Cyril shortly after, equally concerned to see him so out of sorts, especially since it was Bonnie who had been hurt. “I called Sylvia, and… she’s willing to let everything slide. Did you know? Dewitt
is her big brother.”
Cyril raised his head, looking completely lost. “You’re kidding me, right?” Jonathan was taken aback. The truth was undeniable–the Ivans owed Sylvia too much.
“How could that be? Dewitt’s been overseas all these years. If he were her brother, why didn’t he come back earlier? And why would he perform surgery on Bonnie, given the Ivans‘ attitude toward you?”
Cyril’s disbelief mirrored the shock anyone would feel when the veils of the past were lifted, revealing the
debts of the heart that were long overdue.
Jonathan was at a loss, knowing that each of Sylvia’s brothers was more formidable than the last, especially Dewitt. If Dewitt was indeed her brother, why would he choose today of all days to perform the
surgery?
Cyril’s bitter smile said it all. “I called to thank him, you know. Invited him to dinner. But Dewitt refused my thanks and–would you believe it–he said he might as well take back the limbs he fixed!”
It dawned on Cyril that Dewitt had only now realized that his relationship with Sylvia wasn’t what it used to be and that she had faced unfairness. He was certain Dewitt’s harsh words and actions were all for
Chapte 117 How to Repay What’s Owed to Her
Sylvia’s sake.
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Jonathan’s attempt at comfort was cut short by Cyril’s acknowledgment of his own misdoings. “It’s my fault. His anger is justified.”
What could Cyril do? He could only accept the situation as it was.
“You know, Jonathan,” Cyril pondered aloud, “how do I even start to repay what I owe? Sylvia always talks about repaying me for saving her life, but I can’t remember doing anything for her. And now she wants to repay me when it’s clear that I owe her so much more.”
As an observer, Jonathan could see the shift in Sylvia’s feelings toward Cyril and Cyrill’s emotional rollercoaster in response to Sylvia.
“I don’t know how you plan to repay your debts, but one thing is clear–you can’t measure who owes who anymore. Maybe you should just talk to Sylvia, be honest. She’d understand.”
“There’s no need to console me,” Cyril replied, head bowed. “Do you think I don’t know how Sylvia feels?
She won’t forgive me again. And truly, I owe her more than I can ever repay.
For the first time, Cyril acknowledged he had wronged Sylvia, admitting that he shouldn’t have neglected her at home to face his family’s mistreatment alone. He’d underestimated her once, but had told his
family plainly that divorce was out of the question after marrying Sylvia.