"Where is Beam?"
A message from "Jerk Boss" popped up on Kit's mobile.
Kit had just seen his friend busy wrapping a bandage on an injured patient's arm.
He replied, "In the bathroom maybe pooping. Should I tell him to poop hard so your stomach can digest properly?"
Forth got annoyed by the reply, but still sent another message: "If you don't complete your duty properly, I will digest your husband instantly. Want to know what he is doing?" He sent a picture of Ming talking to a random girl in the office from a front angle, making it look like they were standing really close to each other.
Kit gritted his teeth, but surrendered. "He is treating patients. He will be right there after that."
"Good. Make sure he stays in front of your eyes," Forth replied.
What will happen to him? Kit thought. He was okay before Forth, and he still looks okay, so why are P'Bright & Forth so stubborn about protecting him?
"See, this is packed now. Does your boo-boo still hurt?" Beam asked a 6-year-old patient. The boy shook his head no. "Good." Beam pulled a chocolate bar from behind his back. "Good boys always deserve a reward," he said, smiling at the boy.
Suddenly, an emergency siren gathered everyone's attention.
"Dr. Beam, there is an emergency," a nurse came to inform Beam.
"What happened, Sister Nam?" Beam asked her.
"Dr. Miss Yumi collapsed during her shoot. Her entire crew is here with the unconscious actress," the nurse said.
Beam knew her well, as she was an old patient of his. Beam had treated her for free many times during her struggling days. Now that she was a successful actress, she still came to Beam.
Beam looked at Kit. "Handle this room; I will be back." Kit didn't say anything, but followed Beam silently.
"P'Beam! P'Beam!" her assistant called out as she ran toward Beam.
"San, can you stop crying and tell me what happened to her?" Beam asked.
"I don't know, P'. She has looked restless and angry for the last 15 days. I asked her, but she threatened my job, so I didn't push hard. Today, while we were shooting a scene, she suddenly fell unconscious, and then the bleeding started," San explained.
Beam checked Yumi; blood was pooling between her legs. "Nam, prepare the OT." The nurse left to prepare, and Kit attached an IV to her hand. "Everyone please leave. Only we will stay here," Beam said, moving toward the ward with Kit.
After performing her primary checkup with Kit, Beam asked, "Just tell me that I am wrong and this isn't a miscarriage."
"Congratulations, you are wrong. This is not a miscarriage, but a case of an injured uterus that is badly infected because of an already dead fetus," Kit said, checking her back.
"What do you mean by an already dead fetus?" Beam asked, his eyes wide with shock.
"Someone hit her during her 17th week of pregnancy. See, here are the faint marks of a fist," Kit said, showing the marks to Beam. "And the fetus died because of severe trauma. Maybe she didn't know that, or there's a possibility she didn't even know she was pregnant."
He looked at Beam, whose face was red and whose fists were clenching tight. "What kind of person hits a pregnant woman?"
"Beam, only she can give us the answer—if the surgery goes well," Kit said.
"What do you mean 'if it goes well'? You are the best gynecologist, Kit. You will do well." Beam looked at his friend.
Kit smiled warmly at Beam, who was on the verge of tears. "I will do my best, but the girl has to stay strong as well. In times like these, I've seen many women give up because they feel completely alone after losing their child. I feel this case might be similar."
"Don't say anything like that. Just go and prepare. I will join you," Beam said, and Kit nodded.
Kit walked away with Beam to scrub in for the operation. During the brief break, Kit texted Forth:
Emergency operation. I am performing it, and Beam is joining because she is his patient. So technically, he will be late today.
OKAY, Forth replied. Kit shook his head, thinking Forth even sounded like he was shouting through text messages.
The operation lasted for an hour and a half. Yumi remained unconscious.
Beam sat near her and gently wiped her face. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and gave a soft smile to Beam.
"P'... you always make me feel alive," she whispered. Beam smiled back; the witty girl he knew was still in there. He felt relieved.
"How are you feeling now?" Beam asked.
"Hurting badly... here." She tried to move her hand to her stomach.
"Hey, don't move. You have stitches there," Kit said, gently pulling her hand away.
Ignoring Kit, she looked at Beam sweetly again. "What happened, P'? Why do I have stitches here?"
Beam looked at Kit, then back at Yumi. "Yumi, dear, can P' ask you something?" She nodded, and he continued, "Are you seeing someone these days?"
Her bright face instantly turned sad. Beam didn't need a verbal answer. "Who is he?"
"I am in a relationship with my producer, Mr. Kang," Yumi said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Mr. Kang? As in Rees Kang, the founder of the Raisin Group?" Kit asked in shock. Yumi nodded.
"But he is already married and has three children! Didn't you know that?"
Yumi wiped her tears. "I knew, P'. But it started when we became friends, and he told me about his failed marriage." Yumi shared her side of the story.
Yumi had gotten her big break through the Raisin Group when she met Mr. Kang. They became friends easily, as Yumi was a cheerful and friendly person. Mr. Kang started visiting her casually, just to hang out and chat. He introduced her to major producers and directors. She was naive enough to think she had found a true friend who cared about her. Their friendship eventually deepened into a romantic relationship. He informed her that he had filed for divorce so they could be together forever, and she blindly trusted him.
However, the man was unstable and short-tempered from the start. He showered her with intense love, but when he lost his temper, he beat her almost to death. Still, she forgave him every time he cried and begged for forgiveness. Their affair continued like this for almost a year. Then, three months ago, he suddenly started ignoring her. Photos of him with international model Rain were all over the news. She visited him to ask about it, but he beat her severely before she could even explain why she was there.
She already knew she was pregnant at the time. She bled afterward, but never went for a checkup. She desperately wanted to end her life, but felt too scared to drink poison or hang herself, so she just endured the trauma day by day.
After hearing her story, Beam looked at Kit. Kit shook his head—a clear signal not to tell her the truth. Still, Beam held her hand tightly and sat in front of her.
"Look into my eyes, Yumi," he said softly. She met his gaze. He sighed. "You have stitches because we had to perform surgery on you." He tightened his grip slightly. "Your baby passed away the moment you started bleeding after his attack." Her expression shattered. "The dead fetus severely infected your uterus. If they hadn't brought you here in time, it would have been fatal. To save your life, we did what was necessary." He loosened his grip.
Yumi smiled. She rested her head back on the pillow and started laughing. Kit shook his head, looking at Beam. He was familiar with the psychological impact of a miscarriage, but this reaction was new and jarring for Beam.
"What's wrong?" Beam asked, confused.
"This is great, P'. I thought He would never listen to me, but I was wrong," Yumi said, still laughing hysterically.
"Who wouldn't listen?" Beam asked.
Yumi looked at Beam and smiled. "God, P'... God. I wasn't sure about the pregnancy, so I prayed to God to just take it back. I didn't want it. But during the 17th week, I had a sonogram. I saw him, P'... I saw the baby in my..." Her eyes brimmed with fresh tears. She touched her stomach. "Right here..."
Tears streamed down her face. She grabbed Beam's hand and pressed it to her stomach. "He was right here, P', with his tiny hands and legs moving around. Do you know I could even feel him?" She let go of Beam's hand. "WHY?!" she screamed, weeping uncontrollably. "Why me, P'?! I didn't end my life because I wanted to live for him..." She began hitting herself. "Why me?!"
Kit quickly grabbed her hands. "Nurse!" he called out. A nurse entered holding a syringe. Kit administered the sedative, and Yumi gradually went limp. Kit gave the nurse brief instructions for her care.
Beam stood up, his eyes filled with tears.
Kit wiped his face. "That's the main reason I told you not to tell her."
"It was her child," Beam retorted.
"Beam, becoming a mother is like a second birth for a woman. A man carries his child in his heart, but a woman carries that child in her body, her heart, and her mind. The moment she learns she is going to be a mother, she selflessly puts the child first. Let her rest. She needs to calm down, and I think it's best if she stays in the hospital for three or four months. She needs therapy, or she might try to harm herself," Kit explained gently.
Beam turned to her assistant. "Call the police."
"The police? We can't involve the police, P'Beam!" she protested.
"Either you call them, or as her doctor, I will. The choice is yours." Seeing her hesitate, Beam pulled out his phone and dialed. "Hello, police station..."
Before long, a detective arrived at the hospital. "Are you Doctor Beam? Hello, I'm Detective Tawan."
Beam greeted the detective and explained the situation, while Kit provided the medical evidence.
"The victim knew he was married and still remained in a relationship with him, which means he didn't force or defraud her. Legally, this will only count as domestic violence," Detective Tawan stated.
"And murder," Kit added firmly.
"I know the baby died, but we need physical evidence to charge him with murder," Tawan explained.
Kit handed over the dead fetus in a sealed medical container. "Here is your evidence. Please perform a DNA test so you can charge him heavily enough to keep him behind bars for life."
"I can't guarantee anything, but give me your word that you won't alter your testimony. High-profile cases like this often fail because witnesses back down," Tawan warned.
"I won't back down, and I won't break. Promise me you will arrest him." Beam held out his hand.
"I can't make promises, Doctor Beam, but you should see the results on the news soon. I need to take a statement from the victim once she wakes up. When will she be conscious?" the detective asked.
"She just went to sleep. Her mental condition is unstable, but I will call you as soon as she wakes up," Kit said, bidding goodbye to the detective.
Kit's phone buzzed with an incoming text. "Your husband is waiting for you in his office," he informed Beam, who merely nodded.
Kit shook his head at Beam's solemn state. People say doctors don't have hearts, but look at our little one—still getting so emotionally tangled in others' problems. Pulling out his phone, Kit typed a message: Where are you? I think he needs you.
He sent the message to "The Great Phana."
Beam entered the office with a gloomy expression. Forth was sitting on the sofa, surrounded by files. Lam exited the room upon seeing Beam.
"Did you need me?" Beam asked Forth.
Forth looked up from his paperwork and gestured for Beam to come closer.
As soon as Beam approached, Forth pulled him onto his lap. Beam sat quietly, staring at Forth's face.
Forth instantly knew something was wrong. Beam would never willingly sit on his lap unless he wanted physical intimacy or needed a major favor. Right now, he was clearly hurting.
"What happened?" Forth asked softly.
Beam didn't answer. He simply lowered his head. Forth wrapped him in a tight hug. "It's okay. Whatever happened, it's okay. Just tell your P', and I'll fix everything," he murmured, gently stroking Beam's back.
At those comforting words and protective embrace, warmth flooded through Beam. He closed his eyes, and a moment later, he was sobbing against Forth's chest. It felt embarrassing, and he wished Phana were here, but his friend had been missing for a while. He simply clung to Forth, burying himself deeper into his embrace.
Forth didn't disturb him, allowing his doctor to cry everything out. He hated seeing Beam in pain, but felt a quiet satisfaction knowing Beam came to him for comfort. He didn't call Phana. Beam was his now, and always would be.
He lifted his doctor and carried him into the private bedroom attached to his office.
Lam walked out of Forth's office holding a stack of files. "Park," he called out to his friend waiting outside. "Let's stay here for now."
"Why? What happened?" Park asked.
"Something seemed off with Beam. He looked devastated, on the verge of tears. I'm afraid Forth might shoot whoever made him look like that," Lam expressed his concern.
"Okay, let's wait for his call. I'll ask Max to look into it," Park said, stepping aside to call Max while Lam headed back to his own desk.
With Kit on their team, finding out the details wasn't difficult. Max soon arrived at the hospital alongside Tul.
"Couldn't you just inform us over the phone?" Lam asked.
"Are you two doing something secret in there?" Tul teased.
"No, but still—"
"Then what's your problem, Lam? I just wanted to hang out." Tul casually sat on the office desk.
"This is a hospital, not a park to hang out in," Lam snapped, visibly annoyed.
Park walked over to him. "Didn't I tell you? If we had told them over the phone, they wouldn't have come all the way here."
Lam just sighed at the weirdos around him. The trio had been eccentric ever since he met them.
Shaking his head, he dialed Forth's number.
"Hmm?" a cold voice greeted him.
Lam informed Forth about everything that had transpired in the hospital.
"We offered him a protection deal, if you recall," Lam reminded him at the end. "Talk to Beam about this, Forth."
Forth got out of bed and walked out to the main room. "Has he accepted our protection offer yet?" he asked.
"Not yet, but soon—"
Forth cut him off immediately. "Don't contact him ever again. If he calls, tell him the offer is withdrawn."
"Forth... Rees is one of the key figures we need on our side," Lam reasoned.
"No, we don't. Change of plans. We do this on our own. I'll speak to P'Sarawat, and he will convince the others," Forth replied coldly.
"Forth..." Beam emerged from the bedroom, wrapped in a duvet. "Why did you get up?" he murmured sleepily. "Let's sleep. I want to sleep." He climbed onto Forth's lap, pulling the duvet over both of them. "I'm cold." He closed his eyes.
"I'm busy right now," Forth said, wrapping an arm around Beam's waist. "We'll talk in the morning," he told Lam before ending the call.
Lam looked at his phone and sighed. He felt frustrated that Beam kept drawing Forth's focus away from business, but he trusted his leader's judgment. He turned toward the others and smirked.
"What? What happened?" Tul asked.
"I guess it's night time," Lam said, grabbing Park's arm. "Let's go, Park. We need a good session to unwind."
Max and Tul exchanged a glance.
"Let's go too. We need to blow off some steam," Max whispered into Tul's ear.
"Forth..." Beam murmured as Forth worked on his computer with Beam cradled in his lap.
"Hmm?" Forth responded without taking his eyes off the screen.
"I will kill you if you ever cheat on me," Beam said in a deadly serious tone, staring up at Forth.
Forth stopped typing and looked down at the adorable creature threatening him. A smirk played on his lips. "I have no intention of doing that."
"You better not, if you value your life," Beam warned, pointing a finger at him.
Forth found it amusing. Is it just me, or does Beam look ridiculously cute trying to threaten someone? Those big brown eyes, those pink lips against his pale skin, those silky bangs falling over his face... Who could possibly be scared of such beauty?
His thoughts were cut short by Beam. "Why are you smiling?"
"What happened earlier? Why were you crying?" Forth asked, switching the topic.
Beam recounted the story of Yumi and Mr. Kang.
"I swear I'll kill you if you ever even think about having an affair, Forth. I'll kill you with my own hands," Beam warned, clutching Forth's collar tight.
"I don't want anyone other than my baby," Forth whispered affectionately against his ear, making Beam giggle softly.
Forth scooped his husband up in the duvet to take him back to the adjoining bedroom. Before doing so, he quickly typed out a text and sent it to Lam.
Lam's phone buzzed in the car while sitting beside Park:
Call Thitipoom.