A Man with Nerves of Steel (Joseph Hart) novel Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Although Joseph was no longer working at Jenton University Hospital, he was still a doctor at heart. After three days without treating patients, he felt restless. Jenton University Hospital no longer trusted him, but there were still people who believed in his medical skills, like the patient with rheumatic disease. 1

Joseph went to the patient’s home to perform asupuncture therapy. Afterward, he stayed for a simple meal before administering another round of treatment later that night. It was only then that he left together with Dolly.

In the car, Dolly asked, “I didn’t want to ask earlier while we were at their house, but how did things fall apart between you and Dr. Loughlin?”

Joseph answered, “To tell you the truth, my marriage has hit some serious problems. I asked for a divorce, and my in-laws agreed to it, but my wife refuses to admit any fault and won’t agree to the divorce.

“So, my father-in-law used Dr. Loughlin to force me out of the hospital. He even wants me out of Jenton. There’s no personal grudge between Dr. Loughlin and me. He just chose my father-in-law’s side. That’s all.”

“I see. I kept thinking that Dr. Loughlin valued you highly and genuinely wanted to mentor you. I couldn’t understand why your relationship suddenly became so strained,” replied Dolly.

Joseph admitted, “I’m grateful to him. He certainly made things easier for me at the hospital. Nonetheless, these favors came from the authority of his position.

“At the end of the day, he still belongs to my father-in-law’s circle. My father-in-law has always believed that being a doctor is worthless. In his eyes, my profession can’t bring the Lowell family fame or status.”

“Your father-in-law has completely misjudged you. He never realized how exceptional your medical skills are. Honestly, Dr. Loughlin also shares some responsibility. He never truly gave you the chance to fully showcase your talent,” said Dolly.

Joseph responded, “Dr. Loughlin didn’t give me many opportunities. Of course, that was probably because my wife asked him not to. She wanted to limit my workload so that I would go home earlier. When I first joined the hospital, I worked incredibly hard. I genuinely wanted to build a name for myself.”

“It’s indeed hard to balance career and family. Only people in the medical field know how much we suffer. You mentioned marriage and family earlier. My situation isn’t much better than yours.

“To be honest, my husband and I have been emotionally distant for years. If it weren’t for our child, we probably would have already divorced. You’re still young. I’m sure you’ll get through this,” said Dolly, patting Joseph on the shoulder as encouragement and testing the waters.

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