Doctor Vincent: Starting from a Son-in-law

Fairfax was just an ordinary city, not too busy and not too isolated, along the middle and lower reaches of the Mississippi River.   This story starts in a residential area with cookie-cutter houses and medium-sized apartment buildings. The day was dull and drab, like the outer color of the houses, and someone who believed in a higher power could guess nothing good would come from such a day.   Vincent Wayne lived in one of those dull apartment buildings, on an old, run down road called Hilltop Street. He had just graduated from medical school, so his future was bright; at least that is what he thought. Therefore, he was a little stunned to see the letter before him.   He had failed to find a position for his internship.   After three months of hard-work, this was the result he got!? Vincent growled in anger. He knew why he had failed to find a position: he did not bribe the deputy director, Mr. Johnson, like the other kids in his class had. A cloud of worry started to form in Vincent’s mind. Without income, how would he explain this to his girlfriend?   Vincent sighed, looking at the mirror gloomily. He then walked to the window for some fresh air, poking his head out and taking a deep breath. Suddenly, something whizzed and hit him straight in the forehead, startling Vincent who leapt back and stumbled over the lamp placed beside the window.     “Hmm?” Vincent rubbed his nose and looked around; the culprit was a harmless paper plane. “What the f**k? Who’s still up throwing paper planes late at night...What?” When Vincent was about to throw it into the trash, the words on the paper attracted him. Slowly unfolding it, he saw a small leaflet advertisement: Advertisement for a Son-in-law: A private entrepreneur is offering a high salary, looking for a husband for his daughter. Requirements: male; no more than age 35 You’ll be well-paid once you are chosen. Please contact me if you are interested.   Besides the advertisement was a photo of a girl. She was beautiful, with shoulder-length blonde hair, and soft blue eyes. She was skinny but had a curve to her body which drew Vincent’s eyes. Her eyes were bright and shining, staring straight back into Vincent’s eyes.   Seriously? A young beautiful rich woman? Vincent shook his head, what were people doing nowadays. He threw the paper aside.   A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Vincent stood up and walked to the door, opening it. Usually, he would be happy to see Lora but today he felt dread in his stomach.   Lora was a good-looking girl, very active and fit, with smooth fair skin and long legs. They made a good couple, and whenever they went out, others looked at them with envy.     As soon as Lora saw Vincent, she looked at him in disdain, and then rushed to the bathroom. “Lora, wait, I... I have something to tell you...” Vincent seemed a little guilty as he sat there waiting for her. “What?” Lora Boren paused. “I...” Vincent could not even start the conversation.   The two of them had been in love since junior year of college. They had rented a small apartment after graduation and lived together; Lora worked nearby as a clerk in a small company. They had planned to rent something larger when Vincent started his internship. Unluckily, before he could offer her anything, he lost his job.   How was he, a talented and proud college student, supposed to tell her about this?   “Yes, Vince?” Lora frowned. “Um... I... you should see this...” Vincent did not dare to look into Lora’s eyes, so he grabbed the letter and casually handed it to her. “What? What do you mean?” Lora took the paper, but she frowned after unfolding it, seeming a bit surprised. “I’m sorry...” Vincent shook his head. “Good for you, Vincent! You have finally figured out a way to make something for yourself, haven’t you?” Lora stared at him angrily, “A son-in-law? I cannot even believe you fell for such a shameless trick? Well, guess it’s time that I leave you to your f*****g self!”   “What?” Vincent was stunned, and then he looked up. Lora had the darn advertisement in her hand. “No, no, no! It’s not! It’s not this!” Vincent hurried to grab the paper and then passed the actual letter to her. “I... I failed the internship.” Finally, Vincent gathered his strength to look at Lora, “I lost my job...” “You lost your job?” This time, Lora’s voice became harsher, “So you just saw your way out, and you are ready to do it, aren’t you?” “No! It’s not mine! I don’t know where it came from!” Vincent pleaded as he came closer to take her hand.   “That’s enough!” Lora threw his hand away, squeezed the letter into a ball before throwing it on Vincent’s face. “How stupid I was to be with a loser like you? What else are you capable of? You are so cheap, I could never have imagined!”   While shouting, Lora had taken off the knockoff handbag from her shoulder, casting it fiercely on the table, while stomping to the bathroom. During her struggle, her collarbone became exposed, along with the red marks on it.   Hickeys?!   Vincent was shocked and grabbed her hand. “Wait!” “What now?” Lora turned around and stared at him indifferently. Her hateful gaze would have hurt Vincent but right now he was focused on something else. “You... what are those marks? Didn’t you go to the high school reunion party?” Vincent pointed at the marks on her skin angrily.   Lora froze for a moment. She quickly pulled her shirt back onto her shoulders. “What are you talking about? It’s nothing!” “Nothing? How do you get hickeys at the school reunion party?” Vincent grabbed Lora as he spoke and pulled off her clothes harshly. This time, he found that not only her collarbone but also her neck and area above her breasts was all covered with hickeys. Red, blue, and purple marks.   Vincent was blank all of a sudden!   “What are you doing?” Lora hit Vincent’s hand and shouted sharply. “What am I doing? Shouldn’t it be I who asks you this question?” Vincent tried to restrain himself and shouted at Lora in a trembling voice. “Give me an explanation. Where did these marks come from Lora?” Vincent was still suppressing the pain and anger in his heart, pointing at Lora with a trembling finger.   Lora knew she had to face this, but she still tried to make an excuse, “Why? I do not have to explain anything...I went paintballing with my sisters so that is how I got these marks. You got a problem with that?” “I don’t buy it, Lora! Just admit it, are you cheating on me?” Vincent roared hysterically at Lora.   “Cheating?!” Lora suddenly sneered and laughed loudly. “Yes! I cheated on you! Because I can’t stand the cheap meals! I’m tired of acting under other’s will or getting laughed at for the knockoff clothes I buy! I’m sick of such a life and I’ve had enough to see your face, you f*****g loser!” Lora roared at Vincent, and then grabbed her handbag from the table and running out of the apartment!   Vincent eased his mind a bit and regretted how he treated Lora, so he hugged her from behind, “Lora, I’ m sorry! I shouldn’t have yelled at you!” Lora pushed him away fiercely, turned around, and sneered, “No, you were right to do so.” Vincent was stunned. Lora smiled and shook her head, “To tell you the truth, I have found someone who has loved me since junior high school. He is doing very well, he has his own company, you know. And these marks...” Lora pointed to the hickeys. “This is the proof he has left on me to show his love for me...”   “No, you... you are lying. You would not do this to me, Lora. Lora you cannot do this to me!” Vincent grabbed his hair and muttered in disbelief. “Thank you for being with me for so long, and thank you for making it easier to leave you tonight... I have someone waiting for me. Bye.” After saying that, Lora slammed the door loudly leaving Vincent alone in the small, pathetic apartment.   “Lora! Lora!” Vincent shouted at the door, losing his thoughts for a moment. And then he hastily rushed to the balcony and continued to shout into the old alley that had almost no street lights in the night. “Shut the f**k up!” Someone roared at Vincent from another window but Vincent ignored him, continuing to call Lora.   Vincent stared at the expensive car idling in front of the building. He watched with disbelief as Lora, his girlfriend, the love of his life, sat inside the car which drove away into the night.   Vincent stared at the retreating car with an anguished face. Lora...was she really gone or was he dreaming? No, she could not be gone. She could not leave me, Vincent thought!   Suddenly, something whizzed near him. Another f*****g paper plane? Just as he looked up to see what the sound was, something hit him hard. “Bang!” Vincent yelled in surprise and pain at the sudden impact. As he was about to lose consciousness, he thought ‘was this what it felt like to be electrocuted?’