Middle Child Syndrome - Chapter 158

Chapter 158: Ch 158: Let’s talk
“…and then this happened. I started to feel suffocated, and that was when I….”

Mark found it increasingly difficult to engage with Suzie’s light-hearted chatter, his mind consumed by his emotional turmoil.

His thoughts kept going back to Rika and how she was feeling. He wanted to check on her and find out if her visit to the hospital had something to do with her condition.

Mark was in a state of unprecedented unrest. His mother’s words about Rika’s condition had rattled him to the core, causing Mark to question his very identity.

“-And I like it. Mark can tell you all about it, right Mark? Mark?”

Suzie was calling him, but Mark could not hear her voice. He was too deep into his thinking process to notice anything significant.

Finally, the omega got so fed up with him that she threw a pen at her brother. That finally made Mark pay attention to her coming back to the present.

“Brother, pay attention to me. What is wrong with you today? You are spacing out and not paying attention to what I am saying.”

Suzie complained while pouting. It made her look cute in Mark’s eyes, but it did not have the same effect of making him forget everything else and pay attention to her.

Instead, it distracted Mark even more, and he wanted to head out and find Rika before Suzie’s session was over.

“It looks like our young master cannot concentrate today. Is there anything you would like to talk to me about as well? I can book you after your sister?”

The doctor asked teasingly, but Mark considered his offer seriously for a second. He was tempted to know more about himself as an individual and improve.

‘I should come back when Suzie is not with me. I don’t want to talk about these topics before her.’

Mark was a sensitive soul who did not want his innocent sister to see his ugly sides. He quickly put on a mask and smiled at the therapist.

“No, I am fine. I want to walk around a little and stretch my legs out. Do you mind if I take a short walk to refresh my mind?”

Mark asked the doctor, his desire to walk away clearly evident on his face.

The doctor was no snob and caught Mark’s longing for the outside world.

“You are free to roam around as you please, Master Goodwill. Going out and refreshing your mind would be good for an alpha like you.”

The doctor agreed, and Mark had an excuse to dismiss himself for some time.

“Are we going for a short walk? Where do you want to go? I want a shake. Let’s go together and get some-”

Suzie also stood up to follow Mark out of the room. She did not want her brother to head out alone.

That made Mark feel annoyed and nervous. He did not want Suzie to come with him.

But he did not know how to say ‘NO’ to his little sister either.

Thankfully, the therapist noticed what Mark was not saying, and he decided to hold Suzie back for his sake.

“Miss Goodwill, are you ending our session early today? I thought we still had 20 minutes left on the clock. Do you not want to tell me more about yourself?”

The doctor asked calmly, and Suzie suddenly looked conflicted about what to do.

She wanted to tell the doctor what had happened and heighten her condition in his mind, but she did not want to leave her bother alone.

It was a conflict that was resolved by the doctor’s involvement in seconds.

“Miss Suzie, I want to learn more about your day and you. Won’t you give me your time and tell me about yourself?”

The doctor asked how Suzie could ignore him. Of course, she had to tell him everything.

Mark breathed a sigh of relief when the doctor signalled him to head out and do what he wanted.

The older alpha was thankful for such an understanding doctor and quickly exited.

He wanted to wander around aimlessly when Mark suddenly wanted to head up the stairs and toward the emergency section.

No one stopped him, mainly because they all knew his face. And no one tried to call him either.

The closer Mark got to his unknown destination, the faster his heart started to beat.

He was almost afraid he was sick and needed to get checked out when his eyes fell on Rika’s slouching form in the hospital chair.

Mark did not remember walking up to Rika, reaching out to grab her arm, making her stand up, and looking at him.

Mark remembered the rage and betrayal he felt when he saw Rika’s startled face and her face going pale as soon as she noticed Mark.

“You should not be here, Mark. Please, go away for now. I will talk to you later! I-I will call you in about half an hour. Just…not now! Don’t stand in front of this door now.”

Rika’s voice almost begged Mark, and he considered following her, walking away, and giving Rika some time.

But then he remembered how Rika had ignored him and how ruthless she could be when she wanted to be.

Just because she said she would contact Mark did not mean she would do it.

“I am not risking you running away from me this time. Recently, it feels like you have an excuse whenever I try to talk to you about something. That’s why I will not allow you to run away from me this time.”

Mark was serious, and Rika realised it as well.

She bit her lip in agitation before she moved faster than he had ever seen her move and pulled him into the other hallway.

Rika did this before the door opened, and Charon could see Mark. Somehow, Rika did not think Charon would like to see her old fling soon. She was not mentally stable enough to do that.

*Ring*

Her phone rang seconds after Rika dragged Mark into another hallway, and she picked it up.