222 Chapter 222: It’s Not Your Faul

Savannah nodded politely. She thought doctor Joe would examine old Sterling, so she stood up to give her place to him.

"Savannah, will you please pour two cups of jasmine tea for Dr. Joe and me?" Old Sterling said softly.

Savannah was stunned for a moment and immediately nodded, "Okay." Then she went out.

After partly closing the door, Savannah took a few steps down the corridor and felt a little uncomfortable.

Each time Dr. Joe came to see old Sterling, he would take his medical kit, but today it seemed that he had come empty-handed.

Clearly, Dr. Joe was not here to treat old Sterling today.

They seemed to have something to talk, so old Sterling sent her away.

She glanced at the half-closed door; as if attracted by some invisible force, she could not help but walk back.

The door was not completely closed but left a small opening. Standing beside the door, Savannah could clearly hear the sound of the two people coming from the room.

"Dr. Joe, you mean, Susan suddenly got mad because of the genetic factors from her mother?" old Sterling's voice was a little shaky.

"Yes." The doctor nodded.

"But... Susan's been fine since she was a child. There's no sign..."

"Schizophrenia, one of the most common psychiatric disorders, is genetically linked. This illness is genetically transmitted from your wife to your daughter and sons. There's a strong presumption that Miss Sterling could live a normal life. However, environmental factors are also thought to play an important part. Miss Sterling was knocked completely by what happened to her, just like what your eldest son had met many years ago. He drove the car out in a moment of utter lunacy, resulting in a car accident..."

Savannah's heart was beating heavily, and she held her breath.

What did he mean?

Old Sterling's wife, the lady from the Cavendish family, had the gene for a psychiatric disorder?

Dylan's brother, who had a car accident that year, was actually killed by his mental illness? The tragedy happened not only because of a quarrel with his father but also because of a mental attack!

Now Susan was suffering from Schizophrenia because she had some special genes?

No wonder a normal person would go crazy suddenly.

No wonder… when Susan was sent to the small white building in great pain after the divorce, old Sterling was afraid that Susan couldn't recover and said she was different...

Because Susan had special genes and was at higher risk of mental illness than others!

Old Sterling knew that Susan was unable to absorb this heavy blow.

Did that mean...

Dylan also had similar genes?

Although he led a normal life now --

His depression…

"Why is God so cruel..." old Sterling's voice choked at the painful memory, "why should my children and my wife suffer so much...?"

Savannah now regretted that she had heard the biggest secret of the Sterling family. She turned around and was about to leave when she accidentally bumped into a large vase beside the door.

The bumping sound was loud enough for the two in the room to hear.

Dr. Joe stood up, took a few steps, and rushed to the door. He opened it and frowned at Savannah, who had no time to leave. "Miss Schultz, you --"

Old Sterling was also surprised to see Savannah at the door. After a while, his expression relaxed. "Come in, Savannah." then he turned to Dr. Joe, "Dr. Joe, thank you. Please go first."

Dr. Joe hesitated, finally, he said nothing and left.

Like a misbehaving child, Savannah crept into the house and did not look at old Sterling. "I'm sorry, sir," she said.

"It's all right. Please close the door." Old Sterling sighed.

Savannah closed the door and went to old Sterling again. The atmosphere was so quiet and strained that she could even hear old Sterling's breathing.

"You heard it, didn't you?" Sterling's voice was calm. There was no blame. Instead, there was a sense of relief.

He had kept the secret for a long time and couldn't share it with anyone. Now he could finally unburden himself. That's not bad.

What's more, Savannah was a good girl, and she wouldn't gossip behind him.

"Well... I'm sorry, sir, but I'm absolutely not going to say anything to anyone." Savannah promised quickly.

Seeing her upset, old Sterling shook his head. "It doesn't matter, Savannah. Sit down."

Savannah sat down beside him and felt a little relieved that old Sterling was not angry.

"It's probably good for you to hear it. Dylan doesn't know he might have this genetic disease. Now you're with him, you can remind him at any time when he might be irritated or too excited at provocation. I don't want him to suffer the same as his sister and brother."

Savannah was quiet and thoughtful for a while before she said, "Dylan doesn't know the genetic factor for mental disease in his family?"

"Well, no one knows about it except Dr. Joe and me. Now, of course, you know it too. Dr. Joe said they might never be sick if lucky, and it's better not to tell them the fact about their genes. A pressure situation and mental suggestion may increase the tendency toward the illness. So, I never mentioned it to my three children."

Savannah gasped, "that is, Dylan's misunderstood you! His elder brother had a car accident because of a mental attack. It's not your fault!"

"Blame me. It's better that he knows the genetic disease in this family. What's more, he'd gotten depression because of his brother's death that year, how did I dare to explain that to him? If he'd known that they all had this disease, he would probably break down just like his brother. I can't lose another son anymore." Old Sterling sighed again.

Therefore, old Sterling would rather be estranged from Dylan than explain, for fear that the son should know of the disease.

Taking a deep breath, Savannah stirred uneasily. She could not help but ask, "is this genetic disease really serious? Could people be cured if caught?"

"Dylan's mom, my wife, is from a descendant of the Cavendish family. Her family had always had this genetic disease. This disease occurred among members of the family by heredity. That is, some members would have the genes, but the incidence of the disease is unknown. My wife was emotionally troubled because of a sudden occurrence, and an incautious step sent her headlong down the stairs. In order to preserve the reputation of the family, I claimed that she had passed away from a general disease," old Sterling's voice was grave. After a moment's silence, he went on speaking. "And Dylan's brother… He suddenly went off his head in a quarrel with me and ran out racing, which caused a car accident and… his death. According to the doctor, this kind of genetic disease is hard to be cured in the current situation."