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Chapter 285: Dr. Duncan
🕑 Added 2025-05-18 22:12:45 +0000 UTC"After the graduation ceremony tomorrow, I'll take you to the medical center for a full check-up the day after."
Seeing that his mom seemed a little down, Adam could only suppress his worries and said helplessly, "We'll all get a full check-up while we're at it."
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm," his mom and dad nodded quickly.
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm," his little sister Charlie mimicked them playfully, looking absolutely adorable.
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm," his youngest brother Toby, not understanding what was going on, nodded along just like his sister.
Adam couldn’t help but laugh at the scene through the rearview mirror.
Charlie giggled along with him.
Toby, always following his sister’s lead, laughed as well—though, since birth, he'd been brushed off by his older sister more times than he could count.
"Mom, what does Gabby's girlfriend do?" Adam asked casually.
"I don’t know, maybe she’s a classmate of his?" his mom replied hesitantly.
"A classmate?" Adam frowned.
His younger brother Gabby wasn’t much of a bookworm; his true passion was gaming. Despite being smart, his grades were terrible. But with Adam’s help, getting into a good university had been easy.
When their parents asked Adam for advice, he suggested Gabby pursue an arts major to eventually work in game design.
First, an arts degree was easy—subjective enough that almost anyone could pass since everyone has their own "Hamlet." Unlike science majors, where you either knew the material or you didn’t, art was much more flexible.
Second, it was a good fit. Gabby loved gaming, and the industry was booming with plenty of money to be made.
In the end, Adam pulled some strings to get Gabby into the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California.
California, alongside New York, was one of America’s cultural hubs, home to both Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Gabby loved the decision—he didn’t even want to come home for Christmas his first year.
That only happened once, though, as Adam quickly set him straight.
"If you don’t even want to spend time with your family during the holidays, then you probably don’t need any financial help from us, either. Since Americans love their independence, you can be truly independent."
Gabby got the message fast.
According to him, nothing mattered more than family.
"I know! I know!" Charlie said with a sly grin. "Adam, do you want to know?"
"Would you be willing to tell me for free?" Adam teased.
"I’ll tell you," Charlie giggled mischievously.
"But not for free, right?" Adam chuckled knowingly.
"Hehe," Charlie didn’t answer, but her silence was as good as confirmation.
"Too bad. I had a gift ready for someone, but I guess they don't want it anymore." Adam continued to tease.
"Gabby's girlfriend is an actress!" Charlie blurted. "I think she’s been in some movies."
"An actress? In movies?"
Adam felt a sudden sense of dread.
Gabby might be an art student in the heart of Hollywood, so dating a beautiful actress chasing her dreams wouldn’t be too surprising.
But Gabby was also just a broke student. Sure, he was somewhat good-looking, but nowhere near attractive enough to date an actress who’d actually been in films.
The entertainment industry was brutally realistic. Most aspiring actresses dream of fame, wealth, and success.
An actress who’d already landed roles wouldn’t typically date a broke college kid—unless it was true love, which seemed highly unlikely.
"Charlie, how do you know she’s an actress who’s been in movies?" Adam asked.
"I overheard it by accident," Charlie said with a grin.
Adam understood immediately. Charlie was a little troublemaker at her most energetic age, and eavesdropping was typical for her.
The fact she overheard it accidentally made the information seem reliable.
"Charlie, are you enjoying school?" Adam smoothly changed the subject, already planning to investigate this 'Danielle' quietly.
"Yeah!" Charlie’s eyes lit up.
"She’s such a troublemaker," their mom chimed in, already launching into a lecture about how often they’d been called to the school over Charlie’s antics.
Four Seasons Hotel
Adam had booked a presidential suite for their parents.
"Your brother’s loaded," Danielle commented, admiring the lavish room.
"Too bad it’s not my money," Gabby said lazily as he flopped onto the bed. "Adam is such a cheapskate."
"Cheapskate? Really?" Danielle raised an eyebrow. "That car of yours wasn’t cheap."
"That was a gift for getting into college," Gabby grumbled. "You should see the car he bought Teddy—it was way more expensive. And the gifts he gives Charlie every year? Totally unfair compared to what Toby and I get. Total favoritism."
Danielle laughed. "Well, girls deserve to be spoiled a little."
"That’s exactly what he always says!" Gabby complained. "Every time I bring it up, he brushes me off with that excuse."
That night, the family went out for dinner together. Afterward, Adam took them on a stroll before they returned to rest.
The Next Day – Columbia University Medical School
The graduation ceremony for the Class of 1995, graduating in 1998, was in full swing.
As expected, Adam was chosen as the student representative for the graduating class. He delivered a speech before the diplomas were handed out.
"Adam Dart Duncan," the dean announced.
Wearing his cap and gown, Adam walked confidently onto the stage, shook hands with the dean, and received his diploma before stepping down.
"Steven Gais Murphy."
"Alice Neill Kidman."
"Bianca Sarah Samson."
"Elliot Katie Reed."
"William Tom Haver."
One by one, names were called out, full middle names included, to honor the significance of the occasion.
Each graduate stepped up to shake hands with the dean and receive their diploma, some with excitement, others with calm composure.
When Elliot went up, his cap was so crooked that he ended up just carrying it instead.
"Wow! So this is what a doctor’s diploma looks like!"
As soon as Adam stepped down, his younger sister Teddy snatched the diploma from him and opened it—only to stare in confusion.
"It’s in Latin," Adam said, taking it back with a playful glare. "See this line here? It says ‘Doctor Adam Dart Duncan!’"
"We finally have a doctor in the family!" Their mom was visibly emotional, both as a proud mother and as a nurse who fully understood the prestige of becoming a doctor.
"Not to mention a famous author and the youngest billionaire," Gabby chimed in.
"I know that," their mom shot back with an eye roll. "But sadly, all three honors belong to Adam alone."
Teddy: "…"
Gabby: "…"
(End of Chapter)
