At one in the morning, my fiancé came to pick me up from the hospital after my night shift.

At one in the morning, my fiancé came to pick me up from the hospital after my night shift.

In the passenger seat of his car sat his young female assistant.

She was wrapped in his cashmere scarf.

She was holding the insulated bottle I had bought for him.

The moment she saw me, she quickly lowered the window halfway.

“Emily, I’m sorry,” she said softly.

“My stomach hurts. If I sit in the back, I’ll get nauseous.”

Nathan Reed sat in the driver’s seat.

He did not get out of the car.

“Sophie just finished her checkup,” he said.

“She doesn’t feel well. You’re both women. Try to understand.”

I held the door handle.

The smell of disinfectant still clung to the back of my hand.

“Then where am I supposed to sit?”

Nathan frowned.

“In the back.”

Sophie Wells immediately turned around with a pitiful voice.

“Emily, maybe I should give you the seat.”

“I can try to endure it.”

Her mouth said she would move.

But her hand tightened around the seat belt.

Nathan’s voice sank.

“Emily, don’t make things hard for someone who’s sick.”

I nodded.

“Fine.”

I closed the car door.

Not loudly.

Just firmly.

Nathan thought I would walk around to the back seat.

Instead, I turned and walked straight back into the hospital.

Five minutes later, I sent him one message.

“We’re done. The wedding is canceled.”

After I sent it, I turned off my phone.

Then I went back to the on-call room and took the documents and bank cards from my locker.

My coworker, Claire Martin, came out of the break room with a cup of instant noodles.

When she saw me carrying my bag, she almost spilled the soup on her shoes.

“Didn’t you just finish your shift?”

“Wasn’t Nathan coming to pick you up?”

“He came.”

“Then why are you back?”

I hung my white coat over the chair.

“Someone else was in his passenger seat.”

Claire froze for two seconds.

“Just because of the passenger seat?”

I looked out the window.

That black car was still parked outside the emergency entrance.

May you like

The “Queen” of the HOA Tried to Fine Me $1,000 for My “Ugly” Blue Flowers. She Didn’t Realize Her $150,000 Luxury Pool Is Sitting Entirely on My Property Line, and I Just Hired a Bulldozer.

My Entitled Sister-in-Law Wore a $10,000 Custom White Gown to My Wedding Just to Outshine Me. She Didn’t Realize I Had a “Red Wine” Surprise Waiting for the First Person to Touch the Floor.

I bought a dusty five-dollar violin to heal my daughter’s broken silence. I never expected it to unearth a blood-stained secret that would rewrite my family’s history in gold.
Inside the car, two shadows sat close together.

“Yes.”

“Just because of the passenger seat.”

Claire opened her mouth, but she did not try to persuade me.

She knew I had rules.

I did not share toothbrushes.

I did not mix up water glasses.

And in love, I never accepted tests of my boundaries.

Nathan knew that too.

We had been together for five years.

Half of our wedding invitations had already been sent.

Yet he chose seven days before our wedding to let another woman sit in my place.

This was not about one seat.

This was about him throwing my boundary under another woman’s feet.

Then he turned around and asked me if I could bend down and pick it back up.

I would not pick it up.

The automatic doors of the emergency lobby slid open.

Nathan strode inside with his coat over his arm.

His collar was slightly messy.

Sophie followed closely behind him.

His scarf was still around her neck.

“Emily, are you done making a scene?” he asked.

His voice was not loud.

But it was loud enough for the triage nurses and the people in the waiting area to hear.

Sophie tugged at his sleeve.

“Mr. Reed, please don’t be like this.”

“It’s all my fault.”

“I can sit in the back now.”

I looked straight at her.

“You can sit in the back now.”

Her eyes instantly turned red.

Nathan stepped in front of her.

“She has stomach pain.”

“Do you really have to be jealous at a time like this?”

“Jealous of what?”

I turned my phone back on.

The screen filled with missed calls from him.

“Jealous of your passenger seat?”

“Jealous of your scarf?”

“Or jealous of the water bottle you made her hold like it belonged to her?”

Nathan followed my gaze.

His expression stiffened.

That insulated bottle was something I had lined up to buy for him last year.

His name was engraved on the lid.

Mine was engraved on the bottom.

Sophie hugged it tighter.

“I didn’t know you bought this for him.”

“Mr. Reed said the car was cold and told me to hold it to warm my hands.”

Nathan said, “It’s just a bottle.”

I laughed.

“Then remember this clearly.”

“Later, it will also be just a wedding.”

“Just a fiancée.”

“And just five years.”

Someone in the waiting area drew in a sharp breath.

Nathan’s face darkened.

“Emily, the wedding is not just your business.”

“The invitations are sent.”

“The hotel is booked.”

“Both families have been told.”

“You think you can cancel it just because you say so?”

“Yes.”

“And don’t use the wedding to threaten me.”

“I’m not threatening you.”

I took off my engagement ring.

Then I placed it on the suggestion box beside the triage desk.

“I’m informing you.”

He stared at the ring as if he had heard the most ridiculous thing in the world.

Sophie took one step forward.

Her voice trembled.

“Emily, please don’t do this.”

“I really didn’t want to ruin anything between you two.”

“My stomach just hurt.”

“Mr. Reed was only taking care of me.”

“Why do you have to be so cruel?”

I glanced at her.

“If your stomach hurts, you should go to gastroenterology.”

“You shouldn’t crawl into my fiancé’s passenger seat.”

She choked.

Nathan reached out to pull me.

“Let’s go home and talk.”

I stepped back.

“That home isn’t only yours either.”

He grabbed empty air.

His anger finally broke through.

“Emily Hayes, you’re almost thirty.”

“If you leave me, what kind of man do you think you can still find?”

Claire put her noodles down on the table and sneered.

“Mr. Reed, the ER tonight does not treat men whose brains have been soaked in water.”

Nathan did not even look at her.

He only stared at me.

“Apologize now.”

“I’ll pretend this never happened.”

I took the wedding planner contract from my bag.

“At nine tomorrow morning, I’ll go withdraw the deposit.”

“Everything of mine in the new apartment will be moved out.”

Sophie suddenly crouched down.

Nathan immediately turned to support her.

“Stop upsetting her.”

I picked up the ring from the desk.

Then I shoved it straight into the pocket of Nathan’s suit jacket.

“If she faints in front of the ER, remember to take a number.”

He was too busy holding Sophie to chase after me.

When I walked out of the hospital, the rain had stopped.

The street reflected a row of white lights.

It looked like a road that had just been washed clean.

I booked a moving company.

In the note, I wrote everything clearly.

Ten boxes of medical books.

Two boxes of custom surgical practice tools.

Some personal furniture.

One pet cat.

At two in the morning, the driver called me back.

“Miss, you’re moving at this hour?”

“Yes.”

“Did you fight with your boyfriend?”

“No.”

I looked back toward the hospital entrance.

Nathan was putting the scarf back over Sophie’s shoulders.

“We broke up.”

When I arrived at the apartment we had planned to use after the wedding, the door code had not been changed.

Nathan had bought the apartment before marriage.

He paid the down payment.

I paid for the renovation, furniture, and appliances.

Back then, he said he was too busy with work to handle details like materials and contractors.

So after my night shifts, I went to hardware stores to compare prices.

On my days off, I stood at the construction site to supervise the wiring and plumbing.

Even the kitchen counter height had been custom-built according to his habits.

Now that I thought about it, no matter how perfectly the counter fit him, it could not raise a man who knew how to wash dishes.

I had just taken out the cat carrier when the door opened.

Nathan walked in with Sophie.

She had changed into a pair of house slippers.

The pink pair was mine.

I looked at those slippers.

The last bit of hesitation in my heart vanished.

Nathan saw me standing in the living room.

He thought I had changed my mind, so his tone softened.

“Go sleep first.”

“Don’t cancel the wedding tomorrow.”

“Let’s both calm down.”

Sophie clutched his sleeve and said timidly, “Emily, I shouldn’t have come.”

“But Mr. Reed was afraid you’d be alone at home and overthink things.”

“So I came with him to check on you.”

I pointed at the slippers on her feet.

“Take them off.”

She lowered her head and immediately hid behind Nathan.

Nathan frowned.

“You’re even calculating over a pair of slippers?”

“Yes.”

He held back his anger.

“I’ll buy you ten pairs tomorrow.”

“Do I look like I lack slippers?”

Tears streamed down Sophie’s face.

“Emily, I really didn’t know they were yours.”

“At the office, I often wear Mr. Reed’s spare slippers.”

“I thought you two didn’t separate things so clearly at home either.”

I walked to the shoe cabinet.

I took out a pair of disposable shoe covers and threw them at her feet.

“I don’t care how you divide things at the office.”

“This is my home.”

Nathan’s expression turned ugly.

“Emily, my name is on the deed.”

“But my name is on the renovation receipts.”

I opened the cabinet by the door and threw a stack of invoices onto the coffee table.

Flooring.

Kitchen cabinets.

Central air.

Lighting system.

Mattress.

Curtains.

Dishwasher.

Refrigerator.

Washer and dryer.

The total was sixty-two thousand dollars.

Nathan froze.

Maybe this was the first time he realized every light in this apartment could be counted in dollars.

I continued, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll have workers remove everything that can be removed.”

“For the things that can’t be removed, I’ll calculate depreciation and sell them back to you.”

“Settle it within three days.”

Sophie’s eyes widened.

“Emily, isn’t this too heartless?”

“The affection is gone.”

“Now it’s time to settle the money.”

Nathan pressed his hand down on the invoices.

“Don’t push your luck.”

“You renovated this place voluntarily.”

“You can’t come back asking for money after a breakup.”

“Then I’ll dismantle it.”

I took out my phone and messaged the contractor.

“Tomorrow at six, remove the central air first.”

Nathan’s face changed.

“Are you insane?”

“We’re about to get married, and you want to tear the apartment apart?”

“The wedding is canceled.”

Sophie suddenly grabbed my hand.

“Emily, please don’t do this.”

“Mr. Reed has been exhausted because of the wedding these past few days.”

“The company project is busy too.”

“He only looked after me in passing.”

“If you two fight like this because of me, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

I looked down at the hand gripping mine.

Her nails were painted pale pink.

Glitter sparkled at the tips.

“Let go.”

She did not let go.

Instead, she suddenly pulled herself backward hard.

Her elbow hit the glass on the coffee table.

The glass fell to the floor and shattered.

She immediately clutched her wrist.

“Ah!”

Nathan rushed to her.

A faint red mark appeared on her wrist.

It was not even bleeding.

Nathan looked up at me.

“You pushed her.”

I said nothing.

I bent down and picked up the remote control from the TV stand.

Nathan grew even angrier.

“Emily, I’m asking you.”

I pressed rewind.

The pet camera in the corner of the living room was blinking red.

On the screen, Sophie grabbed my hand first.

Then she stepped backward on her own.

Her elbow knocked over the glass.

Every movement was clear.

Sophie’s face turned pale.

Nathan stood frozen.

I looked at him.

“Do you still want to ask?”

He stayed silent for a moment.

Then his voice lowered.

“She didn’t mean to.”

Claire once told me that when someone is biased, evidence is not for them.

It is for yourself.

Now I understood.

Even with clear evidence in front of him, Nathan would still find an excuse for her.

I turned off the TV.

“You two can take your time staying here.”

Nathan blocked the door.

“Where are you going tonight?”

“A hotel.”

“With the cat?”

“With the cat.”

He seemed to have held it in for a long time.

Finally, he said what he really thought.

“Emily, can you stop being so extreme?”

“I only took care of a subordinate.”

“And you’re moving out, canceling the wedding, and tearing out the renovation.”

“You weren’t like this before.”

I slung the cat backpack over my shoulder.

“I was always like this.”

“You just never stepped on my boundary before.”

Behind him, Sophie whispered, “Mr. Reed, maybe I should go.”

“Don’t let me make you two argue.”

Nathan refused to move.

“Emily, apologize.”

I almost laughed.

“Apologize to whom?”

“To Sophie.”

“She has been wronged.”

The cat meowed inside the backpack.

I patted the front of it.

Then I squeezed past Nathan.

“Tell her to sue me.”

The moment the door closed, I heard Sophie crying.

Nathan lowered his voice to comfort her.

I knew that voice too well.

When I had a fever of one hundred and two and still had to revise his report at home, he used that same tone.

“Em, just hang on a little longer.”

So it was not that he did not know how to be gentle.

It only depended on who the gentleness was for.

I went downstairs in the elevator.

A text from an unknown number appeared on my phone.

“Dr. Hayes, this is Margaret Reed. Are you sure you’re canceling the wedding tomorrow? I have a few things I want to say to you in person.”

Margaret was Nathan’s mother.

She cared deeply about appearances.

She would wear a silk scarf just to go buy groceries.

This message did not sound like her style at all.

I replied, “Ten tomorrow morning. Meet me at the wedding planner’s office.”

At six the next morning, the dismantling workers arrived at the apartment on time.

I did not go.

I had already sent the list to building management, the contractors, and Nathan.

“Remove only the things that belong to me and can be removed.”

When Nathan called, I was sitting in the lobby of the wedding planner’s office, eating a bagel and drinking coffee.

“Emily, you really called someone to remove the air-conditioning?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know my parents are coming to see the apartment today?”

“You can ask Sophie to make them soup.”

The other end went silent for one second.

“Do the things you said last night still count?”

“Which thing?”

“Breaking up.”

I took a sip of coffee.

“Yes.”

His voice turned cold.

“Then you have to cover half the wedding losses.”

“I signed the wedding planner contract.”

“I’ll handle whatever refund I can get.”

“You booked the hotel.”

“Negotiate that yourself.”

“Emily, don’t you think it looks ugly to calculate everything so clearly?”

“It still looks better than letting your female assistant wear my slippers.”

He hung up in anger.

At nine, the wedding planner spread the contract out in front of me.

“Ms. Hayes, we can cancel the deposit.”

“But because the date is so close, only one third can be refunded.”

I nodded.

“Follow the contract.”

She looked surprised.

“You’re not reconsidering?”

“Yesterday, Mr. Reed came to confirm the floral design.”

“He said the bride liked white camellias and insisted on the best ones.”

My hand paused on the contract.

The planner did not notice my expression and continued.

“He also told us to put stomach medicine in the favor boxes.”

“He said an important guest had a sensitive stomach.”

I looked at her.

“Stomach medicine?”

“Yes.”

“Miss Wells came with him yesterday.”

“She said she might get stomach pain from wedding-day nerves.”

“So Mr. Reed asked us to prepare some at every table.”

The planner suddenly realized something and stopped talking.

I signed the cancellation form.

When I walked out of the office, Margaret Reed was standing at the end of the hallway.

She wore a moss-green dress and carried an old cloth tote bag.

When she saw me, the first thing she said was, “Emily, I’m not here to persuade you to go back.”

I stopped.

She handed the tote bag to me.

Inside was a photocopy of the deed, a bank card, and a handwritten list.

“The renovation money for the apartment.”

“Nathan didn’t spend a cent of it.”

“I know.”

“I won’t take it.”

Margaret placed the things on the bench beside her.

“His father said you were making a big deal out of nothing.”

“But I watched the living room camera last night.”

“That Sophie Wells is not simple.”

“And Nathan protected her.”

“My son is not innocent either.”

I was a little surprised.

She looked at me with tired eyes.

“My son has been praised since childhood.”

“When people treat him three parts well, he takes it for granted.”

“You treated him ten parts well.”

“He thought you couldn’t live without him.”

She took out one sheet from the list.

“This is the jewelry and cash gifts I gave you over the years.”

“I know you won’t want things from the Reed family anymore.”

“I brought this today to make everything clear.”

“If you want to return them, return them.”

“If you don’t, that is fine too.”

I pushed the list back to her.

“Aunt Margaret, those were gifts from an elder.”

“I’ll sort them out and send them back to you.”

She smiled bitterly.

“You have always been sensible and measured.”

The elevator doors opened.

Nathan and Sophie walked out together.

Sophie wore a white dress today and held a folder.

When she saw Margaret, she immediately let go of Nathan’s sleeve.

“Hello, Mrs. Reed.”

Margaret did not respond.

Nathan saw the things on the bench, and his face darkened.

“Mom, why are you here?”

“To see what kind of mess you’ve made of this wedding.”

Nathan frowned.

“Mom, you don’t understand the situation.”

Margaret said, “I watched the camera last night.”

Sophie’s face slowly turned pale.

Nathan lowered his voice.

“Mom, the camera only shows one angle.”

“Sophie is not that kind of person.”

Margaret looked at him.

“Then what kind of person is she?”

Sophie’s eyes instantly reddened.

“Mrs. Reed, I know you don’t like me.”

“But Mr. Reed and I are really just boss and employee.”

“I came today only to help him recover the wedding deposit.”

She handed the folder to Nathan.

“I organized all the contracts last night.”

“When Emily signed the contract, she used Mr. Reed’s secondary card.”

She said it very seriously.

“Those refunds should go back to Mr. Reed.”

Nathan immediately looked at me.

“You used my card?”

I looked at Sophie.

She lowered her head.

Her fingers gripped the folder as if she had suffered a great injustice.

I said, “That card was the wedding expense card you gave me.”

“After every charge, you confirmed the amount.”

Nathan said, “But the card is mine.”

Margaret’s face turned cold.

“Nathan.”

He did not look at his mother.

“Emily, if you want to break up, we have to settle this clearly.”

I took out my phone and opened my bank transfer history.

“For the past two years, the account paying that credit card bill has been my salary account.”

Nathan froze.

Sophie suddenly lifted her head.

I pushed the statement in front of him.

“When you gave me the card, you said it would make wedding spending easier to track.”

“You probably forgot to tell Sophie who paid the card balance every month.”

Margaret took my phone.

After she read it, she raised her hand and slapped Nathan across the face.

The hallway went silent in an instant.

Nathan covered his face in disbelief.

Sophie stepped back half a step.

I took my phone back.

“The refund from the wedding planner will go back to the original card.”

“I’ll cancel the card today.”

“You can handle the rest yourself.”

Nathan finally panicked.

“Emily, that’s not what I meant.”

I looked straight into his eyes.

“Nathan, every time you say something wrong, you tell me that’s not what you meant.”

“Then what do you want me to say?”

“Nothing.”

I walked past him toward the elevator.

Sophie suddenly said, “Emily, did you want to break up with him long ago?”

“Otherwise, why would you have the bank statements ready?”

I pressed the elevator button.

“Because I’m a doctor.”

She did not understand.

I turned back and looked at her.

“Before surgery, every instrument must be counted.”

“Before ending a relationship, the accounts should be counted too.”

Before the elevator doors closed, I saw Nathan standing there.

For the first time, he did not chase me.

Or maybe he simply did not know whom to chase.

I once thought the most troublesome part of canceling a wedding would be the money.

Soon, I realized the most troublesome part was people.

At eleven that morning, Nathan’s cousin sent a message into the family group chat.

“Dear relatives, the wedding has been temporarily canceled.”

“The reason is inconvenient to explain.”

“All I can say is that someone took things too far and betrayed my brother’s five years of love.”

The group chat exploded.

Nathan’s aunt sent a voice message.

“Girls nowadays have such terrible tempers.”

“The groom only drove a coworker home.”

“And she cancels the wedding over that?”

One of Nathan’s coworkers added, “Mr. Reed is such a catch.”

“Maybe Dr. Hayes already has someone else.”

Sophie had been silent.

Three minutes later, she sent a photo.

In the photo, she was sitting in the passenger seat, pale-faced, holding a medical form.

The caption was only one sentence.

“I’m sorry. It’s all because my body is weak.”

The medical form was photographed very skillfully.

Only the diagnosis line, “gastritis,” was visible.

Her name, age, and date were all covered.

The direction of the group chat immediately changed.

Some people called me heartless.

Some said I had turned the wedding into a joke.

Some told Nathan to look forward.

Claire screenshotted everything and sent it to me.

“Are you going to explain?”

I replied, “No need.”

Claire sent back a string of question marks.

I did not explain.

That did not mean I did nothing.

I gathered the passenger seat incident, the slippers, the living room camera footage, and the credit card statements into one file.

Then I sent it to my lawyer friend, Jason Hall.

Jason called me immediately.

“My friend, this is a breakup, not a divorce.”

“The law can’t do much about emotional debts.”

“Renovation costs can be negotiated.”

“But defamation can be sued.”

“Send a lawyer’s warning letter first.”

“To whom?”

“The people spreading rumors in the family group.”

Jason laughed.

“Fast hands.”

I looked at my hospital schedule.

“I have three surgeries this afternoon.”

“I don’t have time to argue.”

Jason said, “Fine. I’ll argue for you.”

At one that afternoon, I entered the operating room.

When I came out, my phone was almost exploding.

Nathan had sent more than twenty messages.

The first one questioned why I had let a lawyer contact his relatives.

The last one begged me to answer his call.

Sophie also sent me a long message.

“Emily, I didn’t expect things to become this serious.”

“Everyone was only worried about Mr. Reed.”

“Why did you have to use a lawyer to scare them?”

“I can apologize to you.”

“But please don’t ruin Mr. Reed’s relationships.”

I replied with only three words.

“Contact my lawyer.”

She did not message again.

After I changed out of my surgical gown, Dr. Hartman, my department chair, called me over.

“Emily, handle your personal matter properly.”

“Tomorrow our hospital is hosting a free community clinic.”

“You were originally assigned to first aid in the main hall.”

I nodded.

“I can go.”

Dr. Hartman glanced at me.

“Nathan’s company is also one of the co-sponsors.”

“I understand.”

“Work is work.”

He handed me a file.

“One more thing.”

“The state review for the open-wound recovery project is next week.”

“Prepare your report.”

I took the file.

“Yes.”

That project was the result of three years of research from my team and me.

Outsiders only knew I worked at a hospital.

They did not know I spent my days off in the lab.

Nathan did not know either.

He only knew I was busy.

He always complained that a doctor’s salary was only so much.

“Why work yourself to death?”

I was too tired to explain.

Explaining something he had never cared about was like trying to feed someone who refused to open his mouth.

That night, I returned to the hotel to pick up my cat.

The front desk handed me a paper bag.

“Ms. Hayes, a Miss Wells left this for you.”

Inside was the washed scarf.

The scarf Nathan had wrapped around Sophie the night before.

There was also a sticky note.

“Emily, I’m returning the scarf first.”

“I don’t mean anything else.”

“Mr. Reed said you never lack things like this.”

I threw the scarf straight into the trash.

The young receptionist asked, “Would you like me to throw that away for you?”

“No need.”

I looked at the lump of cashmere.

“It’s already dirty.”

“It doesn’t matter where it’s thrown.”

My phone rang again.

This time it was Nathan.

I answered.

His voice sounded exhausted.

“Did Sophie come to see you?”

“She returned a scarf.”

“She only wanted to apologize.”

“Her apology is impressively cheap.”

Nathan went silent.

“Emily, can we meet?”

“Just us.”

“No one else.”

“No.”

“Do you have to be this ruthless?”

I stroked my cat’s head.

“I’m only closing the door once.”

His voice softened.

“Emily, in these five years, do you really have no regrets?”

That question finally made me pause.

Regret?

Of course I had regrets.

I regretted the Nathan who once hid from the rain with me outside a convenience store and ate donuts with me.

I regretted the Nathan who bought me a red bracelet before my first lead surgery.

I regretted the Nathan who once promised to raise this cat with me until it turned sixteen.

But I did not regret the man who brought his female assistant into our future home.

I did not regret leaving the man who let her wear my slippers and then asked if I was being petty.

I said, “What I regret is the past.”

“Not you.”

His breathing grew heavy.

“I’ll transfer Sophie to another department tomorrow.”

“What exactly do you want me to do?”

I looked at my reflection in the window.

“Stop contacting me.”

After hanging up, I blocked every way he could contact me.

One minute later, the family group chat popped up with a new voice message from Sophie.

She cried and said, “I’ve submitted my resignation.”

“Please don’t blame Emily anymore.”

“It’s all my fault.”

“I shouldn’t have had stomach pain.”

“I shouldn’t have let Mr. Reed drive me home.”

“If she wants to blame someone, blame me.”

“Please don’t blame Mr. Reed.”

The group chat became even noisier.

Some praised her for being considerate.

Some said it was rare for Nathan to meet such a kind girl.

I left the group chat.

Claire called me, furious.

“That’s called an apology?”

“She’s throwing the whole blame pot on your head.”

I said, “Let her throw it.”

“You’re not angry?”

“I am.”

“Then why are you so calm?”

I opened my laptop and created a new folder.

The folder name was “Evidence.”

“Because when she cries, I want an audience watching.”

The free clinic was held at the city convention center.

Nathan’s company logo hung on the right side of the entrance.

He was responsible for receiving leaders and media.

When I arrived, Sophie was standing at the sign-in table, adjusting his tie.

Today she was no longer wearing a white dress.

She had changed into a light gray suit and looked as if she had truly come to work.

When Nathan saw me, he immediately pushed her hand away.

I did not look at him.

I went straight to the first-aid area to check the medical kit.

Sophie followed me.

“Emily, I’m sorry about yesterday.”

“I already submitted my resignation.”

“After this event ends, I’ll hand over my work.”

I placed a tourniquet into the kit.

“Do I need to approve your resignation?”

My words hit her.

Her eyes reddened again.

“I just wanted you to know I won’t affect you two anymore.”

“You already did.”

She bit her lip.

“Are you really going to deny everything good about Mr. Reed because of one seat?”

“Last night, he stayed up looking at your old photos together.”

I snapped the medical kit shut.

“Did you sit there looking at them with him until morning?”

Her face changed.

I carried the medical kit into the hall.

Near the stage, Nathan was greeting the organizers.

When he saw me, he stepped forward.

But someone beside him called him away.

After the free clinic began, crowds poured in.

I was responsible for wound care and basic consultation.

A little boy ran too fast and hit his forehead on the edge of a display board.

Blood streamed along his eyebrow.

His mother panicked and did not know what to do.

I crouched down to treat the wound.

“Don’t press the eye.”

“Press here.”

“Sweetheart, look at the gauze in my hand.”

The boy sobbed.

Sophie stood beside us with tissues in her hand, but she did not dare come close.

Nathan rushed over to maintain order.

“Where’s the doctor?”

“Call a doctor!”

A medical staff member pointed at me.

“Dr. Hayes is right there.”

Nathan froze for a moment.

He had always known I was a surgeon.

But it seemed he had never seriously watched me treat a patient.

I finished the last stitch.

The boy’s mother thanked me repeatedly.

“Dr. Hayes, your hands are so steady.”

I removed my gloves.

“Keep it dry when you go home.”

“Change the dressing on time.”

Sophie’s voice suddenly came from behind me.

“Mr. Reed, you don’t look well.”

“Is your blood sugar low?”

She offered him a piece of candy.

Nathan did not take it.

His eyes fell on my hands.

“You worked a night shift yesterday, and you still had to come to the free clinic today?”

I cleaned up the instruments.

“It was on the schedule.”

“You could have told me.”

“Could you have gone into surgery for me if I told you?”

He had no answer.

Sophie hurried to speak.

“Emily, Mr. Reed is just concerned about you.”

I looked at her directly.

“Does your stomach still hurt?”

She did not expect that question.

She paused for one second.

“It’s much better.”

“Then stand away from the emergency area.”

Her face became unpleasant.

Not far away, a photographer from local media was taking pictures.

When Sophie saw the camera, she suddenly stepped backward.

Her ankle twisted.

Her body fell toward the medical kit.

The kit contained a used sharps container.

The lid was closed, but if it fell, it would be troublesome.

I reached out to block the kit.

Her shoulder hit my arm.

Then she dropped to the floor.

“Emily, why did you push me?”

The camera lens was pointed straight at us.

Nathan rushed over.

“What happened?”

Sophie held her ankle, tears falling.

“It’s fine.”

“I just lost my balance.”

Her mouth said that.

But the way she looked at me made it seem as if I had bullied her cruelly.

People nearby began whispering.

Nathan’s expression turned ugly.

“Emily, this is a public event.”

I ignored him.

I turned to the photographer.

“Did you capture what happened?”

The photographer froze.

“Yes.”

“Please replay it.”

Sophie immediately grabbed Nathan’s hand.

“No need.”

“Really, there’s no need.”

This time, Nathan did not take her side immediately.

He looked at the camera screen.

On the screen, Sophie saw the camera and stepped back.

Her heel caught on a loose cable on the floor.

She lost balance by herself.

I raised my hand to protect the medical kit.

She hit my arm.

There was no pushing at all.

Nathan’s face slowly darkened.

Sophie cried even harder.

“I didn’t mean to.”

“My ankle just hurts.”

I crouched down and pressed her ankle.

She screamed.

I let go.

“Nothing is wrong.”

“If it truly hurts, go get an X-ray.”

“Don’t block the emergency aisle.”

A man in a suit nearby laughed softly.

“Dr. Hayes still speaks efficiently.”

I looked up.

It was Dr. Adrian Cole, the new director of the city rehabilitation center.

He was also one of the outside experts for the project review.

Nathan clearly knew him.

He immediately reached out.

“Dr. Cole, nice to meet you.”

Adrian shook his hand briefly, then let go.

“Mr. Reed, your company arranged the hall well.”

“But two cable covers are missing.”

Nathan’s expression changed slightly.

He turned and called a staff member over.

Adrian looked at me.

“Dr. Hayes, don’t forget the preliminary project meeting this afternoon.”

I nodded.

“I haven’t forgotten.”

Nathan frowned.

“What project?”

Adrian looked a little surprised.

“Dr. Hayes didn’t tell you?”

“Her team’s open-wound recovery project has entered the state review round.”

“After today’s event, we’ll be reviewing her materials.”

Nathan looked at me as if he were hearing my name for the first time.

Sophie sat on the floor with an extremely ugly expression.

She whispered, “Emily is so capable.”

“Why did she never tell Mr. Reed?”

I picked up the medical kit.

“Because he never asked.”

Nathan’s lips moved.

Adrian looked at us but asked nothing more.

Before the event ended, Nathan finally found a chance to block my way.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this project?”

“I did.”

“When?”

“The night you asked me to revise your speech while Sophie worked on your report.”

He remembered.

That day, I told him I had to submit project documents the next week.

I said I might not have time to help him revise his speech.

He said, “How urgent can hospital documents be?”

“Help me polish my meeting speech first.”

I revised his speech until three in the morning.

Behind us, Sophie called out, “Mr. Reed, I think my ankle really is broken.”

Nathan stood still.

He did not run to her immediately.

I did not look back.

That was the first crack.

Small and pitiful.

But enough to terrify Sophie.

The day after the free clinic, screenshots from Nathan’s company group chat were sent to me.

Sophie had not resigned at all.

Not only had she stayed, she had been temporarily transferred to customer relations.

That department was in charge of our wedding project.

Claire slapped the table in anger.

“That man said he would transfer her.”

“But he actually gave her a better spot.”

I flipped through a medical record.

“That’s not surprising.”

“Aren’t you afraid they’ll actually end up together?”

I looked up.

“What does that have to do with me?”

Claire stared at me for a long time.

“Emily, people like you are terrifying.”

“You break up like you’re removing dead tissue.”

“One cut, and you never look back.”

I said, “Leaving dead tissue behind causes infection.”

She pushed a coffee toward me.

“Fine, Dr. Hayes.”

“Drink something sweet.”

That afternoon, the contractors sent me photos.

The central air.

The dishwasher.

The mattress.

The bookshelves.

Everything had been removed.

The walls were left with exposed screw holes.

The floor was scratched from moving furniture.

Nathan also sent me a photo.

“Do you have to destroy the apartment like this?”

I replied, “That is your apartment.”

“Not my home.”

He did not reply.

At seven that evening, Margaret invited me to dinner.

At first, I did not want to go.

Then she sent another message.

“Sophie will also be there.”

“I want her to explain everything in front of everyone.”

I went to the private dining room.

Margaret was there, along with Nathan’s father, Richard Reed.

Nathan and Sophie were there too.

The moment Richard saw me, his face darkened.

“Emily, are you done throwing your tantrum?”

“The wedding can be postponed.”

“But it cannot be canceled.”

“The Reed family cannot afford this humiliation.”

I pulled out a chair and sat down.

“Then find someone who can marry into your family.”

Richard slammed the table.

“What kind of attitude is that?”

Margaret said coldly, “Talk properly.”

“Don’t put on airs here.”

Sophie quickly poured tea.

“Mr. and Mrs. Reed, this is all my fault.”

“Please don’t argue because of me.”

Richard looked at her and found her pleasing.

“This girl is sensible.”

“Unlike some people who threaten breakup over every little thing.”

Nathan frowned.

“Dad.”

Richard ignored his son and pointed at me.

“I know doctors work hard.”

“But no matter how successful a woman is, she still has to care for the family.”

“Nathan has tolerated your night shifts all year.”

“That was already not easy.”

I asked, “What exactly did he tolerate?”

Richard choked.

“You’re absent from home every other day.”

“You left the wedding apartment renovation for the groom’s family to be laughed at.”

“And now you cancel the wedding whenever you want.”

“What man could stand that?”

Sophie softly interrupted.

“Mr. Reed, Emily’s work is busy.”

“She must be under too much pressure.”

Her words poured oil on the fire.

Richard immediately said, “So pressure gives her the right to take it out on a man?”

“Nathan, don’t let her control you.”

“She’s almost thirty.”

“If the wedding is canceled, she’ll be the one panicking, not you.”

Margaret slammed her teacup down.

“Shut your mouth.”

Richard became angry.

“You’re still defending her?”

“She is about to cancel the wedding.”

I turned on my phone recorder.

When Nathan saw it, his face changed.

“Emily, why are you recording?”

“To prevent someone from later claiming I extorted them.”

Richard sneered.

“You really are calculating.”

“Fine.”

“Let’s calculate clearly today.”

“I won’t give you one cent for renovation costs.”

“If you want to dismantle things, do it.”

“If you damage the apartment, you pay.”

I pushed the list over.

“That’s fine.”

“Then restoration costs will be deducted from the depreciated value of the renovation.”

“Dream on.”

“If we can’t agree, go to court.”

Richard looked as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

“You’d go to court over tens of thousands of dollars?”

“You may not fear embarrassment, but we do.”

I looked at him.

“Then the person who fears embarrassment should be worried.”

“Not me.”

Sophie suddenly said, “Emily, I know you’re upset.”

“But Mr. Reed really loves you.”

“Yesterday, he sat in his office looking at your photos together.”

“If you keep forcing him like this, you’ll only push him farther away.”

I asked, “Push him toward you?”

Her face flushed red.

“You can misunderstand me.”

“But you can’t talk about Mr. Reed like that.”

Richard nodded.

“Look at her.”

“She cares about Nathan so much.”

Margaret was so angry her face turned pale.

Nathan finally spoke.

“Sophie, say less.”

Sophie looked as if someone had slapped her.

Tears immediately fell.

“I’m sorry.”

“I just feel sorry for you.”

Nathan’s expression softened again.

I had watched enough of this play.

I stood up.

“There’s nothing more to say today.”

Richard said coldly, “If you walk out this door, don’t ever expect to enter the Reed family again.”

I turned back.

“I never wanted to enter it.”

When I pushed the door open, a server happened to bring in the food.

A bowl of hot soup almost hit Sophie.

She screamed.

Nathan immediately stretched out his arm to shield her.

Hot soup splashed onto the back of his hand.

Sophie cried and held his hand tightly.

“Mr. Reed, you got hurt because of me.”

Richard’s gaze toward me became even more disgusted.

“See?”

“This is what caring looks like.”

I stared at the red mark on Nathan’s hand.

Right before one of my shifts, a surgical instrument once cut my hand.

Nathan told me to put on a Band-Aid and continue editing his report.

Now a little hot soup touched his hand.

And the whole room acted as if the sky had fallen.

I walked out of the private room.

Before the door closed, I heard Nathan call my name.

This time, I did not stop.

The real explosion came from a secretly recorded video.

In the video, the private room door was slightly open.

Sophie cried while blowing on the back of Nathan’s hand.

Richard loudly scolded me for being unreasonable.

The title was sensational.

“Bride-to-be cancels wedding because female coworker sat in passenger seat.”

“Future father-in-law angrily calls female doctor too controlling.”

The video quickly spread across local forums.

My hospital name, department, and real name were dug up.

In the comments, people said I abused a patient because I was a doctor.

Some said I was almost thirty and still throwing tantrums.

Some said it was good that Nathan saw my true face early.

Dr. Hartman called me into his office.

“The hospital will handle the media crisis.”

“Don’t speak publicly for now.”

I nodded.

“I understand.”

He looked at me.

“That video is not the whole story, is it?”

“No.”

“Do you have the full recording?”

“Yes.”

He sighed in relief.

“Good.”

“The project review is coming.”

“Don’t let personal matters block your path.”

When I walked out of his office, Claire was waiting in the hallway.

“Sophie posted on Instagram.”

She handed me her phone.

Sophie had posted a photo of Nathan’s bandaged hand with a caption.

“Some people do not cherish what others cannot bear to see hurt.”

Under it were comments from Nathan’s coworkers comforting her.

I handed the phone back.

“Save the screenshot.”

“You still aren’t releasing the full recording?”

“Wait.”

“For what?”

I looked out the window.

“For them to finish saying everything.”

That night, Nathan could not reach me.

So he borrowed Margaret’s number to call.

I answered.

His voice was hoarse.

“I didn’t post that video.”

“I know.”

“Sophie also said she didn’t do it.”

“Then keep believing her.”

He went silent.

I heard a lighter click.

He never used to smoke.

Maybe he had learned recently.

“Emily, I’ll have people remove the online comments.”

“No need.”

“You’re a doctor.”

“If people insult you like that, it will affect your work.”

“Now you remember that?”

His breathing became uneven.

“My father said ugly things.”

“I apologize on his behalf.”

“No need to apologize on his behalf.”

“Then what do you want?”

I said, “I want to know who recorded that video and posted it online.”

“I’ll find out.”

“After you do, send it to my lawyer.”

His voice lowered further.

“Now you won’t even say one extra word to me?”

“Yes.”

The other end stayed silent for a long time.

“Sophie cried all afternoon today.”

I laughed.

“You’re telling me this so I’ll know how wronged she is?”

“No.”

“Nathan, every time you open your mouth, it is about her.”

He could not refute it.

I hung up.

The next morning, Sophie posted another video.

She sat in a car with swollen eyes.

“Everyone, please stop scolding Dr. Hayes.”

“She probably loves Mr. Reed too much and cannot accept that I sat in the passenger seat.”

“I’ve decided to leave this city.”

“I hope everything ends here.”

The comments were full of sympathy.

Some praised her as truly considerate.

Some scolded me for forcing her into a corner.

Half an hour later, Nathan’s company posted an official statement.

It said the online video involved a personal dispute.

The company could not comment.

But Sophie Wells had always worked hard.

For personal reasons, she had applied for a transfer.

Jason called me.

“Can we pull the net closed now?”

I said, “Wait two more hours.”

“Still waiting?”

“She said she was leaving the city.”

“I want to see if she appears at Nathan’s company this afternoon.”

At three in the afternoon, Adrian sent me a photo.

Sophie was sitting in a meeting room at Nathan’s company.

Her employee badge was still on her chest.

Under the photo was one message.

“She is at your ex-fiancé’s company, taking minutes for the co-sponsor team on our project.”

I replied, “Thank you.”

Five minutes later, Jason released the lawyer’s statement.

The full private room recording.

The living room camera footage.

The video from the free clinic.

The credit card statements.

The photo proving Sophie had lied about leaving the city while still sitting openly at the company.

Everything was posted at once.

The statement was not emotional.

It only contained a timeline and evidence.

The online tide seemed to pause.

Ten minutes later, public opinion began to reverse.

People picked apart every word in Sophie’s recording.

Someone examined the so-called gastritis form and found the date was from six months ago.

Others questioned Nathan.

If his bride-to-be had been paying the wedding credit card bill, why had he said nothing?

Nathan’s cousin quietly deleted his message from the family group chat.

Sophie locked her comments.

Nathan sent me an email.

The subject had only three words.

“I was wrong.”

I did not open it.

That evening, several media outlets waited outside the hospital entrance.

Dr. Hartman asked security to escort me out.

I had just reached the parking lot when Nathan stood up beside his car.

In only a few days, he had lost weight.

“Emily.”

The security guard immediately stepped in front of me.

I said, “It’s fine.”

Nathan looked at me.

His eyes held too many complicated things.

“I found out about the video.”

“The first person who uploaded it was Sophie’s cousin.”

“She works part-time at that restaurant.”

I nodded.

“Send it to my lawyer.”

“Sophie said she didn’t know.”

I looked at him.

He immediately added, “I don’t believe her anymore.”

I said nothing.

He seemed to realize those words had come far too late.

His face turned gray.

“I fired her.”

“I’ll also post a correction.”

“I’ll transfer the renovation money tomorrow.”

“From now on, we’ll communicate through the lawyer.”

He took one step closer.

“Emily, do we really have no chance left?”

I looked at him.

“Nathan, do you know why I refused to sit in the back seat that day?”

His throat moved.

“Because I let her sit in your place.”

“Not only that.”

I continued, “Because you believed I would accept sitting in the back.”

The light in his eyes went out.

At the parking lot entrance, Sophie appeared.

She wore no makeup.

Her face was frighteningly pale.

“Mr. Reed, didn’t you say you would drive me to the bus station?”

Nathan turned around, frowning.

“How did you find me here?”

She looked at him.

Then she looked at me.

“Emily, you won.”

“You ruined my job.”

“You ruined my reputation.”

“And now you still want to take Mr. Reed away?”

I found it ridiculous.

“He was never an object that belonged to me.”

Sophie suddenly laughed.

“Of course you don’t care.”

“You have your project.”

“You have the hospital.”

“You have so many people backing you.”

“What about me?”

“I just wanted to stay in this city.”

“What did I do wrong?”

Nathan said in a low voice, “Sophie, shut up.”

She cried and shouted, “Even now, you think this is all my fault?”

“That day, you were the one who told me to sit in the passenger seat.”

“You were the one who put the scarf on me.”

“You were the one who said she was stubborn.”

“You said if you treated her coldly for a while, she would lower her head.”

“Why are you pushing all the blame onto me now?”

Nathan’s face turned extremely ugly.

Hearing those words, I finally understood the most important thing.

It was not that Sophie was good at acting.

It was that Nathan knew I would be hurt.

But he had been certain that if I hurt a little, I would obediently return.

Sophie pulled a sheet of paper from her bag.

“You also made me reorganize the wedding contracts.”

“You said if Emily insisted on canceling the wedding, we could use the costs to force her to back down.”

“So why are you acting devoted now?”

Nathan shouted at her.

“Enough!”

Everyone in the parking lot looked over.

I stood there and suddenly felt no sadness at all.

The rotten part had been cut away.

What was exposed was not fresh flesh.

It was necrotic tissue that had been dead for a long time.

Nathan turned back to me.

“Emily, I only said those things in anger.”

I replied, “Stop explaining.”

Sophie was still crying.

“Nathan, I did so much for you.”

“You can’t abandon me.”

Nathan shook off her hand.

“I didn’t tell you to spread rumors.”

“I didn’t tell you to secretly film.”

“I didn’t tell you to post those things online.”

Sophie screamed, “But you enjoyed it.”

“When everyone attacked her, you never stood up to protect her.”

“You watched me vent your anger for you.”

“Didn’t you feel satisfied?”

Nathan could not say a word.

The security guard whispered to me, “Dr. Hayes, should I call the police?”

I nodded.

“Please do.”

When the police arrived, Sophie was sitting on the ground crying.

Nathan stood beside her.

The medical patch on the back of his hand had begun to peel.

He looked through the crowd at me.

It was as if he finally realized I would never take one more step toward him.

The next day, Nathan’s company posted a correction quickly.

It admitted that internal employee Sophie Wells had repeatedly spread false information and damaged my reputation.

The company said it would cooperate with the investigation and terminate her employment.

Nathan also posted a personal apology.

He admitted the canceled wedding was his fault.

He admitted he had lacked boundaries in his relationships.

He admitted the wedding expenses had actually been paid by me.

In the comments, almost no one believed him.

Some asked why he had not spoken when I was being insulted most viciously.

Some asked why his first reaction at the free clinic had still been to question me.

He did not reply to anyone.

I did not read further.

That morning, I was in the project review meeting.

Adrian sat among the evaluators and flipped through my materials.

The state experts asked extremely detailed questions.

From sample sources to clinical feasibility, every question was sharp.

I answered for two full hours.

Finally, an older expert took off his glasses.

“Dr. Hayes, if your project can be put into practice, it will be very meaningful for wound treatment in community hospitals.”

Dr. Hartman sat beside me with a serious face.

But his finger lightly tapped the edge of the table.

I knew that was his habit when he was satisfied.

After the meeting, Adrian handed me a bottle of water.

“You answered very steadily.”

I took it.

“Thank you.”

“Has the online matter been handled?”

“It’s going through legal procedure.”

He nodded.

“If you need a witness, I can testify about what happened at the free clinic.”

“That would trouble you.”

He smiled.

“It’s no trouble.”

That afternoon, Jason told me Sophie had agreed to publicly apologize and pay compensation.

Her apology video had to be recorded three times.

The first time, she cried too dramatically.

The second time, she tried to push most of the responsibility onto Nathan.

Only the third version was barely usable.

I did not bother watching it.

Jason asked, “What do you want to do with the compensation?”

“Donate it to the hospital patient aid fund.”

“You really won’t keep a cent?”

“I won’t.”

“Put that clause in the agreement.”

That evening, Margaret called me.

Her voice was low.

“Emily, I asked Nathan to transfer the renovation money.”

“There is also an extra amount from his father and me as compensation.”

“I don’t need compensation.”

“That money is not to buy forgiveness for him.”

She paused.

“It is my apology to you.”

“For years, I knew he was spoiled.”

“But I hoped that after marriage, you could discipline him.”

“I was foolish to throw a grown man to another woman and expect her to fix him.”

I tightened my grip on the phone and did not speak immediately.

Margaret continued, “Don’t look back.”

“Just keep walking forward.”

I softly said, “Thank you, Aunt Margaret.”

She laughed, but her voice was choked.

“If we meet again, just keep calling me Aunt Margaret.”

After hanging up, I received a bank notification.

Sixty-two thousand dollars.

Not a dollar more.

Not a dollar less.

I transferred the money into the account for my new rental apartment.

Then I bought my cat a bigger climbing tower.

Claire said I was truly unromantic.

“Other people buy designer bags after a breakup.”

“You buy a cat tree.”

I said, “The cat stays with me longer than a bag.”

She raised her glass.

“To the successful removal of necrotic tissue.”

I clinked glasses with her.

My phone screen lit up again.

Nathan had sent another email.

This time the subject read, “Can I see you one more time?”

I deleted it.

The reason I did not block his email was because the lawyer might still need documents.

It was not because I wanted to leave him a door.

After Sophie’s apology video was posted, everything settled quickly.

She admitted she had known the medical form was outdated but still used it to guide public opinion in the family chat.

She admitted she had fallen by herself at the free clinic and had not been pushed by me.

She also admitted that the secretly recorded video had been uploaded by her cousin.

She had known about it but did not stop it.

She had used the lie about leaving the city to gain sympathy.

In the video, she no longer called me Emily.

She called me Dr. Hayes.

Some people cursed her in the comments.

Others said she had only been desperate to climb upward.

I did not click in to watch a second time.

The hospital project passed the review round.

Dr. Hartman, rarely generous, invited the whole team to dinner.

At the table, a young doctor asked me, “Dr. Hayes, how did you stay calm enough to finish your report when people were insulting you so badly?”

Claire answered before I could.

“She’s not human.”

“She’s a scalpel that turned into a person.”

The whole table burst into laughter.

I picked up a piece of fish.

“Because those insults couldn’t write the report for me.”

Dr. Hartman nodded.

“That’s right.”

“No matter how noisy the outside world is, when the scalpel is in your hand, the patient only cares whether your hand is steady.”

Halfway through dinner, someone knocked on the private room door.

The server peeked in.

“Dr. Hayes, there is a Mr. Reed outside asking for you.”

Claire immediately put down her fork.

“I’ll go drive him away.”

I said, “I’ll go.”

In the hallway, Nathan wore a dark overcoat and held a folder.

When he saw me, he smiled first.

The smile was extremely strained.

“Congratulations.”

“Your project passed.”

“Thank you.”

He handed me the folder.

“These were left at the apartment.”

“A few of your books and your cat’s vaccination record.”

I took it.

“Thank you.”

“No trouble.”

He looked at me as if he had many things to say.

I waited three seconds.

“Anything else?”

Nathan’s throat moved.

“Sophie and I had nothing between us.”

I said, “You don’t need to tell me.”

“I know.”

“I just wanted you to know that I didn’t continue the mistake.”

“That is your business.”

He smiled bitterly.

“Now you won’t even give me one soft word?”

I looked at him.

“Nathan, breaking up was not to punish you.”

“It was to make sure I never put myself in that position again.”

His eyes reddened.

“That position is still here.”

“It isn’t.”

I said, “When you let someone else sit there, it stopped belonging to me.”

He lowered his head.

After a long time, he took out the engagement ring.

“I’m returning this to you.”

“No need.”

“You chose it yourself.”

“But you bought it.”

His fingers tightened.

“Can I keep it?”

“Do whatever you want.”

I turned to leave.

Suddenly, he called after me.

“Emily.”

I paused but did not turn around.

He asked, “That day at the hospital entrance, if I had gotten out of the car and refused to let you sit in the back, would you have forgiven me?”

That question was like a late needle pressing into a scar.

I turned back.

“Yes.”

Hope flashed in his eyes.

Then I continued, “But you didn’t.”

That small hope shattered again.

“What if I hadn’t brought her into the apartment afterward?”

“Maybe we would have had a fight.”

“What if I had defended you in the family group chat?”

“Maybe we would not have reached this point.”

His voice trembled.

“So I had so many chances.”

“Yes.”

I looked at him directly.

“You threw them away again and again.”

Someone in the room called me back in for soup.

I turned and walked away.

This time, he did not call me again.

When I returned to my seat, Claire leaned over aggressively.

“Did he cry?”

“Who?”

“Him.”

“I didn’t look.”

She ladled soup for me.

“You’re impressive.”

I took a sip.

The soup was hot.

“I’m already tired from looking at patients’ wounds.”

“I don’t want to look at his.”

After the project entered practical implementation, I was sent to train staff at community hospitals.

The first stop was Riverside, one hour from my city by train.

I dragged my suitcase out of the station.

Adrian was already waiting at the exit.

“Dr. Hartman told me to pick you up.”

I looked at the sign in his hand.

It carefully said, “Dr. Hayes.”

Beside it was a crooked drawing of a cat.

I laughed.

“Did you draw that yourself, Dr. Cole?”

“My nephew drew it.”

“He said doctors should be greeted politely.”

In the car, Adrian did not pry into my private life.

He only talked about the situation at the community hospitals.

Riverside served several surrounding towns.

There were many patients with chronic open wounds.

But their dressing-change conditions were limited.

If our process could be promoted, it would significantly reduce the risk of amputation.

I listened carefully.

At the hospital, the director showed us around.

The dressing room was small.

The cabinets were old.

But the nurses arranged the instruments very neatly.

An elderly man sat on a chair.

The wound on his leg had lasted half a year.

The local doctor looked embarrassed.

“Our conditions are limited.”

“We didn’t handle it very systematically before.”

I crouched down to examine the wound.

“It can be treated.”

The moment those four words came out, the old man’s daughter began to cry.

She choked out, “Doctor, my family has gone everywhere.”

“Many people said his leg might have to be amputated.”

I looked up.

“Don’t cry yet.”

“The next dressing changes will be painful.”

“You have to encourage him to persist.”

The old man smiled with missing teeth.

“I’m not afraid of pain.”

“As long as I can keep my leg.”

That day, I worked for ten straight hours.

When I returned to the hotel at night, the bottoms of my feet felt as if I had stepped on gravel.

Adrian sent me a message.

“There’s hot soup downstairs.”

“Remember to eat.”

When I went down, he was sitting in a corner reading documents.

Two bowls of soup and a plate of vegetables were already on the table.

“I didn’t know whether you eat spicy food.”

“I don’t.”

“Then this is just right.”

We ate quietly for ten minutes.

Then he suddenly said, “You are very suited to being a doctor.”

I smiled.

“Is that a compliment?”

“More like an observation.”

“Why?”

“Because you don’t like wasting time on useless pain.”

“Pain is pain.”

“Damage is damage.”

“If it can be saved, save it.”

“If it cannot, remove it.”

I looked at the soup in front of me.

“That sounds cold.”

“No.”

He said, “That is being responsible for yourself.”

That night, I slept very well.

The next day, after the training ended, a local TV station came for an interview.

The reporter asked me why I had originally wanted to promote this project.

I answered, “Many wounds are not serious at first.”

“They become complicated because they are left untreated for too long.”

“If handled early, patients suffer less.”

After saying that, I froze slightly.

The reporter thought I was talking about open wounds.

Only I knew I was also talking about people.

On the day the interview aired, Nathan sent me another email.

“I saw you on TV.”

“You used to say similar things, but I didn’t understand.”

I did not reply.

On the night train back, the fields outside the window were dark.

Adrian sat beside me and handed me a warm bag of roasted chestnuts.

“I bought these at the station.”

I accepted them.

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

“You only ate two bites at lunch.”

My hand paused while peeling a chestnut.

He said nothing more and lowered his head to read.

I suddenly realized that being understood did not have to be dramatic.

Sometimes it was just someone knowing you had not eaten.

Knowing you did not eat spicy food.

Knowing you disliked being disturbed while working.

When we arrived, Adrian took me back to the entrance of my apartment building.

My new apartment was near the hospital.

Two bedrooms.

One living room.

A wide balcony.

The cat tree occupied half a wall.

He did not come upstairs.

He only handed me my suitcase.

“Are you off tomorrow?”

“I’ll sleep in during the morning.”

“Then review medical records later.”

“Then good night.”

I nodded.

“Good night.”

Before the elevator doors closed, I saw him still standing there.

Only after the light for my floor turned on did he leave.

Nathan’s unread email still lay quietly on my phone.

The hallway light came on.

My cat meowed from behind the door.

I deleted the email and opened the door.

The next time Nathan appeared in front of me was at the project results press conference.

He had not come to find me.

Because of the previous media crisis, his company had lost its co-sponsor status.

But they still wanted to seek cooperation in future charity events.

The press conference was held in the main hall of the city hospital.

Dr. Hartman and I sat in the front row.

Adrian spoke on behalf of the rehabilitation center.

Nathan sat quietly in the last row the entire time.

When the event ended, representatives from several companies surrounded us and exchanged business cards.

Nathan also walked over.

He did not push forward.

He stood quietly at the edge.

Only after everyone finished speaking did he say, “Dr. Hayes, our company wants to donate a batch of dressing-change equipment to community hospitals.”

Dr. Hartman glanced at me.

I said nothing.

Adrian asked, “Didn’t your company withdraw?”

Nathan nodded.

“This time, we don’t need media exposure or naming rights.”

“We simply want to sponsor equipment.”

Dr. Hartman became interested.

“Where is the detailed list?”

Nathan handed over the file.

The list was very detailed.

From basic dressing kits to portable lights, there was nothing flashy or unnecessary.

Dr. Hartman skimmed it and nodded.

“We can discuss this further.”

Nathan looked at me.

“What does Dr. Hayes think?”

The way he addressed me made several people glance at him.

I replied, “As long as the equipment meets standards.”

His eyes dimmed slightly.

Then he quickly returned to normal.

“Understood.”

After the discussion, Nathan did not stay to bother me.

He simply turned and left.

Claire whispered beside me, “He knows how to keep boundaries now.”

I replied, “Late boundaries are still boundaries.”

“Are you softening?”

“No.”

One month after the press conference, the first batch of equipment arrived in Riverside.

When we inspected it, we found a detailed label on every box.

The handwriting was Nathan’s.

A local nurse praised it.

“The sponsor is so thoughtful.”

“He was afraid we’d mix things up, so he even recorded operation videos.”

I nodded and gave no comment.

People can become better.

But that does not mean I have to return to the past.

After the inspection, I ran into Adrian in the hallway.

He looked at the equipment.

“Mr. Reed did a good job this time.”

“Yes.”

“Does it bother you?”

I thought about it.

“No.”

“Good.”

He handed me a chart.

“The old man’s wound has improved well.”

“He wants you to take a look.”

In the ward, the old man smiled brightly when he saw me.

“Dr. Hayes, I can walk a few steps now.”

His daughter supported him.

Her eyes were full of hope.

The old man trembled as he stood.

He took three steps.

The whole ward burst into applause.

Looking at his legs, my heart became strangely peaceful.

The old relationship was like an old apartment.

I had removed the air-conditioning.

Cleared out the belongings.

Left messy holes in the walls.

But the coming days were not for patching that old wall.

They were for opening a new door.

Behind that door were patients who could stand again.

A cat sunning itself on the balcony.

And a man waiting at a train station with a crooked cat drawing on a sign.

On the night bus back to the city, Adrian asked me, “Are you free this weekend?”

“What is it?”

“My nephew wants to meet the cat from his drawing.”

I looked at him.

He remained very calm.

“Of course, I want to meet her too.”

I smiled.

“My cat has a bad temper.”

“I can bring treats.”

“Then Saturday afternoon?”

He nodded.

“Good.”

My phone suddenly vibrated.

It was a message from Nathan.

“Did the equipment arrive?”

I replied with two words.

“It arrived.”

He answered quickly.

“That’s good.”

There were no extra words.

I put my phone back into my bag.

Adrian asked, “Work message?”

“You could call it that.”

He did not ask further.

Outside the window, streetlights flashed backward.

I suddenly realized that a truly suitable person would not force you to explain every silence.

He would treat silence as part of the answer.

That Saturday, Adrian brought his nephew to my apartment.

The boy’s name was Noah.

He was six years old and held a huge bag of cat treats.

The moment he entered, he bowed deeply to my cat.

“Hello, beautiful cat sister.”

“May I pet you?”

My cat sat proudly on the cat tree and swished her tail.

Adrian acted as a serious translator.

“She says you must pay tribute first.”

Noah immediately offered the treats.

I laughed so hard I could not close my mouth.

That afternoon, the sunlight was beautiful.

Claire also came over with a cake.

When she saw Adrian washing fruit in the kitchen, she leaned close to my ear.

“This one passes.”

“He washes strawberries and removes the stems.”

I pushed her away.

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“How am I talking nonsense?”

“Look at the way he looks at you.”

“It’s like he’s looking at a rare case.”

“What kind of comparison is that?”

“It means precious, complicated, and worth long-term observation.”

I was speechless.

Noah sat in the living room drawing.

He drew me, Adrian, Claire, and the cat.

He even drew the boxes of equipment Nathan had donated.

I asked, “What is this?”

Noah said, “Uncle Adrian said Dr. Hayes helped many people stand up again.”

“This box helps people too.”

A child’s world was simple.

If something helped people, it was good.

Who donated it?

What story was behind it?

He did not care.

I suddenly felt light.

The past had finally been placed where it belonged.

It no longer blocked my path.

I walked the uncle and nephew downstairs.

Adrian deliberately fell one step behind.

“Sorry for disturbing you today.”

“Not at all.”

“Noah likes my cat.”

“My cat also likes his treats.”

He smiled softly.

When the elevator reached the first floor, he suddenly asked, “Emily, may I pursue you?”

The question was direct.

No detours.

I looked at him.

“I just ended a five-year relationship.”

“I know.”

“I may not be ready to start a new relationship right away.”

“I know.”

“I have many boundaries and rules.”

“That is not a flaw.”

I was silent for a moment.

“Then you can try.”

He did not step closer.

The night wind blew in through the lobby doors with a faint scent of flowers.

When I returned home, I saw Nathan had posted a short update.

It was a photo of the equipment being delivered to a county hospital.

The caption was simple.

“Some mistakes in the past cannot be repaired.”

“You can only make up for them in another way now.”

Underneath were comments from mutual friends.

Some praised him for finally acting like a man.

Someone asked if he was still waiting for me.

He replied, “She does not need to look back.”

I looked for a few seconds and swiped away.

I did not like it.

I did not block it either.

From then on, Nathan no longer came to me on his own.

Sometimes we met at charity project meetings.

He kept his distance and called me Dr. Hayes.

Later, Sophie left the city.

Jason told me her cousin had to pay a large amount for secretly recording and defaming me.

The restaurant also fired her.

Sophie went to Nathan’s company several times, but the receptionist stopped her at the door.

When these things reached my ears, they had no weight anymore.

I was busy with training sessions, clinic visits, project reviews, and slowly sharing meals with Adrian.

We went to exhibitions.

We took my cat for checkups.

Adrian was an awkward pursuer.

He did not suddenly send nine hundred and ninety-nine roses.

After I stood through three surgeries, he quietly left a hot lunch box at the nurses’ station.

There was a note on it.

“Two bites still count as eating.”

He never said dramatic things like, “I can’t live without you.”

He only asked, “Do you need me to carry your documents for tomorrow’s meeting?”

He never made decisions for me.

Once, a sponsorship plan from Nathan’s company conflicted with our team’s opinion.

Adrian asked me, “Do you want to avoid the meeting?”

I said, “No.”

He nodded.

“Then I’ll follow the proper work process.”

That was enough.

Adult love is not carrying you out of the world.

It is respecting the way you stand inside it.

Half a year later, our community project received a state award.

On the day of the ceremony, I went onstage to accept the award on behalf of the research team.

Under the stage were many familiar faces.

Dr. Hartman.

Claire.

Adrian.

Margaret.

And Nathan.

Margaret came alone.

She messaged me and said she wanted to see me standing on a stage of honor.

I replied, “You are always welcome.”

Nathan sat beside her in a black suit.

He looked much steadier than he had half a year before.

Throughout the ceremony, he did not approach me.

I stood on the stage and listened as the host read out the project results.

Our project had been piloted in twelve community hospitals.

It had helped more than three hundred patients complete standardized open-wound treatment.

When applause filled the hall, I saw Claire lifting her phone and taking photo after photo.

Adrian sat beside her, smiling brightly.

At that moment, I suddenly remembered the emergency room entrance half a year earlier.

Passenger seat.

Scarf.

Stomach pain.

Be understanding.

Those words had once nailed themselves into my heart.

Now they were only a case record.

The cause was clear.

The treatment was timely.

The prognosis was good.

After the ceremony, Margaret came to find me.

She handed me a bouquet of white camellias.

“Congratulations.”

I accepted the flowers.

“Thank you, Aunt Margaret.”

She looked at me.

Her eyes were damp.

“Before, I always thought that when you married Nathan, I would gain a daughter.”

“Later, I understood.”

“A daughter is not something you automatically gain through marriage.”

“You are still willing to call me Aunt Margaret.”

“That is already good enough.”

I gently hugged her.

“Take care of yourself.”

Nathan stood a few steps away and did not come closer.

Only after Margaret left did he walk toward me.

“Dr. Hayes, congratulations.”

“Thank you, Mr. Reed.”

He smiled faintly.

After half a year of distance, this way of addressing each other no longer felt sharp.

“My mother likes you very much.”

“She is a very good person.”

“Yes.”

He looked toward the hall exit.

Adrian was waiting for me there, holding my coat.

Nathan looked away.

“You are living well now.”

“Yes.”

“That is good.”

He paused for a moment.

“Emily, before, I always thought you couldn’t leave me.”

“Later, I realized I was the one who couldn’t leave the version of myself that you had taken such careful care of.”

I did not answer.

He continued, “Now I’m learning how to take care of myself.”

“I’m also learning not to treat other people’s sacrifices as things I deserve.”

“That’s good.”

He smiled.

“I won’t disturb you anymore.”

He said it calmly.

I nodded.

“Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

He turned and walked back toward Margaret.

I held the bouquet and walked toward Adrian.

He placed my coat over my shoulders.

“Cold?”

“No.”

“What do you want to eat tonight?”

“The noodle place downstairs?”

“Yes.”

Claire rushed over from behind us.

“Count me in.”

“I took so many photos of you two that my hands are sore.”

Adrian smiled.

“Of course.”

Claire nodded with satisfaction.

Then she glanced at the bouquet in my arms.

“White camellias?”

“Who gave them to you?”

“Aunt Margaret.”

“Beautiful.”

I looked down at the bouquet.

Half a year ago, Nathan had clearly told the wedding planner that the bride liked white camellias.

He remembered what I liked.

But remembering is not the same as cherishing.

Now the bouquet was in my hands.

Not for a wedding.

Not for anyone’s pride.

Only to congratulate me.

That was wonderful.

In the steaming noodle shop, Claire chattered about gossip from the department.

Adrian occasionally added a sentence.

The automatic feeder at home sent a notification that my cat was eating.

I took a sip of broth.

Suddenly, I felt life was not as complicated as I had once thought.

If a seat is uncomfortable, stand up.

If someone does not respect you, leave.

If a scarf has been dirtied, throw it in the trash.

If someone takes your compromise for granted, take your compromise back.

If someone is willing to see your value, let that person slowly come closer.

After dinner, we walked along the street behind the hospital.

Adrian asked, “Are you going to Noah’s art show this weekend?”

“His preschool art show?”

“Yes.”

“He drew twenty cats and insists on inviting the owner of the beautiful cat sister to comment.”

I laughed.

“Okay.”

The streetlights stretched our shadows long.

He did not take my hand first.

When we reached the intersection, I reached out first.

His hand paused for a tiny moment.

Then he gently laced his fingers with mine.

His grip was not too tight.

It felt like confirmation.

It also felt like respect.

I remembered the passenger seat from that day.

I once thought that if the place that belonged to me was taken by someone else, it meant I had lost.

Later, I realized what truly belonged to me was never the seat in that car.

It was the right to get out of the car at any time.

It was the courage to choose a new road.

The wind brushed past the white camellias and touched my wrist.

I kept walking.

And I never looked back.